Publications

Schizophrenia is a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder, marked by changes in a person’s thinking, emotions, and behavior. A number of brain areas are affected in the illness, including a region called the prefrontal cortex that is important for cognitive control of behavior. A growing body of evidence suggests that the immune system is activated in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia, but it is unclear how...

The death of parent is an incredibly stressful event for a child, and one that can have profound consequences for the child’s future wellbeing. However, little is known about the specific long-term impact of parental loss because these types of studies are challenging to conduct. Pitt Department of Psychiatry researchers recently completed a seven-year prospective examination of pediatric grief following parental...

Mary Phillips, MD, MD (CANTAB), left, pictured with the publication's lead author, Heather Acuff. Bipolar disorder (BD), formerly known as manic depression, is a serious mental illness characterized by extreme changes in mood and energy levels that cycle between mania and depression. BD is highly heritable, so children of individuals with BD have an increased risk of also developing the disorder, which often first...

Mitochondrial diseases are a group of inherited and severe multiorgan disorders that stem from mutations affecting the proper functioning of mitochondria, the “power plants” of cells that generate the majority of the energy needed for metabolic processes. Due to its high energy requirements, the brain is especially vulnerable to energy shortages, and therefore neurological symptoms are common in mitochondrial...

A new study by Rebecca Thurston, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Clinical and Translational Science, Epidemiology and Psychology suggests that experiences of sexual harassment and sexual assault could have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of midlife women. Study results, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, also will be presented by Dr. Thurston at the North American Menopause Society meeting on...

Medical students have higher rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and burnout than the general population and greater concerns about the stigma of mental illness. The nature of medical education seems to contribute to this disparity, since students entering medical school score better on indicators of mental health than similarly aged college graduates. In a recent New England Journal of Medicine article by...