Research
Neurogenetic disorders; neurobehavioral biomarkers of serious mental illness
Appointments
- Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior Brain Research Institute
- Integrative Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics
- Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART)
- Director, Center for the Assessment and Prevention of Prodromal States (CAPPS)
Biography
Her research aims to understand genetic and neurobiological risk factors for the development of early-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Dr. Bearden’s work examines these questions through two complementary lines of research:
1) The investigation of early biomarkers that predict disease risk and trajectory in at-risk populations; and
2) Translational approaches to understanding disrupted brain circuitry in highly penetrant genetic subtypes (e.g, 22q11.2 microdeletions)
Publications
- Rodriguez-Sanchez, J, Hauke, DJ, Pinotsis, D, Berndt, LCS, Oloye, H, Nicholas, SC et al.. Biophysical modeling of excitation/inhibition balance and conversion to psychosis in the clinical high risk syndrome. Biol Psychiatry. 2026; :. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2026.04.007. PubMed PMID:42025866 .
- Hughes, DE, Zapetis, SL, Mordy, A, Lopez, D, Calderon, V, Adery, L et al.. Bullying, State Policy, and Mental Health Symptoms in Gender-Diverse Youths. JAMA Netw Open. 2026;9 (4):e268104. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.8104. PubMed PMID:42012830 PubMed Central PMC13100838.
- Bello, D, Connolly, JG, Addington, J, Bearden, CE, Cadenhead, K, Cannon, TD et al.. Cannabis and Tobacco Co-Use is Associated with Impaired Neurocognitive Performance in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2026; :. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2026.03.021. PubMed PMID:41999882 .
- Zong, X, Liu, D, Wu, X, Wolters, PL, Payne, JM, Klein-Tasman, BP et al.. Everyday executive functions in children with neurofibromatosis type 1: Data from nine institutions. Neuropsychology. 2026; :. doi: 10.1037/neu0001087. PubMed PMID:41989438 PubMed Central PMC13089308.
- Cheng, M, Yin, Y, Engchuan, W, Heung, T, International 22q11.2 Brain Behavior Consortium (IBBC), Morrow, BE et al.. Genome-wide tandem repeat expansions modify schizophrenia risk in the presence of a 22q11.2 deletion. Mol Psychiatry. 2026; :. doi: 10.1038/s41380-026-03574-8. PubMed PMID:41986744 .