Guido Frank, MD

Professor Adjoint, Psychiatry-Child-CHC

FacultyPhoto
Medical School
  • MD, Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich - Munich, Germany (1994)
Internship
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (2001)
Residency
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Psychiatry (2004)
Fellowships
  • University of California (San Diego) Program, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2007)
Languages
English, German
Department
Psychiatry-Child-CHC

Recognitions

  • Christina Barz-Scholarship for the Promotion of Research in the Field of Eating Disorders, Christina Barz Foundation (1997)
  • Pilot Grant Award, Obesity and Nutrition Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, PA, University of Pittsburgh, PA (2000)
  • NARSAD Young Investigator Award, NARSAD (2001)
  • Society of Biological Psychiatry Lilly Travel Fellowship Award, Society of Biological Psychiatry (2004)
  • American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology (ASCP) Travel Fellowship, American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2004)
  • AACAP Outstanding Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Resident Award, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2004)
  • Fellowship Award for the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP), Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) (2005)
  • American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Presidential Scholar Award, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2005)
  • West Coast College of Biological Psychiatry Junior Faculty Research Award, West Coast College of Biological Psychiatry (2005)
  • Mayo Clinic Psychiatric Genomics Course Teaching Prize, Mayo Clinic (2006)
  • Developmental Psychobiologic Research Group Scientific Poster Award, Developmental Psychobiologic Research Group (2008)
  • Minority Access to Research Career Program (NIMH) Mentor Recognition, NIMH (2008)
  • Davis Foundation Award / Klarman Family Foundation Grants Program in Eating Disorders Research, Davis Foundation (2008)
  • Developmental Psychobiologic Research Group Kaufman Scientific Award, Developmental Psychobiologic Research Group (2010)
  • Vitals Patients’ Choice Award 2016, Vitals (2017)

Research Interests

My research interests are primarily focused on investigating brain biology that underlies eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder. We are especially interested in understanding what biological circuits in the brain drive for instance food restriction, binge eating, or anxiety associated with body image. Ultimately, we hope that we identify medication that will make treatment easier, faster and more successful.

Publications

  • Shott ME, Filoteo JV, Jappe LM, Pryor T, Maddox WT, Rollin MD, Hagman JO, Frank GK. Altered implicit category learning in anorexia nervosa. Neuropsychology. 2011 Dec 26. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 22201300
  • Frank GK, Reynolds JR, Shott ME, O'Reilly RC. Altered temporal difference learning in bulimia nervosa. Biol Psychiatry. 2011 Oct 15;70(8):728-35. Epub 2011 Jun 29. PMID: 21718969
  • Kazlouski D, Rollin MD, Tregellas J, Shott ME, Jappe LM, Hagman JO, Pryor T, Yang TT, Frank GK. Altered fimbria-fornix white matter integrity in anorexia nervosa predicts harm avoidance. Psychiatry Res. 2011 May 31;192(2):109-16. Epub 2011 Apr 17. PMID: 21498054
  • Frank GK, Roblek T, Shott ME, Jappe LM, Rollin MD, Hagman JO, Pryor T. Heightened fear of uncertainty in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 2012 Mar;45(2):227-32. doi: 10.1002/eat.20929. Epub 2011 Apr 14. PMID: 21495057
  • Frank, GK. Brain Circuitry Models in Eating Disorders. Psychiatric Annals, 2011. 41(11)
  • Frank GK, Kaye WH. Current Status of Functional Imaging in Eating Disorders. Accepted for Publication in Int J Eating Disorders
  • Shott ME, Filoteo JV, Bhatnagar KA, Peak NJ, Hagman JO, Rockwell R, Kaye WH, Frank GK. Cognitive Set-Shifting in Anorexia Nervosa. Accepted in European Eating Disorders review.
  • Perlman G, Simmons AN, Wu J, Hahn KS, Tapert SF, Max JE, Paulus MP, Brown GG, Frank GK, Campbell-Sills L, Yang TT. Amygdala response and functional connectivity during emotion regulation: A study of 14 depressed adolescents. J Affective Disorder, In Press.
  • Guido K. W. Frank and Lisa N. Mettler Insights From Brain Imaging Studies in Anorexia Nervosa. In: Anorexia Nervosa: Symptoms, Treatment, and Neurobiology. Editor: Nicole C. Barbarich-Marsteller. Nova Publishers, New York, NY
  • Amygdala response and functional connectivity during emotion regulation: a study of 14 depressed adolescents. Perlman G, Simmons AN, Wu J, Hahn KS, Tapert SF, Max JE, Paulus MP, Brown GG, Frank GK, Campbell-Sills L, Yang TT. J Affect Disord. 2012 Jun;139(1):75-84. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2012.01.044.
  • Advances in the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa using brain imaging. Frank GK. Expert Opin Med Diagn. 2012 May 1;6(3):235-244.
  • Interaction between serotonin transporter and dopamine D2/D3 receptor radioligand measures is associated with harm avoidant symptoms in anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Bailer UF, Frank GK, Price JC, Meltzer CC, Becker C, Mathis CA, Wagner A, Barbarich-Marsteller NC, Bloss CS, Putnam K, Schork NJ, Gamst A, Kaye WH. Psychiatry Res. 2013 Feb 28;211(2):160-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2012.06.010.
  • White matter integrity is reduced in bulimia nervosa. Mettler LN, Shott ME, Pryor T, Yang TT, Frank GK. Int J Eat Disord. 2013 Jan 28. doi: 10.1002/eat.22083. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Anorexia nervosa and obesity are associated with opposite brain reward response. Frank GK, Reynolds JR, Shott ME, Jappe L, Yang TT, Tregellas JR, O'Reilly RC. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012 Aug;37(9):2031-46. doi:
  • Current status of functional imaging in eating disorders. Frank GK, Kaye WH. Int J Eat Disord. 2012 Sep;45(6):723-36. doi: 10.1002/eat.22016.
  • Cognitive set-shifting in anorexia nervosa. Shott ME, Filoteo JV, Bhatnagar KA, Peak NJ, Hagman JO, Rockwell R, Kaye WH, Frank GK. Eur Eat Disord Rev. 2012 Sep;20(5):343-9. doi: 10.1002/erv.2172.
  • Frank G, Shott M, Hagman J, Mittal V. Taste Reward Circuitry Related Brain Structures Characterize Ill and Recovered Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. Amer J Psychiatry. in press.
  • Cornier MA, Shott ME, Thomas EA, Bechtell JL, Bessesen DH, Tregellas JR, Frank GK. The effects of energy balance, obesity-proneness and sex on the neuronal response to sweet taste. Behav Brain Res. 2014 Oct 30;278C:446-452. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 25447301
  • Frank GK. Music to my brain: could music training be used to improve adolescent brain development?. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2014 Nov;53(11):1147-9. PubMed PMID: 25440303
  • Shott ME, Cornier MA, Mittal VA, Pryor TL, Orr JM, Brown MS, Frank GK. Orbitofrontal cortex volume and brain reward response in obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). 2014 Jul 16. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 25027223
  • Filoteo JV, Paul EJ, Ashby FG, Frank GK, Helie S, Rockwell R, Bischoff-Grethe A, Wierenga C, Kaye WH. Simulating category learning and set shifting deficits in patients weight-restored from anorexia nervosa. Neuropsychology. 2014 Sep;28(5):741-51. PubMed PMID: 24799291
  • McFadden KL, Tregellas JR, Shott ME, Frank GK. Reduced salience and default mode network activity in women with anorexia nervosa. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2014 May;39(3):178-88. PubMed PMID: 24280181
  • Recent Advances in Neuroimaging to Model Eating Disorder Neurobiology
  • Advances from neuroimaging studies in eating disorders
  • Wagner A, Simmons AN, Oberndorfer TA, Frank GK, McCurdy-McKinnon D, Fudge JL, Yang TT, Paulus MP, Kaye WH. Altered sensitization patterns to sweet food stimuli in patients recovered from anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Psychiatry Res. 2015 Dec 30;234(3):305-13. PubMed PMID: 26596520
  • Frank GK. Aripiprazole, a partial dopamine agonist to improve adolescent anorexia nervosa-A case series. Int J Eat Disord. 2015 Nov 23. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26593328
  • Shott ME, Pryor TL, Yang TT, Frank GK. Greater Insula White Matter Fiber Connectivity in Women Recovered from Anorexia Nervosa. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016 Jan;41(2):498-507. PubMed PMID: 26076832
  • Hagman J, Gardner RM, Brown DL, Gralla J, Fier JM, Frank GK. Body size overestimation and its association with body mass index, body dissatisfaction, and drive for thinness in anorexia nervosa. Eat Weight Disord. 2015 Dec;20(4):449-55. PubMed PMID: 25929983
  • Frank GK. Advances from neuroimaging studies in eating disorders. CNS Spectr. 2015 Aug;20(4):391-400. PubMed PMID: 25902917
  • Frank GK. What causes eating disorders, and what do they cause?. Biol Psychiatry. 2015 Apr 1;77(7):602-3. PubMed PMID: 25766685
  • Frank GK. Recent advances in neuroimaging to model eating disorder neurobiology. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2015 Apr;17(4):559. PubMed PMID: 25749747
  • Cornier MA, Shott ME, Thomas EA, Bechtell JL, Bessesen DH, Tregellas JR, Frank GK. The effects of energy balance, obesity-proneness and sex on the neuronal response to sweet taste. Behav Brain Res. 2015 Feb 1;278:446-52. PubMed PMID: 25447301
  • Frank GK. Music to my brain: could music training be used to improve adolescent brain development?. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2014 Nov;53(11):1147-9. PubMed PMID: 25440303
  • Shott ME, Cornier MA, Mittal VA, Pryor TL, Orr JM, Brown MS, Frank GK. Orbitofrontal cortex volume and brain reward response in obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015 Feb;39(2):214-21. PubMed PMID: 25027223
  • Filoteo JV, Paul EJ, Ashby FG, Frank GK, Helie S, Rockwell R, Bischoff-Grethe A, Wierenga C, Kaye WH. Simulating category learning and set shifting deficits in patients weight-restored from anorexia nervosa. Neuropsychology. 2014 Sep;28(5):741-51. PubMed PMID: 24799291
  • Frank GK. Could dopamine agonists aid in drug development for anorexia nervosa?. Front Nutr. 2014;1:19. PubMed PMID: 25988121
  • McFadden KL, Tregellas JR, Shott ME, Frank GK. Reduced salience and default mode network activity in women with anorexia nervosa. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2014 May;39(3):178-88. PubMed PMID: 24280181
  • Frank GK. Brain Reward Processing in Eating Disorders: Opportunities to Build Upon?. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016 Nov;55(11):929-930. PubMed PMID: 27806859
  • Frank GK, Shott ME, Riederer J, Pryor TL. Altered structural and effective connectivity in anorexia and bulimia nervosa in circuits that regulate energy and reward homeostasis. Transl Psychiatry. 2016 Nov 1;6(11):e932. PubMed PMID: 27801897
  • Riederer JW, Shott ME, Deguzman M, Pryor TL, Frank GK. Understanding Neuronal Architecture in Obesity through Analysis of White Matter Connection Strength. Front Hum Neurosci. 2016 Jun 6;10:271. PubMed PMID: 27375463
  • Sacchet MD, Ho TC, Connolly CG, Tymofiyeva O, Lewinn KZ, Han LK, Blom EH, Tapert SF, Max JE, Frank GK, Paulus MP, Simmons AN, Gotlib IH, Yang TT. Large-Scale Hypoconnectivity Between Resting-State Functional Networks in Unmedicated Adolescent Major Depressive Disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016 Nov;41(12):2951-2960. PubMed PMID: 27238621
  • Frank GK, Shott ME. The Role of Psychotropic Medications in the Management of Anorexia Nervosa: Rationale, Evidence and Future Prospects. CNS Drugs. 2016 May;30(5):419-42. PubMed PMID: 27106297
  • Weissman RS, Becker AE, Bulik CM, Frank GK, Klump KL, Steiger H, Strober M, Thomas J, Waller G, Walsh BT. Speaking of That: Terms to Avoid or Reconsider in the Eating Disorders Field. Int J Eat Disord. 2016 Apr;49(4):349-53. PubMed PMID: 27084795
  • Weissman RS, Frank GKW, Klump KL, Thomas JJ, Wade T, Waller G. The current status of cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders: Marking the 51st Annual Convention of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Int J Eat Disord. 2017 Dec;50(12):1444-1446. PubMed PMID: 29210517
  • King JA, Frank GKW, Thompson PM, Ehrlich S. Structural Neuroimaging of Anorexia Nervosa: Future Directions in the Quest for Mechanisms Underlying Dynamic Alterations. Biol Psychiatry. 2017 Aug 24. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28967386
  • Frank GK, Shott ME, Keffler C, Cornier MA. Extremes of eating are associated with reduced neural taste discrimination. Int J Eat Disord. 2016 Jun;49(6):603-12. PubMed PMID: 27083785
  • Weissman RS, Frank GKW, Klump KL, Thomas JJ, Wade T, Waller G. Ross D. Crosby: Scholar, teacher, mentor, and friend. Introducing a virtual issue honoring the contributions of Ross D. Crosby to the field of eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2017 Oct;50(10):1121-1123. PubMed PMID: 28902416
  • Frank GK, Shott ME, Hagman JO, Schiel MA, DeGuzman MC, Rossi B. The partial dopamine D2 receptor agonist aripiprazole is associated with weight gain in adolescent anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 2017 Apr;50(4):447-450. PubMed PMID: 28334444
  • Frank GK. The Perfect Storm - A Bio-Psycho-Social Risk Model for Developing and Maintaining Eating Disorders. Front Behav Neurosci. 2016 Mar 10;10:44. PubMed PMID: 27014006
  • DeGuzman M, Shott ME, Yang TT, Riederer J, Frank GKW. Association of Elevated Reward Prediction Error Response With Weight Gain in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa. Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Jun 1;174(6):557-565. PubMed PMID: 28231717
  • Frank GK. Preface for International Journal of Eating Disorders special issue medical complications in eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2016 Mar;49(3):215. PubMed PMID: 26876572
  • Forney KJ, Buchman-Schmitt JM, Keel PK, Frank GK. The medical complications associated with purging. Int J Eat Disord. 2016 Mar;49(3):249-59. PubMed PMID: 26876429
  • Frank GK, Collier S, Shott ME, O'Reilly RC. Prediction error and somatosensory insula activation in women recovered from anorexia nervosa. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2016 Aug;41(5):304-11. PubMed PMID: 26836623
  • Frank GK. Aripiprazole, a partial dopamine agonist to improve adolescent anorexia nervosa-A case series. Int J Eat Disord. 2016 May;49(5):529-533. PubMed PMID: 26593328
  • Shott ME, Pryor TL, Yang TT, Frank GK. Greater Insula White Matter Fiber Connectivity in Women Recovered from Anorexia Nervosa. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016 Jan;41(2):498-507. PubMed PMID: 26076832
  • Olsavsky AK, Shott ME, DeGuzman MC, Frank GKW. Neural correlates of taste reward value across eating disorders. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2018 Aug 18. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30149963
  • Frank GKW, DeGuzman MC, Shott ME, Laudenslager ML, Rossi B, Pryor T. Association of Brain Reward Learning Response With Harm Avoidance, Weight Gain, and Hypothalamic Effective Connectivity in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018 Oct 1;75(10):1071-1080. PubMed PMID: 30027213
  • Frank GKW, Shott ME, DeGuzman MC, Smolen A. Dopamine D2 -141C Ins/Del and Taq1A polymorphisms, body mass index, and prediction error brain response. Transl Psychiatry. 2018 May 23;8(1):102. PubMed PMID: 29795192
  • Lavagnino L, Mwangi B, Cao B, Shott ME, Soares JC, Frank GKW. Cortical thickness patterns as state biomarker of anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord. 2018 Mar;51(3):241-249. PubMed PMID: 29412456
  • Frank GKW, Favaro A, Marsh R, Ehrlich S, Lawson EA. Toward valid and reliable brain imaging results in eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord. 2018 Mar;51(3):250-261. PubMed PMID: 29405338
  • King JA, Frank GKW, Thompson PM, Ehrlich S. Structural Neuroimaging of Anorexia Nervosa: Future Directions in the Quest for Mechanisms Underlying Dynamic Alterations. Biol Psychiatry. 2018 Feb 1;83(3):224-234. PubMed PMID: 28967386

Professional Memberships

  • Bavarian and German Medical Association, Member
  • American Psychiatric Association, Member
  • American Academy of Child- and Adolescent Psychiatry, Member
  • Society of Biological Psychiatry, Member
  • Academy for Eating Disorders, Member
  • American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Member
  • Eating Disorder Research Society, Member

Practice Locations

Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
13123 East 16th Ave
Aurora, CO 80045
720-777-1234

Hospital Affiliation
  • University of Colorado Hospital
  • Children's Hospital Colorado

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Psychiatry, Board Certification (2008)
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Board Certification (2012)
Conditions & Treatments
  • Child and Teen Health
  • Mental Health and Behavior
  • Mental Health and Behavior - Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
  • Mental Health and Behavior - Eating Disorders
  • Mental Health and Behavior - Anxiety
Clinical Interests
Eating Disorders

Care Philosophy
I am board certified in adult as well as child and adolescent psychiatry. In addition, I received extensive formal training in psychotherapy (CBT, family therapy, dynamic therapy, Feldenkrais, hypnotherapy). This combination of clinical training together with my training and experience in brain research gives me a fairly unique perspective on psychiatric disorders and treatment, taking into account all aspects of past and current experience together with potential biological underpinnings, as well as foster a neuroscience based approach to treatment. My utmost goal in this work is to improve the quality of life of the individual as well as the family system that a patient is embedded in. This starts with an empathic approach, careful assessment, thoughtful recommendation of treatment options and providing the family with the experience that their feedback is always welcome and that treatment is happening in a collaborative manner and taking all aspects of importance including culture specific experiences and attitudes into account. My extensive training in psychotherapy has always given me a special background to connect with and treat my patients in that way. One of my psychotherapy teachers once said that every patient has the right to be convinced that the treatment the clinician offers is appropriate and likely to be of help. I have always worked with families in that spirit and I believe this makes it easier for families to engage in the treatment process. A special emphasis of mine is always that the child or adolescent is as much as possible involved in the decision-making process and takes ownership in the process of treatment.

Personal Interests
Eating Disorders

Volunteer Activities
Service in the academic field as manuscript editor or reviewer and service in various organizations such as the Academy for Eating Disorders as committee chair, board of directors member and treasurer.

Public Speaking
Yes
I have given multiple invited lectures, plenary session and grand rounds primarily on eating disorders.


School of Medicine

CU Anschutz
Fitzsimons Building

13001 East 17th Place

Aurora, CO 80045

303.724.5375

School
General
Students