Theories of human neurobehavioral development suggest executive functions mature from childhood through adolescence, a time when individuals may also experience peaks in risk-taking behaviors such as substance use, and increased vulnerability to psychiatric disorders. However, the timing of adolescent executive function development and the specific age when executive functions reach adult levels have been...

Many University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry faculty and trainees attended the 2023 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting to learn about and present new research, and connect with colleagues. Below is a recap of Pitt Psychiatry news from the meeting: Honorific Award Mary Phillips, MD, MD (Cantab) (Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Clinical and Translational Science, and...

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...

The annual Pittsburgh Schizophrenia Conference, now in its 40th year, presented the latest clinical and research findings to an audience of 338 psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, service coordinators, researchers, and mental health policy administrators, as well as to patients and families. K.N. Roy Chengappa, MD (Professor of Psychiatry) serves as course director for the conference and leads...

Pitt Psychiatry consultation-liaison (C-L) faculty and trainees attended the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (ACLP) annual meeting and presented 9 symposia/workshops, 11 posters, and 5 oral papers. Travel Award Congratulations to Isaiah Crum, MD (PGY3) who received an ACLP trainee travel award. Presentations Twenty-five Department of Psychiatry presentations covered a range of topics including trauma...

The Developmental Affective Neuroscience Symposium (DANS) presents recent translational research in developmental psychopathology. The 2023 DANS theme was “ Neurodevelopment of Regulatory Systems: A Focus on Emotions and Motivation,” featuring research focused on the development of neural networks and circuitries implicated in regulating or modulating neural response to emotionally or motivationally salient...

Foraging is a type of reward-guided behavior in which a decision is made by weighing potential rewards available in the current environment versus the cost of lost time traveling to a new environment. In other words, when the current setting is less rewarding than the average experience, it is optimal to leave and search for something that is likely to be better. Although striatal dopamine is key to this process...

Pitt Psychiatry extends a warm welcome to two new research faculty members: Ahmad Mayeli, PhD (Research Assistant Professor of Psychiatry) Dr. Mayeli received his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Oklahoma, and completed postdoctoral research training in the Pitt Department of Psychiatry. As a postdoc, Dr. Mayeli’s research focused on unraveling the intricate neurobiology of...

Pitt Psychiatry extends a warm welcome to two new clinician-educator faculty members: Andrew Coulter, MD, MA (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry) Dr. Coulter received his MD from Temple University School of Medicine. He completed general adult psychiatry residency training and a consultation-liaison psychiatry fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Prior to coming to Pittsburgh, Dr. Coulter started the...

Congratulations to Heather Joseph, DO (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics), who received the inaugural YourMomCares Brilliance in Research Award. YourMomCares is a kids’ mental health nonprofit, founded by the moms of musicians, actors and athletes, to fund innovations in kids’ mental health and wellbeing. Candice Biernesser, PhD (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), and Rachel Vaughn-Coaxum, PhD...