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 detailsLynnette A. Averill, PhD
Assistant Professor Adjunct of PsychiatryAbout
Research
Publications
2025
Combining DNA Methylation Features and Clinical Characteristics Predicts Ketamine Treatment Response for PTSD
Valizadeh A, Roache J, Zhang X, Hu Y, Gueorguieva R, Averill L, Ranganathan M, Wang Z, Williamson D, Shiroma P, Girgenti M, Petrakis I, López-Roca A, Young-McCaughan S, Keane T, Peterson A, Abdallah C, Krystal J, Xu K, PTSD F. Combining DNA Methylation Features and Clinical Characteristics Predicts Ketamine Treatment Response for PTSD. IScience 2025, 114445. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114445.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPost-traumatic stress disorderDNA methylation patternsDNA methylation featuresDNA methylation profilesStudies of ketamineBlood DNA methylation profilesBenefits of ketamineTreatment responseNear genesRisk lociMethylation sitesMethylation patternsMethylation featuresStress disorderMethylation profilesGlutamatergic signalingResponse subgroupsKetamineClinical measuresClinical variablesRandomized studyImmune regulationBiological variablesLociCpGsMapping DNA methylation signatures to identify epigenetic variation across subcortical regions of the human PTSD brain
Li H, Liu Y, Shi Y, Wang J, Nguyen T, Xie Y, Zheng W, Cheng Y, Cruz D, Modliszewski J, Terwilliger R, Sliby A, Martínez-Magaña J, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Roache J, Averill L, Young-McCaughan S, Shiroma P, Huber B, Lewis D, Glausier J, Holtzheimer P, Friedman M, Zhang J, Peterson A, Abdallah C, Valizadeh A, Zhang X, Xu K, Krystal J, Duman R, Zhao H, Corcoran D, Williamson D, Girgenti M. Mapping DNA methylation signatures to identify epigenetic variation across subcortical regions of the human PTSD brain. Biological Psychiatry 2025 PMID: 41192574, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.10.032.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFear circuitryDNA methylationPost-traumatic stress disorderNeurobiology of PTSDTraumatic stress exposureDepressive disorder casesGene expressionSevere psychological traumaKetamine trialsPTSD patientsKetamine efficacyUnique biologyStress disorderDNA methylation signaturesCell typesMental disordersStress exposureSubcortical regionsPTSDPsychological traumaDisorder casesRNA-seqEpigenetic variationMethylation dataReference panelDevelopmental timing of index trauma exposure and accelerated epigenetic aging in United States military veterans
Tamman A, Nagamatsu S, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Averill L, Dunn E, Krystal J, Gelernter J, Montalvo-Ortiz J, Polimanti R, Pietrzak R. Developmental timing of index trauma exposure and accelerated epigenetic aging in United States military veterans. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2025, 182: 107568. PMID: 41016323, DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107568.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchUnited States military veteransTrauma typesTrauma exposureMilitary veteransNational Health and ResilienceExposure to interpersonal violenceInterpersonal violenceNon-interpersonal traumaVeterans StudySelf-reported ageTrauma characteristicsEpigenetic ageTrauma burdenVeteransChronological ageGrimAgeViolenceGreater oddsDevelopmental timeTraumaYounger ageRecencyLong-term health risksPotential confoundersAgeFunctional connectome-based predictive modeling of suicidal ideation
Averill L, Tamman A, Fouda S, Averill C, Nemati S, Ragnhildstveit A, Gosnell S, Akiki T, Salas R, Abdallah C. Functional connectome-based predictive modeling of suicidal ideation. Journal Of Affective Disorders 2025, 387: 119518. PMID: 40441623, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119518.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSuicidal ideationAssociated with increased suicidal ideationRecurrent major depressive disorderConnectome-based predictive modelingResting-state functional magnetic resonance imagingMechanisms of suicidal behaviorAssociated with suicidal ideationFunctional magnetic resonance imagingMajor depressive disorderDorsal salience networkIncreased suicidal ideationIncreased network integrationIncreased suicide riskThe Menninger ClinicNetwork integrationReduced network integrationRelative to controlsCentral executiveDepressive disorderDepressive episodeSalience networkNeural alterationsSuicidal behaviorSuicide riskBrain networksInteracting immediate and long-term action regulation in suicidal behavior
Murphy N, Kypriotakis G, Lijffijt M, Iqbal S, Iqbal T, Amarneh D, O’Brien B, Tamman A, Thomas Y, Moukaddam N, Kosten T, Averill L, Mathew S, Swann A. Interacting immediate and long-term action regulation in suicidal behavior. Journal Of Mood And Anxiety Disorders 2025, 10: 100118. PMID: 40657602, PMCID: PMC12244047, DOI: 10.1016/j.xjmad.2025.100118.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImmediate memory taskInternal State ScaleLifetime cumulative adversityChildhood traumaSuicidal behaviorAction regulationSuicidal ideationSuicide attemptsTreatment of suicide riskSSI-WConventional psychiatric diagnosesSevere suicide attemptsRegulation of actionsPsychiatric controlsMemory taskAddictive behaviorsPsychiatric diagnosisEarly traumaSuicide riskSuicidal crisisBehavioral symptomsStimulus discriminationCumulative adversityState scaleSuicideSupportive Touch in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy
Neitzke-Spruill L, Beit C, Averill L, McGuire A. Supportive Touch in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. The American Journal Of Bioethics 2025, 25: 29-39. PMID: 39804300, DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2024.2433428.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPost-traumatic stress disorderPsychedelic-assisted therapyTreating post-traumatic stress disorderPsychedelic assisted therapyMDMA-ATStress disorderPsychological interventionsUnlicensed therapistsIncidents of misconductPsychedelicsCases of misconductFuture abuseSexual misconductHarm reductionAssisted TherapyClinical contextMisconductWhole clothU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationMDMADrug AdministrationTherapistsAbuseDisordersFood and Drug AdministrationReal-world use of classic and non-classic psychedelics in Hispanic/Latino adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: International findings from the LATINO Study.
Mathai D, Robinson J, Wagner K, Neitzke-Spruill L, Berrones D, Anderberg J, Frederick R, Cruz V, Muñoz J, Rodriguez C, Averill L, Crowley J, Storch E, McGuire A. Real-world use of classic and non-classic psychedelics in Hispanic/Latino adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: International findings from the LATINO Study. Brazilian Journal Of Psychiatry 2025 PMID: 41024388, DOI: 10.47626/1516-4446-2025-4316.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchObsessive-compulsive disorderPsychedelic useObsessive-compulsive disorder symptomsOCD-related symptomsComorbid psychiatric diagnosesNaturalistic psychedelic usePotential mental health benefitsMental health benefitsSelf-reported dataSymptom changePsychiatric diagnosisSerotonergic psychedelicsPsychedelic drugsPsychedelicsPsychedelic usersClinical assessmentDisordersHispanic/Latino adultsAdultsLatino StudyHarm reductionSymptomsDescriptive statisticsPractice harm reductionAssociated outcomes
2024
Medial prefrontal cortex neurotransmitter abnormalities in posttraumatic stress disorder with and without comorbidity to major depression
Swanberg K, Prinsen H, Averill C, Campos L, Kurada A, Krystal J, Petrakis I, Averill L, Rothman D, Abdallah C, Juchem C. Medial prefrontal cortex neurotransmitter abnormalities in posttraumatic stress disorder with and without comorbidity to major depression. NMR In Biomedicine 2024, 37: e5220. PMID: 39054694, DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5220.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPosttraumatic stress disorderMedial prefrontal cortexStress disorderPosttraumatic stress disorder patientsPosttraumatic stress disorder diagnosisChronic psychiatric conditionImpact of psychiatric comorbiditiesComorbid MDDPrefrontal cortexDepressive disorderTraumatic stressorsPsychiatric conditionsMDDPsychiatric comorbiditiesNeurotransmitter abnormalitiesConcentrations of glutamateMetabolite abnormalitiesHealthy controlsDisordersPattern of abnormalitiesParticipantsGlutamateIn vivo protonMetabolic abnormalitiesDepressionFindings of PTSD-specific deficits in default mode network strength following a mild experimental stressor
Averill C, Averill L, Akiki T, Fouda S, Krystal J, Abdallah C. Findings of PTSD-specific deficits in default mode network strength following a mild experimental stressor. NPP—Digital Psychiatry And Neuroscience 2024, 2: 9. PMID: 38919723, PMCID: PMC11197271, DOI: 10.1038/s44277-024-00011-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPosttraumatic stress disorderMajor depressive disorderConnectivity deficitsConnection strengthPrimary diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorderExperimental stressorsDiagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorderResting-state functional magnetic resonance imagingFunctional magnetic resonance imagingVentromedial prefrontal cortexDMN connectivity strengthStress-induced reductionEffect of groupDMN alterationsPrefrontal cortexDepressive disorderDMN connectivityStressor taskStress disorderBrain region(sAcute stressorFunctional connectivityDMNExploratory analysisDeficits366. The Effect of Early Life Trauma on Prefrontal Synaptic Strength in Major Depressive and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders
Del Motte M, Tamman A, Jiang L, Averill C, Mason G, Averill L, Abdallah C. 366. The Effect of Early Life Trauma on Prefrontal Synaptic Strength in Major Depressive and Posttraumatic Stress Disorders. Biological Psychiatry 2024, 95: s249. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.02.865.Peer-Reviewed Original Research