Gerardo Villarreal, M.D.

Associate Professor of Psychiatry Neurosciences

Medical Director, PTSD Program, New Mexico VA Healthcare System

Director, Brief Therapy Training Clinic, Department of Psychiatry

·         M.D., Universidad La Salle, Mexico City, 1986

·         Residency, The Institute of Living/University of Connecticut, Hartford CT, 1993

·         Research Fellowship in Anxiety Disorders, Medical University of South Carolina, 1995

·         Extramural Training Program, Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research, Bala Cynwyd, PA 1997

Areas of Specialization: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, neuroimaging

My clinical and research interests have focused on anxiety disorders, in particular PTSD.  I treat military veterans with PTSD with a variety of medications and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).  I teach medical students and residents in different settings but most of my teaching is done at the Brief Therapy Training Clinic. I enjoy teaching senior residents CBT and other cutting edge techniques such as mindfulness.  With the time I have left, I try to do some neuroimaging research in PTSD.

e-mail: Gerardo.Villarreal@va.gov

Selected Publications:

Villarreal G, Hollifield M: Psiconeuroendocrinología y Psicoinmunología. In: Alarcón R, Mazzotti G, Nicolini H, (Eds) Tratado de Psiquiatría, Second Edition, El Manual Moderno, México D.F.  2005

Villarreal, G: Hippocampal Findings in PTSD and Depression.  Directions in Psychiatry,  24:293-299, 2004

Villarreal G, Hamilton D, Graham DP, Driscoll, I, Qualls Q, Petropoulos H,  Brooks WM:  Reduced Area of the Corpus Callosum in PTSD. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 131:227-235, 2004

Villarreal G, Petropoulos H, Hamilton DA, Rowland LM, Horan WP, Griego JA,  Moreshead M,   Hart BL, Brooks WM:  Proton-MRS of the Medial Temporal Lobes and Occipital White Matter in PTSD: Preliminary Results. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 47:666-670, 2002

Villarreal G, Hamilton D, Petropoulos H, Driscoll I, Rowland LM, Griego JA, Kodituwakku PW , Hart BL, Escalona PR, Brooks WM:  Decreased Hippocampal and White Matter Volume in PTSD.    Biological Psychiatry,  52:119-125, 2002

Updated 08/01/06