Robert Levitan

Dr. Levitan is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychiatry with a cross-appointment in the Department of Physiology, University of Toronto. Dr. Levitan holds the Cameron Parker Holcombe Wilson Chair in Depression studies at University of Toronto and CAMH. He is a full member of the Institute of Medical Sciences at University of Toronto.

Research Synopsis

Dr. Levitan has a particular interest in the "atypical" sub-types of mood disorders characterized by overating and depression such as Seasonal Affective Disorder and Columbia Group Atypical Depression. Based on the early age of onset of these disorders, and their clear association with environmental triggers, Dr. Levitan has a strong interest in their early developmental origins. This includes cutting edge work on gene X environment interactions across the lifespan and various inter-generational processes driving fetal brain development. Identifying the very early risk factors for atypical mood and other major psychiatric disorders will point the way to novel neuro-developmental strategies aimed at primary prevention at a population level.