Amanda Law, PhD

Professional Titles

• Tenured Professor
• Vice Chair-Research, Department of Psychiatry
• Director Division of Neuroscience

Recognitions

• Nancy L. Gary Endowed Chair in Children’s Mental Health Research, Institute Children’s Mental Health Research/Piton Foundation (2023)
• Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Research Award. Outstanding Schizophrenia Research, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (2012)
• NIMH, NIH Scientific Directors Special Achievement Award, NIMH, NIH (2011)
• Neuregulin/Alpha7nAChR Signaling, the GABAergic Switch and Neurodevelopmental Risk: Mechanisms of Gestational Choline Supplementation., NIH, NICHD (2023)
  R01-01
• Targets for Treating Schizophrenia: AKT in Neurodevelopment and Cognition, NIH, NIMH (2019)
  R01 MH103716-5

Research Interests

My translational research program focuses on the developmental and lifespan genetic and environmental mechanisms that influence brain development and brain aging and risk for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Publications

• NRG1-ErbB4-p110d signaling in schizophrenia and evidence of p110d inhibition as a potential therapeutic strategy. 2012 Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jul 24;109(30):12165-70.
• Jenkins A, Apud JA, Zhang F, Decot H, Weinberger DR, Law AJ. Identification of Candidate Single-nucleotide Polymorphisms in NRXN1 Related to Antipsychotic Treatment Response in Patients with Schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2014 Mar 14. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 24633560
• Paterson C, Law AJ. Transient overexposure of neuregulin 3 during early postnatal development impacts selective behaviors in adulthood. PLoS One. 2014;9(8):e104172. PubMed PMID: 25093331
• Law AJ. Genetic mouse models of neuregulin 1: gene dosage effects, isoform-specific functions, and relevance to schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 2014 Jul 15;76(2):89-90. PubMed PMID: 24948382
• Paterson C, Wang Y, Kleinman JE, Law AJ. Effects of schizophrenia risk variation in the NRG1 gene on NRG1-IV splicing during fetal and early postnatal human neocortical development. Am J Psychiatry. 2014 Sep;171(9):979-89. PubMed PMID: 24935406
• Morita Y, Callicott JH, Testa LR, Mighdoll MI, Dickinson D, Chen Q, Tao R, Lipska BK, Kolachana B, Law AJ, Ye T, Straub RE, Weinberger DR, Kleinman JE, Hyde TM. Characteristics of the cation cotransporter NKCC1 in human brain: alternate transcripts, expression in development, and potential relationships to brain function and schizophrenia. J Neurosci. 2014 Apr 2;34(14):4929-40. PubMed PMID: 24695712
• Ross RG, Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, McCarthy L, Chambers BM, Law AJ, Leonard S, Zerbe GO, Freedman R. Perinatal Phosphatidylcholine Supplementation and Early Childhood Behavior Problems: Evidence for CHRNA7 Moderation. Am J Psychiatry. 2015 Dec 7;:appiajp201515091188. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26651393
• Jenkins AK, Paterson C, Wang Y, Hyde TM, Kleinman JE, Law AJ. Neurexin 1 (NRXN1) splice isoform expression during human neocortical development and aging. Mol Psychiatry. 2015 Jul 28. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26216298
• Jenkins A, Apud JA, Zhang F, Decot H, Weinberger DR, Law AJ. Identification of candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms in NRXN1 related to antipsychotic treatment response in patients with schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2014 Aug;39(9):2170-8. PubMed PMID: 24633560
• Tost H, Callicott JH, Rasetti R, Vakkalanka R, Mattay VS, Weinberger DR, Law AJ. Effects of neuregulin 3 genotype on human prefrontal cortex physiology. J Neurosci. 2014 Jan 15;34(3):1051-6. PubMed PMID: 24431462
• Gothelf D, Law AJ, Frisch A, Chen J, Zarchi O, Michaelovsky E, Ren-Patterson R, Lipska BK, Carmel M, Kolachana B, Weizman A, Weinberger DR. Biological effects of COMT haplotypes and psychosis risk in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Biol Psychiatry. 2014 Mar 1;75(5):406-13. PubMed PMID: 23992923
• Paterson C, Wang Y, Hyde TM, Weinberger DR, Kleinman JE, Law AJ. Temporal, Diagnostic, and Tissue-Specific Regulation of NRG3 Isoform Expression in Human Brain Development and Affective Disorders. Am J Psychiatry. 2016 Oct 24;:appiajp201616060721. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 27771971
• Howell KR, Floyd K, Law AJ. PKB?/AKT3 loss-of-function causes learning and memory deficits and deregulation of AKT/mTORC2 signaling: Relevance for schizophrenia. PLoS One. 2017;12(5):e0175993. PubMed PMID: 28467426
• Paterson C, Wang Y, Hyde TM, Weinberger DR, Kleinman JE, Law AJ. Temporal, Diagnostic, and Tissue-Specific Regulation of NRG3 Isoform Expression in Human Brain Development and Affective Disorders. Am J Psychiatry. 2017 Mar 1;174(3):256-265. PubMed PMID: 27771971
• Papaleo F, Yang F, Paterson C, Palumbo S, Carr GV, Wang Y, Floyd K, Huang W, Thomas CJ, Chen J, Weinberger DR, Law AJ. Behavioral, Neurophysiological, and Synaptic Impairment in a Transgenic Neuregulin1 (NRG1-IV) Murine Schizophrenia Model. J Neurosci. 2016 Apr 27;36(17):4859-75. PubMed PMID: 27122041
• Jenkins AK, Paterson C, Wang Y, Hyde TM, Kleinman JE, Law AJ. Neurexin 1 (NRXN1) splice isoform expression during human neocortical development and aging. Mol Psychiatry. 2016 May;21(5):701-6. PubMed PMID: 26216298
• Deakin IH, Godlewska BR, Walker MA, Huang GJ, Schwab MH, Nave KA, Law AJ, Harrison PJ. Altered hippocampal gene expression and structure in transgenic mice overexpressing neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) type I. Transl Psychiatry. 2018 Oct 22;8(1):229. PubMed PMID: 30348978
• Paterson C, Cumming B, Law AJ. Temporal Dynam ics of the Neuregulin-ErbB Network in the Murine Prefrontal Cortex across the Lifespan. Cereb Cortex. 2020 Jan 2. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31897479
• Howell KR, Law AJ. Neurodevelopmental concepts of schizophrenia in the genome-wide association era: AKT/mTOR signaling as a pathological mediator of genetic and environmental programming during development. Schizophr Res. 2019 Sep 12. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31522868
• Pacheco A, Berger R, Freedman R, Law AJ. A VNTR Regulates miR-137 Expression Through Novel Alternative Splicing and Contributes to Risk for Schizophrenia. Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 13;9(1):11793. PubMed PMID: 31409837
• Hood VL, Berger R, Freedman R, Law AJ. Transcription of PIK3CD in human brain and schizophrenia: regulation by proinflammatory cytokines. Hum Mol Genet. 2019 Oct 1;28(19):3188-3198. PubMed PMID: 31211828
• Freedman R, Hunter SK, Law AJ, Wagner BD, D'Alessandro A, Christians U, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Hoffman MC. Higher Gestational Choline Levels in Maternal Infection Are Protective for Infant Brain Development. J Pediatr. 2019 May;208:198-206.e2. PubMed PMID: 30879727
• 51. Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, D'Alessandro A, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Freedman R, Law AJ. Male fetus susceptibility to maternal inflammation: C-reactive protein and brain development. Psychol Med. 2019 Dec 2;:1-10. doi: 10.1017/S0033291719003313. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31787129.
• Paterson C, Law AJ. Toward Better Strategies for Understanding Disrupted Cortical Excitatory/Inhibitory Balance in Schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 2018 Apr 15;83(8):632-634. PubMed PMID: 29559094
• Howell KR, Law AJ. Neurodevelopmental concepts of schizophrenia in the genome-wide association era: AKT/mTOR signaling as a pathological mediator of genetic and environmental programming during development. Schizophr Res. 2020 Mar;217:95-104. PubMed PMID: 31522868
• Hood VL, Paterson C, Law AJ. PI3Kinase-p110d Overexpression Impairs Dendritic Morphogenesis and Increases Dendritic Spine Density. Front Mol Neurosci. 2020;13:29. PubMed PMID: 32180704
• Hood VL, Berger R, Freedman R, Law AJ. Transcription of PIK3CD in human brain and schizophrenia: regulation by proinflammatory cytokines. Hum Mol Genet. 2019 Oct 1;28(19):3188-3198. PubMed PMID: 31211828
• Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, D'Alessandro A, Wyrwa A, Noonan K, Zeisel SH, Law AJ, Freedman R. Prenatal choline, cannabis, and infection, and their association with offspring development of attention and social problems through 4 years of age. Psychol Med. 2021 Jan 25;:1-10. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33491615
• Palumbo S, Paterson C, Yang F, Hood VL, Law AJ. PKBß/AKT2 deficiency impacts brain mTOR signaling, prefrontal cortical physiology, hippocampal plasticity and select murine behaviors. Mol Psychiatry. 2020 Dec 16. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33328589
• Freedman R, Hunter SK, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Christians U, Law AJ, Hoffman MC. Maternal Prenatal Depression in Pregnancies With Female and Male Fetuses and Developmental Associations With C-reactive Protein and Cortisol. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2020 Aug 13. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33060035
• Hood VL, Paterson C, Law AJ. PI3Kinase-p110d Overexpression Impairs Dendritic Morphogenesis and Increases Dendritic Spine Density. Front Mol Neurosci. 2020;13:29. PubMed PMID: 32180704
• Paterson C, Cumming B, Law AJ. Temporal Dynamics of the Neuregulin-ErbB Network in the Murine Prefrontal Cortex across the Lifespan. Cereb Cortex. 2020 May 14;30(5):3325-3339. PubMed PMID: 31897479
• Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, D'Alessandro A, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Freedman R, Law AJ. Male fetus susceptibility to maternal inflammation: C-reactive protein and brain development. Psychol Med. 2021 Feb;51(3):450-459. PubMed PMID: 31787129
• Freedman R, Hunter SK, Law AJ, D'Alessandro A, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Camille Hoffman M. Maternal choline and respiratory coronavirus effects on fetal brain development. J Psychiatr Res. 2020 Sep;128:1-4. PubMed PMID: 32474140
• Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, McCarthy L, D'Alessandro A, Wyrwa A, Noonan K, Christians U, Nakimuli-Mpungu E, Zeisel SH, Law AJ, Freedman R. Black American Maternal Prenatal Choline, Offspring Gestational Age at Birth, and Developmental Predisposition to Mental Illness. Schizophr Bull. 2020 Nov 13. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33184653
• Hunter SK, Freedman R, Law AJ, Christians U, Holzman JBW, Johnson Z, Hoffman MC. Maternal corticosteroids and depression during gestation and decreased fetal heart rate variability. Neuroreport. 2021 Oct 6;32(14):1170-1174. PubMed PMID: 34284445
• Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, D'Alessandro A, Walker VK, Balser M, Noonan K, Law AJ, Freedman R. Maternal prenatal choline and inflammation effects on 4-year-olds' performance on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-IV. J Psychiatr Res. 2021 Sep;141:50-56. PubMed PMID: 34174557
• Hoffman MC, Freedman R, Law AJ, Clark AM, Hunter SK. Maternal nutrients and effects of gestational COVID-19 infection on fetal brain development. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2021 Jun;43:1-8. PubMed PMID: 34024500
• Freedman R, Hunter SK, Law AJ, Hoffman MC. Prenatal prevention of psychiatric illness and childhood development population-wide. World Psychiatry. 2021 Jun;20(2):226-227. PubMed PMID: 34002528
• Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, McCarthy L, D'Alessandro A, Wyrwa A, Noonan K, Christians U, Nakimuli-Mpungu E, Zeisel SH, Law AJ, Freedman R. Targeting Treatments to Health Disparities. Schizophr Bull. 2021 Jul 8;47(4):886-887. PubMed PMID: 33940629
• Freedman R, Hunter SK, Law AJ, Clark AM, Roberts A, Hoffman MC. Choline, folic acid, Vitamin D, and fetal brain development in the psychosis spectrum. Schizophr Res. 2021 Apr 7. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33838984
• Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, D'Alessandro A, Wyrwa A, Noonan K, Zeisel SH, Law AJ, Freedman R. Prenatal choline, cannabis, and infection, and their association with offspring development of attention and social problems through 4 years of age. Psychol Med. 2021 Jan 25;:1-10. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 33491615
• Palumbo S, Paterson C, Yang F, Hood VL, Law AJ. PKBß/AKT2 deficiency impacts brain mTOR signaling, prefrontal cortical physiology, hippocampal plasticity and select murine behaviors. Mol Psychiatry. 2021 Feb;26(2):411-428. PubMed PMID: 33328589
• Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, McCarthy L, D'Alessandro A, Wyrwa A, Noonan K, Christians U, Nakimuli-Mpungu E, Zeisel SH, Law AJ, Freedman R. Black American Maternal Prenatal Choline, Offspring Gestational Age at Birth, and Developmental Predisposition to Mental Illness. Schizophr Bull. 2021 Jul 8;47(4):896-905. PubMed PMID: 33184653
• Freedman R, Hunter SK, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Christians U, Law AJ, Hoffman MC. Maternal Prenatal Depression in Pregnancies With Female and Male Fetuses and Developmental Associations With C-reactive Protein and Cortisol. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2021 Mar;6(3):310-320. PubMed PMID: 33060035
• Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, D'Alessandro A, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Freedman R, Law AJ. Male fetus susceptibility to maternal inflammation: C-reactive protein and brain development. Psychol Med. 2021 Feb;51(3):450-459. PubMed PMID: 31787129

Professional Memberships

• American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Fellow
• Society for Neuroscience, Member
• Society of Biological Psychaitry, Member
• Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, Scientific Council
• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Member

Specialty Information

Specialties

• Medical Genetics and Genomics
• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry