Kelly Cosgrove, PhD
Charles B.G. Murphy Professor of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience and of Radiology and Biomedical ImagingDownloadHi-Res Photo
Cards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Co-Director of the T32 Translational Alcohol Research Program, Psychiatry and Public Health
Contact Info
Psychiatry
40 Temple
New Haven, CT 06511-
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Co-Director of the T32 Translational Alcohol Research Program, Psychiatry and Public Health
Contact Info
Psychiatry
40 Temple
New Haven, CT 06511-
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Co-Director of the T32 Translational Alcohol Research Program, Psychiatry and Public Health
Contact Info
Psychiatry
40 Temple
New Haven, CT 06511-
United States
About
Copy Link
Titles
Charles B.G. Murphy Professor of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging
Co-Director of the T32 Translational Alcohol Research Program, Psychiatry and Public Health
Biography
Dr. Cosgrove uses neuroreceptor imaging techniques such as PET to gain insights into the brains of people with substance use and other stress-related disorders. Trained as a clinical psychologist who worked with individuals managing alcohol and drug use disorders, Dr. Cosgrove transitioned to conducting research in order to inform the treatment of substance use disorders. Her laboratory develops and applies innovative brain imaging paradigms to track changes in critical neurochemicals over time, to identify treatment targets for psychiatric disorders, and to examine individual and sex and gender differences.
Last Updated on September 24, 2024.
Appointments
Psychiatry
ProfessorPrimaryNeuroscience
ProfessorSecondaryRadiology & Biomedical Imaging
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- All Institutions
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Center for Nicotine and Tobacco Use Research at Yale (CENTURY)
- Cosgrove Lab
- Division of Women's Behavioral Health Research
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
- Morris Lab
- MR Core
- Neuroscience
- Neuroscience Research Training Program (NRTP)
- Neuroscience Track
- PET Core
- Psychiatry
- Psychology Section
- Radiology & Biomedical Imaging
- Translational Brain Imaging Program
- VA Alcohol Research Center
- WHRY Pilot Project Program Investigators
- Women's Health Research at Yale
- Yale Biomedical Imaging Institute
- Yale Cocaine Research Clinic
- Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)
- Yale Translational Center to Develop Gender-Sensitive Treatment for Tobacco Dependence
- Yale Ventures
Education & Training
- Psychology Intern
- Medical University of South Carolina (2003)
- PhD
- University of Minnesota (2002)
- BS
- University of Minnesota (1997)
Research
Copy Link
Overview
- Examining effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the neuroimmune system and relationships to synaptic plasticity in living humans with alcohol use disorder. In addition, examining the mu and kappa opioid receptor systems and relationship to clinical outcomes in people with alcohol use disorder.
- Examining the stress and neuroimmune systems with PET and the application to psychiatric disorders such as PTSD.
- Radiotracer development targeted at the stress and neuroimmune systems.
- Examination of sex differences in the dopaminergic signature of smoking- and nicotine-induced dopamine release using novel PET brain imaging techniques.
- Understanding the functional basis and behavioral and cognitive correlates of the changes in beta2*-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor availability and relationships to the dopaminergic system and functional connectivity in tobacco smokers.
- Measuring the neuroimmune state of the brain in individuals with opioid use disorder during early recovery.
Medical Research Interests
Alcohol Drinking; alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; Brain; Chemicals and Drugs; Diseases; Neurobiology; Neuroimaging; Nicotine; Opioid-Related Disorders; Positron-Emission Tomography; Psychiatry and Psychology; Radiology
ORCID
0000-0003-1351-9576- View Lab Website
Cosgrove Lab
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Kelly Cosgrove's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Kelly Cosgrove's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics Kelly Cosgrove is interested in exploring.
Nabeel Nabulsi, PhD
Ansel Hillmer, PhD
Sherry McKee, PhD
David Matuskey, MD
Richard Carson, PhD
Yasmin Zakiniaeiz, PhD
79Publications
2,775Citations
Positron-Emission Tomography
Brain
Neuroimaging
Nicotine
Alcohol Drinking
Publications
2026
Multiple sources of β2*-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding are differentially affected during tobacco smoking abstinence as revealed by Independent Component Analysis of [18F]Flubatine PET images
Raval N, Calakos K, Zheng M, Huttner A, Esterlis I, Huang H, Calhoun V, Picciotto M, Cosgrove K, Hillmer A. Multiple sources of β2*-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding are differentially affected during tobacco smoking abstinence as revealed by Independent Component Analysis of [18F]Flubatine PET images. Neuropsychopharmacology 2026, 1-10. PMID: 41559453, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-025-02311-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsPost-mortem autoradiographySmoking abstinenceNicotinic acetylcholine receptor bindingPositron emission tomographyNAChR blockerNicotine-mediated behaviorsNicotine dependence severityAcetylcholine receptor bindingNovel treatment developmentTobacco smoking abstinencePeople quit smokingDependence severityAbstinent smokersNicotine challengeBrain regionsTreatment developmentNicotinic acetylcholine receptorsDaily smoking amountMedial thalamusIndependent samplesExploratory analysisReceptor bindingIndependent component analysisThalamusLateral thalamusHigher 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 PMID: 41528802, PMCID: PMC13038192, DOI: 10.1172/jci199989.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAlcohol use disorderFrontal cortexUse disorderControl participantsSynaptic densityModerate alcohol use disorderMarker of synaptic densityPositron emission tomographyNondisplaceable binding potentialHigher drinking frequencyChronic alcohol useBrain imaging scansDrinking severityExecutive functionDrinking daysBinding potentialYears of ageBPNDDrinking frequencyAlcohol useStriatumCortexDeficitsSynaptic dysfunctionImaging scans
2025
Blunted Microglial Reactivity to Lipopolysaccharide in Alzheimer's Disease: A Novel Insight into Neuroimmune Dysfunction
Salardini A, Hashemi‐Aghdam A, O'Dell R, Hillmer A, Camacho D, Van Dyck K, Nelsen K, Ruan A, Lam J, Strittmatter S, Cosgrove K, van Dyck C, Mecca A. Blunted Microglial Reactivity to Lipopolysaccharide in Alzheimer's Disease: A Novel Insight into Neuroimmune Dysfunction. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025, 21: e106912. PMCID: PMC12739350, DOI: 10.1002/alz70855_106912.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlzheimer's diseasePositron emission tomographyResponse to LPSNeuroimmune dysfunctionTranslocator proteinMicroglial activationFunction in vivoEfficacy of anti-inflammatory therapyPost-LPS administrationClinical adverse effectsAnti-inflammatory therapyDiagnostic statusReactivity to lipopolysaccharideImaging Neuroimmune Dysfunction: From TSPO to Emerging PET Targets
Bonomi R, Raval N, Hillmer A, Cosgrove K. Imaging Neuroimmune Dysfunction: From TSPO to Emerging PET Targets. Biological Psychiatry 2025 PMID: 41297785, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.11.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsPositron emission tomographyPET targetsBrain-resident immune cellsPET imaging biomarkersResident immune cellsDevelopment of novel radiotracersTranslocator proteinPositron emission tomography imagingPsychiatric disordersPsychiatric illnessNeuroimmune systemImmune cellsDiagnostic strategiesNovel radiotracersImaging biomarkersEmission tomographyMicroglial levelsTherapeutic targetIn vivoNeuroimmuneWomen and alcohol: A call to action
McKee S, Earnshaw V, Epstein E, Hughes T, Johnston A, Lee C, McCrady B, Nixon K, Peltier M, Roberto M, Scheer J, Verplaetse T, Werner D, Zakiniaeiz Y, Cosgrove K. Women and alcohol: A call to action. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2025, 50: e70205. PMID: 41287268, DOI: 10.1111/acer.70205.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsContext Matters: Sex and Social Status Impact Cocaine’s Effects on Kappa Opioid Receptors
Zakiniaeiz Y, Cosgrove K. Context Matters: Sex and Social Status Impact Cocaine’s Effects on Kappa Opioid Receptors. Biological Psychiatry 2025, 98: 584-585. PMID: 40973361, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.07.019.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricExploring seasonal fluctuations in dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability in healthy adults: A [11C]PHNO imaging study
Mayeli M, Gallezot J, Cosgrove K, Potenza M, Carson R, Matuskey D. Exploring seasonal fluctuations in dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability in healthy adults: A [11C]PHNO imaging study. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2025, 393: 120293. PMID: 40930176, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120293.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsDopamine D2/D3 receptor availabilityD2/D3 receptor availabilityReceptor availabilityPositron emission tomographyPositron emission tomography ligandsReceptor imaging studiesHealthy adultsImaging studiesDopaminergic markersCognitive performanceSymptomatic fluctuationsMixed-effects analysisScan dateDopamineHealthy participantsDaylight exposureBody mass indexMotor controlEmission tomographyMixed-effectsMixed-effects modelsMass indexGroup participantsSchool of MedicineHealthy individualsCannabinoid 1 receptor availability in posttraumatic stress disorder: A positron emission tomography study
Korem N, Bassir Nia A, Hillmer A, D’Souza D, Nabulsi N, Ropchan J, Huang Y, Cosgrove K, Levy I, Pietrzak R, Harpaz-Rotem I. Cannabinoid 1 receptor availability in posttraumatic stress disorder: A positron emission tomography study. Translational Psychiatry 2025, 15: 310. PMID: 40846835, PMCID: PMC12373994, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-025-03519-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsPathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorderEmotional numbing symptomsCB1R availabilityPosttraumatic stress disorderEndocannabinoid systemStress disorderPositron emission tomographyTrauma-exposed participantsEndocannabinoid system's rolePositron emission tomography studiesCannabinoid receptor 1Emission tomography studiesMulti-faceted disorderFear learningCB1RSymptom expressionHealthy controlsCannabinoidDisordersTomography studiesEmission tomographyPreclinical studiesSymptomsHigher levelsReceptor 1PET imaging evidence of HDAC6 suppression in the amygdala across species in PTSD
Bonomi R, Naganawa M, McRiley D, Toyonaga T, LeVasseur B, Duman C, Huang Y, Matuskey D, Carson R, Pietrzak R, Girgenti M, Cosgrove K. PET imaging evidence of HDAC6 suppression in the amygdala across species in PTSD. Molecular Psychiatry 2025, 30: 5381-5388. PMID: 40753309, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-025-03124-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderPathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorderNon-trauma-exposed controlsAmygdala of individualsProlonged stress modelBrain imaging studiesStress disorderRodent findingsNuclear translocation of glucocorticoid receptorTranslocation of glucocorticoid receptorHuman findingsTranslational findingsCortisol signalingAmygdalaGlucocorticoid receptorComplex disorderImaging studiesDisordersLongitudinal analysisStress modelHistone deacetylase 6Pharmacological targetsHistone deacetylasesFindingsNuclear translocationGreater Neuroimmune System Deficit in Women Than Men With Alcohol Use Disorder
Zakiniaeiz Y, Hillmer A, Shi H, Pittman B, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Bonomi R, Matuskey D, Angarita G, McKee S, Cosgrove K. Greater Neuroimmune System Deficit in Women Than Men With Alcohol Use Disorder. Biological Psychiatry 2025, 99: 49-56. PMID: 40412787, PMCID: PMC12353993, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.05.012.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsTranslocator protein availabilityAlcohol-induced neurodegenerationExecutive function tasksConsequences of alcohol useAlcohol use disorderBrain imaging scansTranslocator protein levelsSex-matched controlsExecutive functionLower hippocampalTSPO availabilityFrontal cortexTranslocator proteinUse disorderNeurocognitive functionBrain regionsSex differencesAlcohol useBrain-resident immune cellsNeuroimmune mechanismsFunctional tasksSystem deficitsAUDImaging scansNeuroimmune cells
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
The Effect of Acute Stress and Inflammation on Drinking
IRB ID2000028772RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge21 years - 65 yearsImaging cortisol metabolism in liver, adipose tissue and brain with a novel PET radioligand
IRB ID2000029576RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2024Recruiting ParticipantsEligibility for Participation in Neuroimaging Studies
IRB ID2000027842RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2023Recruiting ParticipantsHPA axis function in the brains of PTSD, Trauma Exposed, or Otherwise Healthy research participants utilizing PET and MRI imaging
IRB ID2000028748RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 55 yearsImaging Cannabinoid Receptors Using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanning
IRB ID1005006735RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2016Recruiting ParticipantsGenderMaleAge18 years - 55 years
News
Copy Link
News
- January 20, 2026
Yale Study: Higher Drinking Frequency Corresponds to Lower Synaptic Density in People with Alcohol Use Disorder
- September 23, 2025
McKee Awarded ORWH/NIAAA Grant
- June 16, 2025
Yale Announces New Biomedical Imaging Institute
- June 12, 2025
Alcohol Use Disorder Harms the Brain’s Immune System Earlier in Women
Get In Touch
Copy Link
Contacts
Mailing Address
Psychiatry
40 Temple
New Haven, CT 06511-
United States
Locations
Temple Medical Center
Academic Office
40 Temple Street, Ste 7C
New Haven, CT 06510