Brian J. Mickey

Brian J. Mickey, MD, PhD is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Utah School of Medicine, with additional appointments in Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, and as Adjunct Associate Professor in Anesthesiology. He directs the Mickey Lab at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute in Salt Lake City, where he provides clinical care for treatment-resistant mood disorders.

Dr. Mickey studied physics and biology at the University of Washington, Seattle, then completed his MD and PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. After psychiatry residency and postdoctoral fellowship at the Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, he joined the faculty at the University of Michigan before moving to the University of Utah in 2015.

• University of Washington: BS in Physics and Biology (dual major)
• University of Michigan: MD and PhD in Neuroscience
• University of Michigan Health System: Psychiatry Residency
• Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience Institute: Research Fellowship

Dr. Mickey's research focuses on understanding how limbic and prefrontal brain circuits give rise to psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety, and addiction, and developing new circuit-targeted interventions. His lab uses brain stimulation and brain imaging techniques to investigate neuropsychiatric illnesses, with particular emphasis on noninvasive neuromodulation approaches including focused ultrasound. His recent publications demonstrate strong activity in treatment-resistant depression, brain stimulation mechanisms, and the neurobiology of mood disorders.

Analysis of Dr. Mickey's 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent focus on circuit-based interventions for depression, with particular attention to novel neuromodulation techniques like focused ultrasound and Vagus Nerve Stimulation. His work spans multiple disciplines including neuroscience, psychiatry, biomedical engineering, and clinical trials research, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to understanding and treating mood disorders.

Dr. Mickey serves as Principal Investigator for multiple research projects including:

• Noninvasive Modulation of Deep Brain Circuits for Treatment-Resistant Depression (NIMH-funded)
• Ultrasonic Neuromodulation for Individuals Using Opioids for Chronic Pain (Wellcome Trust-funded)
• TRANSCEND: Treatment Resistant Depression Subcallosal Cingulate Network DBS (Abbott-funded)
• REaKT-SD: Rapid Reversal of Suicidal Depression (PCORI-funded)
• RECOVER: Vagus Nerve Stimulation Study for Treatment-Resistant Depression (LivaNova-funded)
• Genetics at an Extreme: Genomic Study of Severe Depression (NIMH-funded)

His clinical work centers on the Treatment Resistant Mood Disorders Clinic at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, where he provides pharmacologic treatments and brain stimulation interventions including electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation.