Gustavo A. Angarita, MD, MHS
Assistant Professor of PsychiatryCards
About
Research
Publications
2025
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 patientsDopamineQuantitative sensory testing of pain in persons with opioid use disorder on opioid agonist treatment: a scoping review
Oliveira D, Costa G, Fontenele R, Córdoba-Delgado M, Funaro M, Campbell C, Fiellin D, Angarita G, De Aquino J. Quantitative sensory testing of pain in persons with opioid use disorder on opioid agonist treatment: a scoping review. Pain Medicine 2025, pnaf132. PMID: 40990827, DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnaf132.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchQuantitative sensory testingOpioid use disorderOpioid agonist treatmentQST measuresAgonist treatmentQuantitative sensory testing methodologyQuantitative sensory testing outcomesUse disorderNon-OAT opioidsPain processing abnormalitiesPain sensitivity changesPain-related outcomesCold pain toleranceCentral sensitizationSystematic literature searchPain mechanismsPain modulationNeuroadaptive changesPain responseChronic painTreatment responseProlonged abstinencePainWeb of ScienceOpioidPharmacotherapies for stimulant use disorder and co-occurring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: protocol for a systematic review and a meta-analysis
Oliva H, Pulido-Saavedra A, Paredes-Naveda A, Forselius E, Potenza M, Jegede O, Angarita G. Pharmacotherapies for stimulant use disorder and co-occurring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: protocol for a systematic review and a meta-analysis. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2025, 16: 1667614. PMID: 40980048, PMCID: PMC12444448, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1667614.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderStimulant use disorderUse disorderAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomsStimulant-negative urine samplesDuration of continuous abstinenceAttention deficit hyperactivity disorderDeficit hyperactivity disorderEfficacy of pharmacotherapyCochrane riskSystematic reviewGrading of RecommendationsCochrane risk of bias instrumentRandom-effects modelRandomized Controlled TrialsAttention-deficit/hyperactivitySymptom changeDual diagnosisHyperactivity disorderContinuous abstinenceClinical outcomesAdverse eventsStimulant useEffective pharmacotherapyPrimary outcomeMetabolism in the human brain following oral consumption of a keto-ester for applications in alcohol use disorder (AUD) with 1H-MRSI
Virk M, Kitaneh R, Mignosa M, McIntyre S, Nixon T, DeMartini K, O’Malley S, Krystal J, De Feyter H, Angarita G, Mason G, de Graaf R, Kumaragamage C. Metabolism in the human brain following oral consumption of a keto-ester for applications in alcohol use disorder (AUD) with 1H-MRSI. Proceedings Of The International Society For Magnetic Resonance In Medicine ... Scientific Meeting And Exhibition. 2025 DOI: 10.58530/2025/0612.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGreater 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 ResearchTranslocator 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 cellsSafety of Stimulants Across Patient Populations
Oliva H, Prudente T, Mayerson T, Mignosa M, Oliva I, Potenza M, Jegede O, Angarita G. Safety of Stimulants Across Patient Populations. JAMA Network Open 2025, 8: e259492. PMID: 40343695, PMCID: PMC12065045, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.9492.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderRandomized clinical trialsAdverse eventsStimulant medicationData extractionSafety of stimulationRisk ratioIncreased riskMethodological quality assessmentPreferred Reporting ItemsPatient populationClinical conditionsDiverse patient populationsRisk of biasSafety of stimulant medicationsUnclear risk of biasTreatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderOverall AEsRandom-effects modelWeb of ScienceBinge Eating DisorderStimulant use disorderComprehensive literature searchMain OutcomesReporting ItemsAcute Alcohol‐Induced Changes Measured With Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Positron Emission Tomography
Raval N, Smart K, Angarita G, Miller R, Huang Y, Krystal J, Carson R, Cosgrove K, O'Malley S, Hillmer A. Acute Alcohol‐Induced Changes Measured With Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Positron Emission Tomography. Addiction Biology 2025, 30: e70031. PMID: 40309934, PMCID: PMC12044519, DOI: 10.1111/adb.70031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBlood alcohol levelsAlcohol challengeEffects of acute alcohol consumptionPeak blood alcohol levelsLaboratory alcohol challengeNon-displaceable binding potentialMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5Acute alcohol challengeGlutamate releaseAlcohol-induced changesGlutamate receptor 5Alcohol consumptionAcute alcohol consumptionMGluR5 availabilityPET scansSocial drinkersEthanol doseAlcohol effectsBrain regionsAcute alcoholBinding potentialCortical regionsClinically relevant dosesDrinking occasionsAlcohol levelsSecondary Analysis to Advance Characterization of On-body Electrocardiographic Sensors in a Clinical Cocaine Self-administration Paradigm
Angarita G, Mayerson T, Pittman B, Natarajan A, Parate A, Marlin B, Gueorguieva R, Potenza M, Ganesan D, Malison R. Secondary Analysis to Advance Characterization of On-body Electrocardiographic Sensors in a Clinical Cocaine Self-administration Paradigm. Journal Of Addiction Medicine 2025, 19: 726-729. PMID: 41249021, PMCID: PMC12624222, DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000001479.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCocaine useCocaine self-administration paradigmCocaine Self-AdministrationSelf-administration paradigmTobacco useHeart rateMethylphenidate administrationSelf-AdministrationCocaineDiscriminatory powerAerobic exerciseReceiver Operating CharacteristicMethylphenidateSecondary analysisPrimary outcomeElectrocardiogram tracingsElectrocardiogramExerciseR waveHeartTobaccoOperating characteristicsGenerating 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 reductionThe therapeutic effects of psychedelics for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of clinical studies
Weleff J, Pulido-Saavedra A, Aghaei A, Ing K, Arakelian M, Fontenele R, Nero N, Barnett B, Anand A, Bassir Nia A, Angarita G. The therapeutic effects of psychedelics for opioid use disorder: A systematic review of clinical studies. Psychiatry Research 2025, 348: 116446. PMID: 40147088, PMCID: PMC12306858, DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2025.116446.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsOpioid use disorderStudies of psychedelicsSystematic review of clinical studiesUse disorderReview of clinical studiesTherapeutic effects of psychedelicsEffects of psychedelicsOpioid receptor systemApplications of psychedelicsClinical studiesMu-opioid receptorsNaturalistic studySerotonergic psychedelicsOpioid withdrawalPlacebo-controlled trialPsychedelicsSubstance useUnited States Food and Drug AdministrationStates Food and Drug AdministrationMu-opioidFood and Drug AdministrationSystematic reviewReceptor systemClinical study designDouble-blind
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Brain Imaging and Synaptic Plasticity
HIC ID2000029552RolePrincipal InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2026Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge21 years - 60 yearsEligibility 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 ID2000028748RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 55 yearsStudying the Adult Brain
HIC ID2000025671RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date07/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsImaging the Dopamine Transporter in Parkinson's Disease
HIC ID2000023896RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2020Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge40+ years
Clinical Care
Overview
Gustavo A. Angarita, MD, specializes in psychiatry with a focus on addiction psychiatry, particularly related to cocaine addiction. He is the director of the Yale Cocaine Research Clinic, inpatient chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, and the medical director of the Forensic Drug Diversion Clinic.
Dr. Angarita is dedicated to understanding and treating substance use disorders, aiming to develop effective treatments for cocaine dependence. As an assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, his research interests include the regulation of cocaine self-administration, validation of remote wireless sensor network technology for detecting cocaine use, and investigating cocaine-induced sleep deficits and their therapeutic effects.
Dr. Angarita received his medical degree from Universidad Militar Nueva Granada. He completed a research fellowship in addictions at Harvard Medical School, followed by a residency in adult psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. He continued his specialization with a clinical and research fellowship in addictions psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
Clinical Specialties
Psychiatry
Board Certifications
Addiction Psychiatry
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Original Certification Date
- 2012
Psychiatry
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Original Certification Date
- 2011
News
News
- September 25, 2025Source: Pain Medicine
Quantitative Sensory Testing of Pain in Persons with Opioid Use Disorder on Opioid Agonist Treatment: A Scoping Review
- August 11, 2025
Angarita, De Aquino Named Mentors for ACNP Near-Peer Mentorship Program
- May 09, 2025Source: JAMA Network Open
Safety of Stimulants Across Patient Populations
- February 28, 2025
Pulido Saavedra Selected to Receive ISAM Travel Award
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