Nolan R. Williams
Nolan Ryan Williams MD | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 25, 1982 |
| Died | October 8, 2025 (aged 43) |
| Cause of death | Suicide |
| Education | College of Charleston (2003), Medical University of South Carolina (2008) |
| Occupation | Neuropsychiatrist |
| Known for | SAINT, ibogaine research |
| Medical career | |
| Institutions | Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab |
Nolan R. Williams was an American neuropsychiatrist whose contributions to accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of depression were considered "transformative."[1]
He was from Bamberg[2] and Charleston, SC and attended the College of Charleston for his undergraduate education. He attended the Medical University of South Carolina for his MD degree, where he then trained in both neurology and psychiatry residencies. After this, he "joined the faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he rose to the rank of Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and was Director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab." In 2024, he became an elected member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.[1]
The nonprofit organization Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS) partnered with Williams to study ibogaine in those with traumatic brain injury and said in a statement that "his research demonstrated what these veterans courageously believed: That healing was possible, that their suffering mattered, and that science could meet them in their darkest hour."[3]
Williams had "long struggled" with depression. He died by suicide at age 43, afflicted with "the devastating illness he had helped alleviate" in so many others.[2] He was a Taekwondo black belt and champion in high school[2] and was an avid kite surfer.[1] He was survived by his wife, Kristin Raj, MD, and their children, Autumn and Hendrix.[3]
References
- ^ a b c George, Mark S.; Sackeim, Harold A. (15 November 2025). "IN MEMORIAM: Nolan R. Williams, MD". Neuropsychopharmacology. 51: 534–535. doi:10.1038/s41386-025-02277-y.
- ^ a b c Hyde, Paul (25 November 2025). "Nolan Williams, 43: a life cut short by the illness he helped others confront". South Carolina Daily Gazette.
- ^ a b Sandomir, Richard (11 November 2025). "Nolan Williams, Who Stimulated the Brain to Treat Depression, Dies at 43". The New York Times.
Selected works
- Williams NR, Sudheimer KD, Bentzley BS, Pannu J, Stimpson KH, Duvio D, Cherian K, Hawkins J, Scherrer KH, Vyssoki B, DeSouza D, Raj KS, Keller J, Schatzberg AF (March 2018). "High-dose spaced theta-burst TMS as a rapid-acting antidepressant in highly refractory depression". Brain. 141 (3): e18. doi:10.1093/brain/awx379. PMC 5837258. PMID 29415152.
- Cole EJ, Phillips AL, Bentzley BS, Stimpson KH, Nejad R, Barmak F, Veerapal C, Khan N, Cherian K, Felber E, Brown R, Choi E, King S, Pankow H, Bishop JH, Azeez A, Coetzee J, Rapier R, Odenwald N, Carreon D, Hawkins J, Chang M, Keller J, Raj K, DeBattista C, Jo B, Espil FM, Schatzberg AF, Sudheimer KD, Williams NR (February 2022). "Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SNT): A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial". Am J Psychiatry. 179 (2): 132–141. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.20101429. PMID 34711062.
External links
- The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast from 12/1/2025