Hilary Blumberg, MD
Cards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director, Mood Disorders Research Program
Contact Info
Mood Disorders Research Program
60 Temple Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director, Mood Disorders Research Program
Contact Info
Mood Disorders Research Program
60 Temple Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director, Mood Disorders Research Program
Contact Info
Mood Disorders Research Program
60 Temple Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
About
Titles
John and Hope Furth Professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience and Professor of Psychiatry, and in the Child Study Center and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Director, Mood Disorders Research Program
Biography
Dr. Hilary Patricia Blumberg is the John and Hope Furth Professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Professor of Psychiatry, Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and in the Child Center, and Director of the Mood Disorders Research Program, at the Yale School of Medicine. She graduated summa cum laude in neuroscience from Harvard University and completed her medical degree, psychiatry training and specialty training in brain scanning research at Cornell University Medical College. Dr. Blumberg’s research is devoted to understanding the brain circuitry differences that underlie mood disorders across the lifespan, with a focus on bipolar disorder and on suicide prevention. She directs the Mood Disorders Research Program at Yale that brings together a multi-disciplinary group of scientists to study the genetic, developmental and environmental factors that cause mood disorders to develop new methods for early detection, more effective interventions, and prevention of the disorders and their associated high risk for suicide. This research includes the use of new state-of-the-art brain scanning methods. The program is also known for training young scientists to be new leaders in the field. Dr. Blumberg has served as principal investigator on awards from the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Department of Veterans Affairs, BD2, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, International Bipolar Disorder Foundation, For the Love of Travis Foundation, MQ Foundation, Stanley Medical Research Institute and Women’s Health Research at Yale. She has received numerous awards including the 2021 International Society of Bipolar Disorders Mogens Schou Award for Research in Bipolar Disorder, 2021 Sethi Award, 2018 American Psychiatric Association Blanche F. Ittleson Award for outstanding and published research in child and adolescent psychiatry and 2017 Brain and Behavior Foundation Colvin Prize for Research Achievement in Mood Disorders. She is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and a member of the Society of Biological Psychiatry.
Appointments
Psychiatry
ProfessorPrimaryChild Study Center
ProfessorSecondaryRadiology & Biomedical Imaging
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Child Study Center
- Division of Women's Behavioral Health Research
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
- Mood Disorders Research Program
- MR Center
- Neural Disorders
- Neuroscience Research Training Program (NRTP)
- Neuroscience Track
- Obesity Research Working Group
- Psychiatry
- Psychotherapy Development Center
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging
- Stress & Addiction Clinical Research Program
- WHRY Pilot Project Program Investigators
- Women's Health Research at Yale
- Wu Tsai Institute
- Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)
- Yale Medicine
- Yale Stress Center
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- Research Fellow
- Cornell University, Weill Medical College (1998)
- Internship and Residency
- Cornell University Medical College/New York Hospital (1994)
- MD
- Cornell University Medical College (1990)
- BA
- Harvard University, Neuroscience (1986)
Board Certifications
Psychiatry
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Latest Certification Date
- 2015
- Original Certification Date
- 1995
Research
Overview
Dr. Blumberg is the Director of The Yale Mood Disorders Research Program (MDRP). The MDRP is dedicated to understanding the science of mood disorders, including bipolar disorder and depression, related disorders and suicide risk. The MDRP brings together a multi-disciplinary group of scientists from across the Yale campus in a highly collaborative research effort. The scientists use a wide variety of scientific methods to study how genetic and environmental factors affect the brain and influence the expression of mood disorders across the lifespan. Goals of the MDRP include the identification of biological markers for mood and related disorders and discovery of new treatment strategies. It is hoped that these research efforts will lead to new and improved methods for early detection and treatment, and prevention, of suffering and suicide risk of the disorders.
Current studies include:
- MRI Brain Scanning Studies of Adolescents and Adults with Bipolar Disorder and Depression
- MRI Brain Scanning Studies of Healthy Adolescents and Adults
- Study of a non-medication psychobehavioral treatment "BE-SMART" to provide individuals healthy skills they can use to improve their emotion regulation, decrease symptoms of bipolar disorder and depression and reduce their suicide risk.
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
ORCID
0000-0002-6363-4698- View Lab Website
Mood Disorders Research Program
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Danielle Goldman, MS
Dustin Scheinost, PhD, BS
Todd Constable, PhD
Andrés S Martin, MD, PhD
Carolyn M. Mazure, PhD
Irina Esterlis, PhD
Bipolar Disorder
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Mood Disorders
Psychiatry
Suicide
Publications
2024
Towards a neurodevelopmental model of bipolar disorder: a critical review of trait- and state-related functional neuroimaging in adolescents and young adults
Colic L, Sankar A, Goldman D, Kim J, Blumberg H. Towards a neurodevelopmental model of bipolar disorder: a critical review of trait- and state-related functional neuroimaging in adolescents and young adults. Molecular Psychiatry 2024, 1-13. PMID: 39333385, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02758-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFunctional magnetic resonance imagingVentral prefrontal cortexBipolar disorderPrefrontal cortexNeurodevelopmental modelBrain systemsMood statesFunctional magnetic resonance imaging studyModel of bipolar disorderProcessing of rewardAcute mood statesRegulation of emotionVentral cortical regionsYoung adultsFunctional imaging findingsTrait vulnerabilityMood episodesSyndromal BDNeuroimaging evidenceFunctional neuroanatomyBrain differencesNeuroimaging studiesNeurodevelopmental mechanismsPrecentral gyrusBrain regionsThe might of light for revealing neuropsychiatric mechanisms
Kaya K, Blumberg H. The might of light for revealing neuropsychiatric mechanisms. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024, 1-2. PMID: 39266652, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01974-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMagnetic resonance imaging of regional gray matter volume in persons who died by suicide
Deininger-Czermak E, Spencer L, Zoelch N, Sankar A, Gascho D, Guggenberger R, Mathieu S, Thali M, Blumberg H. Magnetic resonance imaging of regional gray matter volume in persons who died by suicide. Molecular Psychiatry 2024, 1-5. PMID: 39237718, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02730-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsGray matter volumeMatter volumeBrain regionsIn vivo neuroimaging researchRegional gray matter volumeGray matter volume measurementsBrain voxel-based analysisStudy of suicideEmotion regulationNeuroimaging researchSuicide attemptsSelf-perceptionSuicideCompare personsMagnetic resonance imagingSuicide deathsPersonsBrainAmygdalaInsulaStriatumNeuroimagingMotivationIndividualsHypothesisDeficits in prefrontal metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 are associated with functional alterations during emotional processing in bipolar disorder
Asch R, Worhunsky P, Davis M, Holmes S, Cool R, Boster S, Carson R, Blumberg H, Esterlis I. Deficits in prefrontal metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 are associated with functional alterations during emotional processing in bipolar disorder. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2024, 361: 415-424. PMID: 38876317, PMCID: PMC11250898, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.06.025.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5Bipolar disorderGlutamate receptor 5Positron emission tomographyFear processingEmotional processingAssociated with greater activationEmotion processing taskAssociated with impulsivityFunctional brain differencesAssociated with functional alterationsParietal brain regionsPathology of BDIncreased cortical activityAssociated with difficultiesDepressive disorderHealthy comparisonReceptor availabilityBrain differencesPre/postcentral gyriAttention difficultiesGreater activationBrain regionsPsychomotor functionTreatment developmentBipolar symptoms, somatic burden and functioning in older‐age bipolar disorder: A replication study from the global aging & geriatric experiments in bipolar disorder database (GAGE‐BD) project
Sajatovic M, Rej S, Almeida O, Altinbas K, Balanzá‐Martínez V, Barbosa I, Beunders A, Blumberg H, Briggs F, Dols A, Forester B, Forlenza O, Gildengers A, Jimenez E, Klaus F, Lafer B, Mulsant B, Mwangi B, Nunes P, Olagunju A, Oluwaniyi S, Orhan M, Patrick R, Radua J, Rajji T, Sarna K, Schouws S, Simhandl C, Sekhon H, Soares J, Sutherland A, Teixeira A, Tsai S, Vidal‐Rubio S, Vieta E, Yala J, Eyler L. Bipolar symptoms, somatic burden and functioning in older‐age bipolar disorder: A replication study from the global aging & geriatric experiments in bipolar disorder database (GAGE‐BD) project. International Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry 2024, 39: e6057. PMID: 38511929, DOI: 10.1002/gps.6057.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsOlder age bipolar disorderBipolar Disorder DatabaseSomatic burdenBipolar disorderGAGE-BDAssociated with worse functionSymptom severityBD symptomsAssociated with depression severityOlder-age bipolar disorderGlobal Aging & Geriatric ExperimentsManic symptom severityAssociated with poorer functioningGeriatric experiencesAssociation of depressionBipolar symptomsSevere maniaDepression severityDepressive symptomsLow functioningSomatic conditionsPoor functionWorse functionArchival datasetWave 2Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of people with oldest older age bipolar disorder in a global sample: Results from the global aging and geriatric experiments in bipolar disorder project
Chen P, Sajatovic M, Briggs F, Mulsant B, Dols A, Gildengers A, Yala J, Beunders A, Blumberg H, Rej S, Forlenza O, Jimenez E, Schouws S, Orhan M, Sutherland A, Vieta E, Tsai S, Sarna K, Eyler L, Investigators T. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of people with oldest older age bipolar disorder in a global sample: Results from the global aging and geriatric experiments in bipolar disorder project. International Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry 2024, 39: e6073. PMID: 38393311, DOI: 10.1002/gps.6073.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsOlder age bipolar disorderBipolar disorderGAGE-BDSeverity of manic symptomsRates of suicidal thoughtsLower depressive symptomsComorbid physical conditionsClinical characteristics of peopleGeriatric experiencesManic symptomsClinical characteristicsDepressive symptomsSuicidal thoughtsCharacteristics of peoplePhysical burdenDisordersGlobal ageMedical burdenAge categoriesLogistic regression modelsMultinomial logistic regression modelCross-sectional analysisYounger groupMusculoskeletal domainsSymptomsBlood epigenome-wide association studies of suicide attempt in adults with bipolar disorder
Mirza S, Lima C, Del Favero-Campbell A, Rubinstein A, Topolski N, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Kovács E, Blumberg H, Richards J, Williams A, Wemmie J, Magnotta V, Fiedorowicz J, Gaine M, Walss-Bass C, Quevedo J, Soares J, Fries G. Blood epigenome-wide association studies of suicide attempt in adults with bipolar disorder. Translational Psychiatry 2024, 14: 70. PMID: 38296944, PMCID: PMC10831084, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02760-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEpigenome-wide association studiesDifferentially methylated regionsDifferentially methylated positionsAssociation studiesCo-methylation network analysisBipolar disorderDNA methylation patternsSuicide attemptsReplication cohortHistory of SAGene ontology analysisSignificant CpG sitesMethylation patternsDNA methylationCpG sitesOntology analysisImmune-related genesEnrichment analysisNon-psychiatric controlsCalcium signalingGenesDNAClinical interviewSA historyNetwork analysisPreliminary Study of White Matter Abnormalities and Associations With the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 to Distinguish Bipolar and Major Depressive Disorders
Fan S, Asch R, Davis M, DellaGioia N, Cool R, Blumberg H, Esterlis I. Preliminary Study of White Matter Abnormalities and Associations With the Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 to Distinguish Bipolar and Major Depressive Disorders. Chronic Stress 2024, 8: 24705470231225320. PMID: 38250007, PMCID: PMC10798116, DOI: 10.1177/24705470231225320.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5Bipolar disorderGlutamate receptor 5UF FAUncinate fasciculusFractional anisotropyWhole-brain analysisMultimodal neuroimaging approachDifferentiation of BDDiffusion-weighted MRI scansFrontotemporal dysconnectivityFrontotemporal systemFunctional dysconnectivityDepressive disorderNeurobiological mechanismsMGluR5 levelsWhite matterWhite matter abnormalitiesNeuroimaging approachesWM integrityNeural mechanismsMDDWhole-brainWM abnormalitiesReceptor 5
2023
Estradiol effects on an emotional interference task in adolescents with current and remitted depression
Sullivan A, Chung Y, Novotny S, Epperson C, Kober H, Blumberg H, Gross J, Ochsner K, Pearlson G, Stevens M. Estradiol effects on an emotional interference task in adolescents with current and remitted depression. Hormones And Behavior 2023, 157: 105450. PMID: 37923628, PMCID: PMC10842169, DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105450.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsAttentional biasesFacial expressionsAdolescent femalesRemitted depressionEmotional facial expressionsNeutral facial expressionsEmotional interference taskAttention capture effectsMajor depressive disorderMDD groupResponse reaction timesGroups of participantsMain effectHappy stimuliInterference taskEmotional stimuliEmotional contentAI scoreControl adolescentsDisorder onsetInterference scoresGroup interactionMDD adolescentsSex hormone estradiolAdolescentsSex Differences Among Older Adults With Bipolar Disorder: Results From the Global Aging & Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder (GAGE-BD) Project
Blanken M, Oudega M, Almeida O, Schouws S, Orhan M, Beunders A, Klumpers U, Sonnenberg C, Blumberg H, Eyler L, Forester B, Forlenza O, Gildengers A, Mulsant B, Rajji T, Rej S, Sarna K, Sutherland A, Yala J, Vieta E, Tsai S, Briggs F, Sajatovic M, Dols A. Sex Differences Among Older Adults With Bipolar Disorder: Results From the Global Aging & Geriatric Experiments in Bipolar Disorder (GAGE-BD) Project. American Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry 2023, 32: 326-338. PMID: 37981507, DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.10.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsOlder age bipolar disorderBipolar disorderPsychiatric hospitalizationMood symptomsSex differencesClinical sex differencesMore psychiatric hospitalizationsPhysical health comorbiditiesLifetime psychiatric comorbidityGlobal AGEingBipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) studySex-specific researchAdult bipolar disorderSubstance abuse disordersDepressive mood symptomsOld age womenClinical characteristicsHealth comorbiditiesSevere courseClinical presentationStudy cohortMale sexPsychiatric comorbidityFemale sexAge women
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Reducing Suicide Risk in Adolescents and Young Adults with Bipolar Disorder and Depression via a Psychobehavioral Intervention
HIC ID2000032361RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date03/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge16 years - 29 yearsImpact of Reward and Frustration on Early Attention: Associations with Irritability in Young Adults
HIC ID2000031088RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date10/31/2023Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 25 yearsImaging mGluR5 and synaptic density in psychiatric disorders
HIC ID2000020186RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date01/31/2018Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 80 yearsExamination of Glutamate and mGluR5 in Psychiatric Disorders
HIC ID1101007933RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/31/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 65 yearsBrain Emotion Circuitry-Targeted Self-Monitoring and Regulation Therapy (BE-SMART)
HIC ID0407026910RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge16 years - 24 years
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
honor Elected Councilor
National AwardCollege of NeuropsychopharmacologyDetails04/20/2022United Stateshonor V. Sagar Sethi, MD Mental Health Research Award
Regional AwardPsychiatric Foundation of North CarolinaDetails10/03/2021United Stateshonor 2021 Mogens Schou Award for Research
International AwardInternational Society for Bipolar DisordersDetails05/18/2021United Stateshonor Blanche F. Ittleson Award in recognition of outstanding and published research in child and adolescent psychiatry
National AwardAmerican Psychiatric Association (APA)Details05/08/2018United Stateshonor Colvin Prize for Achievement in Mood Disorder Research
National AwardBrain and Behavior FoundationDetails10/27/2017United States
News & Links
Media
- These images, from Johnston et al, American Journal of Psychiatry, 2017, display regions of the brain important in emotional regulation where adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder who made suicide attempts showed decreases, compared to adolescents and young adults with bipolar disorder who did not make attempts. The top left image shows a region of decreased gray matter in ventral prefrontal cortex, the top right image shows a region of decreased functioning in ventral prefrontal cortex and the lower image shows regions of decreases in the structural integrity of white matter in connections from the ventral prefrontal cortex.
News
- October 21, 2024Source: Newsline with Brigitte Quinn
Promoting Local Mental Health Awareness
- October 03, 2024Source: Yale Daily News
Yale mental health experts weigh in on increasing national suicide rates
- September 05, 2024Source: Molecular Psychiatry
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Regional Gray Matter Volume in Persons Who Died by Suicide
- July 23, 2024
Advancements in Women’s Health Research
Get In Touch
Contacts
Mood Disorders Research Program
60 Temple Street
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
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Locations
Mood Disorders Research Program
Academic Office
Temple Medical Center (60 Temple)
60 Temple Street, Fl 6, Ste 6B
New Haven, CT 06510
General Information
203.785.6180