Psychiatry at Huashan Hospital Shanghai | CMCS

Expert Mental Health Care at One of China's Premier Academic Medical Centers

The Department of Psychiatry at Huashan Hospital — affiliated with Fudan University — is one of China's most distinguished psychiatry centers, with a national reputation for excellence in the diagnosis and management of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, neuropsychiatric conditions, and treatment-resistant mental illness. The department's unique integration with Huashan's world-renowned neurology and neurosurgery departments creates a particularly powerful environment for patients with neuropsychiatric conditions — where the boundary between neurology and psychiatry is often blurred — offering a level of multidisciplinary expertise that is simply unavailable at most psychiatric centers.

For international patients seeking expert psychiatric care in Shanghai — whether for treatment-resistant depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD, a neuropsychiatric condition, or a second opinion on a complex psychiatric diagnosis — Huashan Hospital's psychiatry department represents one of the most compelling destinations in Asia. China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) provides seamless end-to-end coordination for international patients throughout their care journey.

About the Department

Huashan Hospital's psychiatry department is a national key clinical specialty operating dedicated inpatient psychiatric wards, a comprehensive outpatient psychiatry clinic, a neuropsychiatry clinic, a memory and cognitive disorders clinic (in collaboration with neurology), a psychosomatic medicine service, a sleep disorders clinic, a substance use disorders service, and a brain stimulation therapy unit offering TMS and ECT.

The department's neuropsychiatry program is a particular strength — providing expert evaluation and management for patients with psychiatric symptoms arising from neurological conditions including epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, dementia, traumatic brain injury, autoimmune encephalitis, and multiple sclerosis. This integrated approach ensures that patients with complex neuropsychiatric presentations receive comprehensive evaluation by both neurological and psychiatric specialists working in close collaboration. Faculty members publish regularly in leading psychiatry and neuroscience journals including JAMA Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, Journal of Affective Disorders, and Schizophrenia Bulletin.

Conditions Treated

Mood Disorders

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) — Comprehensive pharmacotherapy; SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, MAOIs, mirtazapine, bupropion, and agomelatine; augmentation strategies (lithium, atypical antipsychotics, thyroid hormone); esketamine (Spravato) nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression; TMS and ECT for refractory cases
• Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) — Systematic evaluation of prior treatment adequacy; esketamine; TMS; ECT; MAOIs; lithium augmentation; clinical trial access for novel antidepressants
• Bipolar Disorder (Type I & II) — Mood stabilizers (lithium, valproate, lamotrigine, carbamazepine); atypical antipsychotics (quetiapine, olanzapine, aripiprazole, lurasidone); acute mania and bipolar depression management; long-term maintenance therapy
• Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia) — Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy combinations
• Seasonal Affective Disorder — Light therapy and pharmacotherapy
• Postpartum Depression & Perinatal Psychiatry — Brexanolone and pharmacotherapy; mother-infant bonding support

Anxiety & Related Disorders

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — SSRIs, SNRIs, buspirone, and pregabalin; CBT coordination
• Panic Disorder — SSRIs and benzodiazepines for acute management; CBT for long-term treatment
• Social Anxiety Disorder — SSRIs and CBT; beta-blockers for performance anxiety
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) — High-dose SSRIs and clomipramine; ERP therapy coordination; TMS for refractory OCD; DBS for severe refractory OCD in collaboration with neurosurgery
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — SSRIs, prazosin for nightmares; EMDR and trauma-focused CBT coordination
• Specific Phobias & Agoraphobia — Exposure therapy and pharmacotherapy

Psychotic Disorders

• Schizophrenia — First and second-generation antipsychotics; clozapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia with TDM; long-acting injectable antipsychotics (paliperidone palmitate, aripiprazole monohydrate, risperidone microspheres) for adherence; metabolic monitoring
• Schizoaffective Disorder — Combined antipsychotic and mood stabilizer therapy
• Brief Psychotic Disorder & Delusional Disorder — Antipsychotic therapy and psychosocial support
• First-Episode Psychosis — Early intervention; low-dose antipsychotic therapy; family psychoeducation

Neuropsychiatric Conditions

• Dementia-Related Behavioral & Psychological Symptoms (BPSD) — Non-pharmacological interventions; low-dose antipsychotics for agitation; antidepressants for depression in dementia
• Parkinson's Disease Psychosis & Depression — Pimavanserin for PD psychosis; antidepressants for PD depression; DBS programming optimization for mood symptoms
• Epilepsy & Psychiatric Comorbidity — Depression and anxiety in epilepsy; psychosis of epilepsy; antidepressant selection avoiding seizure threshold lowering
• Traumatic Brain Injury Neuropsychiatry — Post-TBI depression, anxiety, aggression, and cognitive impairment; pharmacotherapy and rehabilitation coordination
• Autoimmune Encephalitis Psychiatric Manifestations — Psychiatric symptoms of anti-NMDAR and other autoimmune encephalitides; immunotherapy coordination with neurology
• Multiple Sclerosis Neuropsychiatry — Depression, cognitive impairment, and fatigue in MS; pharmacotherapy and rehabilitation
• Huntington's Disease Psychiatry — Depression, anxiety, irritability, and psychosis management

Sleep Disorders

• Insomnia — CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) as first-line; pharmacotherapy (Z-drugs, melatonin receptor agonists, orexin antagonists: suvorexant, lemborexant)
• Circadian Rhythm Disorders — Light therapy and melatonin for delayed and advanced sleep phase disorders
• REM Sleep Behavior Disorder — Clonazepam and melatonin; neurological evaluation for prodromal synucleinopathy
• Hypersomnia — Narcolepsy (modafinil, sodium oxybate, pitolisant); idiopathic hypersomnia

Substance Use Disorders

• Alcohol Use Disorder — Medically supervised detoxification; naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram; motivational interviewing
• Opioid Use Disorder — Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) and methadone maintenance therapy
• Stimulant & Other Substance Use — Pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions

Other Psychiatric Conditions

• ADHD (Adult) — Methylphenidate, amphetamine salts, and atomoxetine; cognitive behavioral therapy
• Eating Disorders — Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder; multidisciplinary management
• Somatic Symptom & Functional Disorders — Psychosomatic medicine; integrated medical and psychiatric management
• Personality Disorders — Borderline PD (DBT); other personality disorders

Brain Stimulation Therapies

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Huashan's TMS program is one of the most experienced in Shanghai, offering repetitive TMS (rTMS) for treatment-resistant depression, OCD, and other psychiatric conditions:

• rTMS for Depression — High-frequency left DLPFC stimulation; theta burst stimulation (TBS) for accelerated treatment; deep TMS (dTMS) with H-coil for enhanced depth of stimulation
• rTMS for OCD — Deep TMS targeting the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate
• rTMS for Auditory Hallucinations — Low-frequency right temporoparietal stimulation for refractory auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

ECT remains the most effective treatment for severe, treatment-resistant depression, acute mania, and catatonia. Huashan's ECT program offers:

• Brief-pulse and ultra-brief pulse ECT to minimize cognitive side effects
• Bilateral and right unilateral electrode placement
• Continuation and maintenance ECT for relapse prevention
• ECT under general anesthesia with full monitoring

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Psychiatric Disorders

In collaboration with Huashan's world-class neurosurgery department, the psychiatry department offers DBS for severe, refractory OCD and treatment-resistant depression — available at only a limited number of centers in China. This highly specialized intervention is reserved for patients who have failed multiple adequate treatment trials and is delivered through a rigorous multidisciplinary evaluation process.

Esketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Huashan's psychiatry department offers esketamine (Spravato) nasal spray — the first truly novel antidepressant mechanism approved in decades — for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and major depressive disorder with acute suicidal ideation. Esketamine acts on NMDA glutamate receptors and produces rapid antidepressant effects within hours, offering hope for patients who have not responded to multiple conventional antidepressants.

Why International Patients Choose Huashan Psychiatry

• Neuropsychiatry Integration — Unique seamless integration with China's #1 neurology and neurosurgery departments for complex neuropsychiatric conditions
• Treatment-Resistant Depression Expertise — Esketamine, TMS, ECT, and DBS for patients who have not responded to conventional treatments
• OCD Specialist Program — High-dose pharmacotherapy, deep TMS, and DBS for severe refractory OCD
• Clozapine Program — Expert clozapine initiation and monitoring with TDM for treatment-resistant schizophrenia
• Sleep Disorders Expertise — Comprehensive sleep medicine including CBT-I, orexin antagonists, and REM sleep behavior disorder management
• Cost-Effectiveness — World-class psychiatric care at significantly lower cost than equivalent treatment in Western countries

The CMCS Patient Journey

1. Initial Inquiry — Share your psychiatric history, prior treatment trials, current medications, and any neurological comorbidities with CMCS.
2. Medical Record Preparation — We translate and organize your records for specialist pre-consultation review.
3. Specialist Matching — We identify the most appropriate psychiatrist based on your condition — mood disorders, psychosis, neuropsychiatry, OCD, sleep disorders, or substance use.
4. Priority Scheduling — We secure a consultation with minimal waiting time.
5. Travel & Logistics — Assistance with visa invitation letters, accommodation near Huashan Hospital, and Shanghai airport transfers.
6. On-Site Concierge — Bilingual coordinators accompany you throughout your hospital visits, managing registration, translation, and communication with sensitivity and discretion.
7. Treatment Coordination — Full coordination of neuropsychological testing, brain imaging, TMS sessions, ECT scheduling, and esketamine treatment.
8. Post-Treatment Follow-Up — Treatment summary translation, medication plan interpretation, and remote follow-up coordination after you return home.

Book a Consultation

If you are seeking expert psychiatric care in Shanghai — whether for treatment-resistant depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD, a neuropsychiatric condition, or a second opinion on a complex psychiatric diagnosis — CMCS can arrange a specialist consultation with Huashan Hospital's psychiatry team.

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