Interview with Dr.

William Carpenter
By Alex Snyder
ProIessor oI Psychiatry and Pharmacology
University oI Maryland School oI Medicine
Maryland Psychiatric Research Center
Email on November 7, 2013

Introduction: Dr. William Carpenter is a proIessor oI Psychiatry and Pharmacology at University oI
Maryland School oI Medicine. Though he has many contributions to medical science and the
prevention/treatment oI the disease schizophrenia, he is also expert witness in the John W. Hinckley trial
Ior the attempted murder oI the United States president Ronald Reagan.
Alex Snyder: Your name, position, organization/laboratory/hospital.
William: William Carpenter, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY AND PHARMACOLOGY; WAS
DIRECTOR OF MPRC 1977-2013;
A:How did you come to research neurological diseases like schizophrenia?
W: TRAINED IN PSYCHIATRY. MENTOR TAUGHT THAT SCHIZOPHRENIA WAS OUR
LEAD DISEASE AND PHYSICIANS HAD A RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CARE AND
UNDERSTANDING OF OUR MOST SEVERE DISORDERS. VERY INFLUENTIAL.
C.) MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. THE STUDY OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY LEAD TO THE VIEW
THAT SCHIZOPHRENIA INCLUDED PATIENTS WITH MANY DIFFERENT DISORDERS AND
THE SYMPTOMS HAD TO BE DECONSTRUCTED. THIS LEAD TO IDENTIFYING NEGATIVE
SYMPTOMS AS CRITICAL, BUT ONLY IN A SUBGROUP OF PATIENTS. THIS THEN
CLARIFIED THAT TREATMENTS FOR PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS SUCH AS
HALLUCINATIONS OR THOUGHT DISORDER DID NOT TREAT NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS.
THE FIELD HAS NOW RECOGNIZED THAT SPECIFIC TREATMENTS HAVE TO BE
DISCOVERED FOR PSYCHOPATHOLOGY CAUSING NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS AND
COGNITION IMPAIRMENTS
A: Can you tell me a little about your current work and its implications?
W: MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. THE STUDY OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY LEAD TO THE VIEW
THAT SCHIZOPHRENIA INCLUDED PATIENTS WITH MANY DIFFERENT DISORDERS AND
THE SYMPTOMS HAD TO BE DECONSTRUCTED. THIS LEAD TO IDENTIFYING NEGATIVE
SYMPTOMS AS CRITICAL, BUT ONLY IN A SUBGROUP OF PATIENTS. THIS THEN
CLARIFIED THAT TREATMENTS FOR PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS SUCH AS
HALLUCINATIONS OR THOUGHT DISORDER DID NOT TREAT NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS.
THE FIELD HAS NOW RECOGNIZED THAT SPECIFIC TREATMENTS HAVE TO BE
DISCOVERED FOR PSYCHOPATHOLOGY CAUSING NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS AND
COGNITION IMPAIRMENTS
A:We are interested in what your liIe is like as a researcher/clinician on a day to day basis. Is there
something that you would like to share with the general public or community that cares about prevention,
therapies and cures Ior the disease?
W:LONG HOURS AND CHALLENGING WORK, BUT THE SCIENCE IS VERY INTERESTING
AND YOU SHARE WORK WITH VERY SMART AND CREATIVE PEOPLE SO CONTINUOUS
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN. YOU GET TO FEEL GOOD THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO HELP
PERSONS WITH VERY SERIOUS DISADVANTAGES IN LIFE BASED ON BRAIN
PATHOLOGY.
A:As part oI the 11th grade project, we are creating an art piece in studio art that I hope can serve to
represent a piece oI your work. Is there an image or idea that represents what you do that I can work
towards to represent the important things that you do? II you don't have ideas now, we will be starting the
artwork on Nov. 7th and would love to hear any ideas beIore then. Anything would help and would be
amazing!
W: YOUR CREATIVITY WILL BE BETTER THAN MINE ON THIS. HOWEVER, YOU MAY
GET INSPIRED IF YOU LOOK AT ART WORK FROM PERSONS WHO HAVE
SCHIZOPHRENIA. TO DO THIS GO TO THE SCHIZOPHRENIA BULLETIN WEB CITE AT
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS. CLICK ON BROWSE THE ARCHIVES AND OPEN ANY
ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL. DIFFERENT ART WORK ON EVERY FRONT COVER.
BEST WISHES, WILLIAM CARPENTER