Jill Littrell, Ph.D. explores neuroscience and physiological explanations behind diagnostic categories of mental illness
July 20, 2016
Jill Littrell’s new book, Neuroscience for Psychologists and Other Mental Health Professionals: Promoting Well-Being and Treating Mental Illness, presents the latest neuroscience and physiological explanations behind the major diagnostic categories of mental illness—including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and addiction—and explains the physiological bases that underlie traditional pharmaceutical treatment interventions. Of particular note in the book is cutting-edge information on fast-spiking GABA interneurons and the role of NMDA receptors in psychosis, the role of inflammatory processes in mood disorders, and gut microbiota’s influence on inflammation. Beyond the physiology undergirding distress, the book also explores the physiological bases for health and resilience.It integrates current information on brain function with new research on immunology, offering a research-based rationale for viewing the mind and the body as an integrated system.
Jill Littrell is a professor at Georgia State University where she teaches Psychopathology, Drugs and Alcohol, and Research Methods to Social Work students. She earned a master’s degree in biology with emphasis on Immunology and Neuroscience. After eight years as an MSSW social worker, she obtained a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Arizona State University. As of January 2015, she has published 37 peer-reviewed journal articles and 5 book chapters. She has published in high impact journals such as Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Clinical Psychology Review, Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Community Mental Health Journal and Frontiers in Psychology. You may contact her at littrell@gsu.edu. Her book can be found at Springer Publishing or Amazon.
The Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance is grateful to Dr. Littrell for allowing us to blog about her most recent work.
