Publications

The Pascoal Lab (PI: Tharick Pascoal, MD, PhD; Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology) and colleagues have published recent research findings in Alzheimer's & Dementia and Nature Aging examining biomarkers and pathophysiological progression of Alzheimer's disease. “These two publications contribute to our understanding of the biomarkers and pathophysiological processes associated with the progression of...

The year following inpatient psychiatric hospitalization—particularly the first three months following discharge—are a period of high risk for suicidal behavior among psychiatric patients. Prior history of suicidal behavior, mood, anxiety, substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorders contribute to risk for future suicidal behavior within this population. Psychosocial stressors also contribute to risk for...

In a recent paper published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Christian Porter (PhD student, Pitt School of Social Work); and Tushita Mayanil, MBBS (MD) (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry); Tina Gupta, PhD (postdoctoral scholar); and Leslie Horton, PhD (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), from Pitt Psychiatry, outlined the increased presence of dissociative identity disorder...

Loss of control over eating (the ingestion of food accompanied by the perception of being unable to control the amount of food consumed) is the core psychological phenomenon associated with binge eating. Loss of control over eating during pregnancy impacts prenatal health and often co-occurs with depressive symptoms. Importantly, both loss of control over eating and depression during pregnancy confer risk for poor...

Recent papers from the Department of Psychiatry examine clinical initiatives around integration of behavioral health teams in OB-GYN clinics, fetal inflammatory response and risk for psychiatric disorders, and the association between benzodiazepine use and risk of cognitive impairment among older adults. Impact of colocated behavioral health on OB-GYN clinicians' rate of perinatal behavioral health diagnosis and...

Sexual minority youth have higher rates of substance use and pregnancy than heterosexual youth, and substance use is more common among cisgender individuals assigned female at birth. In addition, substance use during pregnancy is more prevalent among adolescents than adults. Although sexual minority youth are at greater risk for tobacco and cannabis use during pregnancy, there is a lack of research on substance use...