Deepak Cyril Dsouza, MBBS, MD
Vikram Sodhi ’92 Professor of PsychiatryCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY)
Director, Neurobiological Studies Unit, VACHS
Director, VA-CMHC Schizophrenia Research Clinic
Director, Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
Chair, Research and Development Committee, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
Contact Info
Psychiatry
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY)
Director, Neurobiological Studies Unit, VACHS
Director, VA-CMHC Schizophrenia Research Clinic
Director, Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
Chair, Research and Development Committee, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
Contact Info
Psychiatry
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY)
Director, Neurobiological Studies Unit, VACHS
Director, VA-CMHC Schizophrenia Research Clinic
Director, Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
Chair, Research and Development Committee, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
Contact Info
Psychiatry
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
United States
About
Titles
Vikram Sodhi ’92 Professor of Psychiatry
Director Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY); Director, Neurobiological Studies Unit, VACHS; Director, VA-CMHC Schizophrenia Research Clinic; Director, Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
Positions outside Yale
Chair, Research and Development Committee, VA Connecticut Healthcare System
Biography
Deepak Cyril D’Souza, MD is a Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine and a staff psychiatrist at VA Connecticut Healthcare System (VACHS). He received his medical degree from John’s National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India in 1986 and completed his psychiatric residency at State University of New York Downstate in 1992 followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in Psychopharmacology and Neurosciences at Yale University School of Medicine. He then joined the faculty in the Dept. of Psychiatry at Yale and VA Connecticut Healthcare System. He is an active clinician, teacher and researcher, 30 years of experience.
Clinical Administration: He directs the Neuropsychiatry Program at VA Connecticut Healthcare System, the clinical service that cares for veterans with serious mental illnesses including psychotic disorders, mood disorders and personality disorders. He also chairs the Research and Development Committee at VA Connecticut Healthcare System.
Research Administration: He directs the Neurobiological Studies Unit where experimental psychopharmacological studies are conducted. He serves as the Chair of the Research and Development Committee of VA Connecticut Healthcare System.
Education: He is actively involved in teaching residents. In recognition of his contributions as a teacher, he received the Yale Psychiatry resident’s teaching award in 2008. He also directs the VA Schizophrenia Research Fellowship program the training ground for a number of current researchers. He is a mentor for a number of junior faculty who have career awards.
Pathophysiological Research: He directs the Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at Yale (SNRGY). Over the last 3 decades, he has employed three approaches to his research. He has conducted experimental psychopharmacological studies with ketamine, amphetamine, THC, nicotine, salvinorin A in healthy human volunteers and patients to evaluate the contributions of various neurotransmitter systems to the pathophysiology of psychosis, cognitive deficits, and reward dysfunction. He also uses in vivo neuroreceptor imaging to study schizophrenia and cannabis use disorder with ligands that bind to synaptic vesicles, muscarinic receptors, CB1 receptors, etc. He is also involved in a consortium to collect fluid biomarkers in schizophrenia.
Treatment Research: In parallel to these studies of pathophysiology, he has conducted phase 1 - 4 clinical trials to develop new treatments schizophrenia, mood disorders and cannabis use disorder. More recently he has been investigating the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds (psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine) in the treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions including depression and migraine. His research is funded by the U.S. National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA), VA R&D and several foundations.
His work has been published in the highest impact Psychiatry journals including Molecular Psychiatry, Lancet Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry and Neuropsychopharmacology (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qDmD8DsAAAAJ&hl=en). He is a principal editor of the journal Psychopharmacology.
He is involved in public outreach – he serves on the Physicians Advisory Board for Connecticut’s Medical Marijuana Program. He is recognized as a leading expert on the relationship between cannabinoids and psychosis, and has been involved educating the general public about the relationship between cannabis and psychosis.
Appointments
Psychiatry
ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit
- MR Center
- Neuroscience Research Training Program (NRTP)
- Psychiatry
- Schizophrenia Research Clinic
- Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids
- Yale Global Mental Health Program
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- MD
- SUNY at Brooklyn (1992)
- MBBS
- St. John's Medical College (1986)
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
ORCID
0000-0003-3141-1462
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
John Krystal, MD
Edward Belk Perry Jr, MD, MHS
Ashley Schnakenberg Martin, PhD
Nabeel Nabulsi, PhD
Rajiv Radhakrishnan, MBBS, MD, FAPA
Ismene Petrakis, MD
Mental Disorders
Publications
2024
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 as a Potential Biomarker of the Intersection of Trauma and Cannabis Use
Weiss E, Davis M, Asch R, D'Souza D, Cool R, Esterlis I. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 as a Potential Biomarker of the Intersection of Trauma and Cannabis Use. The International Journal Of Neuropsychopharmacology 2024, 27: pyae044. PMID: 39320043, DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae044.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsTrauma-related psychopathologyCannabis useDepressive symptomsPositron emission tomographyCross-diagnostic sampleMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5Treatment development effortsAssociated with depressive symptomsGlutamate receptor 5CU groupSample of individualsAvailability in vivoFrontolimbic regionsGlutamatergic systemGlutamatergic neurotransmissionMGlu5PsychopathologyReceptor 5Intersection of traumaExploratory analysisCannabisEmission tomographySymptomsParticipantsVmPFCAmygdala Cannabinoid 1 Receptor, Pain Response, and Emotional Numbing in Trauma-Exposed Individuals
Korem N, Hillmer A, D’Souza D, Nia A, Levy I, Pietrzak R, Harpaz-Rotem I. Amygdala Cannabinoid 1 Receptor, Pain Response, and Emotional Numbing in Trauma-Exposed Individuals. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e2432387. PMID: 39250156, PMCID: PMC11385051, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.32387.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsPsychological flexibility as a mechanism of change in psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depression: results from an exploratory placebo-controlled trial
Sloshower J, Zeifman R, Guss J, Krause R, Safi-Aghdam H, Pathania S, Pittman B, D’Souza D. Psychological flexibility as a mechanism of change in psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depression: results from an exploratory placebo-controlled trial. Scientific Reports 2024, 14: 8833. PMID: 38632313, PMCID: PMC11024097, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58318-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPsilocybin-assisted therapyPsychological flexibilityDepression severityModerate to severe MDDSpectrum of neuropsychiatric conditionsTarget psychological flexibilityIncrease psychological flexibilityMental health conditionsManualized psychotherapyPsilocybin treatmentSevere MDDDepressive disorderExperiential acceptanceCommitment therapyDosing sessionsNeuropsychiatric conditionsPsychedelic trialsPlacebo-controlled trialWithin-subjectMDDPsilocybinAdministered placeboPlacebo-controlledDepressionClinical samplesPsilocybin pulse regimen reduces cluster headache attack frequency in the blinded extension phase of a randomized controlled trial
Schindler E, Sewell R, Gottschalk C, Flynn L, Zhu Y, Pittman B, Cozzi N, D'Souza D. Psilocybin pulse regimen reduces cluster headache attack frequency in the blinded extension phase of a randomized controlled trial. Journal Of The Neurological Sciences 2024, 460: 122993. PMID: 38581739, DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2024.122993.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAttack frequencyCluster headacheCluster headache attack frequencyExtension phaseEffects of repeated treatmentReduction of attack frequencyPlacebo-controlled studyHeadache attack frequencyAdministration of psilocybinRandomized controlled trialsDouble-blindPsilocybin administrationPulse regimenAdverse eventsPulse regimensHeadache diaryTherapeutic efficacyDrug sessionsPulse administrationHeadacheStudy participantsWeeksSerotonergic Psychedelics: A Comparative Review of Efficacy, Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Binding Profile
Holze F, Singh N, Liechti M, D'Souza D. Serotonergic Psychedelics: A Comparative Review of Efficacy, Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Binding Profile. Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience And Neuroimaging 2024, 9: 472-489. PMID: 38301886, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.01.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSerotonergic psychedelicsSerotonin 2A receptor agonistPsychedelic effectsPsychedelic compoundsReceptor agonistsReview of efficacyPsychedelicsReceptor profilePsilocybinTherapeutic indicationsTherapeutic potentialPotential treatmentBinding profilesTherapeutic useClinical researchSerotonergicSerotoninPharmacokineticsMescalineDepressionEfficacyEffective durationAgonistsLSDResearchPsychopharmacological Treatment of Schizophrenia
Singh N, Ganesh S, D'Souza D. Psychopharmacological Treatment of Schizophrenia. 2024 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-95702-1.00177-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntipsychotic drugsPositive symptoms of schizophreniaPharmacological treatment of schizophreniaTreatment-resistant schizophreniaPharmacological treatmentSymptoms of schizophreniaTreatment of schizophreniaAcute psychotic episodeNeuroleptic malignant syndromeNegative symptomsPositive symptomsExtrapyramidal symptomsPsychotic episodeCognitive deficitsCognitive symptomsMalignant syndromeSchizophreniaPrevent relapseSide effectsMaintenance treatmentLong-actingDopamineAssociated with significant side effectsMedication adherenceProportion of patients
2023
The regional pattern of age-related synaptic loss in the human brain differs from gray matter volume loss: in vivo PET measurement with [11C]UCB-J
Toyonaga T, Khattar N, Wu Y, Lu Y, Naganawa M, Gallezot J, Matuskey D, Mecca A, Pittman B, Dias M, Nabulsi N, Finnema S, Chen M, Arnsten A, Radhakrishnan R, Skosnik P, D’Souza D, Esterlis I, Huang Y, van Dyck C, Carson R. The regional pattern of age-related synaptic loss in the human brain differs from gray matter volume loss: in vivo PET measurement with [11C]UCB-J. European Journal Of Nuclear Medicine And Molecular Imaging 2023, 51: 1012-1022. PMID: 37955791, DOI: 10.1007/s00259-023-06487-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsSynaptic densityAge-related decreaseMagnetic resonance imagingBlood flowAge-related synaptic lossGray matter volume lossSynaptic density lossPositron emission tomography (PET) ligandSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AVivo PET measurementsMedial occipital cortexGray matter volumeAge-related neurodegenerationGray matter regionsCognitive normal subjectsAge-related changesSynaptic lossNerve terminalsWide age rangeOccipital cortexTomography ligandNormal subjectsGM volumeAge-related functional lossesMatter volumeDysregulation of the endogenous cannabinoid system following opioid exposure
Mohammad Aghaei A, Saali A, Canas M, Weleff J, D'Souza D, Angarita G, Bassir Nia A. Dysregulation of the endogenous cannabinoid system following opioid exposure. Psychiatry Research 2023, 330: 115586. PMID: 37931479, PMCID: PMC10842415, DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115586.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsEndocannabinoid systemECS componentsBrain regionsNovel neurobiological targetsTreatment of OUDEndogenous opioid systemOpioid-related deathsEndogenous cannabinoid systemSpecific brain regionsECS dysregulationOpioid exposureOUD treatmentOpioid systemCannabinoid systemNeurobiological targetsNew medicationsPreclinical literatureCannabinoid receptorsEndogenous ligandTherapeutic potentialStudy typePresent potential targetsExposure protocolOpioidsPreclinical researchSub-acute effects of psilocybin on EEG correlates of neural plasticity in major depression: Relationship to symptoms
Skosnik P, Sloshower J, Safi-Aghdam H, Pathania S, Syed S, Pittman B, D’Souza D. Sub-acute effects of psilocybin on EEG correlates of neural plasticity in major depression: Relationship to symptoms. Journal Of Psychopharmacology 2023, 37: 687-697. PMID: 37392016, DOI: 10.1177/02698811231179800.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAntidepressant effectsTheta powerMajor depressive disorderEffects of psilocybinSub-acute effectsLong-term alterationsMeasures of depressionSingle doseDepressive disorderMajor depressionDepressive symptomsPlaceboSymptoms 2Depression symptomsEEG theta powerNeural plasticityNeuroplasticityEEG biomarkersSymptomsSerotonergic psychedelicsPotential mechanismsDepressionSustained changesElectroencephalographic correlatesPsilocybinCannabis Causes Positive, Negative, and Cognitive Symptoms and Produces Impairments in Electrophysiological Indices of Information Processing
Martin A, Ranganathan M, D’Souza D. Cannabis Causes Positive, Negative, and Cognitive Symptoms and Produces Impairments in Electrophysiological Indices of Information Processing. 2023, 156-166. DOI: 10.1017/9781108943246.017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental illnessMental health teamsHealth policy implicationsHigh-potency cannabisStages of neurodevelopmentPotential adverse effectsHealth teamsImpact of exposureCognitive symptomsCannabis dependenceAdverse effectsCannabisSynthetic cannabinoidsIllnessPsychosisCannabinoidsElectrophysiological indicesNew research findingsAssociationComplex associationSymptomsPutative modelNeurodevelopmentSchizophreniaImpairment
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
M1 Schizophrenia PET Study
HIC ID2000031171RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date04/30/2023Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 55 yearsA longitudinal study of the effects of cannabis exposure on neuro-development in adolescents and young adults
HIC ID2000024543RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date01/31/2021Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge13 years - 25 yearsImaging mGluR5 and synaptic density in psychiatric disorders
HIC ID2000020186RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date01/31/2018Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 80 yearsSleep Dependent Learning in Schizophrenia and Psychosis Risk Syndrome
HIC ID1201009524RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date01/31/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 55 yearsImaging SV2A in mood disorders
HIC ID1511016789RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date03/15/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 70 years
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
honor Board Member Elect
International AwardSchizophrenia International Research SocietyDetails03/24/2022United Statesactivity Cognitive Rehabilitation in Schizophrenia - D-serine Facilitation
ResearchDetails01/01/2008 - PresentIndiaAbstract/SynopsisClinical trial of the combination of D-serine (Gly site agonist) and computerized cognitive retraining to improve cognition in individuals with schizophrenia
News
News
- December 05, 2024Source: MIT Undark Magazine
Podcast: Cannabis and Severe Mental Health Disorders
- November 29, 2024Source: Benzinga
Yale Center Invests $600K+ On Cannabis Research Grants: These Are The Key Conditions Being Studied
- November 25, 2024
Yale Center for the Science of Cannabis and Cannabinoids Announces Inaugural Pilot Award Winners
- November 12, 2024Source: National Geographic
This Rare Syndrome is Linked to Regular Cannabis Use
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Contacts
Psychiatry
950 Campbell Avenue
West Haven, CT 06516
United States