Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct faculty typically have an academic or research appointment at another institution and contribute or collaborate with one or more School of Medicine faculty members or programs.
Adjunct rank detailsPatrick Worhunsky, DPhil
Assistant Professor Adjunct in PsychiatryAbout
Research
Publications
2025
Generating synthetic brain PET images of synaptic density based on MR T1 images using deep learning
Zheng X, Worhunsky P, Liu Q, Guo X, Chen X, Sun H, Zhang J, Toyonaga T, Mecca A, O’Dell R, van Dyck C, Angarita G, Cosgrove K, D’Souza D, Matuskey D, Esterlis I, Carson R, Radhakrishnan R, Liu C. Generating synthetic brain PET images of synaptic density based on MR T1 images using deep learning. EJNMMI Physics 2025, 12: 30. PMID: 40163154, PMCID: PMC11958861, DOI: 10.1186/s40658-025-00744-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCannabis use disorderStructural similarity indexPET imagingImages of higher qualityMR-T1 imagesMean square errorUse disorderEncoder-decoderDeep learningCross-validation processData-driven approachDiagnostic categoriesLow-dose scansPredicted imageTemporal regionsBrain disordersGround truthT1-weighted MRISynaptic densityHuman brainSimilarity indexDisordersSevere neurological disordersTranslation accuracyNoise reduction
2024
The early-onset Alzheimer’s disease MRI signature: a replication and extension analysis in early-stage AD
Mehta R, Keith C, Teixeira C, Worhunsky P, Phelps H, Ward M, Miller M, Navia R, Pockl S, Rajabalee N, Coleman M, D’Haese P, Rezai A, Wilhelmsen K, Haut M. The early-onset Alzheimer’s disease MRI signature: a replication and extension analysis in early-stage AD. Cerebral Cortex 2024, 34: bhae475. PMID: 39714256, PMCID: PMC11664631, DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae475.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEarly-onset Alzheimer's diseaseLate-onset Alzheimer's diseaseNon-AD pathologyCognitively normal individualsManagement of personsCortical atrophyFunctional statusEarly-stage ADRural populationAlzheimer's diseaseDisease stageLongitudinal studyCortical signatureWhole-brainCortical thinningCortical analysisClinical cohortNormal individualsClinical effectsSignature regionsIndividualsPersonsEarly disease stagesMRI signaturesVitamin D’s Capacity to Increase Amphetamine-Induced Dopamine Release in Healthy Humans: A Clinical Translational [11C]-PHNO Positron Emission Tomography Study
Worhunsky P, Mignosa M, Gallezot J, Pittman B, Nabulsi N, Stryjewski A, Jalilian-Khave L, Trinko R, DiLeone R, Carson R, Malison R, Potenza M, Angarita G. Vitamin D’s Capacity to Increase Amphetamine-Induced Dopamine Release in Healthy Humans: A Clinical Translational [11C]-PHNO Positron Emission Tomography Study. Biological Psychiatry 2024, 97: 651-658. PMID: 39395473, PMCID: PMC11839384, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.09.028.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchVentral striatumEffects of medicationDorsal caudateDopamine releaseDorsal putamenDopaminergic tonePlacebo-controlled within-subject studyIncreased amphetamine-induced dopamine releaseAmphetamine-induced dopamine releaseAmphetamine-stimulated dopamine releaseSubstantia nigraDysregulated dopamine functionPositron emission tomography studiesTreatment of ADHDEmission tomography studiesWithin-subject studyPost-amphetamineD2/3 receptorsDopamine functionTransdiagnostic relevanceVitamin DPhasic releaseGlobus pallidusStriatumTyrosine hydroxylaseCOCAINE SELF-ADMINISTRATION BEHAVIOR IS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCORTICAL AND CORTICAL GRAY MATTER IN INDIVIDUALS WITH COCAINE USE DISORDER
Kohler R, Zhornitsky S, Potenza M, Yip S, Worhunsky P, Angarita G. COCAINE SELF-ADMINISTRATION BEHAVIOR IS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCORTICAL AND CORTICAL GRAY MATTER IN INDIVIDUALS WITH COCAINE USE DISORDER. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110081. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110081.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchW147 Neural and Behavioral Habituation to Sad Infant Stimuli in Mothers who Use Substances
McCurdy L, Yip S, Worhunsky P, Kim S, Strathearn L, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. W147 Neural and Behavioral Habituation to Sad Infant Stimuli in Mothers who Use Substances. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110848. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110848.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDeficits 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 ResearchMetabotropic 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 developmentCocaine self-administration behavior is associated with subcortical and cortical morphometry measures in individuals with cocaine use disorder
Kohler R, Zhornitsky S, Potenza M, Yip S, Worhunsky P, Angarita G. Cocaine self-administration behavior is associated with subcortical and cortical morphometry measures in individuals with cocaine use disorder. The American Journal Of Drug And Alcohol Abuse 2024, 50: 345-356. PMID: 38551365, PMCID: PMC11305926, DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2024.2318585.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGray-matter volumeSelf-administer cocaineSelf-administration behaviorCocaine use disorderSelf-AdministrationGray-matterFrontal cortexUse disorderCocaine self-administration behaviorSelf-administered cocaine infusionsCocaine Self-AdministrationSelf-administration paradigmInfusions self-administeredSelf-report assessmentsCortical brain regionsStructural MRI dataFR1 scheduleInsular thicknessCocaine infusionsPredisposing vulnerabilitiesCocaine consumptionCocaine useBrain regionsBilateral regionsLimbic systemNeural correlates of altered emotional responsivity to infant stimuli in mothers who use substances
McCurdy L, Yip S, Worhunsky P, Zhai Z, Kim S, Strathearn L, Potenza M, Mayes L, Rutherford H. Neural correlates of altered emotional responsivity to infant stimuli in mothers who use substances. Journal Of Psychiatric Research 2024, 171: 126-133. PMID: 38277872, PMCID: PMC10922955, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.01.024.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsResponses to infant stimuliInfant stimuliMaternal behaviorAffective processesBrain regionsPsychological processesEmotional responsesFunctional magnetic resonance imagingPotential neural targetsInfant emotional expressionsMaternal emotional responsivenessSubstance-use statusAssociated with difficultiesSocial-emotional developmentInfant social-emotional developmentMaternal substance useInfant facesCognitive processesImprove child outcomesEmotional expressionEmotional intensityNeural targetsSubstance useGroups of mothersChild outcomes
2023
Linking resting-state network fluctuations with systems of coherent synaptic density: A multimodal fMRI and 11C-UCB-J PET study
Fang X, Volpi T, Holmes S, Esterlis I, Carson R, Worhunsky P. Linking resting-state network fluctuations with systems of coherent synaptic density: A multimodal fMRI and 11C-UCB-J PET study. Frontiers In Human Neuroscience 2023, 17: 1124254. PMID: 36908710, PMCID: PMC9995441, DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1124254.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSynaptic densityRSN activityResting-state network connectivityRSN functional connectivityAnterior default mode networkJ PET studyResting-state fMRIBrain functional organizationDefault mode networkHealthy adult participantsExecutive control networkRSN connectivityFunctional organizationPsychiatric disordersMedial prefrontalSalience networkPET studiesFunctional connectivityHealthy agingFractional amplitudeLow-frequency fluctuationsNeurophysiological linkSynaptic architectureAdult participantsDefault-mode activity
2022
Glutamatergic Agents for the Treatment of Cocaine Use Disorder
Hadizadeh H, Flores J, Mayerson T, Worhunsky P, Potenza M, Angarita G. Glutamatergic Agents for the Treatment of Cocaine Use Disorder. Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports 2022, 9: 101-112. DOI: 10.1007/s40473-022-00252-1.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCocaine use disorderRoute of administrationGlutamatergic systemSafety profileNovel agentsUse disordersMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5 antagonistNewer beta-lactam agentsAMPA/kainate receptorsTreatment of CUDBeta-lactam agentsGood safety profileMetabotropic glutamate receptorsPromising preclinical dataReceptors/transportersChronic cocaine useGLT-1 transporterBeta-lactam antibioticsOngoing trialsPreclinical supportGlutamatergic agentsGlutamate neurotransmissionPreclinical dataClinical trialsGlutamate receptors