Overview
Brandon Kohrt is a medical anthropologist and psychiatrist who completed his MD-PhD at Emory University in 2009. He is currently Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Global Health, and Cultural Anthropology at Duke University. Dr. Kohrt has worked in Nepal since 1996 researching and aiding victims of war including child soldiers. Since 2006 has worked with Transcultural Psychosocial Organization (TPO) Nepal. Dr. Kohrt has been a consultant to The Carter Center Mental Health Program Liberia Initiative since 2010. Dr. Kohrt is the component lead for the Grand Challenges Canada funded Mental Health Beyond Facilities (mhBeF) program in Nepal, Liberia, and Uganda. Dr. Kohrt has published scientific articles and book chapters about mental health among conflict- and disaster-affected populations in Nepal, Liberia, and Haiti. Dr. Kohrt has collaborated on numerous documentary films about human rights and global health including Returned: Child Soldiers of Nepal’s Maoist Army.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
Treatment of depression by traditional faith healers in Nepal: A qualitative study
Journal Article SSM - Mental Health · June 1, 2025 This study explored the assessment and treatment practices of traditional faith healers for patients with depression, as well as their beliefs about the causes of depression, in Nepal. In-depth interviews were conducted using a narrative approach to allow ... Full text CiteSex-Specific Alterations of the Kynurenine Pathway in Association With Risk for and Remission of Depression in Adolescence.
Journal Article Biol Psychiatry · February 13, 2025 BACKGROUND: The imbalance between neurotoxic and neuroprotective metabolites of the kynurenine pathway has been implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adulthood but has not been fully investigated among adolescents. In this ... Full text Link to item CiteFeasibility and Applicability of Implementing the Framework for Comprehensive Understanding of Structural Stigma in Mental Healthcare Systems: A Case Example of Nepal.
Journal Article Health Expect · February 2025 INTRODUCTION: Mental health-related structural stigma is a multifaceted issue that significantly impacts access to quality mental healthcare, particularly in low-resource settings like Nepal. Therefore, there is a clear need to understand the complexities ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Optimizing Provider Attitudes and Competence in Learning Mental Health Systems (OPAL)
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2016 - 2017Reducing Barriers to Mental Health Task Sharing: Stigma Reduction in Primary Care
Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2014 - 2017View All Grants