Brian Pittman
Statistician 3Cards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Lower synaptic density in mood circuitry underlies depression in Parkinson’s disease
Cayir S, Naganawa M, Volpi T, Sadabad F, Dias M, Yang Y, Elliott S, Ansari M, Elshahat A, Pittman B, Esterlis I, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Sanacora G, Comley R, Finnema S, Carson R, Tinaz S, Matuskey D, Holmes S. Lower synaptic density in mood circuitry underlies depression in Parkinson’s disease. Brain Communications 2026, 8: fcag136. PMID: 42109687, PMCID: PMC13152014, DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcag136.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAnterior cingulate cortexDepressive symptomsSynaptic densityMood-related brain regionsSeverity of depressive symptomsParkinson's diseaseDorsolateral prefrontal cortexSymptoms of depressionPrefrontal cortexCingulate cortexComorbid depressionBrain regionsBinding potentialParkinson's disease patientsDepressionSynaptic plasticitySynaptic vesicle protein 2AMoodMotor symptomsDLPFCAmygdalaHealthy controlsHippocampusEvaluation of interventionsCortexSynaptic density imaging in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia: A comparison of 18F‐SynVesT‐1 and 18F‐FDG PET
Fesharaki‐Zadeh A, Cayir S, Ibrahim W, Yang Y, Gallezot J, Naganawa M, Wu Y, Toyonaga T, Sadabad F, O'Dell R, Pittman B, Nabulsi N, Strittmatter S, Carson R, Huang Y, van Dyck C, Mecca A, Matuskey D. Synaptic density imaging in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia: A comparison of 18F‐SynVesT‐1 and 18F‐FDG PET. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2026, 22: e71283. PMID: 41954197, PMCID: PMC13063251, DOI: 10.1002/alz.71283.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates synaptic density imaging in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, showing that SV2A PET detects more pronounced synaptic loss than glucose hypometabolism using FDG PET, aiding early diagnosis and monitoring.Additional analyses do not implicate opioid signaling in the antidepressant effects of ketamine
Yoon G, Pittman B, Krystal J. Additional analyses do not implicate opioid signaling in the antidepressant effects of ketamine. The International Journal Of Neuropsychopharmacology 2026, 29: pyag011. PMID: 41818343, PMCID: PMC13064640, DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyag011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNaltrexone/bupropion for binge-eating disorder: A human laboratory investigation of mechanisms
McKee S, Lydecker J, Pittman B, Jastreboff A, DiLeone R, Lavery M, Grilo C. Naltrexone/bupropion for binge-eating disorder: A human laboratory investigation of mechanisms. Drug And Alcohol Dependence Reports 2026, 19: 100428. PMID: 41867954, PMCID: PMC13000475, DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2026.100428.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHuman laboratory studiesBinge-eating disorderRandomized clinical trialsBrain reward systemHunger ratingsHigh-caloric foodPlasma levelsPsychosocial impairmentEating episodesFood cravingsReward systemCravingEating behaviorsEarly treatment responseNaltrexone/bupropionPotential markersTreatment responseSweet snacksClinical trialsDisordersSecondary outcomesEffective treatmentInvestigation of mechanismsEffective therapeuticsSnack foodsLegal blood alcohol concentration limits and alcohol-attributable traffic mortality rates: an analysis across 165 countries
Jimenez Chavez C, Peltier M, Mokwuah A, Bin-Mahfouz A, Verplaetse T, Zakiniaeiz Y, Kohler R, Garcia-Rivas V, Banini B, Raval N, Pittman B, McKee S. Legal blood alcohol concentration limits and alcohol-attributable traffic mortality rates: an analysis across 165 countries. EClinicalMedicine 2026, 93: 103794. PMID: 41768275, PMCID: PMC12945517, DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.103794.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGender inequalityTraffic mortality ratesNational incomeWorld Health OrganizationAge-standardized death ratesAlcohol consumptionPer capita alcohol consumptionCountry-level indicatorsHigh alcohol consumptionHealthcare system infrastructureAssistant SecretaryMortality rateStructural factorsAlcohol-impaired drivingRoad traffic deathsMortality burdenPopulation riskGlobal burdenMultilevel analysisStructural conditionsPrimary outcomeBlood alcohol concentration limitBlood alcohol concentrationDeath rateHealth OrganizationHigher drinking frequency corresponds to lower synaptic density in people with alcohol use disorder
Zakiniaeiz Y, Raval N, Riordan W, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Pittman B, Matuskey D, Angarita G, Bonomi R, McKee S, Hillmer A, Cosgrove K. Higher drinking frequency corresponds to lower synaptic density in people with alcohol use disorder. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2026, 136: e199989. PMID: 41528802, PMCID: PMC13038192, DOI: 10.1172/jci199989.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates how chronic alcohol use reduces brain synaptic density in key regions, linking greater drinking frequency to more severe synaptic deficits and cognitive impairments.
2025
Comparing single‐ and repeat‐dose psilocybin with active placebo for migraine prevention in an exploratory randomized controlled clinical trial
Schindler E, Gottschalk C, Pittman B, D'Souza D. Comparing single‐ and repeat‐dose psilocybin with active placebo for migraine prevention in an exploratory randomized controlled clinical trial. Headache The Journal Of Head And Face Pain 2025 PMID: 41459830, DOI: 10.1111/head.70024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDose of psilocybinDrug administration sessionsEffects of psilocybinAcute subjective effectsAdministration sessionsSubjective effects of psilocybinMigraine frequencyAcute psychedelic effectsSafety of psilocybinBlind integrationAcute effectsWeekly migraine daysDrug sessionsPsilocybin treatmentPsychedelic effectsTherapeutic effectActive placeboConfidence ratingsParallel-group studyPsilocybinPrevention of migraineRandomized controlled clinical trialPulse dose regimenPlacebo effectDrug effectsImaging Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 and Excitatory Neural Activity in Autism
Naples A, Yang Y, Gravel P, Toyonaga T, Sadabad F, Koohsari S, Pittman B, Gallezot J, Pisani L, Finn C, Cramer-Benjamin S, Herman N, Rosenthal L, Franke C, Walicki B, Rodden I, Hillmer A, Esterlis I, Ropchan J, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Wolf J, Carson R, McPartland J, Matuskey D. Imaging Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 and Excitatory Neural Activity in Autism. American Journal Of Psychiatry 2025, 183: 58-69. PMID: 41366835, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20241084.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAutistic adults have lower levels of a key brain receptor linked to excitatory activity, suggesting a molecular basis for altered brain function in autism.Measuring Dopamine Transporter Availability and Synaptic Density in Parkinson's Disease: A Dual‐Tracer Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Study
Sadabad F, Volpi T, Honhar P, Tinaz S, Dias M, Toyonaga T, Naganawa M, Gallezot J, Yang Y, Ibrahim W, Pittman B, Cayir S, Radhakrishnan R, Angarita G, Holmes S, Comley R, Carson R, Finnema S, Matuskey D. Measuring Dopamine Transporter Availability and Synaptic Density in Parkinson's Disease: A Dual‐Tracer Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Study. Movement Disorders 2025, 40: 2678-2687. PMID: 41040062, DOI: 10.1002/mds.70041.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsC-UCB-JDopamine transporterHealthy controlsVentral striatumDisease stageSubstantia nigraSynaptic densityParkinson's diseaseDopamine transporter availabilityPositron emission tomography imaging studiesSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AAssessment of synaptic densityDopaminergic denervationBetween-group differencesTransporter availabilityBinding potentialNigrostriatal regionDisease durationDual-tracerImaging studiesPatientsPET imagingPresynaptic degenerationPD patientsDopamineLamotrigine is not associated with differential clinical outcomes in a real-world sample of patients with unipolar depression receiving ketamine or esketamine
Santucci M, Katz R, Pittman B, Nikayin S, Wilkinson S. Lamotrigine is not associated with differential clinical outcomes in a real-world sample of patients with unipolar depression receiving ketamine or esketamine. Psychopharmacology 2025, 1-9. PMID: 40973876, DOI: 10.1007/s00213-025-06896-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchQuick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self ReportDepressive disorderPsychiatric hospitalInventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self ReportMontgomery-Asberg Depression Rating ScaleSample of treatment-seeking patientsHistory of psychiatric hospitalizationRapid-acting antidepressantsKetamine's antidepressant effectsDepression Rating ScaleExposure to electroconvulsive therapyTreatment-seeking patientsAssociated with differential clinical outcomesDose of lamotrigineMontgomery-AsbergAntidepressant effectsIntranasal esketamineUnipolar depressionElectroconvulsive therapyPsychiatric comorbiditiesKetamine/esketamineRating ScaleSample of patientsClinical outcomesAverage dose
News
News
- May 21, 2026Source: Neuropsychopharmacology
An Opioid-Withholding Human Laboratory Paradigm During Opioid Agonist Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder and Chronic Pain: Phase- and Dose-Dependent Effects of Cannabidiol
- January 20, 2026
Yale Study: Higher Drinking Frequency Corresponds to Lower Synaptic Density in People with Alcohol Use Disorder
- July 29, 2025Source: Journal of Addiction Medicine
The Role of Childhood Trauma in Chronic Pain and Substance Use Among Individuals Receiving Methadone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
- June 26, 2025Source: Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research
Pain Interference, Alcohol Use, and Metabolic Health: Insights From a Nationally Representative Study