Abhishek Saxena

Graduate Student
Entry Year: 2018-2019
Faculty Mentor(s): David Dodell-Feder

217 Meliora Hall
Fax: (585) 273-1100
a.saxena@rochester.edu

Research Overview

My research investigates the role of socio-cultural and environmental factors on neural social information processing in relationship to risk for severe mental illness. More specifically, I am interested in how experiences of chronic social defeat and isolation may increase risk for psychopathology and if social cohesion can act as a buffer. I have a particular interest in psychosis-risk among adolescents and young adults, as well as in the experiences of minorities (e.g., racial, immigrant, sexual, gender, etc). Additionally, I am interested in the potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications of neuroplasticity and neuromodulation in relation to psychopathology.

Selected Publications

Publications

• Dodell-Feder, D., Saxena, A., Rutter, L., & Germine, L. T. (2019). The network structure of schizotypal personality traits in a population-based sample. Schizophrenia Research, 208, 258-267. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.01.046.
• Saxena, A., Pagliaccio, D., Barch, D. M., & Pagliaccio, D. (2017). Individual differences in hedonic capacity, depressed mood, and affective states predict emotional reactivity. Motivation and Emotion, 41(3), 419-429. doi:10.1007/s11031-017-9610-1.
• Saxena, A., Luking, K. R., Barch, D. M., & Pagliaccio, D. (2017). Individual differences in hedonic capacity, depressed mood, and affective states predict emotional reactivity. Motivatin and Emotion, 41(3), 419-429. doi: 10.1007/s11031-017-9610-1

Presentations

• Saxena, A., Dodell-Feder, D., Guty, E., Yi, H., Haut, K. M., Nahum, M., & Hooker, C. I. (2018, May). Changes in connectivity of neural networks in healthy adults following targeted social cognition training. Poster session presented at 5th Annual Society for Affective Science Conference. Los Angeles, CA.
• Saxena, A., Haut, K. M., Nook, E. C., Dodell-Feder, D., Tully, L., Germine, L. T., & Hooker, C. I. (2017, September). Relationship between emotional granularity and functioning in psychosis in healthy adults. Poster session presented at 31st Annual Society for Research in Psychopathology Meeting. Denver, CO.
• Iwanski, C. M., Pridgen, S. A., Keutmann, M. K., Haut, K. M., Lynch, J. I., Saxena, A., Rameshkumar, S., Hooker, C. I., & Herbener, E. S. (2017). Implicit and explicit theory of mind across the schizophrenia spectrum. Poster session presented at 31st Annual Society for Research in Psychopathology Meeting. Denver, CO.
• Saxena, A., Dodell-Feder, D., Guty, E., Yin, H., Haut, K. M., Nahum, M., & Hooker, C. I. (2017, May). Effects of targeted social cognition training on behavioral and neural measures of emotion recognition in healthy adults reactivity. Poster session presented at 29th Annual Association for Psychological science Convention. Boston, MA.
• Pridgen, S. A., Saxena, A., Haut, K. M., & Hooker, C. I. (2017, May). Beyond stigma benefits of providing structured feedback to clinical high risk individuals. Poster session presented at 29th Annual Association for Psychological science Convention. Boston, MA.
• Haut, K. M., Saxena, A., Yin, H., Dodell-Feder, D., Lincoln, S. H., Keshavan, M., Seidman, L. J., Nahum, M., & Hooker, C. I. (2017, May). Functional neural network changes following cognitive training in individuals at risk for psychosis. Poster session presented at 29th Annual Association for Psychological science Convention. Boston, MA.
• Schoeneman, S., E., Saxena, A., Guty, E., Dodell-Feder, D., Nahum, M., & Hooker, C. I.  (2017, May). Accurately identifying anger: A treatment target for schizophrenia. Poster session presented at the 29th Annual Association for Psychological Science Convention. Boston, MA.
• Saxena, A., Dodell-Feder, D., Guty, E., Yin, H., Haut, K. M., Nahum, M., & Hooker, C. I. (2017, April). Neuroplasticity in neural networks of emotion following targeted social cognition training. Poster session presented at 4th Annual Society for Affective Science Conference. Boston, MA.
• Saxena, A., Guty, E., Dodell-Feder, D., Yin, H., Haut, K. M., Nahum, M., & Hooker, C. I. (2016, October). Effects of targeted social cognition training on behavioral and neural measures of emotion recognition in healthy adults. Poster session presented at 30th Annual Society for Research in Psychopathology Meeting. Baltimore, MD.
• Saxena, A., Pagliaccio, D., Luking, K. R., & Barch, D. M. (2016, May). Effects of induced affective states on hedonic capacity, depressed mood, and emotional reactivity. Poster session presented at 28th Annual Association for Psychological Science Convention. Chicago, IL.

Posters

• Saxena, A. & Dodel-Feder, D., (2021, September). A systematic review and meta-analysis of is repancies in psychosis outcomes experienced by sexual and gender minorities. Poster session presented at 2021 Society for Research in Psychopathology Meeting. (Online only).
• Saxena, A., Liu, S., Handley., E. D., & Dodell-Feder, D. (2021, May). Examining mediators and moderators of the association between social victimization and psychotic-like experiences. Poster session presented at 2021 Association for Psychological Science Virtual Convention. (Online only).
• Liu, S., Saxena, A., & Dodell-Feder, D. (2021, April). Neural responses to emotional faces as a mediator of the association between social victimization and psychotic-like experiences. Poster session presented at 2021 University of Rochester Undergraduate Research Exposition. Rochester, NY. (Online only).
• Saxena, A., Dudek, E. M., Venkataraman, A., Lamberti, J. S., & Dodell-Feder, D. (2020, May). Neuromodulation of the theory of mind networks with real-time fMRI neurofeedback. Poster session presented at 2020 Annual Cognitive Neuroscience Meeting. Boston, MA. (Online only).
• Saxena, A., Rogge, R., Germinie, L., & Dodell-Feder, D. (2019, September). Item response theory and differential item functioning in the prodromal questionnaire-brief. Poster session presented at 33^rd Annual Society for Research in Psychopathology Meeting. Buffalo, NY.
• Ansari, A., Saxena, A., Germinie, L., & Dodell-Feder, D. (2019, September). Risk factors for psychotic-like experiences and associated distress in a large international sample. Poster session presented at 33^rd Annual Society for Research in Psychopathology Meeting. Buffalo, NY.
• Saxena, A., Rutter, L., Ressler, K. R., Germinie, L., & Dodell-Feder, D. (2018, September). A network analysis of schizotypy in an international population-based sample. Poster session presented at 32^nd Annual Society for Research in Psychopathology Meeting. Indianapolis, IN.

Honors

• 2021: Department of Psychology Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Award, University of Rochester
• 2020: Meliora Psychology Research Fellowship - Graduate Mentor, University of Rochester
• 2017: Distinguished Contribution Award - Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology (SSCP)
• 2015: Psi Chi Unrestricted Travel Grant - Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology
• 2015: Department of Psychology Undergraduate Research Award - Washington University, St. Louis, MO
• 2015: Undergraduate Research Award for Conference Travel - Washington University, St. Louis, MO
• 2014: Summer Undergraduate Research Award - Washington University, St. Louis, MO

Additional Information

• 2016-2018: Research Coordinator, Social Neuroscience and Psychopathology Lab, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Il.
• 2015: Research Assistant I, Vanderbilt Early Psychosis Program, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, Nashville, TN.
• 2015: A.B. Psychology (Conc: Experimental Psychopathology) & Creative Writing, Washington University, St. Louis, MO.