Publications

Adolescence is a sensitive window for the development of depressive and social anxiety disorders, particularly among girls. Models of depression and social anxiety suggest that individuals with or at high risk for these conditions may exhibit interpersonal behaviors in early adolescence—such as social avoidance and withdrawal—that can evoke negative reactions from others and lead teens to miss out on potential...

Disruption to a predictable 24-hour activity pattern, in which humans are active during the day and rest at night, is not an inevitable consequence of aging. Instead, such disruption in older adults is linked with diseases such as depression and dementia. Loss of robust activity and rest patterns throughout the day and night may be a contributor to, marker of, and/or consequence of underlying disease. To improve...

We are pleased to announce that Ana Lupu, PharmD, has received the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists 2022 Annals of Clinical Psychiatry Winokur Award for her article, “Less is more: Deprescribing anticholinergic medications in persons with severe mental illness.” K.N. Roy Chengappa, MD (Professor of Psychiatry), is Dr. Lupu’s mentor, and is a corresponding author on the paper. The team of scientists...

Substance use relapse is a major barrier in treating substance use disorders. Withdrawal from substance use often causes sleep disruptions, which can aggravate withdrawal symptoms and increase the likelihood of relapse. A group of investigators, including Pitt Psychiatry scientists Rong Guo, PhD (Scientist, Allen Institute; former Pitt Psychiatry postdoctoral scholar), Yao Wang, PhD (Research Assistant Professor of...

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects 2.5% of adults worldwide. Pharmacotherapy is the recommended initial treatment for most adults, but patient adherence can be low due to adverse effects and other concerns. Therefore, the investigation of nonpharmaceutical treatments for ADHD is critical. One option is transcranial direct current stimulation, a noninvasive...

Depression is one of the most prevalent and costly mental health conditions. Though effective treatments have been available for decades, remission rates are low, relapse rates are high, and disorder prevalence rates remain notably consistent or increased, with only 12.7% of patients receiving minimally adequate treatment. In recent years, two potential breakthroughs have ignited hopes for turning a corner in the...