Mary-Frances O'Connor, Ph.D.- Biographical Sketch
Assistant Professor
Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology
UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA


Research Interests

Dr.O'Connor's research interests regard biomarkers underlying emotion regulation in older adults, as measured through immunological and neuroimaging techniques.  In particular, she researches the contribution of these biomarkers to those who develop complicated grief as distinct from those who have an uncomplicated adjustment.  Her current project examines attentional deficits in older adults with complicated grief as measured by the emotional Stroop, and evaluates the role of circulating markers of inflammation (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1Ra) in these deficits.

Recent Publications

O'Connor, M.F., Wellisch, D.K., Stanton, A.L., Eisenberger, N.I., Irwin, M.R., Lieberman, M.D.
Craving love? Enduring grief activates brain's reward center. Neuroimage, 2008. 42, 969-972.

O'Connor MF, Motivala SJ, Valladares EM, Olmstead R, Irwin MR.
Sex differences in monocyte expression of IL-6: role of autonomic mechanisms. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2007 Jul;293(1):R145-51. Epub 2007 Apr 11.

O'Connor MF, Irwin MR, Seldon J, Kwan L, Ganz PA.     
Pro-inflammatory cytokines and depression in a familial cancer registry. Psychooncology. 2007 May;16(5):499-501.

O'connor MF, Gundel H, McRae K, Lane RD.   
Baseline Vagal Tone Predicts BOLD Response during Elicitation of Grief. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2007 Feb 14; [Epub ahead of print]

O'Connor MF.       
Bereavement and the brain: invitation to a conversation between bereavement researchers and neuroscientists. Death Stud. 2005 Dec;29(10):905-22.

O'Connor MF, Allen JJ, Kaszniak AW.
Emotional disclosure for whom? A study of vagal tone in bereavement. Biol Psychol. 2005 Feb;68(2):135-46.

Contact:
Mary-Frances O'Connor, Ph.D.
Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology
300 Medical Plaza, Room 3156
Los Angeles, CA 90095-7076
tel. 310-825-1889
fax. 310-794-9247
e-mail: mfoconnor@mednet.ucla.edu