
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
2022
Journal Article
Analysis of mortality metrics associated with a comprehensive range of disorders in Denmark, 2000 to 2018: a population-based cohort study
Plana-Ripoll, Oleguer, Dreier, Julie W., Momen, Natalie C., Prior, Anders, Weye, Nanna, Mortensen, Preben Bo, Pedersen, Carsten B., Iburg, Kim Moesgaard, Christensen, Maria Klitgaard, Laursen, Thomas Munk, Agerbo, Esben, Pedersen, Marianne G., Brandt, Jørgen, Frohn, Lise Marie, Geels, Camilla, Christensen, Jesper H. and McGrath, John J. (2022). Analysis of mortality metrics associated with a comprehensive range of disorders in Denmark, 2000 to 2018: a population-based cohort study. PLoS Medicine, 19 (6) e1004023, 1-19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004023
2022
Journal Article
A method to correct for the influence of bovine serum albumin-associated vitamin D metabolites in protein extracts from neonatal dried blood spots
Boelt, Sanne Grundvad, Plana-Ripoll, Oleguer, Albiñana, Clara, Vilhjálmsson, Bjarni, McGrath, John J. and Cohen, Arieh S. (2022). A method to correct for the influence of bovine serum albumin-associated vitamin D metabolites in protein extracts from neonatal dried blood spots. BMC Research Notes, 15 (1) 194, 1-7. doi: 10.1186/s13104-022-06077-1
2022
Journal Article
Patterns and correlates of patient-reported helpfulness of treatment for common mental and substance use disorders in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys
Kessler, Ronald C., Kazdin, Alan E., Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio, Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Alonso, Jordi, Altwaijri, Yasmin A., Andrade, Laura H., Benjet, Corina, Bharat, Chrianna, Borges, Guilherme, Bruffaerts, Ronny, Bunting, Brendan, de Almeida, José Miguel Caldas, Cardoso, Graça, Chiu, Wai Tat, Cía, Alfredo, Ciutan, Marius, Degenhardt, Louisa, de Girolamo, Giovanni, de Jonge, Peter, de Vries, Ymkje Anna, Florescu, Silvia, Gureje, Oye, Haro, Josep Maria, Harris, Meredith G., Hu, Chiyi, Karam, Aimee N., Karam, Elie G., Karam, Georges ... WHO World Mental Health Survey collaborators (2022). Patterns and correlates of patient-reported helpfulness of treatment for common mental and substance use disorders in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. World Psychiatry, 21 (2), 272-286. doi: 10.1002/wps.20971
2022
Journal Article
Burden of non-communicable diseases among adolescents aged 10–24 years in the EU, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019
Armocida, Benedetta, Monasta, Lorenzo, Sawyer, Susan, Bustreo, Flavia, Segafredo, Giulia, Castelpietra, Giulio, Ronfani, Luca, Pasovic, Maja, Hay, Simon, Sawyer, Susan M, Hay, Simon I, Abila, Derrick Bary, Abolhassani, Hassan, Accrombessi, Manfred Mario Kokou, Adekanmbi, Victor, Ahmadi, Keivan, Al Hamad, Hanadi, Aldeyab, Mamoon A, Al-Jumaily, Adel, Ancuceanu, Robert, Andrei, Catalina Liliana, Andrei, Tudorel, Arumugam, Ashokan, Attia, Sameh, Aujayeb, Avinash, Ausloos, Marcel, Baker, Jennifer L, Barone-Adesi, Francesco, Barra, Fabio ... GBD 2019 Europe NCDs in Adolescents Collaborators (2022). Burden of non-communicable diseases among adolescents aged 10–24 years in the EU, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019. The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, 6 (6), 367-383. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(22)00073-6
2022
Journal Article
The cost of mental disorders in Denmark: a register-based study
Christensen, Maria Klitgaard, McGrath, John J., Momen, Natalie C., Whiteford, Harvey A., Weye, Nanna, Agerbo, Esben, Pedersen, Carsten Bøcker, Mortensen, Preben Bo, Plana-Ripoll, Oleguer and Iburg, Kim Moesgaard (2022). The cost of mental disorders in Denmark: a register-based study. npj Mental Health Research, 1 (1) 1, 1-7. doi: 10.1038/s44184-022-00001-y
2022
Journal Article
The burden of mental disorders, substance use disorders and self-harm among young people in Europe, 1990–2019: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Castelpietra, Giulio, Knudsen, Ann Kristin Skrindo, Agardh, Emilie E., Armocida, Benedetta, Beghi, Massimiliano, Iburg, Kim Moesgaard, Logroscino, Giancarlo, Ma, Rui, Starace, Fabrizio, Steel, Nicholas, Addolorato, Giovanni, Andrei, Catalina Liliana, Andrei, Tudorel, Ayuso-Mateos, Jose L, Banach, Maciej, Bärnighausen, Till Winfried, Barone-Adesi, Francesco, Bhagavathula, Akshaya Srikanth, Carvalho, Felix, Carvalho, Márcia, Chandan, Joht Singh, Chattu, Vijay Kumar, Couto, Rosa A.S., Cruz-Martins, Natália, Dargan, Paul I., Deuba, Keshab, da Silva, Diana Dias, Fagbamigbe, Adeniyi Francis, Fernandes, Eduarda ... Monasta, Lorenzo (2022). The burden of mental disorders, substance use disorders and self-harm among young people in Europe, 1990–2019: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, 16 100341, 1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100341
2022
Journal Article
Adult vitamin D deficiency impairs hippocampal-dependent memory and proteins related to synaptic plasticity and metabolism in mice
Groves, Natalie J., Josh, Peter, McGrath, John J., Kurniawan, Nyoman D. and Burne, Thomas H.J. (2022). Adult vitamin D deficiency impairs hippocampal-dependent memory and proteins related to synaptic plasticity and metabolism in mice. Journal of Brain Disorders, 3 (1). doi: 10.36959/524/331
2022
Journal Article
Comorbidity between eating disorders and psychiatric disorders
Momen, Natalie C., Plana-Ripoll, Oleguer, Yilmaz, Zeynep, Thornton, Laura M., McGrath, John J., Bulik, Cynthia M. and Petersen, Liselotte Vogdrup (2022). Comorbidity between eating disorders and psychiatric disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 55 (4), 505-517. doi: 10.1002/eat.23687
2022
Conference Publication
The genetic relationship between the Vitamin D binding protein and Vitamin D
Albinana, Clara, Borbye-Lorenzen, Nis, Cohen, Arieh S., Boelt, Sanne G., Skogstrand, Kristin, Vilhjalmsson, Bjarni J. and McGrath, John J. (2022). The genetic relationship between the Vitamin D binding protein and Vitamin D. LONDON: SPRINGERNATURE.
2022
Journal Article
The Burden of schizophrenia
Haro, Josep Maria and McGrath, John J. (2022). The Burden of schizophrenia. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 57, 33-35. doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.12.009
2022
Conference Publication
Re-weighting hundreds of polygenic risk scores improves prediction accuracies of psychiatric and neurological disorders
Albinana, Clara, Prive, Florian, Agerbo, Esben, Mortensen, Preben B., McGrath, John and Vilhjalmsson, Bjarni (2022). Re-weighting hundreds of polygenic risk scores improves prediction accuracies of psychiatric and neurological disorders. LONDON: SPRINGERNATURE.
2022
Journal Article
Mapping genomic loci implicates genes and synaptic biology in schizophrenia
Trubetskoy, Vassily, Pardiñas, Antonio F, Qi, Ting, Panagiotaropoulou, Georgia, Awasthi, Swapnil, Bigdeli, Tim B, Bryois, Julien, Chen, Chia-Yen, Dennison, Charlotte A, Hall, Lynsey S, Lam, Max, Watanabe, Kyoko, Frei, Oleksandr, Ge, Tian, Harwood, Janet C, Koopmans, Frank, Magnusson, Sigurdur, Richards, Alexander L, Sidorenko, Julia, Wu, Yang, Zeng, Jian, Grove, Jakob, Kim, Minsoo, Li, Zhiqiang, Voloudakis, Georgios, Zhang, Wen, Adams, Mark, Agartz, Ingrid, Atkinson, Elizabeth G ... Schizophrenia Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (2022). Mapping genomic loci implicates genes and synaptic biology in schizophrenia. Nature, 604 (7906), 502-508. doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-04434-5
2022
Conference Publication
Accounting for temporal information and family history improves power in genome-wide association studies
Pedersen, Emil M., Agerbo, Esben, Plana-Ripoll, Oleguer, Grove, Jakob, Dreier, Julie W., Musliner, Kathrine L., Dalsgaard, Soren, Christensen, Jakob, Mortensen, Preben B., McGrath, John, Prive, Florian and Vilhjalmsson, Bjarni J. (2022). Accounting for temporal information and family history improves power in genome-wide association studies. LONDON: SPRINGERNATURE.
2022
Journal Article
Mortality associated with mental disorders and comorbid general medical conditions
Momen, Natalie C., Plana-Ripoll, Oleguer, Agerbo, Esben, Christensen, Maria K., Iburg, Kim Moesgaard, Laursen, Thomas Munk, Mortensen, Preben B., Pedersen, Carsten B., Prior, Anders, Weye, Nanna and McGrath, John J (2022). Mortality associated with mental disorders and comorbid general medical conditions. JAMA Psychiatry, 79 (5), 444-453. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0347
2022
Journal Article
Perceived helpfulness of treatment for social anxiety disorder: findings from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys
Bruffaerts, Ronny, Harris, Meredith G, Kazdin, Alan E, Vigo, Daniel V, Sampson, Nancy A, Chiu, Wai Tat, Al-Hamzawi, Ali, Alonso, Jordi, Altwaijri, Yasmin A, Andrade, Laura, Benjet, Corina, de Girolamo, Giovanni, Florescu, Silvia, Haro, Josep Maria, Hu, Chi-Yi, Karam, Aimee, Karam, Elie G, Kovess-Masfety, Viviane, Lee, Sing, McGrath, John J, Navarro-Mateu, Fernando, Nishi, Daisuke, O'Neill, Siobhan, Posada-Villa, José, Scott, Kate M, Have, Margreet Ten, Torres, Yolanda, Wojtyniak, Bogdan, Xavier, Miguel ... WHO World Mental Health Survey Collaborators (2022). Perceived helpfulness of treatment for social anxiety disorder: findings from the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 57 (10), 2079-2095. doi: 10.1007/s00127-022-02249-3
2022
Journal Article
Accounting for age of onset and family history improves power in genome-wide association studies
Pedersen, Emil M, Agerbo, Esben, Plana-Ripoll, Oleguer, Grove, Jakob, Dreier, Julie W, Musliner, Katherine L, Bækvad-Hansen, Marie, Athanasiadis, Georgios, Schork, Andrew, Bybjerg-Grauholm, Jonas, Hougaard, David M, Werge, Thomas, Nordentoft, Merete, Mors, Ole, Dalsgaard, Søren, Christensen, Jakob, Børglum, Anders D, Mortensen, Preben B, McGrath, John J, Privé, Florian and Vilhjálmsson, Bjarni J (2022). Accounting for age of onset and family history improves power in genome-wide association studies. American journal of human genetics, 109 (3), 417-432. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.01.009
2022
Conference Publication
The cost of mental disorders in Denmark: a register-based study
Christensen, M. K., McGrath, J. J., Chisholm, D., Momen, N. C., Whiteford, H. A., Weye, N., Agerbo, E., Pedersen, C. B., Mortensen, P. B., Plana-Ripoll, O. and Iburg, K. M. (2022). The cost of mental disorders in Denmark: a register-based study. Fifteenth Workshop on Costs and Assessment in Psychiatry ‘Mental Health Services, Economics, Policy Research’, Venice, Italy, 25-27 March 2022. Milano, Italy: International Center of Mental Health Policy and Economics.
2022
Journal Article
Association of Deepwater Horizon oil spill response and cleanup work with risk of developing hypertension
Kwok, Richard K., Jackson II, W. Braxton, Curry, Matthew D., Stewart, Patricia A., McGrath, John A., Stenzel, Mark, Huynh, Tran B., Groth, Caroline P., Ramachandran, Gurumurthy, Banerjee, Sudipto, Pratt, Gregory C., Miller, Aubrey K., Zhang, Xian, Engel, Lawrence S. and Sandler, Dale P. (2022). Association of Deepwater Horizon oil spill response and cleanup work with risk of developing hypertension. JAMA Network Open, 5 (2) e220108, 1-12. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.0108
2022
Journal Article
Temporal changes in sex‐ and age‐specific incidence profiles of mental disorders – a nationwide study from 1970 to 2016
Plana‐Ripoll, Oleguer, Momen, Natalie C., McGrath, John J., Wimberley, Theresa, Brikell, Isabell, Schendel, Diana, Thygesen, Malene, Weye, Nanna, Pedersen, Carsten B., Mors, Ole, Mortensen, Preben B. and Dalsgaard, Søren (2022). Temporal changes in sex‐ and age‐specific incidence profiles of mental disorders – a nationwide study from 1970 to 2016. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 145 (6), 604-614. doi: 10.1111/acps.13410
2022
Journal Article
Global, regional, and national burden of 12 mental disorders in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
Ferrari, Alize J., Santomauro, Damian F., Herrera, Ana M. Mantilla, Shadid, Jamileh, Ashbaugh, Charlie, Erskine, Holly E., Charlson, Fiona J., Degenhardt, Louisa, Scott, James G., McGrath, John J., Allebeck, Peter, Benjet, Corina, Breitborde, Nicholas J. K., Brugha, Traolach, Dai, Xiaochen, Dandona, Lalit, Dandona, Rakhi, Fischer, Florian, Haagsma, Juanita A., Maria Haro, Josep, Kieling, Christian, Knudsen, Ann Kristin Skrindo, Kumar, G. Anil, Leung, Janni, Majeed, Azeem, Mitchell, Philip B., Moitra, Modhurima, Mokdad, Ali H., Molokhia, Mariam ... Whiteford, Harvey A. (2022). Global, regional, and national burden of 12 mental disorders in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet Psychiatry, 9 (2), 137-150. doi: 10.1016/s2215-0366(21)00395-3
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
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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