Dr Carlo Longhitano MD, FRANZCP, MRCPsych, CCT(Forensic)

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Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Head of Discipline, Mental Health
Clinical School of Medicine, James Cook University

Dr Carlo Longhitano is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at James Cook University and a Specialist Consultant Psychiatrist at Townsville University Hospital, where he serves as Acting Clinical Director of the Alcohol, Treatment and Other Drugs and Specialist Services (ATODS&SS). With over two decades of clinical experience across Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe, he is a recognised leader in forensic psychiatry and a pioneering researcher in nutritional and metabolic approaches to mental illness.

Dr Longhitano’s current research focuses on the therapeutic application of ketogenic metabolic therapy in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He is the Principal Investigator of the North Queensland Dietary Intervention Trial (NQDIT) — a landmark randomised controlled clinical trial attracting international collaboration and significant research funding. His advisory panel includes faculty from Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital and Stanford University School of Medicine.

As Head of the Mental Health Discipline at JCU’s Clinical School of Medicine, Dr Longhitano shapes the training of the next generation of psychiatrists across campuses in Townsville, Cairns, Mackay and Mount Isa. He holds approval as an Advanced Training Supervisor in Forensic Psychiatry with the RANZCP and serves as an Expert Psychiatrist to the Mental Health Court of Queensland.

Qualifications & Professional Registration

  • Fellowship, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP, 2019)
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Mental Health — King’s College London, UK (2015)
  • Certificate of Completion of Advanced Training (CCT) in Forensic Psychiatry, United Kingdom (2012)
  • Diploma in Cognitive Therapy for Severe Mental Health Problems — University of Southampton (2008)
  • Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych), United Kingdom (2007)
  • Diploma in Clinical Psychiatry (DCP) — Royal College of Physicians, Ireland (2005)
  • Master’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery — University of Catania, Italy (1999, 110/110 with distinction)

Current Role

Dr Longhitano holds a dual appointment (0.5 FTE each) at James Cook University and Townsville University Hospital:

  • James Cook University — Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Head of Discipline, Mental Health, Clinical School of Medicine. He oversees mental health curriculum development and academic activities across the Townsville, Cairns, Mackay and Mount Isa campuses, and serves as RANZCP-approved supervisor for psychiatry trainees and advanced forensic training.
  • Townsville University Hospital — Acting Clinical Director, Alcohol, Treatment and Other Drugs and Specialist Services (ATODS&SS), Mental Health Service Group. His clinical governance responsibilities span ATODS, ECT, Consultation Liaison Psychiatry, Perinatal Mental Health, Intellectual Disabilities, Neuropsychiatry and Forensic Mental Health. He also serves as Psychiatrist to the Court Liaison and Community Forensic Outreach Services (CFOS), and as Expert Psychiatrist to the Mental Health Court of Queensland.

Research

Dr Longhitano’s research sits at the intersection of nutritional psychiatry, metabolic health and severe mental illness. He is currently completing a PhD in Psychiatric Neuroscience at the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM), James Cook University, under the supervision of Professor Zoltan Sarnyai (JCU), with external advisors Assistant Professor Christopher Palmer (Director of Postgraduate and Continuing Education, McLean Hospital, and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School) and Assistant Professor Shebani Sethi (Founding Director, Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic, Stanford University School of Medicine).

NQDIT — North Queensland Dietary Intervention Trial

Dr Longhitano is Principal Investigator of the NQDIT, a randomised controlled clinical trial investigating the effects of ketogenic metabolic therapy on psychiatric, metabolic and behavioural outcomes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The trial has attracted AUD $239,580 in funding from the Baszucki Brain Research Fund (USA) and is part of an international ketogenic trials working group coordinated by the Milken Institute and Baszucki Brain Fund.

Trial protocol published: Longhitano C et al. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2024 (doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1444483)

Other Active Research

  • Nutritional Interventions in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: systematic review (PROSPERO reg. CRD42021253269)
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences and adult offending behaviour — external advisory role on MPhil project (JCU)
  • Global warming and mental health — external advisory role on PhD project

Presentations

2025
  • NQDIT: Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder — World Psychiatry Association, Prague, Czechia (October 2025)
  • NQDIT: Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder — Low Carb Down Under Annual Conference, Brisbane, QLD (October 2025)
  • NQDIT: Ketogenic Metabolic Therapy in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder — Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Gold Coast, QLD (May 2025)
2023
  • Nutritional Approaches in the Treatment of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: Systematic Literature Review (poster) — Biological Psychiatry Australia Annual Meeting, Palm Cove, QLD (October 2023)
  • NQDIT: A Dietary Intervention Clinical Trial in NQ — International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research, Cairns, Australia (March 2023)
2022
  • Ketogenic Diet in the Treatment of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (poster) — TropiQ Research Showcase, Townsville University Hospital (November 2022)
  • Ketogenic Diet in the Treatment of Psychotic Disorders and Bipolar Affective Disorder: Systematic Review and Proposed RCT — International Online Conference, Taiwan (October 2022)
  • Ketogenic Diet-Based Metabolic Therapy for Schizophrenia (poster) — Schizophrenia International Research Society, Florence, Italy (April 2022)
2021
  • Nutritional Interventions in Psychiatry — JCU Cohort Doctoral Programme 10-Year Anniversary Conference, Townsville (September 2021)
  • Ketogenic Therapy in Psychosis — Australian Institute of Medical Science, Tropics Division, Townsville (June 2021)
2019
  • Tiered Approach to Violence Risk Assessment and Management (VRAM) in Mental Health Services (workshop) — RANZCP Annual Conference, Cairns, Australia (May 2019)
2011–2008
  • Neurobiology of Violent Offending Behaviour (poster) — Neuropsychoanalysis Association Annual Meeting, Berlin, Germany (June 2011)
  • Cognitive Distortions in Offending Behaviour: Systematic Review Findings (poster) — Royal College of Psychiatrists, Forensic Faculty Annual Residential Meeting, Dublin, Ireland (February 2010)
  • Cognitive Therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Adapting Well’s Model of Panic in NHS Settings (poster) — Royal College of Psychiatrists Academic Faculty Meeting, London & Liaison Faculty Meeting, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (February–March 2008)

The Role of Ketogenic Nutrition in Psychiatry – Low Carb Down Under 2025

Authored Papers

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
  • Longhitano C et al. The effects of ketogenic metabolic therapy on mental health and metabolic outcomes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a randomized controlled clinical trial protocol. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2024; 11:1444483. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1444483
  • Astridge B, Li WW, McDermott B, Longhitano C. A systematic review and meta-analysis on adverse childhood experiences: Prevalence in youth offenders and their effects on youth recidivism. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2023 Jun;140:106055.
  • Husodo C, McDermott B, Longhitano C, Matta G. Functional outcomes in rural Australia of two continuing care teams: a regional town–city comparison of the 16-item Life Skills Profile. Australasian Psychiatry. February 2021.
  • Matta G, Longhitano C, Husodo C, McDermott B. Mental health service provision in rural Australia: a regional town–city comparison of two continuing care teams. Australasian Psychiatry. June 2020.
  • Evans-Lacko S, Koeser L, Knapp M, Longhitano C, Zohar J, Kuhn K. Evaluating the economic impact of screening and treatment for depression in the workplace. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016 Jun;26(6):1004-13.
  • Mazzoccoli G, Longhitano C, Vinciguerra M. Cardio-hepatic metabolic derangements and valproic acid. Current Clinical Pharmacology. 2014 May;9(2):165-70.
  • Murphy S, Longhitano C, Cowen PH, Rogers R. The role of serotonin in non-normative risky choice: the effects of tryptophan supplements on loss-aversion in healthy adult volunteers. Journal of Cognitive Neurosciences. 2009 Sep;21(9):1709-19.
  • Murphy S, Longhitano C, Harmer C, Cowen PH, Goodwin G. Tryptophan supplementation induces a positive bias in the processing of emotional material in healthy female volunteers. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2006 Jul;187(1):121-30.
Book Chapters
  • Longhitano C, Kraeuter AK, Gordon S & Sarnyai Z. Effects of ketogenic diets and ketone supplementation on the nervous system during development: Applications to autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. In: Diet and Nutrition in Neurological Disorders, Academic Press, 2023 — Chapter 47, pp. 869–889.
  • Mental Illness: The Psychotic Mind and Crime. In: Criminal Motivations, Petherick W., Bond University, Queensland. (Please confirm with Carlo whether this has now been published.)
  • Butler J & Longhitano C. Deliberate Self-harm. In: Medicine, Elsevier, Oxford. Published September 2008.