Profile Image

Charles Wilkinson, PhD

Personal Statement

​My background is in the study of the regulation of neural and hormonal responses to stress in healthy individuals and the manner in which this regulation fails in normal aging and in psychiatric and medical conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, depression, PTSD, Parkinson’s disease, and metabolic disorders.

My current research focuses on the physiological, behavioral, and cognitive consequences of chronic pituitary gland damage and hormonal abnormalities resulting from blast-related concussions in Veterans of deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. Symptoms of these hormonal abnormalities include sleep disorders, learning and memory deficits, sexual dysfunction, depression, irritability, fatigue, social isolation, and changes in body composition. Appropriate diagnosis of endocrine involvement in these symptoms can often result in successful treatment with hormone replacement therapy.

Education

Neuroendocrinology, University of California, San Francisco, 1977-1979
Neuroendocrinology & Neuropharmacology, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, 1980-1981
Ph.D., Physiological Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1969-1977
B.S., Psychology & Zoology, University of Michigan, 1962-1969

Teaching Philosophy

​My philosophy for teaching trainees the development of research skills and careers is to encourage a wide-ranging exploration of significant clinical issues and questions of interest. I then attempt to facilitate the relentless narrowing and sharpening of their research focus in order to identify detailed methodological approaches that can realistically answer specific questions.

Recent Publications

Characterizing the diversity of layer 2/3 human neocortical neurons in pediatric epilepsy.
(2025 Apr 17)
eNeuro
Kushner JK, Hoffman PB, Brzezinski CR, Svalina MN, O'Neill BR, Hankinson TC, Wilkinson CC, Handler MH, Baca SM, Huntsman MM, Alexander AL

Early Outcomes of Endoscopic Spring-Assisted Repair of Metopic Craniosynostosis.
(2025 Mar 6)
J Craniofac Surg
Palmer SK, Elkhill C, Cruz-Guerro IA, Gomez DA, Wilkinson C, Khechoyan D, French B, Porras AR, Nguyen PD

Chronic Hypopituitarism Associated with Increased Postconcussive Symptoms Is Prevalent after Blast-Induced Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
(2018)
Front Neurol 9(): 72
Undurti A, Colasurdo EA, Sikkema CL, Schultz JS, Peskind ER, Pagulayan KF, Wilkinson CW

Associations between CSF cortisol and CSF norepinephrine in cognitively normal controls and patients with amnestic MCI and AD dementia.
(2018 May)
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 33(5): 763-768
Wang LY, Raskind MA, Wilkinson CW, Shofer JB, Sikkema C, Szot P, Quinn JF, Galasko DR, Peskind ER

DOPA Decarboxylase Modulates Tau Toxicity.
(2018 Mar 1)
Biol Psychiatry 83(5): 438-446
Kow RL, Sikkema C, Wheeler JM, Wilkinson CW, Kraemer BC

Show complete publication list »
Edit Profile