New knowledge of these protein functions will help researchers develop new drug targets for chronic pain, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, migraines, and other neurological conditions.

A new update, led by researchers at the UNC School of Medicine and the Gillings School of Global Public Health, describes major findings from the past half decade in the realm of psychiatric genomics and next steps for researchers.

Joseph Piven, MD, the Thomas E. Castelloe Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics and director of the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities was given the award for his fundamental contributions to research on autism spectrum disorders.

Lauren Schiff, MD, a gynecologic surgeon at the UNC School of Medicine, and Ashley Hester, PhD, a psychologist at the UNC TEACCH Autism Program, outline simple ways physicians can improve quality of care for autistic patients – and how these methods can help everyone who comes into the office.

Building off previous groundbreaking research, a new study identifies specific genetic variants that have significant impacts on brain development and are shared across eight different psychiatric disorders. Targeting these variants could pave the way for treatments that address multiple conditions at once.

Physicians need more training to improve care for autism patients, UNC School of Medicine OBGYN Dr. Lauren Schiff writes in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Athena Stein, postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Flavio Frohlich, PhD, professor of psychiatry, is developing next-generation non-invasive brain stimulation treatments alongside her new family in the lab.

The National Institutes of Mental Health awarded a $2.5-million grant to UNC School of Medicine researchers Adam Bryant Miller, PhD, and Andrea Pelletier-Baldelli, PhD, in the UNC Department of Psychiatry, to study the alarming rise of suicidal behavior in young girls.

A new review article written by Patrick Sullivan, MD, FRANZCP, the Yeargan Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Genetics, outlines the genetic foundations for schizophrenia.

Dea Garic, PhD, and Mark Shen, PhD, both in the UNC School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, have found that enlarged perivascular spaces in the brains of babies, caused by an accumulation of excess cerebrospinal fluid, have a 2.2 times greater chance of developing autism later in life.

UNC School of Medicine’s Patrick Sullivan, MD, FRANZCP, and a team of scientists in the Psychiatric Genetic Consortium have created a new manual researchers can use to learn more about the origins of human diseases with high genetic risk.

UNC School of Medicine’s Alex K. Gertner, MD, PhD, and Beat D. Steiner, MD, MPH, led a study on a new “enhanced primary care” model which resulted in lower blood pressure and hemoglobin A1c and increased screening for people with severe mental illness.

Tag: Mental Health

Proteins Important in Neural Communication Have Different Roles Than Previously Thought

A Five Year Update About Psychiatric Genomic Research at UNC

Piven Earns Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Autism Research

Autistic Patients Need Better Care, Accommodations in the Medical Office

Eight Psychiatric Disorders Share the Same Genetic Causes, Study Says

Schiff Provides Perspective on Quality of Care for Autistic People

How an Australian Researcher Found Her Home at UNC-Chapel Hill

UNC Researchers Take on Suicide Risk in Preteen Girls

Researchers Highlight the Genetic Complexity of Schizophrenia

Enlarged Spaces in Infant Brains Linked to Higher Risk of Autism, Sleep Problems

Mammalian Evolution Provides Hints for Understanding the Origins of Human Disease

A New Primary Care Model Proves Effective for Patients with Severe Mental Illness