Sophie E Holmes, PhD
Assistant Professor of PsychiatryDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Psychiatry
Primary
Neurology
Secondary
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Neurology
Contact Info
Appointments
Psychiatry
Primary
Neurology
Secondary
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Neurology
Contact Info
Appointments
Psychiatry
Primary
Neurology
Secondary
Additional Titles
Assistant Professor, Neurology
Contact Info
About
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Titles
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Assistant Professor, Neurology
Appointments
Psychiatry
Assistant ProfessorPrimaryNeurology
Assistant ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Janeway Society
- MR Core
- Neurology
- NeuroPET Imaging Program
- Psychiatric Symptoms in Neurology Research Program
- Psychiatry
- Yale Biomedical Imaging Institute
- Yale Depression Research Program
Education & Training
- PhD
- University of Manchester (2015)
Research
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Research Projects
ORCID
0000-0002-4929-1932
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Sophie E Holmes's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Sophie E Holmes's research output by year.
David Matuskey, MD
Richard Carson, PhD
Nabeel Nabulsi, PhD
Irina Esterlis, PhD
Mika Naganawa, PhD
Sule Tinaz, MD, PhD
18Publications
1,272Citations
Publications
2026
Lower synaptic density in mood circuitry underlies depression in Parkinson’s disease
Cayir S, Naganawa M, Volpi T, Sadabad F, Dias M, Yang Y, Elliott S, Ansari M, Elshahat A, Pittman B, Esterlis I, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Sanacora G, Comley R, Finnema S, Carson R, Tinaz S, Matuskey D, Holmes S. Lower synaptic density in mood circuitry underlies depression in Parkinson’s disease. Brain Communications 2026, 8: fcag136. PMID: 42109687, PMCID: PMC13152014, DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcag136.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsAnterior cingulate cortexDepressive symptomsSynaptic densityMood-related brain regionsSeverity of depressive symptomsParkinson's diseaseDorsolateral prefrontal cortexSymptoms of depressionPrefrontal cortexCingulate cortexComorbid depressionBrain regionsBinding potentialParkinson's disease patientsDepressionSynaptic plasticitySynaptic vesicle protein 2AMoodMotor symptomsDLPFCAmygdalaHealthy controlsHippocampusEvaluation of interventionsCortexOptimized reference region and the effect on test-retest reliability and sensitivity to differences between Parkinson’s disease and control groups with [11C]UCB-J
Khattar N, Matuskey D, Gallezot J, Naganawa M, Holmes S, Sadabad F, Mayeli M, Esterlis I, van Dyck C, Mecca A, D’Souza D, Nabulsi N, Finnema S, Huang Y, Carson R, Toyonaga T. Optimized reference region and the effect on test-retest reliability and sensitivity to differences between Parkinson’s disease and control groups with [11C]UCB-J. Journal Of Cerebral Blood Flow And Metabolism : Official Journal Of The International Society Of Cerebral Blood Flow And Metabolism 2026, 0271678x261441071. PMID: 41960765, PMCID: PMC13068773, DOI: 10.1177/0271678x261441071.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsTrajectories of late-life depression: insights from molecular imaging
Holmes S, Smith G. Trajectories of late-life depression: insights from molecular imaging. Neuropsychopharmacology 2026, 1-19. PMID: 41922490, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-026-02340-2.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsAltmetricConceptsLate-life depressionInvestigation of neurobiological mechanismsPositron emission tomographyVulnerability to neurodegenerative diseasesDepressive symptom trajectoriesTreatment responseBurden of late-life depressionMolecular imaging studiesAssociated with greater disabilityAntidepressant treatmentNeurobiological mechanismsNeurodegenerative processesNeurotransmitter systemsSuicide riskSymptom trajectoriesGlutamatergic signalingSymptom presentationCognitive impairmentDepressionSynaptic plasticityAlzheimer's disease pathologyMechanism-based treatmentsGreater disabilityOlder adultsEmission tomography
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 ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsC-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 patientsDopamineSynaptic Pathology in Traumatic Brain Injury and Therapeutic Insights
Nuthalapati P, Holmes S, Altalib H, Fesharaki-Zadeh A. Synaptic Pathology in Traumatic Brain Injury and Therapeutic Insights. International Journal Of Molecular Sciences 2025, 26: 9604. PMID: 41096867, PMCID: PMC12525020, DOI: 10.3390/ijms26199604.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsTraumatic brain injuryChronic phaseImpact of traumatic brain injuryBrain injuryDendritic spinesImpaired synaptic plasticityLong-term impacts of TBIAcute phaseLoss of dendritic spinesSynaptic dysfunctionPhase of traumatic brain injuryGABAergic disruptionMemory deficitsNeurotransmitter systemsAcute phase of traumatic brain injuryDevelopment of post-traumatic epilepsyMood disturbancePost-TBISynaptic plasticityPost-traumatic epilepsyNeurological sequelaeExcitotoxic injurySynaptic densitySynaptic pathologyCerebral edemaPlacebo Effects in the Treatment of Depression—Implications for the Psychedelic Renaissance
Ansari M, Elliott S, Holmes S, Sanacora G. Placebo Effects in the Treatment of Depression—Implications for the Psychedelic Renaissance. Neurologic Clinics 2025, 44: 63-75. PMID: 41232997, DOI: 10.1016/j.ncl.2025.08.009.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPost-traumatic stress disorderPlacebo effectRapid-acting treatmentDepression treatment trialDepressive disorderStress disorderMental illnessTreatment trialsPsychedelic renaissanceTherapeutic settingDisordersTherapeutic potentialDepressionRelated effectsTrial designPlaceboIllnessTrialsIndividualsTreatmentKetamine Versus Electroconvulsive Therapy for the Treatment of Depression: A Guide for Clinicians
Elliott S, B Katz R, B Ostroff R, Ansari M, Holmes S, Sanacora G. Ketamine Versus Electroconvulsive Therapy for the Treatment of Depression: A Guide for Clinicians. FOCUS The Journal Of Lifelong Learning In Psychiatry 2025, 23: 195-205. PMID: 40235610, PMCID: PMC11995899, DOI: 10.1176/appi.focus.20240040.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsTreatment-resistant depressionElectroconvulsive therapyCases of treatment-resistant depressionTreatment of depressionEfficacy of ketamineDepressive disorderSevere casesDepressionPatient selection criteriaPatient-specific factorsOptimal treatment choicePatient-specific considerationsKetamineStudy outcome measuresTreatment deliveryBenefit profileMeta-analysesTreatment choiceNoninferiority trialPublic health challengeEffective treatmentOutcome measuresGold standardUnique risksTherapy
2024
Neuroimaging Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease
Holmes S, Tinaz S. Neuroimaging Biomarkers in Parkinson’s Disease. Advances In Neurobiology 2024, 40: 617-663. PMID: 39562459, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-69491-2_21.ChaptersCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPublic health burdenNeuroimaging biomarkersTreatment developmentRisk of developing PDParkinson's diseaseHealth burdenDiagnosis of PDMultimodal neuroimaging techniquesIdiopathic Parkinson's diseaseNon-motorDifferential diagnosis of PDNeuroimaging techniquesProdromal phaseDifferential diagnosisSymptomatic treatmentDisease progressionClinical applicationBiomarkersDeficits 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 ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsMetabotropic 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 developmentAuthor Correction: Synaptic loss and its association with symptom severity in Parkinson’s disease
Holmes S, Honhar P, Tinaz S, Naganawa M, Hilmer A, Gallezot J, Dias M, Yang Y, Toyonaga T, Esterlis I, Mecca A, Van Dyck C, Henry S, Ropchan J, Nabulsi N, Louis E, Comley R, Finnema S, Carson R, Matuskey D. Author Correction: Synaptic loss and its association with symptom severity in Parkinson’s disease. Npj Parkinson's Disease 2024, 10: 55. PMID: 38472206, PMCID: PMC10933370, DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00674-6.Commentaries, Editorials and LettersCitations
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Eligibility for Participation in Neuroimaging Studies
IRB ID2000027842RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2023Recruiting ParticipantsStudying the Adult Brain
IRB ID2000025671RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date07/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsDysregulation in mGluR5 as a marker of BPD and suicide related endophenotypes
IRB ID2000023168RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date10/31/2023Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 65 yearsExamination of Glutamate and mGluR5 in Psychiatric Disorders
IRB ID1101007933RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date08/31/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 65 years
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News
- June 05, 2026
Depression: The Hidden Toll of Parkinson's Disease
- April 21, 2026Source: Neuropsychopharmacology
Trajectories of Late-Life Depression: Insights From Molecular Imaging
- December 01, 2025
The Rise of Interventional Psychiatry
- April 24, 2025
New Clinical Trial Aims to Treat Depression in People with Parkinson’s Disease
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