Dr. Karishma Lowton

Karishma Lowton is a South African psychiatrist and researcher whose work centres on the intersection of HIV and mental health. Affiliated with major academic hospitals and the University of the Witwatersrand, her research addresses neuropsychiatric complications of HIV, psychopharmacology, and mental health service delivery within the public sector.

Her publications explore neurocognitive outcomes in patients receiving dolutegravir-based regimens, HIV knowledge among psychiatric populations, and sleep disturbances in individuals with comorbid HIV and mental illness. She has also examined psychotic symptoms in epilepsy, substance-related disorders, and the clinical utility of screening tools, reflecting strong expertise in consultation-liaison and neuropsychiatry.

In addition, her work considers systemic and educational dimensions of psychiatry, including burnout among doctors, attitudes of medical students toward mental illness, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatric presentations. Collectively, her scholarship contributes to improved screening, multidisciplinary care, and evidence-based policy in South African mental health contexts.