Faculty

Katalin Szanto, MD

Professor of Psychiatry

Contact Details

3811 O'Hara St.
Pittsburgh
 
PA
 
15213
Email
Website
Pittsburgh Longitudinal Studies of Late-life Suicide
Szanto Publications
Assistant
Meghan Wong
wongmt@upmc.edu

Education & Training

MD
Semmelweis Medical School
Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC
Psychiatry, National Institute of Neurology and Psychiatry. Budapest
Suicide, University of Pittsburgh Center for the Study of Suicidal Behavior
Behavioral Economics, Statistical Methods for Neuroscience and Psychology, Risk Perception and Communication, Carnegie Mellon University
Epidemiology and Statistics, University of Pittsburgh Clinical Research Training Program
Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC
Family Therapy, London Family Therapy Institute

Specialty Certifications

Board Certification
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (Geriatric Psychiatry, Psychiatry)

Professional Affiliations

Secretary, International Academy of Suicide Research
Member, American Association of Psychiatrists
Council Level Reviewer, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Selected Honors & Awards

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Award, International Association for Suicide Prevention
Lilly Research Award, American Psychiatric Association

Research Interests

Cognition & decision-making; suicide; Suicide in late life
Selected Research Publications & Products
  1. Chang YW, Buerke M, Galfalvy H, Szanto K. (2024). Childhood trauma is associated with early-onset but not late-onset suicidal behavior in late-life depression. Int Psychogeriatr, 36(5):371-384. doi: 10.1017/S1041610223000662
  2. Szanto K, Szucs A, Kenneally LB, Galfalvy HC. (2024). Is late-onset suicidal behavior a distinct subtype? Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, 32(5):622-629. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.12.007
  3. Galfalvy H, Szcs A, Chang YW, Buerke M, Szanto K. (2023). Long-term suicidal ideation profiles in late-life depression and their association with suicide attempt or death by suicide. J Clin Psychiatry, 84(2):22m14469. doi: 10.4088/JCP.22m14469
  4. Szanto K, Galfalvy H, Kenneally L, Almasi R, Dombrovski AY. (2020). Predictors of serious suicidal behavior in late-life depression. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 40:85-98. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.06.00
  5. Szanto K, Galfalvy H, Vanyukov PM, Keilp JG & Dombrovski AY. (2018). Pathways to late-life suicidal behavior: Cluster analysis and predictive validation of suicidal behavior in a sample of older adults with major depression. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 79(2), 17m11611.

Clinical Interests

Suicide in late life
Selected Clinical Publications & Products
  1. Stoms M, Szcs A, Wang Y, Szanto K, Galfalvy H. Investigating direct and moderating effects of social connectedness and perceived social support on suicidal ideation in older adults with depression: A prospective study. Biol Psychiatry Glob Open Sci. 2025 Apr 21;5(4):100513. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2025.100513. PMID: 40519634; PMCID: PMC12166375.
  2. Szcs A, Perry-Falconi MA, O'Brien EJ, Keilp JG, Bridge JA, Maier AB, Galfalvy H, Szanto K. Objective and subjective suicidal intent are differentially associated with attempt lethality based on age of onset of suicidal behavior. Sci Rep. 2025 Feb 15;15(1):5621. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-89844-x. PMID: 39955394; PMCID: PMC11829946.
  3. Szanto K, Kalmar S, Hendin H, Rihmer Z, Mann JJ. A suicide prevention program in a region with a very high suicide rate. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007 Aug;64(8):914-20. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.64.8.914. PMID: 17679636.
  4. Szanto K, Shear MK, Houck PR, Reynolds CF 3rd, Frank E, Caroff K, Silowash R. Indirect self-destructive behavior and overt suicidality in patients with complicated grief. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006 Feb;67(2):233-9. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v67n0209. PMID: 16566618.
  5. Szanto K, Mulsant BH, Houck P, Dew MA, Reynolds CF 3rd. Occurrence and course of suicidality during short-term treatment of late-life depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003 Jun;60(6):610-7. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.60.6.610. PMID: 12796224.

Education Interests

Research mentorship
Selected Education Publications & Products
  1. Szucs A, Galfalvy H, Alessi MG, Kenneally LB, Valderas JM, Maier AB, Szanto K. (2024). Diligent for better or worse: Conscientiousness is associated with higher likelihood of suicidal behavior and more severe suicidal intent in later life. Compr Psychiatry, 135:152523. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2024.152523
  2. Szanto K, Prigerson HG, Stahl ST. (2024). Is social connection the solution for reducing widower suicide in late life? Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, 32(7):832-834. doi: 10.1016/j.jagp.2024.02.007
  3. Szanto K. (2017). Cognitive deficits: Underappreciated contributors to suicide. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(6): 630-632.
  4. Szanto K, Lenze E, Waern M, Duberstein P, Bruce ML, Epstein-Lubow G & Conwell Y. (2013). Research to reduce the suicide rate among older adults: Methodology roadblocks and promising paradigms. Psychatric Services, PMC3742079
  5. Hendin H, Maltsberger JT, Haas Pollinger A, Rabinowitcz H & Szanto K. (2006). Problems in psychotherapy of suicidal patients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(1):67-72. PMID: 16390891

International Psychogeriatrics: Childhood Trauma is Associated with Early-Onset but not Late-Onset Suicidal Behavior in Late-Life Depression

Dr. Katalin Szanto

Traumatic early-life experiences—emotional, physical, or sexual abuse and/or neglect in childhood—can have an impact on cognitive, emotional, and neurodevelopmental processes years after the events occur, potentially leading to depression and suicidal behavior into adolescence and young adulthood. However, it is unclear whether this same relationship extends into late life. As older adults, especially those 85 and...

Addressing Clinical Challenges in Late Life: The 2021 Behavioral Health & Aging Conference

Addressing Clinical Challenges in Late Life: The 2021 Behavioral Health & Aging Conference

The October 2021 Behavioral Health and Aging Conference addressed challenges that clinicians face when working with older patients, including assessing and managing suicide risk, assessing ability to operate a motor vehicle, and considering the therapeutic options for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The conference was attended by a diverse group of physicians, nurses, front-line staff, case managers, service...

Now in Neuropsychopharmacology: How Impulsivity and Disrupted Decision-Making Relate to Suicidal Behavior

Dombrovski & Colleagues Neuropsychopharmacology 2020

Research has demonstrated that impaired decision-making is a key factor in the onset of suicidal behavior and can manifest as difficulty choosing between two similarly valued options or as impulsivity in decision-making. To better understand the potential relationship between decision-making and suicidal behavior, scientists have examined the neural underpinnings of each and found disrupted ventromedial prefrontal...

Impairment of Learning from Experience and Making Value-Based Choice in Suicidal Behavior

Dombrovski et al. Biological Psychiatry 2019

Suicidal behavior is often misunderstood as a strategic decision that follows a thorough evaluation of circumstances, alternative solutions and possible deterrents. Yet, clinicians know that those at-risk for suicide may not reliably assess the proportion of triggering circumstances relative to the impact of the suicidal act. Suicide can, at times, be especially difficult to understand because although it may...