The first chairman of the department, Professor Sakamoto, studied psychopathology. The second chairman of the department, Professor Naka, studied biological psychiatry based on neurochemistry. This research was taken over by the third Professor Kawakita and the fourth Professor Yamagami. Our hospital is the sole university hospital in Osaka City. In this unique setting, Professor Kiriike studies eating disorders, and Professor Inoue studies occupational psychiatry (e.g. depressive disorders in the workplace).

The department has conducted various research studies including a study about the development of endogenous psychoses such as schizophrenia and depressive disorders using factor analysis, neuroendocrinological studies on eating disorders, research on gene expression mechanisms in the brain of EL mice relating to a spontaneous onset epilepsy model developed in Japan and neuropeptides, and research on antipsychotic drugs and an antidepressant effectiveness evaluation scale.

We treat various types of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorders, general mental disorders, psychiatric disorders related to the workplace, adaptation disorder, psychiatric disorders in children (elementary and junior high school students), internet addiction disorder, eating disorders, senile mental disorders, dementia and symptomatic psychosis. We also treat patients with mental and somatic disease transferred from other hospitals.