Overview
Background
John McGrath AM, MBBS, MD, PhD, FRANZCP, FAHMS
John McGrath is a psychiatrist interested in discovering the causes of serious mental disorders. He is the Director of the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research and conjoint Professor at the Queensland Brain Institute His research aims to generate and evaluate nongenetic risk factors for schizophrenia. He has forged productive cross-disciplinary collaborations linking risk factor epidemiology with developmental neurobiology. For example, John and his colleagues have made discoveries linking prenatal vitamin D and later risk of mental illness in the offspring. In addition, John has supervised major systematic reviews of the epidemiology of schizophrenia. He was awarded a John Cade Fellowship by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. In 2016 he was also awarded a Neils Bohr Professorship by the Danish National Research Foundation.
Availability
- Professor John McGrath is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
Research interests
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The association between vitamin D status and brain outcomes
In collaboration with Darryl Eyles, we are measuring early life vitamin D status and exploring if this changes the risk of later developing serious mental illness. These studies are in collaboration with colleagues in Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.
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The demographic and clinical correlates of psychotic-like experiences
Using two large surveys conducted in Australia in 1997 and 2007, our group have undertaken a suite of studies designed to understand the clinical relevance of isolated psychotic-like experiences. Over recent years we have published many papers on this topic, and have made important contributions with respect to how psychotic-like experiences are associated with (a) an increased risk of later psychotic disorders (based on the MUSP study), (b) depression, anxiety and substance use disorders, (c) a family history of mental illness, (d) exposure to trauma, (e) an increased risk of suicidal ideation and behaviour, (f) general physical health, and (g) help-seeking.
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The Survey of High Impact Psychosis (SHIP)
Our group was one of seven sites involved in the design and administration of the second Australian Survey of psychotic disorders. In collaboration with a large national team, we continue to explore key issues related to the needs of people with psychosis in Australia.
Research impacts
The Epidemiology team are interested in the frequency measures related to serious mental disorders (e.g. incidence, prevalence, mortality, recovery/remission). We are also interested in the clinical and demographic correlates of adverse mental health outcomes – some of these may be modifiable risk factors and thus important from a public health perspective. We use large, community-based surveys, and birth cohorts. Our focus has been on psychotic disorders and psychotic-like experiences in the general population. In addition, we are examining the links between early life vitamin D status and risk of later mental illness, by directly measuring vitamin D (in collaboration with Darryl Eyles and many international collaborators).
Works
Search Professor John McGrath’s works on UQ eSpace
2018
Journal Article
Concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D from neonatal dried blood spots and the relation to gestational age, birth weight and Ponderal Index: the D-tect study
Keller, Amélie, Händel, Mina N., Frederiksen, Peder, Jacobsen, Ramune, Cohen, Arieh S., McGrath, John J. and Heitmann, Berit L. (2018). Concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D from neonatal dried blood spots and the relation to gestational age, birth weight and Ponderal Index: the D-tect study. British Journal of Nutrition, 119 (12), 1-8. doi: 10.1017/S0007114518000879
2018
Journal Article
Adolescent inhalant use and psychosis risk - a prospective longitudinal study
Mustonen, Antti, Niemelä, Solja, McGrath, John J., Murray, Graham K., Nordström, Tanja, Mäki, Pirjo, Miettunen, Jouko and Scott, James G. (2018). Adolescent inhalant use and psychosis risk - a prospective longitudinal study. Schizophrenia Research, 201, 360-366. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.05.013
2018
Conference Publication
Association between population density and genetic risk for schizophrenia
Colodro-Conde, Lucía, Couvy-Duchesne, Baptiste, Whitfield, John B., Streit, Fabian, Gordon, Scott, Kemper, Kathryn E., Yengo, Loic, Zheng, Zhili, Trzaskowski, Maciej, de Zeeuw, Eveline L., Nivard, Michel G., Das, Marjolijn, Neale, Rachel E., MacGregor, Stuart, Olsen, Catherine M., Whiteman, David C., Boomsma, Dorret I., Yang, Jian, Rietschel, Marcella, McGrath, John J., Medland, Sarah E. and Martin, Nicholas G. (2018). Association between population density and genetic risk for schizophrenia. Chicago, IL, United States: American Medical Association. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.1581
2018
Journal Article
Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016
Fullman, Nancy, Yearwood, Jamal, Abay, Solomon M, Abbafati, Cristiana, Abd-Allah, Foad, Abdela, Jemal, Abdelalim, Ahmed, Abebe, Zegeye, Abebo, Teshome Abuka, Aboyans, Victor, Abraha, Haftom Niguse, Abreu, Daisy M X, Abu-Raddad, Laith J, Adane, Akilew Awoke, Adedoyin, Rufus Adesoji, Adetokunboh, Olatunji, Adhikari, Tara Ballav, Afarideh, Mohsen, Afshin, Ashkan, Agarwal, Gina, Agius, Dominic, Agrawal, Anurag, Agrawal, Sutapa, Ahmad Kiadaliri, Aliasghar, Aichour, Miloud Taki Eddine, Akibu, Mohammed, Akinyemi, Rufus Olusola, Akinyemiju, Tomi F, Akseer, Nadia ... GBD 2016 Healthcare Access and Quality Collaborators (2018). Measuring performance on the Healthcare Access and Quality Index for 195 countries and territories and selected subnational locations: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. The Lancet, 391 (10136), 2236-2271. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30994-2
2018
Journal Article
The association between psychotic experiences and health-related quality of life: a cross-national analysis based on World Mental Health Surveys
Alonso, Jordi, Saha, Sukanta, Lim, Carmen C. W., Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Benjet, Corina, Bromet, Evelyn J., Degenhardt, Louisa, de Girolamo, Giovanni, Esan, Oluyomi, Florescu, Silvia, Gureje, Oye, Haro, Josep M., Hu, Chiyi, Karam, Elie G., Karam, Georges, Kovess-Masfety, Viviane, Lepine, Jean-Pierre, Lee, Sing, Mneimneh, Zeina, Navarro-Mateu, Fernando, Posada-Villa, Jose, Sampson, Nancy A., Scott, Kate M., Stagnaro, Juan Carlos, Ten Have, Margreet, Viana, Maria Carmen, Kessler, Ronald C., McGrath, John J. and WHO World Mental Health Survey Collaborators (2018). The association between psychotic experiences and health-related quality of life: a cross-national analysis based on World Mental Health Surveys. Schizophrenia Research, 201, 46-53. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.04.044
2018
Journal Article
Polygenic risk scores, school achievement, and risk for schizophrenia: a Danish population-based study
Sørensen, Holger J., Debost, Jean-Christophe, Agerbo, Esben, Benros, Michael E., McGrath, John J., Mortensen, Preben Bo, Ranning, Anne, Hjorthøj, Carsten, Mors, Ole, Nordentoft, Merete and Petersen, Liselotte (2018). Polygenic risk scores, school achievement, and risk for schizophrenia: a Danish population-based study. Biological Psychiatry, 84 (9), 684-691. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.04.012
2018
Journal Article
Maternal mortality and morbidity burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study
Mokdad, Ali H., Khalil, Ibrahim, Collison, Michael, El Bcheraoui, Charbel, Charara, Raghid, Moradi-Lakeh, Maziar, Afshin, Ashkan, Chew, Adrienne, Daoud, Farah, Krohn, Kristopher J., Colombara, Danny, Ehrenkranz, Rebecca, Kutz, Michael, Wang, Haidong, Abajobir, Amanuel Alemu, Abd-Allah, Foad, Abraha, Haftom Niguse, Abu-Raddad, Laith J., Kiadaliri, Aliasghar Ahmad, Ahmadi, Alireza, Ahmed, Kedir Yimam, Ahmed, Muktar Beshir, Al Lami, Faris Hasan, Alam, Khurshid, Alasfoor, Deena, Alizadeh-Navaei, Reza, Alkaabi, Juma M., Al-Maskari, Fatma, Al-Raddadi, Rajaa ... GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Maternal Mortality Collaborators (2018). Maternal mortality and morbidity burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study. International Journal of Public Health, 63 (Supplement 1), 47-61. doi: 10.1007/s00038-017-1004-3
2018
Journal Article
Testing associations between cannabis use and subcortical volumes in two large population-based samples
Gillespie, Nathan A., Neale, Michael C., Bates, Timothy C., Eyler, Lisa T., Fennema-Notestine, Christine, Vassileva, Jasmin, Lyons, Michael J., Prom-Wormley, Elizabeth C., McMahon, Katie L., Thompson, Paul M., de Zubicaray, Greig., Hickie, Ian B., McGrath, John J., Strike, Lachlan T., Rentería, Miguel E., Panizzon, Matthew S., Martin, Nicholas G., Franz, Carol E., Kremen, William S. and Wright, Margaret J. (2018). Testing associations between cannabis use and subcortical volumes in two large population-based samples. Addiction, 113 (9), 1661-1672. doi: 10.1111/add.14252
2018
Conference Publication
THE AGE OF ONSET OF SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDERS
Miettunen, Jouko, Immonen, Johanna, McGrath, John, Isohanni, Matti and Jaaskelainen, Erika (2018). THE AGE OF ONSET OF SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDERS. 6th Biennial Conference of the Schizophrenia-International-Research-Society (SIRS), Florence Italy, Apr 04-08, 2018. OXFORD: OXFORD UNIV PRESS.
2018
Conference Publication
A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONWIDE STUDY OF COMORBIDITY WITHIN TREATED MENTAL DISORDERS - A DANISH REGISTER-BASED STUDY
Ripoll, Oleguer Plana, Pedersen, Carsten, Agerbo, Esben, Laursen, Thomas Munk, Mortensen, Preben Bo and McGrath, John (2018). A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONWIDE STUDY OF COMORBIDITY WITHIN TREATED MENTAL DISORDERS - A DANISH REGISTER-BASED STUDY. 6th Biennial Conference of the Schizophrenia-International-Research-Society (SIRS), Florence Italy, Apr 04-08, 2018. OXFORD: OXFORD UNIV PRESS.
2018
Conference Publication
EXPOSURE TO NITROGEN DIOXIDE DURING CHILDHOOD IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF SCHIZOPHRENIA
Antonsen, Sussie, Mok, Pearl L. H., Webb, Roger T., Mortensen, Preben Bo, McGrath, John, Agerbo, Esben, Brandt, Jorgen, Geels, Camilla and Pedersen, Carsten (2018). EXPOSURE TO NITROGEN DIOXIDE DURING CHILDHOOD IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF SCHIZOPHRENIA. 6th Biennial Conference of the Schizophrenia-International-Research-Society (SIRS), Florence Italy, Apr 04-08, 2018. OXFORD: OXFORD UNIV PRESS.
2018
Journal Article
Nineteen and Up study (19Up): Understanding pathways to mental health disorders in young Australian twins
Couvy-Duchesne, Baptiste, O'Callaghan, Victoria, Parker, Richard, Mills, Natalie, Kirk, Katherine M., Scott, Jan, Vinkhuyzen, Anna., Hermens, Daniel F., Lind, Penelope A., Davenport, Tracey A., Burns, Jane M., Connell, Melissa, Zietsch, Brendan P., Scott, James, Wright, Margaret J., Medland, Sarah E., McGrath, John, Martin, Nicholas G., Hickie, Ian B. and Gillespie, Nathan A. (2018). Nineteen and Up study (19Up): Understanding pathways to mental health disorders in young Australian twins. BMJ Open, 8 (3) e018959, 1-13. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018959
2018
Journal Article
Disentangling schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Suetani, S., Siskind, D., Scott, J. G. and McGrath, J. J. (2018). Disentangling schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 137 (4), 365-366. doi: 10.1111/acps.12865
2018
Journal Article
CoMET: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial of co-commencement of METformin as an adjunctive treatment to attenuate weight gain and metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia newly commenced on clozapine
Siskind, Dan, Friend, Nadia, Russell, Anthony, McGrath, John J., Lim, Carmen, Patterson, Sue, Flaws, Dylan, Stedman, Terry, Moudgil, Vikas, Sardinha, Savio, Suetani, Shuichi, Kisely, Steve, Winckel, Karl and Baker, Andrea (2018). CoMET: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial of co-commencement of METformin as an adjunctive treatment to attenuate weight gain and metabolic syndrome in patients with schizophrenia newly commenced on clozapine. BMJ Open, 8 (3) e021000, e021000. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021000
2018
Journal Article
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among college students and same-aged peers: results from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys
Mortier, Philippe, Auerbach, Randy P., Alonso, Jordi, Axinn, William G., Cuijpers, Pim, Ebert, David D., Green, Jennifer G., Hwang, Irving, Kessler, Ronald C., Liu, Howard, Nock, Matthew K., Pinder-Amaker, Stephanie, Sampson, Nancy A., Zaslavsky, Alan M., Abdulmalik, Jibril, Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Benjet, Corina, Demyttenaere, Koen, Florescu, Silvia, De Girolamo, Giovanni, Gureje, Oye, Haro, Josep Maria, Hu, Chiyi, Huang, Yueqin, De Jonge, Peter, Karam, Elie G., Kiejna, Andrzej, Kovess-Masfety, Viviane ... Bruffaerts, Ronny (2018). Suicidal thoughts and behaviors among college students and same-aged peers: results from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 53 (3), 279-288. doi: 10.1007/s00127-018-1481-6
2018
Journal Article
Psychotic experiences and general medical conditions: a cross-national analysis based on 28 002 respondents from 16 countries in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys
Scott, Kate M., Saha, Sukanta, Lim, Carmen C. W., Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Alonso, Jordi, Benjet, Corina, Bromet, Evelyn J., Bruffaerts, Ronny, Caldas-de-Almeida, José Miguel, de Girolamo, Giovanni, de Jonge, Peter, Degenhardt, Louisa, Florescu, Silvia, Gureje, Oye, Haro, Josep M., Hu, Chiyi, Karam, Elie G., Kovess-Masfety, Viviane, Lee, Sing, Lepine, Jean-Pierre, Mneimneh, Zeina, Navarro-Mateu, Fernando, Piazza, Marina, Posada-Villa, José, Sampson, Nancy A., Stagnaro, Juan Carlos, Kessler, Ronald C. and McGrath, John J. (2018). Psychotic experiences and general medical conditions: a cross-national analysis based on 28 002 respondents from 16 countries in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Psychological Medicine, 48 (16), 1-10. doi: 10.1017/S0033291718000363
2018
Journal Article
The associations between psychotic experiences, and substance use and substance use disorders: Findings from the World Health Organisation World Mental Health Surveys
Degenhardt, Louisa, Saha, Sukanta, Lim, Carmen C. W., Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Alonso, Jordi, Andrade, Laura H., Bromet, Evelyn J., Bruffaerts, Ronny, Caldas-de-Almeida, José M., de Girolamo, Giovanni, Florescu, Silvia, Gureje, Oye, Haro, Josep M., Karam, Elie G., Karam, Georges, Kovess-Masfety, Viviane, Lee, Sing, Lepine, Jean-Pierre, Makanjuola, Victor, Medina-Mora, Maria E., Mneimneh, Zeina, Navarro-Mateu, Fernando, Piazza, Marina, Posada-Villa, José, Sampson, Nancy A., Scott, Kate M., Stagnaro, Juan C., Ten Have, Margreet ... WHO World Mental Health Survey Collaborators (2018). The associations between psychotic experiences, and substance use and substance use disorders: Findings from the World Health Organisation World Mental Health Surveys. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 113 (5), 924-934. doi: 10.1111/add.14145
2018
Journal Article
Psychotic experiences and religiosity: data from the WHO world mental health surveys
Kovess-Masfety, V., Saha, S., Lim, C. C. W., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Al-Hamzawi, A., Alonso, J., Borges, G., de Girolamo, G., de Jonge, P., Demyttenaere, K., Florescu, S., Haro, J. M., Hu, C., Karam, E. G., Kawakami, N., Lee, S., Lepine, J. P., Navarro-Mateu, F., Stagnaro, J. C., Ten Have, M., Viana, M. C., Kessler, R. C., McGrath, J. J. and WHO World Mental Health Survey Collaborators (2018). Psychotic experiences and religiosity: data from the WHO world mental health surveys. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 137 (4), 306-315. doi: 10.1111/acps.12859
2018
Journal Article
Pragmatic psychiatric epidemiology-if you can't count it, it won't Count
McGrath, John J., Mortensen, Preben Bo and Whiteford, Harvey A. (2018). Pragmatic psychiatric epidemiology-if you can't count it, it won't Count. JAMA Psychiatry, 75 (2), 111-112. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.4184
2018
Journal Article
Civilians in World War II and DSM-IV mental disorders: results from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative
Frounfelker, Rochelle, Gilman, Stephen E., Betancourt, Theresa S., Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Alonso, Jordi, Bromet, Evelyn J., Bruffaerts, Ronny, de Girolamo, Giovanni, Gluzman, Semyon, Gureje, Oye, Karam, Elie G., Lee, Sing, Lépine, Jean-Pierre, Ono, Yutaka, Pennell, Beth-Ellen, Popovici, Daniela G., ten Have, Margreet, Kessler, Ronald C., Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Al-Kaisy, Mohammed Salih, Andrade, Laura Helena, Benjet, Corina, Borges, Guilherme, Bunting, Brendan, de Almeida, Jose Miguel Caldas, Cardoso, Graca, Cia, Alfredo H., Chatterji, Somnath, Degenhardt, Louisa ... Wojtyniak, Bogdan (2018). Civilians in World War II and DSM-IV mental disorders: results from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 53 (2), 207-219. doi: 10.1007/s00127-017-1452-3
Funding
Current funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Professor John McGrath is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Completed supervision
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2019
Doctor Philosophy
Mental Disorders and Physical Activity: Epidemiological Analyses using Australian Datasets
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor James Scott
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
The mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Harvey Whiteford
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2010
Doctor Philosophy
The antecedents of schizophrenia, a birth cohort study
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Gail Williams
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2007
Doctor Philosophy
AWARENESS OF MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS OF INSIGHT INTO SCHIZOPHRENIA: A COMPARISON OF PATIENTS WITH THEIR RELATIVES AND CLINICIANS
Principal Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
The role of adult vitamin D deficiency in cognition and brain function in mice
Associate Advisor
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Contrasting the Expression of Psychotic Disorders in Ethnically Different Populations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bryan Mowry
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2015
Doctor Philosophy
Neurochemical and neurophysiological bases of executive control
Associate Advisor
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
The effect of developmental vitamin D3 deficiency on brain development, immune function and behaviour in the adult rat
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Darryl Eyles
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2009
Doctor Philosophy
The prevalence and correlates of psychotic-like experiences in the Australian community
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Emeritus Professor Graham Martin
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2005
Doctor Philosophy
Startle eyeblink modification: Associations with haloperidol, caffeine and nicotine in schizophrenia-spectrum and health individuals
Associate Advisor
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2003
Doctor Philosophy
INFORMATION PROCESSING AND PSYCHOSIS
Associate Advisor
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2003
Doctor Philosophy
THE ASSESSMENT OF THE DYSEXECUTIVE SYNDROME IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PSYCHOSIS
Associate Advisor
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2002
Doctor Philosophy
THE ELECTRO-PHYSIOLOGY OF WORKING MEMORY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA
Associate Advisor
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2002
Doctor Philosophy
MOLECULAR CANDIDATES FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bryan Mowry
Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor John McGrath directly for media enquiries about:
- Brain development
- Neuroscience
- Schizophrenia
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