Peter J. Gianaros, PhD

  • Professor, Psychology

Phone

412-624-9578

Personal Website

website link

Campus Address

210 S. Bouquet St.

One-Line Research Description

Imaging neuroscience and psychophysiological studies of stress and heart disease

Dr. Gianaros conducts research on the neurobiology of psychological stress, emotion, health disparities, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. This focus has encompassed studies of (i) how the brain regulates and represents autonomic, immune, and cardiovascular stress responses; (ii) how the brain influences and is influenced by biological and behavioral risk factors for chronic illnesses, including atherosclerotic CVD; and, (iii) links social inequalities to health over the lifespan. Research methods include multimodal brain imaging, as well as psychophysiological, epidemiological, behavioral, and basic laboratory approaches.

Representative Publications

Gianaros PJ, Jennings JR (2018). Host in the machine: A neurobiological perspective on stress and cardiovascular disease. American Psychologist, 73, 1031-1044.

Hu MX, Penninx BWJH, de Geus EJC, Lamers, Kuan DC-H, Wright AGC, Marsland AL, Muldoon MF, Manuck SB, Gianaros PJ (2018). Associations of immunometabolic risk factors with symptoms of depression and anxiety: the role of cardiac vagal activity. Brain Behavior and Immunity, 73, 493-503.

Kraynak TE, Marsland AL, Wager TD, Gianaros PJ (2018). Functional neuroanatomy of peripheral inflammatory physiology: A meta-analysis of human neuroimaging studies. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 94, 76-92. Meta-analysis brain maps available on Neurovault, https://neurovault.org/collections/OWOSIBLK/

Lockwood KG, Marsland AL, Matthews KA, Gianaros PJ (2018). Perceived discrimination and cardiovascular health disparities: A multi-system review and health neuroscience perspective. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1428, 170-207.