
Cara T. Hoepner, MS, RN, CS, PMHNP-BC
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Research & Publications
RESEARCH FOCUS
Mood disorders, psychopharmacology, dimensional diagnosis, and complex treatment response.
My published work focuses on mood disorders, psychopharmacology, dimensional diagnosis, and real-world treatment complexity. I examine the gap between randomized clinical trials and clinical reality—where comorbidity, exclusion criteria, and regulatory physiology meaningfully shape outcomes beyond algorithmic models of care.
My research addresses antidepressant trial design, evidence-based selection in complex patients, and the biological interfaces between mood pathology, inflammation, and metabolic regulation. I also contribute to reference texts and clinician-oriented publications in psychiatry.
Scholarly Profiles
Citation metrics and publication indexing are available via ORCID and Google Scholar.
Selected Publications
Books & Reference Chapters
Hoepner CT, Zetin M. Depression and dysthymia. In: Aminoff MJ, Daroff RB, eds. Encyclopedia of the Neurological
Sciences. 2nd ed. Cambridge, MA: Academic Press; 2014. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-385157-4.01076-9
Zetin M, Hoepner CT, Kurth J. Challenging Depression: The Go-To Guide for Clinicians and Patients. New York, NY:
W. W. Norton & Company; 2010. https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393706109
Peer Reviewed Publications
Zetin M, Hoepner CT. Relevance of exclusion criteria in antidepressant clinical trials: a replication study. Journal
of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2007;27(3):295–301. DOI: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e318058263f
Zetin M, Hoepner CT. Rational antidepressant selection: applying evidence-based medicine to complex real-
world patients. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 2006;39(1):38–104. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17065974/
Hoepner CT, McIntyre R, Papakostas G. Impact of supplementation and dietary management on pathogenic
processes of mood disorders: a review of the evidence. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):767–792. DOI:
10.3390/nu13030767
Invited Clinical & CME Publications
Hoepner CT. OTC agents for depression, anxiety, and insomnia. The Carlat Psychiatry Report. 2013;11(7):1–3.
https://www.thecarlatreport.com/articles/2009-otc-agents-for-depression-anxiety-and-insomnia
Zetin M, Hoepner CT. The patient with depression, part one: real-world treatment options for unipolar major
depression. Category 1 CME. Psychiatric Times. 2008;25(10):30–39.
Zetin M, Hoepner CT. The patient with depression, part two: real-world treatment options for bipolar depression.
Category 1 CME. Psychiatric Times. 2008;25(10):19–29.
For a complete publication list and professional history, see my CV.