The Mittal lab’s research has involved working with adolescents exhibiting high-risk syndromes or genetic susceptibility, and conducting prospective longitudinal studies of these populations. Dr. Mittal studies a range of characteristics and behaviors that may be used to enhance identification and treatment of high-risk individuals, and concurrently, refine etiological understanding of the pathophysiology underlying psychotic disorders. The lab has specialized in several distinct, but mechanistically related susceptibility markers including movement abnormalities, obstetrical complications, neurocognitive deficits, structural irregularities, and neuroendocrine dysregulation/psychosocial stress. We have focused on these phenomena because they appear to interact with developmental and genetic factors, share related neurological underpinnings which also characterize psychosis, and are readily quantifiable, potentially enabling a system of identification and preventive intervention.
