Faculty

Kristine Wilckens, PhD

Kristine Wilckens, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Contact Details

3811 O'Hara St.
Pittsburgh
 
PA
 
15213
Email
Website
Sleep and Chronobiology Center

Education & Training

PhD
Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
MA
Cognitive Psychology, New York University
Geriatric Mental Health, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Professional Affiliations

Member, Sleep Research Society
Member, Cognitive Neuroscience Society

Selected Honors & Awards

Outstanding Diversity-Relative Research Award, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Psychology

Research Interests

Sleep promoting brain health & cognition; Sleep enhancement methods; Sleep and aging
Selected Research Publications & Products
  1. Wilckens, K.A., Tudorascu, D.L., Snitz, B.E., Price, J.C., Aizenstein H.J., Lopez, O.L., Erickson, K.I., Lopresti, B.J., Laymon, C.M., Minhas, D., Mathis, C.A., Buysse, D.J., Klunk, W.E., Cohen, A.D. Sleep efficiency moderates the relationship between beta amyloid and memory retention in older adults. (2018) Neurobiology of Aging. 71, 142-148.
  2. Wilckens, K.A., Ferrarelli, F., Walker, M.P., Buysse, D.J. Slow-wave sleep enhancement to improve cognition. (2018) Trends in Neurosciences. 41(7), 470-482.
  3. Wilckens JA, Hall MH, Nebes RD, Monk TH, and Buysse. DJ.Changes in cognitive performance are associated with changes in sleep in older adults with insomnia. (2016) Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 14(3):295-310.
  4. Wilckens KA, Erickson KI, and Wheeler ME. Physical activity and cognition: a mediating role of efficient sleep. (2016) Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 1-18, Epub online Dec. 9, 2016
  5. Wilckens KA, Woo SG, Kirk AR, Erickson KI, and Wheeler ME. (2014) Role of sleep continuity and total sleep time in executive function across the adult lifespan. Psychology and Aging, 29(3), 658-665.

Education Interests

Behavioral medicine; Sleep medicine; Sleep and psychiatric disorders

Neurocognitive and Cardiometabolic Function in Retired Night shift Workers 

Hall & Colleagues 2023 Publications

Two recent studies from Pitt Psychiatry have examined neurocognitive and cardiometabolic function in retired night shift workers compared with retired day shift workers. The late Tica Hall, PhD, an internationally recognized expert in sleep and circadian science, served as senior author of both studies, and we recognize this important work in honor of her memory. Cardiometabolic function in retired night shift...

Pitt Psychiatry Awarded $33.5M National Institute on Aging Program Project Grant Focused on the Pathological and Clinical Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease

Pitt Psychiatry Investigators Awarded New Program Project Grant

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has awarded the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry a Program Project Grant (PPG) renewal for “The role of astrogliosis in aging and the pathological and clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease.” The Alzheimer’s PPG will be led by a multiple principal investigator team including Ann Cohen, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry), Howard Aizenstein, MD, PhD...

Now in Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine: New Research on Insomnia in Older Adults

Wilkens & Colleagues Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 2020

Many older adults experience sleep difficulties associated with insomnia. Difficulties with staying asleep are thought to arise partially from reduced sleep depth. Sleep depth can be operationalized as low frequency slow-wave (.5-4 Hz) electroencephalographic (EEG) activity during sleep. However, studies to date have not shown a consistent pattern of EEG differences between individuals with and without insomnia...

Diverse Scientists Worldwide Join the Inaugural Summer SWIM, a Virtual Sleep & Circadian Science Workshop

Diverse Scientists Welcomed at Summer Swim Sleep Workshop

In August 2020, 74 scientists from five continents joined the Department of Psychiatry’s virtual Summer SWIM (Sleep and Circadian Workshop on Indispensable Methods), led by Martica Hall, PhD (Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Clinical and Translational Science), and Daniel Buysse, MD (UPMC Professor of Sleep Medicine (Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical and Translational Science), of the University of...