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...

We are thrilled to congratulate Carol Walker Hundiak (Administrative Coordinator), who has received a 2022 UPMC Award for Commitment to Excellence in Service (ACES) for her outstanding work in the Department of Psychiatry’s Youth and Family Research Program (YFRP). The prestigious ACES award, received by fewer than 1% of UPMC staff annually, honors individuals who regularly go above and beyond. Carol’s ACES...

Abnormal sleep is frequent in psychosis. Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia, are commonly reported by individuals with chronic psychosis, and are associated with subsequent relapse. In early psychosis, altered sleep often precedes a psychotic episode, and in youth at clinical high risk, disrupted sleep contributes to predicting transition to psychosis. However, sleep abnormalities in different stages (i.e...

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and cardiovascular disease are major women's health issues, and among the leading causes of death in women. Midlife—here defined as the ages of 40 up to 65 years old—is of particular importance for women's brain and cardiovascular health. The neuropathological hallmarks of dementia due to ADRD, including amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylated tau, begin to accumulate...

We are delighted to announce that Tharick Pascoal, MD, PhD, has been promoted to Associate Professor of Psychiatry by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Pascoal received his MD from Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil. He completed his residency training in neurology at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul. Dr. Pascoal then went to McGill University for a fellowship in...

On March 23, 2023, Pitt Psychiatry clinician-educator faculty and UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPH) clinical staff, residents and fellows gathered in the WPH auditorium for the annual Clinician-Educator Showcase, with additional participants attending the plenary session virtually. The Clinician-Educator Showcase is an annual opportunity for clinician-educators to learn about promising clinical innovations...