Alterations in markers of cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling are among the most widely replicated findings in postmortem brain studies of schizophrenia. In the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, consistent findings of lower levels of gene products related to GABA neuron signaling indicates that inhibitory neurotransmission signaling is weaker in people with schizophrenia. However, clarity regarding...

We are thrilled to announce that Rebecca Price, PhD (Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology), has received the 2023 Society of Biological Psychiatry A.E. Bennett Award for Clinical/Translational Research. This award recognizes superb international research in biological psychiatry by young investigators. Dr. Price uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), pupillometry, eye tracking, and...

We are delighted to announce that Dana Tudorascu, PhD, has received conferral of tenure at the rank of associate professor by the University of Pittsburgh. A biostatistician with recognized expertise in neuroimaging data analysis and imaging techniques, Dr. Tudorascu conducts research in three areas: improving brain tissue classifications in the presence of aging markers such as white matter hyperintensities and...

We are delighted to announce that Mary Phillips, MD, MD (Cantab) (Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Clinical and Translational Science, and Bioengineering, and Pittsburgh Foundation-Emmerling Endowed Chair in Psychotic Disorders), has been elected to the prestigious Association of American Physicians (AAP). Dr. Phillips’s membership to the Association was formally recognized at the AAP annual meeting in April...

It’s time (right now!) to register for the Department of Psychiatry Annual Research Day! Date: Thursday, June 8, 2023 Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Location: All activities will take place at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall on the Pitt Oakland campus. This full-day event provides an excellent opportunity to meet investigators, learn more about their work, and share expertise and interests with other members of the...

We are delighted to announce that Fabio Ferrarelli, MD, PhD, has received conferral of tenure at the rank of associate professor by the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Ferrarelli’s research focuses on the study of neural oscillations, particularly during sleep, and how such oscillations affect fundamental aspects of brain function. He uses techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transcranial magnetic...

Rates of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide have increased among adolescents over the past 15 years, with a sharp increase among Black and Hispanic youths. Moreover, there has been an increase in presentations to pediatric emergency departments for adolescent suicidal behavior that has accelerated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A growing consensus contends that screening patients in...

We are delighted to announce that Shelly Kucherer, MD (Assistant Professor of Psychiatry), has received a 2023 Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) Achievement Award in the Excellence in Care Category. Dr. Kucherer received the award for her project, “Process and Outcomes for Deprescribing Benzodiazepines in the Outpatient Setting for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism,”...

Cognitive deficits, among the most debilitating clinical features of schizophrenia, might reflect, at least in part, circuit dysfunction in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In schizophrenia, layer 3 pyramidal neurons of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex exhibit deficits in markers of excitatory synaptic inputs that are thought to disrupt the patterns of neural network activity essential for cognitive function...

We are delighted to announce that Marianne Seney, PhD, has been promoted to Associate Professor of Psychiatry by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Seney earned her PhD in neuroscience and behavior from the University of Massachusetts, then joined the University of Pittsburgh for postdoctoral research training in psychiatry/translational neuroscience and the neurobiology of neurodegenerative...