
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
2017
Journal Article
The association between childhood adversities and subsequent first onset of psychotic experiences: a cross-national analysis of 23 998 respondents from 17 countries
McGrath, J. J., McLaughlin, K. A., Saha, S., Aguilar-Gaxiola, S., Al-Hamzawi, A., Alonso, J., Bruffaerts, R., de Girolamo, G., de Jonge, P., Esan, O., Florescu, S., Gureje, O., Haro, J. M., Hu, C., Karam, E. G., Kovess-Masfety, V., Lee, S., Lepine, J. P., Lim, C. C. W., Medina-Mora, M. E., Mneimneh, Z., Pennell, B. E., Piazza, M., Posada-Villa, J., Sampson, N., Viana, M. C., Xavier, M., Bromet, E. J., Kendler, K. S. and Kessler, R. C. (2017). The association between childhood adversities and subsequent first onset of psychotic experiences: a cross-national analysis of 23 998 respondents from 17 countries. Psychological Medicine, 47 (7), 1-16. doi: 10.1017/S0033291716003263
2017
Journal Article
Erratum: Global, regional, national, and selected subnational levels of stillbirths, neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (The Lancet (2016) 388(10053) (1725–1774)(S0140673616315756)(10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31575-6))
Wang, Haidong, Bhutta, Zulfiqar A, Coates, Matthew M, Coggeshall, Megan, Dandona, Lalit, Diallo, Khassoum, Franca, Elisabeth Barboza, Fraser, Maya, Fullman, Nancy, Gething, Peter W, Hay, Simon I, Kinfu, Yohannes, Kita, Maaya, Kulikoff, Xie Rachel, Larson, Heidi J, Liang, Juan, Liang, Xiaofeng, Lim, Stephen S, Lind, Margaret, Lopez, Alan D, Lozano, Rafael, Mensah, George A, Mikesell, Joseph B, Mokdad, Ali H, Mooney, Meghan D, Naghavi, Mohsen, Nguyen, Grant, Rakovac, Ivo, Salomon, Joshua A ... Murray, Christopher J L (2017). Erratum: Global, regional, national, and selected subnational levels of stillbirths, neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (The Lancet (2016) 388(10053) (1725–1774)(S0140673616315756)(10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31575-6)). The Lancet, 389 (10064). doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32608-3
2017
Conference Publication
Prevalence and Correlates of Suboptimal Vitamin D Status in People Living with Psychotic Disorders: Data From the Australian Survey of High Impact Psychosis
Suetani, S., Saha, S., Eyles, D., Scott, J. and McGrath, J. (2017). Prevalence and Correlates of Suboptimal Vitamin D Status in People Living with Psychotic Disorders: Data From the Australian Survey of High Impact Psychosis. RANZCP 2017 Congress, Adelaide, Australia, 30 April - 4 May 2017. London, United Kingdom: Sage Publications. doi: 10.1177/0004867417702054
2017
Conference Publication
Heritability of hair cortisol and genetic overlap with psychological variables
Streit, Fabian, Rietschel, Liz, Zhu, Gu, McAloney, Kerrie, Frank, Josef, Couvy-Duchesne, Baptiste, Witt, Stephanie H., Binz, Tina, McGrath, John, Hickie, Ian B., Hansell, Narelle K., Wright, Margaret J., Gillespie, Nathan, Forstner, Andreas J., Schulze, Thomas G., Wüst, Stefan, Nöthen, Markus M., Baumgartner, Markus, Walker, Brian R., Crawford, Andrew A., Conde, Lucia Colodro, Medland, Sarah E., Martin, Nicholas G. and Rietschel, Marcella (2017). Heritability of hair cortisol and genetic overlap with psychological variables. 47th Annual Conference of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology, Zurich, Switzerland, 7-9 September, 2017. OXFORD: Pergamon. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.07.452
2017
Conference Publication
Evidence for genetic overlap between schizophrenia and maternal age at first birth
Mehta, Divya, Tropf, Felix, Gratten, Jacob, Bacanu, Silviu, Bakshi, Andrew, Mowry, Bryan, Kendler, Kenneth, Yang, Jian, Visscher, Peter, McGrath, John, Mills, Melinda, Wray, Naomi and Lee, Sang Hong (2017). Evidence for genetic overlap between schizophrenia and maternal age at first birth. 23rd Annual World Congress of Psychiatric Genetics (WCPG), Toronto, ON, Canada, 16-20 October 2015. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.09.010
2017
Conference Publication
Hallucinations in adolescents and risk of mental disorders and psychosocial impairment in adulthood: a birth cohort study
Scott, James, Connell, Melissa, Betts, Kim, Alati, Rosa, Najman, Jake, Clavarino, Alexandra, Mamun, Abdullah, Williams, Gail and McGrath, John (2017). Hallucinations in adolescents and risk of mental disorders and psychosocial impairment in adulthood: a birth cohort study. 16th International Congress on Schizophrenia Research (ICOSR), San Diego CA, United States, 24-28 March 2017. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbx021.022
2017
Journal Article
Responding to challenges for people with psychotic illness: Updated evidence from the survey of high impact psychosis
Morgan, Vera A., Waterreus, Anna, Carr, Vaughan, Castle, David, Cohen, Martin, Harvey, Carol, Galletly, Cherrie, Mackinnon, Andrew, McGorry, Patrick, McGrath, John J., Neil, Amanda L., Saw, Suzy, Badcock, Johanna C., Foley, Debra L., Waghorn, Geoff, Coker, Sarah and Jablensky, Assen (2017). Responding to challenges for people with psychotic illness: Updated evidence from the survey of high impact psychosis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 51 (2), 124-140. doi: 10.1177/0004867416679738
2017
Journal Article
The importance of the physical health needs of people with psychotic disorders
Suetani, Shuichi, Scott, James G. and McGrath, John J. (2017). The importance of the physical health needs of people with psychotic disorders. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 51 (1), 94-95. doi: 10.1177/0004867416662151
2016
Journal Article
Gestational vitamin D deficiency and autism-related traits: the Generation R Study
Vinkhuyzen, A. A. E., Eyles, D. W., Burne, T. H. J., Blanken, L. M. E., Kruithof, C. J., Verhulst, F., Jaddoe, V. W., Tiemeier, H. and McGrath, J. J. (2016). Gestational vitamin D deficiency and autism-related traits: the Generation R Study. Molecular Psychiatry, 23 (2), 240-246. doi: 10.1038/mp.2016.213
2016
Conference Publication
Can Mendelian randomization inform drug development research for neurobehavioural conditions? A study of Alzheimer's disease
Brion, Marie-Jo, Benyamin, Beben, Smith, George Davey, McGrath, John and Evans, David (2016). Can Mendelian randomization inform drug development research for neurobehavioural conditions? A study of Alzheimer's disease. 46th Annual Meeting of the Behavior-Genetics-Association, Brisbane Australia, Jun 20-23, 2016. NEW YORK: SPRINGER.
2016
Journal Article
Don't ignore the skeleton in the psychiatric closet
Perkes, Iain E., Curtis, Jackie and McGrath, John J. (2016). Don't ignore the skeleton in the psychiatric closet. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 50 (11), 1106-1107. doi: 10.1177/0004867416667826
2016
Journal Article
The Global Epidemiology and Contribution of Cannabis Use and Dependence to the Global Burden of Disease: Results from the GBD 2010 Study (vol 8, e76635, 2013)
Degenhardt, L., Ferrari, A. J., Calabria, B., Hall, W. D., Norman, R. E. and McGrath, J. (2016). The Global Epidemiology and Contribution of Cannabis Use and Dependence to the Global Burden of Disease: Results from the GBD 2010 Study (vol 8, e76635, 2013). Plos One, 11 (10), e0165221. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165221
2016
Journal Article
NHMRC funding of mental health research
Batterham, Philip J., McGrath, John, McGorry, Patrick D., Kay-Lambkin, Frances J., Hickie, Ian B. and Christensen, Helen (2016). NHMRC funding of mental health research. Medical Journal of Australia, 205 (8), 348-349.e1. doi: 10.5694/mja16.00179
2016
Journal Article
Global, regional, national, and selected subnational levels of stillbirths, neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
GBD 2015 Child Mortality Collaborators, Abajobir, A. A., Knibbs, L. D., Lalloo, R., Gouda, H. N., Guo, Y., McGrath, J. J. and Setegn, Tesfaye (2016). Global, regional, national, and selected subnational levels of stillbirths, neonatal, infant, and under-5 mortality, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. Lancet, 388 (10053), 1725-1774. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31575-6
2016
Journal Article
Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
GBD 2015 Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators, Charlson, F. J., Erskine, H. E., Ferrari, A. J., Whiteford, H. A., Alam, N. K. M., Knibbs, L. D., Leung, J., Lalloo, Ratilal, Gouda, H. N. and McGrath, J. J. (2016). Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. Lancet, 388 (10053), 1459-1544. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31012-1
2016
Journal Article
Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
GBD 2015 Risk Factors Collaborators, Charlson, F. J., Ferrari, A. J., Abajobir, A. A., Erskine, H. E., Knibbs, L. D., Leung, J., Santomauro, D. F., Veerman, J. L., Whiteford, H. A., Lalloo, R., Scott, J. G., Alam, N. K. M., Gouda, H. N., Guo, Y. and McGrath, J. J. (2016). Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. Lancet, 388 (10053), 1659-1724. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31679-8
2016
Journal Article
Hair cortisol and its association with psychological risk factors for psychiatric disorders: a pilot study in adolescent twins
Rietschel, Liz, Streit, Fabian, Zhu, Gu, McAloney, Kerrie, Kirschbaum, Clemens, Frank, Josef, Hansell, Narelle K., Wright, Margaret J., McGrath, John J., Witt, Stephanie H., Rietschel, Marcella and Martin, Nicholas G. (2016). Hair cortisol and its association with psychological risk factors for psychiatric disorders: a pilot study in adolescent twins. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 19 (5), 438-446. doi: 10.1017/thg.2016.50
2016
Journal Article
Hallucinations in adolescents and risk for mental disorders and suicidal behaviour in adulthood: prospective evidence from the MUSP birth cohort study
Connell, Melissa, Betts, Kim, McGrath, John J., Alati, Rosa, Najman, Jake, Clavarino, Alexandra, Mamun, Abdullah, Williams, Gail and Scott, James G. (2016). Hallucinations in adolescents and risk for mental disorders and suicidal behaviour in adulthood: prospective evidence from the MUSP birth cohort study. Schizophrenia Research, 176 (2-3), 546-551. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2016.06.009
2016
Journal Article
The bidirectional associations between psychotic experiences and DSM-IV mental disorders
McGrath, John J., Saha, Sukanta, Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Andrade, Laura, Benjet, Corina, Bromet, Evelyn J., Browne, Mark Oakley, Caldas de Almeida, Jose M., Chiu, Wai Tat, Demyttenaere, Koen, Fayyad, John, Florescu, Silvia, de Girolamo, Giovanni, Gureje, Oye, Haro, Josep Maria, ten Have, Margreet, Hu, Chiyi, Kovess-Masfety, Viviane, Lim, Carmen C. W., Navarro-Mateu, Fernando, Sampson, Nancy, Posada-Villa, José, Kendler, Kenneth S. and Kessler, Ronald C. (2016). The bidirectional associations between psychotic experiences and DSM-IV mental disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 173 (10), 997-1006. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.15101293
2016
Journal Article
Search for protective factors for psychosis - a population-based sample with special interest in unaffected individuals with parental psychosis
Keskinen, Emmi, Marttila, Riikka, Koivumaa-Honkanen, Heli, Moilanen, Kristiina, Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi, Sirkka, Timonen, Markku, Isohanni, Matti, McGrath, John, Miettunen, Jouko and Jaaskelainen, Erika (2016). Search for protective factors for psychosis - a population-based sample with special interest in unaffected individuals with parental psychosis. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 12 (5), 869-878. doi: 10.1111/eip.12380
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
Contrasting the Expression of Psychotic Disorders in Ethnically Different Populations
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Bryan Mowry
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
The role of adult vitamin D deficiency in cognition and brain function in mice
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Thomas Burne
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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 Thomas Burne, 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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