Naomi Driesen, PhD
Research Scientist in PsychiatryDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Research Scientist in Psychiatry
Biography
My research career reflects a strong commitment to understanding the brain and psychopathology through mechanistic research. I am a clinical psychologist who has specialized in neuropsychology and functional magnetic resonance imaging. In my early career, I collaborated with Dr. Patricia Goldman-Rakic on researching human prefrontal function and psychopathology. After this, I began using ketamine to probe the brain’s function. My investigation of NMDA receptor antagonists has spanned studies of symptoms, cognitive function, and brain connectivity and activation measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging. In recent years, my work has become more closely involved with studying the mechanisms underlying mood disorders. I currently am working on a RO1 from NIMH on the brain mechanisms underlying ketamine's antidepressant effects.
Last Updated on April 27, 2026.
Appointments
Psychiatry
Research ScientistPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Connecticut Mental Health Center
- MR Core
- Psychiatry
- VA National Center for PTSD
- Yale New Haven Health System
Education & Training
- Fellowship
- Yale School of Medicine (2002)
- Fellowship
- University of Michigan Medical Center (1998)
- PhD
- University of Memphis (1997)
- MA
- University of Virginia, Clinical Psychology (1989)
- BA
- Yale University, Religious Studies (1984)
Research
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Overview
Medical Research Interests
Depressive Disorder, Major
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of Naomi Driesen's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of Naomi Driesen's research output by year.
John Krystal, MD
Deepak Cyril Dsouza, MBBS, MD
Ralitza Gueorguieva, PhD
David Glahn, PhD
D. S. Fahmeed Hyder, PhD
John D Murray, PhD
21Publications
2,526Citations
Publications
2023
430. Calibrated fMRI Sensitive to Ketamine-Related Increases Throughout the Cortex
Driesen N, Herman P, Rowland M, Thompson G, Qiu M, He G, Criscuolo E, Fineberg S, Barron D, Helgeson L, Lacadie C, Chow R, Gueorguieva R, Straun T, Krystal J, Hyder F. 430. Calibrated fMRI Sensitive to Ketamine-Related Increases Throughout the Cortex. Biological Psychiatry 2023, 93: s268-s269. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.02.670.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
The effect of ketamine on psychopathology and implications for understanding schizophrenia and its therapeutic use: a meta-analysis
Beck K, Hindley G, Borgan F, Ginestet C, McCutcheon R, Brugger S, Driesen N, Ranganathan M, D'Souza D, Taylor M, Krystal J, Howes O. The effect of ketamine on psychopathology and implications for understanding schizophrenia and its therapeutic use: a meta-analysis. BJPsych Open 2021, 7: s237-s237. PMCID: PMC8771247, DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2021.634.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsBrief Psychiatric Rating ScaleEffects of ketaminePlacebo conditionPositive symptomsKetamine administrationKetamine effectsHealthy participantsHealthy volunteersNegative symptomsTherapeutic useAcute ketamine administrationAcute ketamine challengeMagnitude of symptomsStudy-level dataSub-group analysisPsychiatric Rating ScaleSchizophrenia-like symptomatologySchizophrenia-like symptomsMean change scoresNegative Syndrome ScalePositive psychotic symptomsSignificant increaseEffect sizeBolus dosesKetamine challenge
2016
Clinical Heterogeneity Arising from Categorical and Dimensional Features of the Neurobiology of Psychiatric Diagnoses: Insights from Neuroimaging and Computational Neuroscience
Krystal J, Anticevic A, Murray J, Glahn D, Driesen N, Yang G, Wang X. Clinical Heterogeneity Arising from Categorical and Dimensional Features of the Neurobiology of Psychiatric Diagnoses: Insights from Neuroimaging and Computational Neuroscience. 2016, 293-316. DOI: 10.7551/mitpress/10936.003.0023.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPsychiatric disordersMechanisms of psychiatric disordersModel psychiatric disordersPsychiatric nosologyPsychological assessmentPsychiatric diagnosingModern psychiatryPsychiatric issuesNeurobiologyPsychiatristsNeurological analysisPsychiatryDisordersComputational neuroscienceClinical heterogeneityNeuroimagingNosologyNeuroscienceNeuroscientistsComputational neuroscientistsCategorization
2013
Differentiating Patterns of Amygdala-Frontal Functional Connectivity in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Liu H, Tang Y, Womer F, Fan G, Lu T, Driesen N, Ren L, Wang Y, He Y, Blumberg HP, Xu K, Wang F. Differentiating Patterns of Amygdala-Frontal Functional Connectivity in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2013, 40: 469-477. PMID: 23599250, PMCID: PMC3932086, DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbt044.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsResting-state functional connectivityBipolar disorderBD groupPrefrontal cortexHealthy controlsFunctional connectivityResting-state functional magnetic resonance imagingNeural system abnormalitiesDorsal lateral prefrontal cortexFunctional magnetic resonance imagingMagnetic resonance imagingVentral prefrontal cortexClinical characteristicsSystem abnormalitiesSuperficial amygdalaAnatomic mapAmygdala subregionsHC groupResonance imagingLateral prefrontal cortexAmygdalaSZ groupSchizophreniaDisordersSignificant differences
2009
Behavioral and neural correlates of memory selection and interference resolution during a digit working memory task
Yi Y, Driesen N, Leung HC. Behavioral and neural correlates of memory selection and interference resolution during a digit working memory task. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 2009, 9: 249-259. PMID: 19679761, PMCID: PMC2741611, DOI: 10.3758/cabn.9.3.249.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsProactive interferenceMemory selectionNeural correlatesEffects of PILeft inferior parietal lobePrefrontal-parietal networkStrong proactive interferenceTask-relevant informationInferior parietal lobeResponse time differencesMiddle frontal gyrusPosterior parietal cortexInterference resolutionMemory taskFrontal gyrusRecognition taskRelevant digitsSelection cuesDelay intervalPrecue intervalsParietal cortexInformation processingParietal lobeTaskCorrelatesNMDA Receptor Antagonist Ketamine Produces Opposing Effects on Resting and Task-Related Brain Activation During Working Memory in Humans
Driesen N, McCarthy G, Bhagwagar Z, Calhoun V, D'Souza D, Holub J, Morgan P, Krystal J. NMDA Receptor Antagonist Ketamine Produces Opposing Effects on Resting and Task-Related Brain Activation During Working Memory in Humans. NeuroImage 2009, 47: s145. DOI: 10.1016/s1053-8119(09)71458-2.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2008
Impairment of Working Memory Maintenance and Response in Schizophrenia: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evidence
Driesen NR, Leung HC, Calhoun VD, Constable RT, Gueorguieva R, Hoffman R, Skudlarski P, Goldman-Rakic PS, Krystal JH. Impairment of Working Memory Maintenance and Response in Schizophrenia: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evidence. Biological Psychiatry 2008, 64: 1026-1034. PMID: 18823880, PMCID: PMC2650279, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.07.029.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMemory taskPrefrontal activityMemory maintenanceBrain activationFunctional Magnetic Resonance Imaging EvidenceWorking Memory MaintenanceCognitive impairmentHealthy comparison participantsPrefrontal cortical activityFunctional magnetic resonanceMemory loadComparison participantsTask accuracyDistinct neurobiologyCortical activityHealthy participantsBasic research insightsImaging EvidenceMemoryCortical deficitsCortical functionPoor performanceTaskSchizophreniaResponse phase
2006
Brain Connectivity Related to Working Memory Performance
Hampson M, Driesen NR, Skudlarski P, Gore JC, Constable RT. Brain Connectivity Related to Working Memory Performance. Journal Of Neuroscience 2006, 26: 13338-13343. PMID: 17182784, PMCID: PMC2677699, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3408-06.2006.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsPosterior cingulate cortexMemory taskCognitive tasksCingulate cortexVentral anterior cingulate cortexDifferent cognitive tasksMedial frontal regionsMedial frontal gyrusDefault mode networkAnterior cingulate cortexFunctional imaging studiesCognitive abilitiesIndividual differencesMemory performanceCognitive performanceFrontal gyrusMode networkFrontal regionsFunctional connectivityBrain connectivityBrain areasTaskFunctional connectionsImaging studiesCortexHypoglycemia reduces the blood‐oxygenation level dependent signal in primary auditory and visual cortex: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study
Driesen NR, Goldberg PA, Anderson AW, Tang L, Flanagan DE, Sherwin RS, Gore JC. Hypoglycemia reduces the blood‐oxygenation level dependent signal in primary auditory and visual cortex: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Journal Of Neuroscience Research 2006, 85: 575-582. PMID: 17154420, DOI: 10.1002/jnr.21146.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMagnetic resonance imagingFunctional magnetic resonance imagingModerate hypoglycemiaVisual cortexResonance imagingCentral nervous system effectsMagnetic resonance imaging studyNon-diabetic controlsNon-diabetic participantsNervous system effectsBlood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signalFrequent hypoglycemic episodesBlood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responseEffects of hypoglycemiaResonance imaging studyFunctional magnetic resonance imaging studyLevel-dependent signalLevel-dependent responsesVisual stimuliHypoglycemic episodesT1DM patientsPrimary auditoryEuglycemic periodHypoglycemic responseNeurophysiologic changes
1999
Symptom Assessment in Schizophrenic Prodromal States
Miller T, McGlashan T, Woods S, Stein K, Driesen N, Corcoran C, Hoffman R, Davidson L. Symptom Assessment in Schizophrenic Prodromal States. Psychiatric Quarterly 1999, 70: 273-287. PMID: 10587984, DOI: 10.1023/a:1022034115078.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsProdromal symptomsEarly interventionLife-long illnessLong-term courseOnset of schizophreniaPublic health implicationsBetter prognosisSymptom assessmentAvailable treatmentsProdromal patientsPsychotic illnessProdromal stateProdromal stageSymptom severityNeurobiological deficitsIllnessHealth implicationsPatientsLong illnessSymptomsStructured interviewsSchizophreniaClinical workInterventionAssessment instruments
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Imaging Cannabinoid Receptors Using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanning
IRB ID1005006735RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date12/31/2016Recruiting ParticipantsGenderMaleAge18 years - 55 yearsAMPA Receptor Components of the Anti-Depressant Ketamine Response
IRB ID2000021345RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2032Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 65 yearsBrain Emotion Circuitry-Targeted Self-Monitoring and Regulation Therapy (BE-SMART)
IRB ID0407026910RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge16 years - 24 years
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