UCLA professor shares insights into the neurobiology of psychosis risk in adolescents

In a comprehensive Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Carrie E. Bearden, Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology at UCLA, shares transformative insights into the neurobiology of psychosis risk in young people. Her work represents a significant advance in understanding how genetic factors and brain development interact to influence mental health outcomes in adolescents.

Growing up in Hawaii, Dr. Bearden’s early fascination with mysteries and marine biology evolved into a passionate pursuit of neuroscience’s greatest puzzles. “What could be a better mystery to focus on than the human brain?” she reflects, describing her journey from literature student to leading neuroscientist.

Dr. Bearden’s research uniquely combines two powerful approaches: studying clinically-defined high-risk cohorts and investigating highly penetrant genetic conditions. This dual strategy has yielded crucial insights into how psychosis develops, particularly during the critical adolescent period. Her work at UCLA’s Center for Assessment and Prevention of Prodromal States (CAPPS) focuses on identifying early warning signs that could enable intervention before severe symptoms emerge.

The research has particularly exciting implications for personalized medicine. By connecting cellular and molecular phenotypes in neurons derived from individuals with genetic variants to their neurobehavioral characteristics, Dr. Bearden’s team is opening new pathways for targeted preventive treatments.

Her recent work has expanded into studying sleep patterns in adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, leveraging new wearable technology to gather unprecedented data. “Sleep is still poorly understood, but it is essential for health and well-being, changing dramatically in adolescence,” Dr. Bearden explains. “I think it holds much promise as a modifiable treatment target.”

Dr. Bearden emphasizes the importance of making science accessible to all communities. Her research particularly focuses on understanding how social factors, including access to healthcare and cultural perspectives, influence treatment outcomes. This holistic approach reflects her commitment to bridging the gap between laboratory discoveries and real-world applications.

I was very naïve when I started in this field, thinking that by focusing on a highly penetrant genetic variant with a well-understood genetic etiology, we would be able to ‘solve’ schizophrenia in short order. Of course, nothing is that simple, but it is astonishing when we look at how far we have come in psychiatric genetics in the past 20 years or so.”

Dr. Carrie E. Bearden, Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology, UCLA

Dr. Carrie Bearden’s Genomic Press interview is part of a larger series that highlights the people behind today’s most influential scientific ideas. Each interview in the series offers a blend of cutting-edge research and personal reflections, providing readers with a comprehensive view of the scientists shaping the future. By combining a focus on professional achievements with personal insights, this interview style invites a richer narrative that both engages and educates readers. This format provides an ideal starting point for profiles that delve into the scientist’s impact on the field, while also touching on broader human themes. More information on the research leaders and research rising stars featured by Genomic Press can be found in our publication website: https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/.

The full Genomic Press Interview, titled “Carrie Bearden: What causes the onset of psychosis in adolescence, and how can we predict (and ultimately prevent) it?,” is available on 7 January 2025 in Genomic Psychiatry, offering readers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the thoughts and experiences of one of the most influential minds in neuroscience and neurobiology of brain disorders. The article is freely available online at https://doi.org/10.61373/gp025k.0002.