Kelly Cosgrove, PhD
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
Titles
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
- 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
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
Sherry McKee, PhD
Richard Carson, PhD
Ansel Hillmer, PhD
David Matuskey, MD
Yasmin Zakiniaeiz, PhD
64Publications
2,507Citations
Positron-Emission Tomography
Brain
Neuroimaging
Nicotine
Alcohol Drinking
Publications
2025
Preclinical and clinical sex differences in the effects of alcohol on measures of brain dopamine: a systematic review
Barrios N, Riordan W, Garcia-Rivas V, Peltier M, Roberts W, Verplaetse T, Kohler R, Zhou H, Banini B, McKee S, Cosgrove K, Zakiniaeiz Y. Preclinical and clinical sex differences in the effects of alcohol on measures of brain dopamine: a systematic review. Biology Of Sex Differences 2025, 16: 24. PMID: 40200334, DOI: 10.1186/s13293-025-00706-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAlcohol use disorderAlcohol-induced dopamine releaseEffects of alcoholSex differencesAlcohol exposureDopamine measurementsMu-opioid receptorsDopamine releaseEffects of sexProgression of alcohol use disorderDopamine D1 receptor availabilityAlcohol use disorder developmentEffects of prenatal alcohol exposureD1 receptor availabilityStriatal dopamine concentrationsAir-exposed controlsAlcohol-exposed animalsMu-opioid receptor activationPrenatal alcohol exposureDuration of alcohol exposureVentral striatumBrain dopamineReward processingNeurobiological mechanismsReceptor availabilityPositron Emission Tomography Brain Imaging Methodologies
Hillmer A, Cosgrove K, Carson R. Positron Emission Tomography Brain Imaging Methodologies. 2025, 107-120. DOI: 10.1093/med/9780197640654.003.0009.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPositron emission tomographyBrain imaging studiesStudy of mental illnessDrug occupancyGroup differencesBinding potentialMental illnessSynaptic densityPET imaging dataBrain imagingPositron emission tomography imagingAbstract Positron emission tomographyMethodological considerationsNeurotransmitter synthesisEmission tomographyImaging studiesNeurotransmitter releaseVolume of distributionOutcome measuresClinical researchBPNDNeurotransmitterBrainIllnessImage data
2024
Reply to Pomara et al: A potential role for sTREM2 in PTSD?
Bonomi R, Pietrzak R, Cosgrove K. Reply to Pomara et al: A potential role for sTREM2 in PTSD? Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2024, 121: e2418104121. PMID: 39536072, PMCID: PMC11621508, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2418104121.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMicroglia-mediated neuroimmune suppression in PTSD is associated with anhedonia
Bonomi R, Hillmer A, Woodcock E, Bhatt S, Rusowicz A, Angarita G, Carson R, Davis M, Esterlis I, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Krystal J, Pietrzak R, Cosgrove K. Microglia-mediated neuroimmune suppression in PTSD is associated with anhedonia. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2024, 121: e2406005121. PMID: 39172786, PMCID: PMC11363315, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2406005121.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPTSD groupPrefrontal-limbic circuitsNeuroimmune responseAssociated with anhedoniaPosttraumatic stress disorderPositron emission tomography brain imagingTranslocator protein availabilityBrain immune functionAnhedonic symptomsStress disorderPeripheral immune dysfunctionPTSDGroup differencesSeverity of symptomsPsychiatric diseasesTranslocator proteinBrain imagingAdministration of lipopolysaccharideSymptomsMicroglial markersLPS-induced increaseCompared to controlsImmune functionSickness symptomsAnhedonia361. Imaging HDAC6 in PTSD
Bonomi R, Girgenti M, Cosgrove K. 361. Imaging HDAC6 in PTSD. Biological Psychiatry 2024, 95: s247. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.02.860.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDoes seasonal variation affect the neuroimmune system? A retrospective [11C]PBR28 PET study in healthy individuals
Ibrahim W, An J, Yang Y, Cosgrove K, Matuskey D. Does seasonal variation affect the neuroimmune system? A retrospective [11C]PBR28 PET study in healthy individuals. Neuroscience Letters 2024, 828: 137766. PMID: 38583505, PMCID: PMC11073647, DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2024.137766.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsTranslocator protein levelsPositron emission tomographyNeuroimmune systemHealthy individualsHuman studiesPositron emission tomography scanTranslocator proteinTest-retest variabilityBrain TSPO levelsVolume of distributionPositron emission tomography imagingBrain regionsCentral nervous systemTranslocator protein expressionGene polymorphismsCell markersHealthy subjectsTSPO levelsInterindividual variabilityNeuropsychiatric disordersEmission tomographyPET studiesNervous systemMonthsNo significant effectSubstance use and spine density: a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies
Oliva H, Prudente T, Nunes E, Cosgrove K, Radhakrishnan R, Potenza M, Angarita G. Substance use and spine density: a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies. Molecular Psychiatry 2024, 29: 2873-2885. PMID: 38561468, PMCID: PMC11894807, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02519-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsSpine densityPrefrontal cortexSubstance useDrug self-administrationHippocampal spine densityEffects of cocaineSubstance use disordersConvergence of findingsSpine density changesSubstances of abuseMeta-analysis of preclinical studiesNucleus accumbensBehavioral sensitizationSelf-administrationBrain mechanismsPreclinical studiesBrain regionsMorphine effectsSynaptic density changesMeta-analysisAmphetamineSynaptic densityCocaineModerate-to-highCortexLower Dorsal Putamen D2/3 Receptor Availability and Amphetamine-Induced Dopamine Release are Related to Poorer Cognitive Function in Recently Abstinent People Who Smoke and Healthy Controls
Cheung F, Calakos K, Gueorguieva R, Hillmer A, Cosgrove K, Zakiniaeiz Y. Lower Dorsal Putamen D2/3 Receptor Availability and Amphetamine-Induced Dopamine Release are Related to Poorer Cognitive Function in Recently Abstinent People Who Smoke and Healthy Controls. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2024, 26: 1038-1044. PMID: 38367211, DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntae031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsAmphetamine-induced dopamine releaseBrain-behavior relationshipsAbstinent peopleDorsal striatumCognitive functionDopamine releasePoorer cognitive functionD2/3R availabilityDelayed recallHealthy controlsTests of verbal learningDysregulated dopamine signalingD2/3 receptor availabilityDrug-seeking behaviorDorsolateral prefrontal cortexCogState computerized batteryPositron emission tomography scanAmphetamine administrationMesocortical pathwayMesolimbic pathwayDopamine systemPrefrontal cortexVerbal learningBaseline BPNDDopamine signalingImaging a putative marker of brain cortisol regulation in alcohol use disorder
Verplaetse T, Hillmer A, Bhatt S, Rusowicz A, Li S, Nabulsi N, Matuskey D, Huang Y, McKee S, Cosgrove K. Imaging a putative marker of brain cortisol regulation in alcohol use disorder. Neurobiology Of Stress 2024, 29: 100609. PMID: 38304303, PMCID: PMC10832501, DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100609.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsAlcohol use disorderAnterior cingulate cortexDrinking days/weekModerate to severe alcohol use disorderHealthy controlsHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axisSevere alcohol use disorderPositron emission tomographyHPA axis dysfunctionHPA axis functionRelease of glucocorticoid hormonesAlcohol consumptionAssociated with drinkingVentromedial PFCCingulate cortexHigh-resolution research tomographHPA activityUse disorderDrinking episodesCortisol regulationAxis functionVmPFCPeripheral cortisolBrain availabilityDisordered backgroundThe role of neurosteroids in posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder: A review of 10 years of clinical literature and treatment implications
Peltier M, Verplaetse T, Altemus M, Zakiniaeiz Y, Ralevski E, Mineur Y, Gueorguieva R, Picciotto M, Cosgrove K, Petrakis I, McKee S. The role of neurosteroids in posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder: A review of 10 years of clinical literature and treatment implications. Frontiers In Neuroendocrinology 2024, 73: 101119. PMID: 38184208, PMCID: PMC11185997, DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101119.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderAlcohol use disorderStress disorderContext of PTSDPTSD/AUDConcurrent posttraumatic stress disorderUnderlying neurobiological mechanismsUse disordersAlcohol-related variablesNeurobiological mechanismsPTSD diagnosisTreatment developmentTreatment implicationsBody of literatureNovel interventionsClinical literatureRole of neurosteroidsDisordersTreatment outcomesYears of researchAlcohol consumptionExogenous pregnenolonePharmacological treatmentBiological variablesAllopregnanolone
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
The Effect of Acute Stress and Inflammation on Drinking
HIC ID2000028772RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge21 years - 65 yearsImaging cortisol metabolism in liver, adipose tissue and brain with a novel PET radioligand
HIC ID2000029576RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2024Recruiting ParticipantsEligibility for Participation in Neuroimaging Studies
HIC 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
HIC ID2000028748RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 55 yearsStudying the Adult Brain
HIC ID2000025671RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date07/31/2025Recruiting Participants
News
News
- June 16, 2025
Yale Announces New Biomedical Imaging Institute
- June 12, 2025
Alcohol Use Disorder Harms the Brain’s Immune System Earlier in Women
- May 02, 2025
Women’s Brains on Alcohol: Insight into the Science of Sex-Based Risks
- August 23, 2024
Microglia-Mediated Neuroimmune Suppression in PTSD Is Associated With Anhedonia
Get In Touch
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