Department of Psychiatry Faculty

Morris D. Bell, Ph.D., ABPP Professor of Psychiatry VA Connecticut Health Care System Psychology Service, 116-B 950 Campbell Ave West Haven, CT 06516 Tel: 203-932-5711 ext 2281 Fax: 203-937-4883 Email: Morris.Bell@yale.edu

Education
B.A., 1971, Union College
Ph.D., 1976, George Washington University

Research Interest
"Exploring Ways to Restore Cognitive and Work Capacity" is the mission statement of our research program. Our goal is to restore functional capacity to patients with a wide range of psychiatric conditions. We are particularly interested in vocational rehabilitation, and neurocognitive rehabilitation and have been testing interventions that can augment current best practices. Our work suggests that providing patients with on-going, specific feedback about their cognitive and work performance can improve vocational outcomes. Based on models of neuroplasticity and the brain as an experienced-based, self-organizing system, we have tested the use of computer-based cognitive exercises of attention, memory, language and executive functioning. We have found that such training can result in normal levels of task performance (Drs. Bell and Fiszdon), improved neuropsychological test performance (Drs. Bell, Bryson, Greig, Wexler and Zito), and better cognitive functioning on the job (Dr. Greig). We have recently found that cognitive training combined with work therapy leads to greater productivity and when combined with supported employment leads to higher rates of competitive employment, especially for those with the poorest initial community functioning (Drs. Bell, Wexler, Greig, Nicholls, Zito). Evidence linking the cognitive training to neuroplastic changes comes from pre-post fMRI studies (Drs. Wexler and Mishara) that show improved cognitive efficiency on working memory tasks. Other methods being explored include social information processing groups, a CBT approach to negative cognitions regarding return to work (Dr. Paul Lysaker), pairing cognitive training with occupational therapy (Dr. Bryson), using D'serine as a cognitive enhancer to boost new learning in conjunction with cognitive training (Dr. Edward Perry), and using motivation enhancing strategies (Dr. Choi). While most of our work has been with people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, we are now applying our cognitive remediation approaches to patients in initial stages of substance abuse treatment (Drs. Bell and Richardson) and early stage Alzheimer's disease (Dr. Choi). Under development are new cognitive training software, virtual reality software, and psychophysiological biofeedback approaches. Dr. Bell also continues his scientific contributions to ego psychology and its integration with cognitive neuroscience.

Affiliated Faculty and Staff:
Gary Bryson, PsyD, Assistant Professor
Jimmy Choi, PsyD, Associate Research Scientist
Joanna Fiszdon, PhD, Assistant Professor
Tamasine Greig, PhD, Associate Research Scientist
Paul Lysaker, Ph.D. Associate Professor, IUPUI
Aaron Mishara, PhD, PsyD, NIMH Research Fellow
Althea Morgan, Research Assistant
Sarah Nicholls, PhD, Associate Research Scientist
Edward Perry, MD, Assistant Professor
Randall Richardson, PhD, NIMH Research Fellow
Jennifer Scagliotti, MA, Research Assistant
Bruce Wexler, MD, Professor
Heather Whelahan, MA, Statistical Assistant
Wayne Zito, PsyD, Associate Research Scientist

Publications of Note
Bell MD, Bryson GJ, Greig TC, Fiszdon JM, Wexler BE . Neurocognitive Enhancement Therapy with Work Therapy: Productivity Outcomes at 6-month and 12-month Follow-up. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, in press.

Wexler BE & Bell MD. Cognitive Remediation and Vocational Rehabilitation for Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 31(4), 931-41.

Bell MD, Fiszdon J, Bryson G. Can older people with schizophrenia benefit from work rehabilitation? Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 2005, 193, 293-301. Bell MD. Development of the Bell Object Relations Inventory for Adolescents. Journal of Personality Assessment, 2003, 80, 19-25.

Bell MD, Lysaker P, Bryson G. A behavioral intervention to improve work performance in schizophrenia: Work Behavior Inventory Feedback. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 2003, 18, 43-50.

Bell MD, Greig T, Gill P, Whelahan H, Bryson G. Work rehabilitation and patterns of substance use among persons with schizophrenia. Psychiatric Services, 2002, 53(1): 63-69.

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