Clinical Neuroscience and Development Laboratory

The CNDLAB variously focuses on research of several psychiatric disorders commonly seen in pediatric groups, including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Click here to participate in studies for adolescents with and without ADHD.

CND Lab Director

Michael C Stevens Ph.D.

Director,
Clinical Neuroscience and Development Laboratory
Associate Director,
Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center
Child and Adolescent Research Director,
The Institute of Living
Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry,
Yale University School of Medicine

Team Members

Karen Kesten M.S.

Study Coordinator

Karen graduated from SCSU with a Master of science degree in Research. She joined the Olin Center in 2010 as a Study Coordinator in the Clinical Neuroscience Development Lab. Her primary duties include study oversight, regulatory compliance, training, clinical interviewing and database management.

Email: Karen.Kesten@hhchealth.org

Julie Reid, M.S.

Research Assistant II

Julie earned her Master of Science in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Health Psychology from Connecticut College. She joined the Olin Center's Clinical Neuroscience & Development Lab in 2014 where she has worked primarily on studies of Emotion Regulation and ADHD in adolescents.

Email: Julie.Reid@hhchealth.org

Ellen Wikler

Research Assistant I

Ellen.Wikler@hhchealth.org
Click here for Olin profile

Morgan Beatty

Research Assistant I

Morgan.Beatty@hhchealth.org
Click here for Olin profile

Abby Sullivan

Research Assistant I

Abigail.Sullivan@hhchealth.org
Click here for Olin profile

    

Current Research Projects

Biological Subtyping On Reward Task Data in ADHD

A five-year NIH study examining more than 400 ADHD and non-ADHD adolescents – the largest study of its kind! The goal of the study is to learn if ADHD is actually a collection of different biological subtypes that need different treatments. 


Changes in Brain Function through Repeated Emotion Regulation Training

This study examines the possibilities of the ways that learning how to regulate your emotions can change the very structure of your brain.

Executive Working Memory Training with ADHD Adolescents

This paid study uses safe, non-invasive functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to explore whether an online executive working memory training program can effectively alter brain connectivity and clinically improve symptoms of ADHD. The goal is to determine whether this could become a new intervention for ADHD.

Past Research Projects

Most CNDLAB studies were made possible by extramural research grants from the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies. The major grants that have supported CNDLAB research are described below. Click the “Click Here” logo to the right of each project description to see a list of links to published scientific manuscripts that were produced by CNDLAB investigators and staff. Click the NIH Logos to see additional information about each project as reported by the NIH.

Neural Mechanisms of a CBT Response in Compulsive Hoarding
This project tested the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for hoarding disorder (HD), and assessed changes in the brain as a result of this therapy. Brain imaging on 80 HD participants helped to identify changes in areas associated with cognitive and affective decision making. Researchers further aimed to identify neural biomarkers in HD that predict positive outcomes following CBT. 

Adolescent Maturation of Brain Network Integration for Executive Control Abilities
A large-scale project using fMRI to understand how executive control develops and to identify cognitive risk factors for psychiatric illness. Researchers studied the effects of working memory training on brain function for adolescents with ADHD by implementing an online program to train working memory (WM). fMRI data and neuropsychological tests revealed that working memory training increased WM performance, ADHD clinical functioning, and WM-related ADHD brain activity.

Characterizing Two Distinct ADHD Neurobiologies with fMRI
This study examined the neural and genetic differences between executive and motivational symptoms of ADHD. A total of 130 adolescents with ADHD and 130 healthy controls underwent psychiatric evaluation, neuropsychological testing, fMRI, and genetic sampling in order to uncover two different models of brain pathology in ADHD. Results suggest that ADHD is a collection of disorders that reach a similar symptom presentation through different neural pathways.

Neuroimaging Cognition in Adolescent Behavior Disorders
Using EEG, DTI, and fMRI, this project examined the traits and behaviors leading to disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) in adolescents. Researchers aimed to identify the neural dysfunction that is specific to each adolescent DBD. This implies the comparison of abnormally functioning circuits that underlie different DBDs, different groups of symptoms, and different courses of development into adulthood. This approach led to the identification of abnormal cortical thickness and folding, which caused patterns of reduced gray matter in the brains of adolescents with conduct disorder. Furthermore, researchers linked ADHD symptom domains to specific neural pathways

Response Inhibition in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
This study examined the effect of psychostimulants (ADHD drugs) that 18 teens used to alleviate symptoms associated with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Researchers used fMRI to understand how the brain changes after being dosed appropriately with ADHD medication for 1-2 years. Results suggest that ADHD medications may benefit patients by altering the frontoparietal brain networks underlying working memory.

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging correlates of cognitive and functional outcome after closed-head traumatic brain injury
This project examined the causal relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and changes in the brain. Both MRI and neuropsychiatric testing data were compared between subjects with and without TBI. Abnormal functional connectivity was discovered in TBI patients in 12 distinct brain networks, paving the way for future studies of brain abnormality after TBI.

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Former Postdoctoral Researchers and Research Staff

Former Postdoctoral Staff

Suzanne T. Witt, Ph.D.

- Currently a Neuroimaging Analyst, University of Western Ontario

Yu Sun Chung. Ph.D.

- Currently a Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University Psychology & Neuroscience

Chris Hyatt, Ph.D.

- Currently a Data Analyst, AM-FM Lab at the Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center

Andrew Poppe, Ph.D.

- Currently a Research Data Analyst II, Yale University School of Medicine

Former Research Staff


Sandra Navarro, B.A.

- Currently the Program Coordinator at Children's diagnostic and Treatment Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Dana Szeles, Ph.D.

- Currently an Assistant Professor, Medical University of South Carolina

Emily Haney-Caron, JD/Ph.D.

- Currently an Assistant Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Alexandra Gaynor, Ph.D.

- Currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York and Applied Psychology Adjunct Faculty at NYU Steinhardt

Bryan Kalish, M.A.

- Currently a Counselor, Springfield MA

Devra E. Schlar, PA-C

- Currently a Physician's Assistant, New Haven, CT

Abby Quish, M.S., LCPC

- Currently a Licensed Psychotherapist at Alluvion Counselling, LLC, Maryland

Christina G. Wong, Ph.D.

- Currently a Neuropyschologist at the Cleveland C1linic

Laura Miller, Ph.D.

- Currently an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, UConn School of Medicine

Danielle Francois, Psy.D. 

- Currently a Psychologist and Coordinator of College Psychology Internship at Cognitive Behavior Consultants

Ethan Rosenfeld, M.D.

- Currently a surgical specialist at the George Washington School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Washington, DC

Nicole (Pompay) Sinclair, CCRP

- Currently a Clinical Trials Team Manager for Yale University Early Phase Oncology

Andrea Nave, M.A., LPC

- Licensed Professional Counselor, Anxiety Treatment Center, LLC, West Hartford, CT

Katie Bessette, M.S.

- Currently a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at University of Illinois Chicago

Kathryn (Young) Clark, M.S.

– Currently a Research Associate 2/Data Manager at Yale University School of Medicine

Sabin Khadka, M.S.

- Currently an Analytics Manger, Traveler

Stephanie E. Novotny, M.S.

– Currently a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at the University of Miami

Josh Gertler, B.S.

– Currently a Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at University of Florida

Michaela Barratt

Jacey Anderson

Former Student Volunteers


Jesse Chasman, Ph.D.

- Currently a Clinical Neuropsychologist at Coastal Neuropsychology, Mount Pleasant, SC

Alyssa Orinstein, Ph.D.

- Currently an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine

Ritika Chandra, DMD

- Currently the Clinical Director at Community Health Center of Snohomish County, Everett, WA

Krystal Laing, M.S.

- Currently a Senior Neuroimaging Research Worker at Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Alana Peters, M.A.


Barbara Ruf, M.D.

- Currently a Psychiatrist, Lifespan Physician Group, Providence, RI

Marki Ware, M.A.

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