Psychiatry Research
FULBRIGHT GRANT TO STUDY CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION
About 540 children are identified as victims of abuse or neglect each year in Lucas
County.听
鈥淔or every substantiated case of physical child abuse in the U.S., approximately 40 more exist that go undetected. It鈥檚 heartbreaking,鈥 said Dr. Michele Knox, University of Toledo professor of psychiatry who has dedicated her life to protecting children and educating parents with alternative methods of discipline.听
She recently was awarded her second Fulbright award to visit the Netherlands to find innovative and effective ways to improve child abuse prevention in the United States.
鈥淚 am honored to receive this award. It is an opportunity to bring home new ideas and approaches because the Netherlands is among the nations with the lowest rates of child maltreatment deaths,鈥 Knox said. 鈥淚 will be learning from the people there and benefiting from their expertise, knowledge and success.鈥
Starting in spring 2019, Knox will spend nearly three weeks at the University of Utrecht, the largest university in the Netherlands.
$3.38 million to study PTSD
A 淫妻社 researcher has received a $3.38 million award from the National
Institute of Mental Health to study the brain for early signs of post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) after an injury.
PTSD is increasingly听recognized听as a major mental health problem, with听an estimated eight million adults suffering from some form of the disorder as a result of a traumatic event.
The largest grant received by the University from the National Institute of Mental Health, the competitive award was given to Dr. Xin Wang, associate professor of psychiatry in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, to use MRI imaging to study the early development of PTSD in trauma victims.
His study titled 鈥淪tudy of Early Brain Alterations That Predict Development of Chronic PTSD,鈥 will receive $755,000 in 2016, and a total of $3.38 million听over a period of four and a half years, pending oversight and review of annual congressionally approved NIH funding levels. The NIH study section that peer-reviewed Wang鈥檚 proposal ranked it in the top 4th听percentile for 鈥渕ajor research鈥 among those competing for听mental health听research funding.听
The research project will study trauma patients who agree to be monitored for a period of a year during which time they will be evaluated using non-invasive, functional magnetic resonance imaging technology. This state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment is only available at UT Medical Center. Study participants will be recruited from the emergency department at UTMC, as well as the ProMedica and Mercy Health Systems.

Dr. Xin Wang developed a neuroimaging research program of acute trauma at 淫妻社 Medical Center (UTMC) and ProMedica Health System (PHS) after joining UT in 2009. His program focuses on study of the pathophysiology of PTSD development after trauma. Ongoing projects examine contributions of pre-trauma genetics, childhood adversity, mild traumatic brain injury, and post-trauma maladaptive brain changes to PTSD. Dr. Wang is constantly improving analytical approaches to integrate multiple models of MRI images, symptoms, and genetic profiles for study of PTSD.听
Dr.Wang鈥檚 research program utilizes productive collaborations with recognized scientists in related fields, and with internal UT experts in different specialties. External experts from the University of Michigan Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, and fMRI Laboratory, Case Western Reserve University Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina Emergency Department, and Ohio State University Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation are actively involved in Dr. Wang鈥檚 trauma research at Toledo. Dr. Wang also actively collaborates with other researchers from UT, including faculty in Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, Psychology, Radiology, Trauma Surgery, Family Medicine, Neurosciences, and Neurosurgery, and from ProMedica Health System ED and Trauma Service.听
Dr. Wang鈥檚 research program is supported by the MRI facility in the UT Department of Radiology, which provides access to the MRI scanner at reduced cost. Recent upgrades havebeen done on the 3T scanner used in the planned research. UT commitment to the PI is demonstrated by salary support, start-up funds, computers, laboratory, office space, and recent promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor rank. ProMedica Health System鈥檚 commitment to developing the PI鈥檚 trauma research program is demonstrated by use of clinical staff and a $25,000 Translational Research Stimulation Award in 2011 that supported preliminary work for this proposal. Both institutes provide research space in ED and trauma units, IT support, clerical support, and administrative support.
Elissar Andari Lab - Autism & Social Affective Neuroscience (ASAN)
The lab is studying the neurobiological correlates of social deficits in autism spectrum
disorder and other psychiatric disorders. At ASAN, we are adopting a multimodal approach
combining behavioral neuroscience, epigenetics and neuroimaging to uncover the nature
of social deficits. We are also using machine learning approaches to determine biotypes
of autism that are biologically relevant and that can respond best to selective treatments.
Our lab focuses on using translational and clinical approaches to investigate new
potential pharmacological treatments for deficits in social cognition.
- Autism Biotyping听
- Therapeutics for Autism听
- Translational research
- Increase risk for psychiatric disorders: child maltreatment
Posters and Manuscripts
- Brennan J, Phelps K, McGrady A, Schultz P. . Int J Psychiatry Med. 2023 Nov 17:912174231215917. doi:10.1177/00912174231215917
- Zhu X, Kim Y, Ravid O, He X, Suarez-Jimenez B, Zilcha-Mano S, Lazarov A, Lee S, Abdallah CG, Angstadt M, Averill CL, Baird CL, Baugh LA, Blackford JU, Bomyea J, Bruce SE, Bryant RA, Cao Z, Choi K, Cisler J, Cotton AS, Daniels JK, Davenport ND, Davidson RJ, DeBellis MD, Dennis EL, Densmore M, deRoon-Cassini T, Disner SG, Hage WE, Etkin A, Fani N, Fercho KA, Fitzgerald J, Forster GL, Frijling JL, Geuze E, Gonenc A, Gordon EM, Gruber S, Grupe DW, Guenette JP, Haswell CC, Herringa RJ, Herzog J, Hofmann DB, Hosseini B, Hudson AR, Huggins AA, Ipser JC, Jahanshad N, Jia-Richards M, Jovanovic T, Kaufman ML, Kennis M, King A, Kinzel P, Koch SBJ, Koerte IK, Koopowitz SM, Korgaonkar MS, Krystal JH, Lanius R, Larson CL, Lebois LAM, Li G, Liberzon I, Lu GM, Luo Y, Magnotta VA, Manthey A, Maron-Katz A, May G, McLaughlin K, Mueller SC, Nawijn L, Nelson SM, Neufeld RWJ, Nitschke JB, O'Leary EM, Olatunji BO, Olff M, Peverill M, Phan KL, Qi R, Quid茅 Y, Rektor I, Ressler K, Riha P, Ross M, Rosso IM, Salminen LE, Sambrook K, Schmahl C, Shenton ME, Sheridan M, Shih C, Sicorello M, Sierk A, Simmons AN, Simons RM, Simons JS, Sponheim SR, Stein MB, Stein DJ, Stevens JS, Straube T, Sun D, Th茅berge J, Thompson PM, Thomopoulos SI, van der Wee NJA, van der Werff SJA, van Erp TGM, van Rooij SJH, van Zuiden M, Varkevisser T, Veltman DJ, Vermeiren RRJM, Walter H, Wang L, Wang X, Weis C, Winternitz S, Xie H, Zhu Y, Wall M, Neria Y, Morey RA. . Neuroimage. 2023 Dec 1;283:120412. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120412
- Li GZ, Liu PH, Zhang AX,听Andari E, Zhang KR.听.听Psychiatry Research. 2022;315:8. Doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114697
- Dynes ME, Rasiah SS, Knox M.听.听Children (Basel). 2023;10(6). Doi:10.3390/children10060979
- Nawras M, Beran A,听Yazdi V, Hecht M, Lewis C.听.听International Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2023;38(4):261-268. Doi:10.1097/yic.0000000000000457
- Xie H, Shih CH, Aldoohan SD, Wall JT, Wang X.听.听Transl Psychiatry. 2023;13(1):274. Doi:10.1038/s41398-023-02576-2
- Shih CH, Zhou A, Aldoohan S, Xie H, Wang X. Post-Trauma Changes in Fear Associated Learning Function During Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Development.听Biological Psychiatry.听2023;93(9):S216-S216.
- Xie H,听Shih CH, Aldoohan S, Wall J, Wang X. Hypothalamus Volume Mediates the Association Between Aversive Childhood Experience and PTSD Development After Adulthood Trauma.听Biological Psychiatry. 2023;93(9):S321-S322.
- Sun D, Rakesh G, Haswell CC, Logue MW,听Wang X, Thompson PM, Morey RA. Comparison of Methods: for Site Harmonization Using PTSD as a Test Case.听Biological Psychiatry.听2023;93(9):S42-S43.
- Chidiac N, Popovich C, Grau A, Shih C, Zhou A, Wang X, Xie H.听A Longitudinal Case-Control Analysis of Changes in Brain Activation of Fear Associated Learning From a Baseline Before COVID-19 Pandemic.听Biological Psychiatry.听2023;93(9):S132-S132.
- Lewis, C, & Brennan, C (2023). 鈥淐lozapine & Valbenazine for Treatment of Tardive Cervical Dystonia: A Case Report鈥: Tardive Cervical Dystonia. Translation: 淫妻社 Journal of Medical Sciences, 11(2).
- Flux MC,听Fine TH, Poplin T, Al Zoubi O, Schoenhals WA, Schettler J, Refai HH, Naegele J, Wohlrab C, Yeh H-W, Lowry CA,听Levine JC, Smith R, Khalsa SS,听.听Frontiers in听Neuroscience.听2022;16. Doi:10.3389/fnins.2022.995594
- Rooney EA, Hallauer CJ, Xie H, Shih CH, Rapport D, Elhai JD, Wang X.听.听J Affect Disord.听2022;308:281-288. Epub ahead of print 20220419. Doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.04.078.35452754.
- Kelly V, Hong S, McHugh M, Patel M, Jezak J, Kagy K.听.听Current Psychiatry.听May 2022;21(5):44-49. Doi:10.12788/cp.0243.
- Dowling J, Williams KS, Lynch D, Knox M.听.听International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.听Apr 2022:10. Doi:10.1007/s11469-022-00823-z
- Lughmani MB, Shih CH, Kaminski B,听Elsamaloty H, Wang X, Xie H. Orbitofrontal Cortical Thickness is Associated With Lifetime Trauma History and PTSD and Depression Symptoms After Acute Trauma.听Biological Psychiatry.听2022;91(9):S358-S358.
- Li GZ, Liu PH, Zhang AX,听Andari E, Zhang KR.听.听Psychiatry Res.听2022;315:114697. Doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114697
- Grau AS,听Xie H, Redfern RE,听Moussa M,听Wang X,听Shih CH.听.听Int Clin Psychopharmacol.听2022;37(5):201-205. Doi:10.1097/yic.0000000000000413
- Todorovic K, O'Leary E, Ward KP, Devarasetty PP, Lee SJ,听Knox M,听Andari E.听.听Frontiers in Psychiatry.听2022;13. Doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.883294
- Gibbons E, Stein C, Springer J, Roemhild E, Meadows E, Dowling J.听.听Journal of Pediatric Health Care.听2022;36(4):305-309. Doi:10.1016/j.pedhc.2022.04.002
- Rilling JK, Richey L,听Andari E, Hamann S.听. Article; Early Access.听Dev Psychobiol.14. doi:10.1002/dev.22092
- Tate DF, Dennis EL, Adams JT, Adamson MM, Belanger HG, Bigler ED, Bouchard HC, Clark AL, Delano-Wood LM, Disner SG, Eapen BC, Franz CE, Geuze E, Goodrich-Hunsaker NJ, Han K, Hayes JP, Hinds SR, Hodges CB, Hovenden ES, Irimia A, Kenney K, Koerte IK, Kremen WS, Levin HS, Lindsey HM, Morey RA, Newsome MR, Ollinger J, Pugh MJ, Scheibel RS, Shenton ME, Sullivan DR, Taylor BA, Troyanskaya M, Velez C, Wade BSC,听Wang X, Ware AL, Zafonte R, Thompson PM, Wilde EA.听. Article; Early Access.听Brain Imaging Behav.29. doi:10.1007/s11682-020-00423-2
- Rapport D, McGrady A, Saju L, Lynch D.听.听J Psychiatr Pract. Mar 5 2021;27(2):86-91. doi:10.1097/pra.0000000000000530
- Magalhaes C,听Knox M.听.听J Aggress Maltreatment Trauma.听Doi:10.1080/10926771.2021.1933287
- Andari E, Massa NM, Fargotstein MD, Taylor NB, Halverson DM, Owens AV, Currin DL, Bhattacharya A, Gitman D, Cuthbert BC, Young LJ, Duncan EJ.听.听J Clin Psychopharmacol.听2021;41(2):103-113. Doi:10.1097/jcp.0000000000001367
- Andari E.听.听Biological Psychiatry-Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging.听2021;6(11):1038-1039. Doi:10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.08.002
- Andari E, Kaundinya G, O'Leary E, Caceres G, Rilling J, Cubells J, Young L. Oxytocin Normalizes Functional Connectivity Between Salience and Visual Networks in Autism Spectrum Disorder.听Neuropsychopharmacology.听2021;46(SUPPL 1):128-128.听
- Xie H, Huffman N, Shih CH, Cotton AS, Buehler M, Brickman KR, Wall JT, Wang X.听Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging.听2022;319:111421. Doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2021.111421
- . Angele McGrady, Julie Brennan, Amy Riese, Jamie Dowling. Frontiers in Medicine and Research,听 November 2021
- . An Emergency Department, Trans-Diagnostic Approach: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo- Controlled, Proof-of-Concept Trial. Cheryl McCullumsmith. Archives of Suicide Research, February 2021
- .听Amy Riese,听Current Psychiatry, Aug 2021听
- .听Claire Kyung Sun Meikle,听Justin Fortune Creeden,听Cheryl McCullumsmith,听Randall G. Worth, Neuropsychopharmacology Reports, July 2021听
- . Justin Fortune Creeden, Ali Sajid Imami, Hunter M. Eby, Cassidy Gillman, Kathryn N. Becker, Jim Reigle,听Elissar Andari, Zhixing K. Pan, Sinead M. O鈥橠onovan, Robert E. McCullumsmith,听Cheryl B. McCullumsmith,听Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, June 2021
- . Jenny Chena, Nicole M. Christ, Chia-Hao Shih, Hong Xie, Stephen R. Grider,听Chandani Lewis, Jon D. Elhai,听Xin Wang,听Child Abuse & Neglect, May 2021
- . Katarina Hughes, Vinaya Gogineni,听Chandani Lewis听& Abhishek Deshpande.听Current Medical Research and Opinion, April 2021
- . Jacob C. Maier听Daniel Rapport听Alex McCormick and听Chandani Lewis听Translation UT Journal of Medical Sciences, Feb 2021
- . Ali S Imami,听Sinead M O'Donovan,听Justin F Creeden,听Xiaojun Wu,听Hunter Eby,听Cheryl B McCullumsmith,听Kerstin Uvn盲s-Moberg,听Robert E McCullumsmith,听Elissar听Andari, Physiology Genomics听, Aug 2020
- .听 Rachel Beeson , Stavros Stefanopoulos,听Daniel Rapport, Jorge Ortiz,听Translation UT Journal of Medical Sciences, 2020 May
- . Yoav Domany, Richard C. Shelton,听Cheryl B. McCullumsmith. Depression and Anxiety, Oct 2019
- Oxytocin Dose-Dependent Effects on Brain Function During a Socially Dynamic Game in Autism Spectrum Disorders听(PDF, June 2021)
- 听听John Edminister,听听Chandani Lewis, Poster presented at 26th Annual Symposium on Research in Psychiatry, Psychology, and Behavioral Sciences, April 2019听(PDF)
- Michele Knox,听 Melissa Stephens.听Poster presented at the American Medical Association Change MedEd Convention, Chicago, IL, 2019 (PDF)
- 听Meghana Medavaram, Barbara Funke,听Chandani Lewis. Poster presented at the American Psychiatric Association, June 2019 (PDF)
- 听Julie Brennan ,听Angele McGrady听, Jennifer Tripi, Archit Sahai, Megan Frame, Alyse Stolting, and听Amy RieseThe International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, July 2019听(PDF, July 2019)
- 听 Palguna R. Thalla, Chia-Hao Shih, David C. Miller, Jeremy J. Mathews, Aaron S. Grau, Andrew S. Cotton, Nicole M. Christ, Jyothika S. Yermal, Kristopher Brickman, Hong Xie,听Xin Wang听, Poster presented, July 2019 (PDF)
- 听 Alan Levy, Ramzi Nahhas, Suzanne Sampang, Karen Jacobs, Christina Weston, Cathleen Cerny-Suelzer,听Amy Riese, Mark Munetz, Janet Shaw,听Academic Psychiatry, June 2019 (PDF)
- Angele McGrady,听June 2019 (PDF)
- 听Alan Levy, Ramzi Nahhas, Suzanne Sampang, Karen Jacobs, Christina Weston, Cathleen Cerny-Suelzer,听Amy Riese, Julie Niedermier, Mark Munetz, Janet Shaw, Ryan Mast,听Academic Psychiatry, April 2019 (PDF)
- ,听Angele McGrady, Dalynn Badenhop, Denis Lynch,听Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, March 2019听(PDF)
- Amy Riese, Bushra Rizwan, Julie Brennan, Angele McGrady, Poster presented at American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training, Feb 2019 (PDF)
Current Research Projects
| Faculty Member | Sponsor | Grant Title and Description |
|
PI: Xin Wang, MD, PhD |
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 听 |
Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending (CPF/CDS)Description: This grant provides sophisticated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment such as, MRI compatible electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). These equipment will become the core of the new MRI research center for social determinants of health at 淫妻社. |
|
PI: Xin Wang, MD, PhD 颁辞-滨鈥檚:听听 Tian Chen, Chia Hao Shih, PhD, Hong Xie, PhD,听 Kevin Shuai Xu |
National Institute of Mental Health |
A large sample machine learning network analysis of vertex cortical thickness measures for high resolution definition of PTSD related cortical structure abnormalitiesDescription: This study is to develop a novel integrated analysis to identify regional and global abnormalities of brain cortical thickness in PTSD patients using a large dataset of more than ten thousand subjects in a global consortium. |
|
PI: Michele Knox, PhD |
听 |
Engaging Fathers in Cross-Cutting Violence Prevention: A Dual Generation Evaluation of the ACT Raising Safe Kids Program to Prevent Multiple Forms of ViolenceDescription: The ACT Raising Safe Kids (ACT) program was developed by the American Psychological Association and identified in the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention鈥檚 technical package (鈥淧reventing Child Abuse & Neglect鈥) as a promising strategy to prevent child maltreatment. Evidence suggests the ACT program reduces coercive, harsh, and physically aggressive parenting practices; increases positive, nurturing parenting practices; and reduces children鈥檚 externalizing, aggressive, bullying behavior. The overall goal of the proposed project is to determine the efficacy of the ACT program to prevent multiple forms of violence by male caregivers and their children over time. |
|
PI: Hong Xie, PhD 颁辞-滨鈥檚: Xin Wang, MD, PhD, Jon Elhai, PhD, Chia Hao Shih, PhD |
National Institute of Mental Health |
Using pre-pandemic baseline data in people with and without PTSD to study effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and brain emotion circuitsDescription: This study examines the COVID-19 pandemic effects on the research participants of pre-pandemic studies by comparing the data collection before and during the pandemic. |
|
PI: Scott Pappada 颁辞-滨鈥檚: Cheryl McCullumsmith, MD, PhD Tanvir Singh, MD Brent Cameron, MD, Joan Duggan, MD |
Ohio Department of Higher Education |
Prediction of Relapse in Opioid Addiction via a Novel Wearable Technology (PreLapse)听 |
|
PI:听Michele Knox, Ph.D. |
Multiple Sponsors |
ACT Program EvaluationDescription: This study examines the effectiveness of the ACT Raising Safe Kids program at various sites in and outside the U.S. |
|
PI:听Michele Knox, Ph.D.
|
听 |
Effectiveness of Medical Student Training in Child AdvocacyDescription: This study examines the effectiveness of educational interventions in preparing future physicians (medical students and residents) to address physical punishment of children and child maltreatment |
|
PI:听Elissar Andari, Ph.D. |
ProMedica Health System |
Autism and Social NeuroscienceDescription:听 The goal is to develop an autism program in Toledo area to investigate the nature of behavioral and brain dysfunctions in autism and to target new treatments within a precision medicine approach. We are using new behavioral and brain function technology to unravel different biotypes within Autism Spectrum Disorders. By using a multimodal approach (behavioral, neuroimaging, genetics and machine learning, transdiagnostics and multigenerational work), we can move the autism field forward and find optimal future treatments. |
|
PI:听Elissar Andari, Ph.D. |
淫妻社 Foundation |
Adjunctive Therapeutic Potential of Oxytocin for COVID-19 (OxyCovid project)Description: The goal of this project is study the role of oxytocin, a neuropeptide known for its role in social attachment, in a coronavirus infectious disease. We are currently conducting a translational study in collaboration with the Neurosciences and Immunology Departments to examine the safety and potential efficacy of this treatment. Also, thanks to this grant, we are also investigating the mechanisms of action of oxytocin in infectious disease, a new field of investigation |
Past Research Projects
| Faculty Member | Sponsor | Grant Title and Description |
|
PI:听Xin Wang, M.D., Ph.D. 颁辞-滨鈥檚:听 Kristopher Brickman, M.D., Mark Buehler, Jon Elhai, Ph.D., Xie Hong, Ph.D., Kevin Shuai |
Primary Sponsor: National Institutes of Health Secondary Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health |
Study of early brain alterations that predict development of chronic PTSDDescription: This study explores the risk factors for PTSD development in the early post traumatic period in order to design effective approaches to prevent PTSD. The trauma (e.g., motor vehicle accident) survivors are examined using psychological questionnaires and MRI techniques. Patient鈥檚 psychological conditions, as well as brain functions and structures, in the days to weeks after trauma are used to predict the PTSD symptoms in the long-term.听 听 |
|
PI: Jianyang Du, Ph.D. U of Tennessee Co-I and Univ of Toledo Site PI: Xin Wang, M.D., Ph.D. |
National Institutes of Health |
CO2 Inhalation enhances the lability of fear memory听Description: Elucidate how protons, functioning as neurotransmitters, regulate fear circuits. The proposed work will determine how protons and ASICs regulate the lability of fear memories to yield memory modification. |