Elizabeth Osuch MD

Professor

Rea Chair of Affective Disorders

Med School: Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine
Residency: Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Health System
Additional Training: Research Fellowship -- National Institute of Mental Health, Biological Psychiatry Branch
Clinical area of expertise Mood disorders and treatment, trauma disorders and treatment, brief psychodynamic psychotherapy, systems evaluation
Email: elizabeth.osuch@lhsc.on.ca
Administrative Partner: Ellen Annett
Administrative Contact Information: ellen.annett@lhsc.on.ca
519.646.6000 x65188

Profile

As the Rea Chair of Affective Disorders, Dr. Osuch developed the First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP) in 2006, a clinical research and treatment program emphasizing early identification and intervention for mood and anxiety disorders (with and without secondary addictions) in an outpatient, youth-friendly setting. This has now been expanded to two sites within London and serves as a model for early intervention in moderate to severe affective disorders nationally and internationally. The program supports research in mood disorders as well as providing clinical care.

Dr. Osuch's research involves two "streams". One biological psychiatry and the other health systems evaluation research.

Dr. Osuch conducts functional brain imaging research in mood disorders in youth populations and is working to identify fMRI biomarkers that make predictions of medication-class of response in emerging adults presenting with depression (major depressive disorder versus bipolar disorder). This work involves artificial intelligence algorithms and collaborations with colleagues at Georgia State University. She does translational research in collaboration with faculty in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, related to nicotine and cannabis exposure in adolescence, identifying brain changes related to adolescent exposure. Her biological research also includes work investigating potential treatment for weight gain in response to psychiatric medication using prebiotic administration. This work is in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotics at Lawson.

The second stream of Dr. Osuch’s research involves health system evaluation and includes intermediate and long-term evaluation of the FEMAP model, as well as qualitative studies of patient experiences at FEMAP. This incorporates measurement of treatment outcomes as well as cost analyses and system implications of cost differences between FEMAP and usual care. The research also includes an evaluation of the implementation of a measurement-based care platform to enhance patient care. This work is in collaboration with colleagues in the Departments of Family Medicine and the Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Collaborators also include academic and corporate partners in Australia.

Dr. Osuch also works with a national team developing an artificial intelligence chatbot for system navigation within mental health and addiction resources. This work is in collaboration with the University of Alberta.

Dr. Osuch is cross appointed in the Department of Medical Biophysics and is part of the Lawson Research Health Institute in Neuroimaging in Mental Health.

Publications

  1. John-Baptiste A, Osuch E, Lihua L, Wanrudee I, Anderson KK. Healthcare utilization costs of emerging adults with mood and anxiety disorders in an early intervention treatment program compared to a matched cohort. Early Interv Psychiatry, 2019 Jan 27; epub ahead of print, Co-Principal Author, DOI: 10.1111/eip.12790.

  2. Anderson KK, John-Baptiste A, MacDougall AG, Li L, Kurdyak P, Osuch E. Access and health system impact of an early intervention treatment program for emerging adults with mood and anxiety disorders. Can J Psychiatry, 2018 Nov 12; epub ahead of print, Co-Principal Author, DOI: 10.1177/0706743718809347.

  3. Osuch E, Vingilis E, Summerhurst C, Demy J, Wammes M, Arcaro J. Process evaluation of a treatment program for mood and anxiety disorders in emerging adults: pre-entry factors, engagement and outcomes. Psychiatr Serv, 2018 Nov 1; epub ahead of print, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.201800219.

  4. Osuch E, Gao S, Wammes M, Théberge J, Willimason P, Neufeld RJ, Du Y, Sui J, Calhoun V. Complexity in mood disorder diagnosis: fMRI connectivity networks predicted medication-class of response in complex patients. Acta Psychiatr Scand, 2018 Nov 1; 138 (5): 472-482, Co-Principal Author, DOI: 10.1111/acps.12945.

  5. Arcaro J, Trembley P, Summerhurst C, Wammes M, Dash P, Osuch E. Emerging adults’ evaluation of their treatment in an outpatient mood and anxiety disorders program. Emerging Adulthood, 2018 Aug 28; epub, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: doi.org/10.1177/2167696818777339.

  6. Armstrong S, Wammes M, Arcaro J, Hostland A, Summerhurst C, Osuch E. Expectations vs reality: The expectations and experiences of psychiatric treatment reported by young adults at a mood and anxiety outpatient mental health program. Early Interv Psychiatry, 2018 Mar 7; epub ahead of print, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: 10.1111/eip.12550.

  7. Penner J, Osuch E, Schaefer B, Théberge J, Neufeld RWJ, Menon RS, Rajakumar N, Bourne JA, Williamson PC. Higher order thalamic nuclei resting network connectivity in early schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging, 2018 Feb 28; 272: 7-16, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.12.002.

  8. Summerhurst C, Wammes M, Arcaro J, Osuch E. Embracing technology: Use of text messaging with adolescent outpatients at a mood and anxiety program. Social Work and Mental Health, 2017 Nov 30; 16 (3): 337-345, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: 10.1080/15332985.2017.1395782.

  9. Arcaro J, Summerhurst C, Vingilis E, Wammes M, Osuch E. Presenting concerns of emerging adults seeking treatment at an early intervention outpatient mood and anxiety program. Psychol Health Med, 2017 Sep 1; 22 (8): 978-986, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2016.1248449.

  10. Summerhurst C, Wammes M, Wrath A, Osuch E. Youth Perspectives on the Mental Health Treatment Process: What Helps, What Hinders? Community Ment Health J, 2017 Jan 1; 53 (1): 72-78, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: 10.1007/s10597-016-0014-6.

  11. Taylor R, Osuch E, Schaefer B, Rajakumar N, Neufeld RW, Théberge J, Williamson PC. Neurometabolic abnormalities in schizophrenia and depression observed with magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7 T. BJPsych Open, 2017 Jan 1; 3 (1): 6-11, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1192/bjpo.bp.116.003756.

  12. Osuch E, Manning K, Hegele RA, Théberge J, Neufeld R, Mitchell D, Williamson P, Gardner RC. Depression, marijuana use and early-onset marijuana use conferred unique effects on neural connectivity and cognition. Acta Psychiatr Scand, 2016 Nov 1; 134 (5): 399-409, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1111/acps.12629.

  13. Schraeder K, Vingilis E, Osuch E. Prevalence of substance use among adolescents in the First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP) versus adolescents in the general Ontario population. Journal of Substance Abuse and Alcoholism, 2016 Jul; 4 (2): 1046, Co-Principal Author

  14. Jie N, Osuch E, Zhu M, Ma X, Wammes M, Jiang T, Sui J, Calhoun V. Discriminating bipolar disorder from major depression using whole-brain functional connectivity: A feature selection analysis with SVM-FOBA algorithm. Journal of Signal Processing Systems, 2016 Apr; 90 (2): 259–271, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1007/s11265-016-1159-9.

  15. Osuch E, Vingilis E, Fisman S, Summerhurst C. Early intervention in mood and anxiety disorders: The First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP). Healthc Q, 2016 Jan 1; 18 Spec No (special): 42-9, Principal Author, DOI: 10.12927/hcq.2016.24485.

  16. Penner J, Ford KA, Taylor R, Schaefer B, Théberge J, Neufeld RW, Osuch E, Menon RS, Rajakumar N, Allman JM, Williamson PC. Medial Prefrontal and Anterior Insular Connectivity in Early Schizophrenia and Major Depressive Disorder: A Resting Functional MRI Evaluation of Large-Scale Brain Network Models. Front Hum Neurosci, 2016 Jan 1; 10 (10): 132, Coauthor, DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00132.

  17. Jie NF, Zhu MH, Ma XY, Osuch E, Wammes M, Théberge J, Li HD, Zhang Y, Jiang TZ, Sui J, Calhoun VD. Discriminating bipolar disorder from major depression based on SVM-FoBa: Efficient feature selection with multimodal brain imaging data. IEEE Trans Auton Ment Dev, 2015 Dec 1; 7 (4): 320-331, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1109/TAMD.2015.2440298.

  18. Osuch E, Vingilis E, Summerhurst C, Forster CI, Ross EE, Wrath AJ. Process evaluation of an early-intervention program for mood and anxiety disorders among older adolescents and young adults. Psychiatr Serv, 2015 Oct 1; 66 (10): 1113-7, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.201400256.

  19. Taylor R, Neufeld RW, Schaefer B, Densmore M, Rajakumar N, Osuch E, Williamson PC, Théberge J. Functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy of glutamate in schizophrenia and major depressive disorder: anterior cingulate activity during a color-word Stroop task. NPJ Schizophr, 2015 Jan 1; 1: 15028, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1038/npjschz.2015.28.

  20. Bluhm RL, Covin R, Chow M, Wrath A, Osuch E. “I just have to stick with it and it’ll work”: experiences of adolescents and young adults with mental health concerns. Community Ment Health J, 2014 Oct 1; 50 (7): 778-86, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: 10.1007/s10597-014-9695-x.

  21. Osuch E, Ford K, Wrath A, Bartha R, Neufeld R. Functional MRI of pain application in youth who engaged in repetitive non-suicidal self-injury vs. psychiatric controls. Psychiatry Res, 2014 Aug 30; 223 (2): 104-12, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2014.05.003.

  22. Greening SG, Osuch E, Williamson PC, Mitchell DG. The neural correlates of regulating positive and negative emotions in medication-free major depression. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci, 2014 May 1; 9 (5): 628-37, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1093/scan/nst027.

  23. Ford KA, Wammes M, Neufeld RW, Mitchell D, Théberge J, Williamson P, Osuch E. Unique functional abnormalities in youth with combined marijuana use and depression: an FMRI study. Front Psychiatry, 2014 Jan 1; 5 (130): 130, Collaborator, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00130.

  24. Greening SG, Osuch E, Williamson PC, Mitchell DG. Emotion-related brain activity to conflicting socio-emotional cues in unmedicated depression. J Affect Disord, 2013 Sep 25; 150 (3): 1136-41, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2013.05.053.

  25. Ford KA, Théberge J, Neufeld RJ, Williamson PC, Osuch E. Correlation of brain default mode network activation with bipolarity index in youth with mood disorders. Journal of Affective Disorders, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2013.05.088.

  26. Osuch E, Vingilis E, Ross E, Forster C, Summerhurst C. Cannabis use, addiction risk and functional impairment in youth seeking treatment for primary mood or anxiety concerns. Int J Adolesc Med Health, 2013 Jan 1; 25 (3): 309-14, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2013-0067.

  27. Ross E, Vingilis E, Osuch E. An engagement and access model for healthcare delivery to adolescents with mood and anxiety concerns. Early Interv Psychiatry, 2012 Feb 1; 6 (1): 97-105, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-7893.2011.00312.x.

  28. Bluhm R, Williamson P, Lanius R, Théberge J, Densmore M, Bartha R, Neufeld R, Osuch E. Resting state default-mode network connectivity in early depression using a seed region-of-interest analysis: decreased connectivity with caudate nucleus. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, 2009 Dec 1; 63 (6): 754-61, Senior Responsible Author, DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1819.2009.02030.x.

  29. Bluhm RL, Miller J, Lanius RA, Osuch E, Boksman K, Neufeld RW, Théberge J, Schaefer B, Williamson PC. Retrosplenial cortex connectivity in schizophrenia. Psychiatry Res, 2009 Oct 30; 174 (1): 17-23, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2009.03.010.

  30. Osuch E, Bluhm RL, Williamson PC, Théberge J, Densmore M, Neufeld RW. Brain activation to favorite music in healthy controls and depressed patients. Neuroreport, 2009 Aug 26; 20 (13): 1204-8, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e32832f4da3.

  31. Bluhm RL, Williamson PC, Osuch E, Frewen PA, Stevens TK, Boksman K, Neufeld RW, Théberge J, Lanius RA. Alterations in default network connectivity in posttraumatic stress disorder related to early-life trauma. J Psychiatry Neurosci, 2009 May 1; 34 (3): 187-94, Coauthor

  32. Osuch E, Benson BE, Luckenbaugh DA, Geraci M, Post RM, McCann U. Repetitive TMS combined with exposure therapy for PTSD: a preliminary study. J Anxiety Disord, 2009 Jan 1; 23 (1): 54-9, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.03.015.

  33. Osuch E, Willis MW, Bluhm R, CSTS Neuroimaging Study Group. Ursano RJ, Drevets WC. Neurophysiological responses to traumatic reminders in the acute aftermath of serious motor vehicle collisions using [15O]-H2O positron emission tomography. Biol Psychiatry, 2008 Aug 15; 64 (4): 327-35, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.03.010.

  34. Bluhm RL, Osuch E, Lanius RA, Boksman K, Neufeld RW, Théberge J, Williamson P. Default mode network connectivity: effects of age, sex, and analytic approach. Neuroreport, 2008 May 28; 19 (8): 887-91, Co-Principal Author, DOI: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e328300ebbf.

  35. Bluhm RL, Miller J, Lanius RA, Osuch E, Boksman K, Neufeld RW, Théberge J, Schaefer B, Williamson P. Spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations in the BOLD signal in schizophrenic patients: anomalies in the default network. Schizophr Bull, 2007 Jul 1; 33 (4): 1004-12, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbm052.

  36. Dunn RT, Willis MW, Benson BE, Repella JD, Kimbrell TA, Ketter TA, Speer AM, Osuch E, Post RM. Preliminary findings of uncoupling of flow and metabolism in unipolar compared with bipolar affective illness and normal controls. Psychiatry Res, 2005 Nov 30; 140 (2): 181-98, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2005.07.005.

  37. Osuch E, Engel CC Jr. Research on the treatment of trauma spectrum responses: the role of the optimal healing environment and neurobiology. J Altern Complement Med, 2004 Jan 1; 10 Suppl 1 (S1): S211-21, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1089/1075553042245944.

  38. Osuch E, Ursano R, Li H, Webster M, Hough C, Fullerton C, Leskin G. Brain environment interactions: stress, posttraumatic stress disorder, and the need for a postmortem brain collection. Psychiatry, 2004 Jan; 67 (4): 353-83, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1521/psyc.67.4.353.56565.

  39. McCarroll JE, Ursano RJ, Newby JH, Liu X, Fullerton CS, Norwood AE, Osuch E. Domestic violence and deployment in US Army soldiers. J Nerv Ment Dis, 2003 Jan 1; 191 (1): 3-9, Collaborator, DOI: 10.1097/01.NMD.0000044440.57826.CB.

  40. Osuch E, Cora-Locatelli G, Frye MA, Huggins T, Kimbrell TA, Ketter TA, Callahan AM, Post RM. Post-dexamethasone cortisol correlates with severity of depression before and during carbamazepine treatment in women but not men. Acta Psychiatr Scand, 2001 Nov 1; 104 (5): 397-401, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2001.00395.x.

  41. Osuch E, Benson B, Geraci M, Podell D, Herscovitch P, McCann UD, Post RM. Regional cerebral blood flow correlated with flashback intensity in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Biol Psychiatry, 2001 Aug 15; 50 (4): 246-53, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1016/S0006-3223(01)01107-6.

  42. Osuch E, Brotman M, Podell D, Geraci M, Touzeau PL, Leverich G, McCann UD, Post RM. Prospective and retrospective life‐charting in posttraumatic stress disorder (the PTSD‐LCM): A pilot study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2001 Jan; 14 (1): 229-239, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1023/A:1007860204298.

  43. Post RM, Frye MA, Denicoff KD, Leverich GS, Dunn RT, Osuch E, Speer AM, Obrocea G, Jajodia K. Emerging trends in the treatment of rapid cycling bipolar disorder: a selected review. Bipolar Disord, 2000 Dec 1; 2 (4): 305-15, Collaborator, DOI: /10.1034/j.1399-5618.2000.020403.x.

  44. Osuch E, Ketter TA, Kimbrell TA, George MS, Benson BE, Willis MW, Herscovitch P, Post RM. Regional cerebral metabolism associated with anxiety symptoms in affective disorder patients. Biol Psychiatry, 2000 Nov 15; 48 (10): 1020-3, Principal Author

  45. Kimbrell TA, Little JT, Dunn RT, Frye MA, Greenberg BD, Wassermann EM, Repella JD, Danielson AL, Willis MW, Benson BE, Speer AM, Osuch E, George MS, Post RM. Frequency dependence of antidepressant response to left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a function of baseline cerebral glucose metabolism. Biol Psychiatry, 1999 Dec 15; 46 (12): 1603-13, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1016/S0006-3223(99)00195-X.

  46. Post RM, Kimbrell TA, McCann UD, Dunn RT, Osuch E, Speer AM, Weiss SR. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as a neuropsychiatric tool: Present status and future potential. J ECT, 1999 Mar 1; 15 (1): 39-59, Coauthor

  47. Frye MA, Gary KA, Marangell LB, George MS, Callahan AM, Little JT, Huggins T, Corá-Locatelli G, Osuch E, Winokur A, Post RM. CSF thyrotropin-releasing hormone gender difference: implications for neurobiology and treatment of depression. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, 1999 Jan; 11 (3): 349-53, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1176/jnp.11.3.349.

  48. Osuch E, Noll JG, Putnam FW. The motivations for self-injury in psychiatric inpatients. Psychiatry, 1999 Jan; 62 (4): 334-46, Principal Author, DOI: 10.1080/00332747.1999.11024881.

  49. Post RM, Weiss SR, Li H, Smith MA, Zhang LX, Xing G, Osuch E, McCann UD. Neural plasticity and emotional memory. Dev Psychopathol, 1998 Jan; 10 (4): 829-55, Coauthor, DOI: 10.1017/S0954579498001898.

  50. Ono Y, Osuch E, Ng CY. Higher-resolution photoionization study of acetylene near the threshold. J Chem Phys, 1982 Jan; 76 (8), Coauthor, DOI: 10.1063/1.443505.

  51. Ono Y, Osuch E, Ng CY. Molecular beam photoionization study of OCS, (OCS)3, and OCS-CS2. Journal of Chemical Physics; 74:1645-51,(1981). Coauthor, DOI: 10.1063/1.441305.