Faculty

Swathi Gujral, PhD

Swathi Gujral, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Contact Details

3811 O'Hara St.
Pittsburgh
 
PA
 
15213
Email
Website
Geriatric Neuropsychiatry Research Program

Education & Training

PhD
Clinical Psychology, University of Pittsburgh
Clinical Psychology, University of Maryland Medical Center/VA Maryland Healthcare System
Clinical Psychology, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System VISN 4 MIRECC

Professional Affiliations

Member, Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (APA Division 40)
Member, American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry
Member, Association for the Advancement of Science
Member, International Neuropsychological Society

Research Interests

Selected Research Publications & Products
  1. Brown VM, Gujral S, Chang YW, Galfalvy H, Szanto K & Dombrovski AY. (2025). Brain volume reductions and relationship with depression and cognitive functioning in suicide in older adults: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study using Bayesian multilevel modeling. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science, 100552.
  2. Gogniat MA, Won J, Cruz C, Aranda A, Verma A, Gujral S, Weinstein AM, Zaheed AB, Cole KR, Full KM & Snitz BE. Sedentary behavior, cognition, and brain health in older adults: a systematic review. Front Aging Neurosci. 2025 Jul 8;17:1622049. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1622049. PMID: 40697359; PMCID: PMC12279810.
  3. Teixeira AL, Gregg A, Gentry MT, Gujral S, Rapp E, Oberlin L, Ajilore O, Weisenbach S & Patrick R. Cognitive deficits in late-life depression: From symptoms and assessment to therapeutics. Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2025 Apr;23(2):183-194. doi: 10.1176/appi.focus.20240046. Epub 2025 Apr 15. PMID: 40235602; PMCID: PMC11995896.
  4. Gujral S, Cameron JL, Conaty K, Ziady S, Sahu A, Jakicic JM, Rogers RJ, Rosano C, Vallejo AN, Erickson KI, Ibrahim TS, Aizenstein H, Reynolds CF 3rd & Butters MA. Intermittent low-intensity and moderate-intensity exercise effects on cognition in community-dwelling older adults: A pilot study exploring biological mechanisms. Front Aging Neurosci. 2024 Oct 17;16:1432909. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1432909. PMID: 39484365; PMCID: PMC11524916.
  5. Gujral S, Burns M, Erickson KI, Rofey D, Peiffer JJ, Laws SM & Brown B. (2024). Dose-response effects of exercise on mental health in community-dwelling older adults: Exploration of genetic moderators. International journal of clinical and health psychology, 24(1), 100443.

International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology: Dose-Response Effects of Exercise on Mental Health in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Exploration of Genetic Moderators

Swathi Gujral, PhD

Physical activity is beneficial for mental health in older adults. It is effective as a treatment for late-life psychiatric disorders and as a prevention against clinical depression and anxiety. However, questions remain around the frequency, intensity, duration, and type of physical activity that may be most beneficial for mental health in aging, and around the moderating factors—including genetic factors— that...

The Association of 24-Hour Activity Pattern Phenotypes With Depression Symptoms and Cognitive Performance in Aging

Smagula et al. JAMA Psychiatry 2022

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...

Pitt Psychiatry Hosts a Tremendous Research “Half” Day

2021 Research Day

On June 9, 2021, the Department of Psychiatry held its 2nd virtual Research Day, featuring presentations on health equity research, a speed dat(a)ing session, a keynote address, and honors and awards. The event was billed as a Research “Half” Day, as we hope and expect for the second half of the event, a poster session, to occur in person. (Date: October 5, 2021. Stay tuned to our events page for details!) Below is...

The Department of Psychiatry Welcomes Swathi Gujral, PhD, to the Faculty

Dr. Swathi Gujral Joins Department Faculty

We are pleased to announce that Swathi Gujral, PhD, has joined the faculty as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. Gujral earned her PhD in clinical and biological health psychology from the University of Pittsburgh after completing a clinical psychology internship at the University of Maryland Medical Center/VA Maryland Healthcare System in Baltimore. She then undertook postdoctoral training through the US...