Research Overview

Maria Jalbrzikowski, PhD is a clinical neuroscientist who leads the Neuroscience of Risk and Development Laboratory in BCH’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She incorporates methods from developmental psychopathology, cognitive neuroscience, and computational modeling to understand how abnormal patterns of neurodevelopment contribute to the onset of psychiatric disorders during adolescence.

Research Background

Dr. Maria Jalbrzikowski is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children's Hospital. She earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), followed by postdoctoral training in bioinformatics, neurobehavioral genetics and developmental cognitive neuroscience. In May 2017, Maria established the Neuroscience of Risk and Development (NeRD) Laboratory. Maria is now a principal investigator on multiple NIH-funded grants focused broadly on adolescent development, risk for psychiatric disorders, and making biomarkers associated with psychiatric disorders more accessible.

Publications

  1. Longitudinal trajectories of cortical development in 22q11.2 copy number variants and typically developing controls. Mol Psychiatry. 2022 10; 27(10):4181-4190. View Abstract
  2. Neuroanatomical heterogeneity and homogeneity in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis. Transl Psychiatry. 2022 07 26; 12(1):297. View Abstract
  3. Subtly altered topological asymmetry of brain structural covariance networks in autism spectrum disorder across 43 datasets from the ENIGMA consortium. Mol Psychiatry. 2022 04; 27(4):2114-2125. View Abstract
  4. Author Correction: Altered structural brain asymmetry in autism spectrum disorder in a study of 54 datasets. Nat Commun. 2021 Dec 08; 12(1):7260. View Abstract
  5. Transcriptomic profiling of whole blood in 22q11.2 reciprocal copy number variants reveals that cell proportion highly impacts gene expression. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2021 Dec; 18:100386. View Abstract
  6. Polygenic Scores for Psychiatric Disorders: One Important Piece of the Risk Prediction Puzzle. Biol Psychiatry. 2021 11 01; 90(9):e41-e42. View Abstract
  7. Associations between brain structure and sleep patterns across adolescent development. Sleep. 2021 10 11; 44(10). View Abstract
  8. Elevated emotion reactivity and emotion regulation in individuals at clinical high risk for developing psychosis and those diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2022 07; 16(7):724-735. View Abstract
  9. Association of Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measures With Psychosis Onset in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Developing Psychosis: An ENIGMA Working Group Mega-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry. 2021 07 01; 78(7):753-766. View Abstract
  10. Increased Functional Coupling between VTA and Hippocampus during Rest in First-Episode Psychosis. eNeuro. 2021 Mar-Apr; 8(2). View Abstract
  11. Effects of copy number variations on brain structure and risk for psychiatric illness: Large-scale studies from the ENIGMA working groups on CNVs. Hum Brain Mapp. 2022 01; 43(1):300-328. View Abstract
  12. Virtual Histology of Cortical Thickness and Shared Neurobiology in 6 Psychiatric Disorders. JAMA Psychiatry. 2021 Jan 01; 78(1):47-63. View Abstract
  13. Developmental influences on symptom expression in antipsychotic-naïve first-episode psychosis. Psychol Med. 2022 07; 52(9):1698-1709. View Abstract
  14. Thalamic Nuclei Volumes in Psychotic Disorders and in Youths With Psychosis Spectrum Symptoms. Am J Psychiatry. 2020 12 01; 177(12):1159-1167. View Abstract
  15. Neuroimaging Phenotypes Associated With Risk and Resilience for Psychosis and Autism Spectrum Disorders in 22q11.2 Microdeletion Syndrome. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2021 02; 6(2):211-224. View Abstract
  16. Influences of affective context on amygdala functional connectivity during cognitive control from adolescence through adulthood. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2020 10; 45:100836. View Abstract
  17. Functional connectome fingerprinting accuracy in youths and adults is similar when examined on the same day and 1.5-years apart. Hum Brain Mapp. 2020 10 15; 41(15):4187-4199. View Abstract
  18. Genome-wide mapping of brain phenotypes in extended pedigrees with strong genetic loading for bipolar disorder. Mol Psychiatry. 2021 09; 26(9):5229-5238. View Abstract
  19. Subcortical Brain Volume, Regional Cortical Thickness, and Cortical Surface Area Across Disorders: Findings From the ENIGMA ADHD, ASD, and OCD Working Groups. Am J Psychiatry. 2020 09 01; 177(9):834-843. View Abstract
  20. ENIGMA and global neuroscience: A decade of large-scale studies of the brain in health and disease across more than 40 countries. Transl Psychiatry. 2020 03 20; 10(1):100. View Abstract
  21. Development of Hippocampal-Prefrontal Cortex Interactions through Adolescence. Cereb Cortex. 2020 03 14; 30(3):1548-1558. View Abstract
  22. Resting-State Functional Network Organization Is Stable Across Adolescent Development for Typical and Psychosis Spectrum Youth. Schizophr Bull. 2020 02 26; 46(2):395-407. View Abstract
  23. State-Dependent Functional Dysconnectivity in Youth With Psychosis Spectrum Symptoms. Schizophr Bull. 2020 02 26; 46(2):408-421. View Abstract
  24. Mapping Subcortical Brain Alterations in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Effects of Deletion Size and Convergence With Idiopathic Neuropsychiatric Illness. Am J Psychiatry. 2020 07 01; 177(7):589-600. View Abstract
  25. Genetic contributors to risk of schizophrenia in the presence of a 22q11.2 deletion. Mol Psychiatry. 2021 08; 26(8):4496-4510. View Abstract
  26. Reciprocal Copy Number Variations at 22q11.2 Produce Distinct and Convergent Neurobehavioral Impairments Relevant for Schizophrenia and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry. 2020 08 01; 88(3):260-272. View Abstract
  27. Altered structural brain asymmetry in autism spectrum disorder in a study of 54 datasets. Nat Commun. 2019 10 31; 10(1):4958. View Abstract
  28. Altered white matter microstructure in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: a multisite diffusion tensor imaging study. Mol Psychiatry. 2020 11; 25(11):2818-2831. View Abstract
  29. Association Between Duration of Untreated Psychosis and Frontostriatal Connectivity During Maintenance of Visuospatial Working Memory. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2019 05; 4(5):454-461. View Abstract
  30. Structural Brain Alterations in Youth With Psychosis and Bipolar Spectrum Symptoms. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2019 11; 58(11):1079-1091. View Abstract
  31. Age-Associated Deviations of Amygdala Functional Connectivity in Youths With Psychosis Spectrum Disorders: Relevance to Psychotic Symptoms. Am J Psychiatry. 2019 03 01; 176(3):196-207. View Abstract
  32. Disruptions in White Matter Maturation and Mediation of Cognitive Development in Youths on the Psychosis Spectrum. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2019 05; 4(5):423-433. View Abstract
  33. Disentangling the genetic overlap between cholesterol and suicide risk. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2018 12; 43(13):2556-2563. View Abstract
  34. Large-scale mapping of cortical alterations in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: Convergence with idiopathic psychosis and effects of deletion size. Mol Psychiatry. 2020 08; 25(8):1822-1834. View Abstract
  35. Differential patterns of contextual organization of memory in first-episode psychosis. NPJ Schizophr. 2018 Feb 15; 4(1):3. View Abstract
  36. Cortical and Subcortical Brain Morphometry Differences Between Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Healthy Individuals Across the Lifespan: Results From the ENIGMA ASD Working Group. Am J Psychiatry. 2018 04 01; 175(4):359-369. View Abstract
  37. Differentiating between clinical and behavioral phenotypes in first-episode psychosis during maintenance of visuospatial working memory. Schizophr Res. 2018 07; 197:357-364. View Abstract
  38. Subthreshold Psychosis in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Multisite Naturalistic Study. Schizophr Bull. 2017 09 01; 43(5):1079-1089. View Abstract
  39. Disrupted Working Memory Circuitry in Adolescent Psychosis. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017; 11:394. View Abstract
  40. Mapping 22q11.2 Gene Dosage Effects on Brain Morphometry. J Neurosci. 2017 06 28; 37(26):6183-6199. View Abstract
  41. Development of White Matter Microstructure and Intrinsic Functional Connectivity Between the Amygdala and Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex: Associations With Anxiety and Depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2017 Oct 01; 82(7):511-521. View Abstract
  42. Categorical versus dimensional approaches to autism-associated intermediate phenotypes in 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2017 Jan; 2(1):53-65. View Abstract
  43. Biotypes: The Tip of the Research Domain Criteria Iceberg. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2016 11; 1(6):486-487. View Abstract
  44. Altered Brain Structure-Function Relationships Underlie Executive Dysfunction in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Mol Neuropsychiatry. 2015 Dec; 1(4):235-46. View Abstract
  45. Transcriptome Profiling of Peripheral Blood in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Reveals Functional Pathways Related to Psychosis and Autism Spectrum Disorder. PLoS One. 2015; 10(7):e0132542. View Abstract
  46. Cognitive decline preceding the onset of psychosis in patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. JAMA Psychiatry. 2015 Apr; 72(4):377-85. View Abstract
  47. Altered white matter microstructure is associated with social cognition and psychotic symptoms in 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome. Front Behav Neurosci. 2014; 8:393. View Abstract
  48. Psychiatric disorders from childhood to adulthood in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: results from the International Consortium on Brain and Behavior in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome. Am J Psychiatry. 2014 Jun; 171(6):627-39. View Abstract
  49. Multisystem component phenotypes of bipolar disorder for genetic investigations of extended pedigrees. JAMA Psychiatry. 2014 Apr; 71(4):375-87. View Abstract
  50. Reciprocal social behavior in youths with psychotic illness and those at clinical high risk. Dev Psychopathol. 2013 Nov; 25(4 Pt 1):1187-97. View Abstract
  51. Structural abnormalities in cortical volume, thickness, and surface area in 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome: Relationship with psychotic symptoms. Neuroimage Clin. 2013; 3:405-15. View Abstract
  52. Default mode network connectivity and reciprocal social behavior in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2014 Sep; 9(9):1261-7. View Abstract
  53. Enhanced maternal origin of the 22q11.2 deletion in velocardiofacial and DiGeorge syndromes. Am J Hum Genet. 2013 Mar 07; 92(3):439-47. View Abstract
  54. Coping styles of individuals at clinical high risk for developing psychosis. Early Interv Psychiatry. 2014 Feb; 8(1):68-76. View Abstract
  55. Social cognition in 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome: relevance to psychosis? Schizophr Res. 2012 Dec; 142(1-3):99-107. View Abstract
  56. Converging levels of analysis on a genomic hotspot for psychosis: insights from 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Neuropharmacology. 2013 May; 68:157-73. View Abstract
  57. Deficits in mental state attributions in individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (velo-cardio-facial syndrome). Autism Res. 2012 Dec; 5(6):407-18. View Abstract
  58. The voices go, but the song remains the same: how can we rescue cognition in early-onset schizophrenia? J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012 May; 51(5):464-6. View Abstract
  59. Processing speed and neurodevelopment in adolescent-onset psychosis: cognitive slowing predicts social function. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2012 May; 40(4):645-54. View Abstract
  60. Abnormal movements are associated with poor psychosocial functioning in adolescents at high risk for psychosis. Schizophr Res. 2011 Aug; 130(1-3):164-9. View Abstract
  61. Clinical and genetic high-risk paradigms: converging paths to psychosis meet in the temporal lobes. Biol Psychiatry. 2011 May 15; 69(10):910-1. View Abstract
  62. Sensory contributions to impaired emotion processing in schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 2009 Nov; 35(6):1095-107. View Abstract
  63. Exploring predictors of outcome in the psychosis prodrome: implications for early identification and intervention. Neuropsychol Rev. 2009 Sep; 19(3):280-93. View Abstract
  64. In support of Bleuler: objective evidence for increased affective ambivalence in schizophrenia based upon evocative testing. Schizophr Res. 2009 Feb; 107(2-3):223-31. View Abstract
  65. Magnocellular pathway impairment in schizophrenia: evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging. J Neurosci. 2008 Jul 23; 28(30):7492-500. View Abstract
  66. What's in a face? Effects of stimulus duration and inversion on face processing in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2008 Aug; 103(1-3):283-92. View Abstract
  67. The neural substrates of impaired prosodic detection in schizophrenia and its sensorial antecedents. Am J Psychiatry. 2007 Mar; 164(3):474-82. View Abstract
  68. Subcortical visual dysfunction in schizophrenia drives secondary cortical impairments. Brain. 2007 Feb; 130(Pt 2):417-30. View Abstract
  69. A new dimension of sensory dysfunction: stereopsis deficits in schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 2006 Dec 01; 60(11):1282-4. View Abstract
  70. Reading impairment and visual processing deficits in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2006 Oct; 87(1-3):238-45. View Abstract
  71. Impairments in generation of early-stage transient visual evoked potentials to magno- and parvocellular-selective stimuli in schizophrenia. Clin Neurophysiol. 2005 Sep; 116(9):2204-15. View Abstract

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