Research
1. The effects of subclinical concussive head impacts
I completed my predoctoral training with Keisuke Kawata, PhD, at Indiana University. The Kawata lab uses a variety of objective measures (e.g., blood biomarkers, neuroimaging, oculomotor assessments) to study the acute and chronic effects of head impacts that do not elicit the clinical signs and symptoms of concussion.
Brain-derived blood biomarkers
We used blood biomarkers to gauge processes such as inflammation, axonal disruption and degeneration, and glial activation following acute and sustained exposure to subclinical concussive head impacts in athletes.
Over time, my interest in sex differences and female-specific effects emerged, as the bulk of this research to date has focused on male athletes. In a paper from my dissertation study, I explored the relationship between hormonal contraceptive use and changes in serum levels of neurofilament light (NfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in collegiate women’s water polo players. While cumulative head impact exposure was associated with an increase in serum NfL across preseason training, hormonal contraceptive use appeared to be a protective factor, as these players had lower NfL and GFAP levels over time (Huibregtse et al., 2023 J Neurotrauma).
2. Putative neurobiological effects of partnered sexual strangulation
One of the major projects I worked on in graduate school was a large preliminary study of the putative neurobiological effects of engaging in partnered sexual strangulation. This partnered sexual behavior has become extremely prevalent among adolescents and young adults. Using a cross-sectional design, we compared cortical thickness, resting-state functional connectivity, neural activation patterns during working memory tasks, and blood biomarker concentrations between young women with recent, frequent exposure to this behavior (≥4 instances in the past month) and young women with no history of partnered sexual strangulation.
3. Brain injury in trauma survivors
Sex differences in TBI pathophysiology and outcomes
Sex differences have been observed in TBI etiology, outcomes, and pathophysiology, as I described in a recent clinical commentary (Huibregtse, Cooper & Ross, 2024 Biological Psychiatry). As a current postdoctoral fellow at the Grady Trauma Project at Emory University working with Jennifer S. Stevens, PhD, I am completing training in PTSD and stress-related psychopathology, neuroendocrinology, advanced neuroimaging methods, and data science. My F32 award is focused on examining sex differences in functional and structural connectivity among trauma survivors who may have sustained TBI, using plasma levels of GFAP as an objective marker of mechanical neurotrauma, assessing if connectivity is related to symptoms and quality of life in a sex-specific manner, and exploring the potential role of estradiol levels (F32MH134528; Huibregtse, PI).
Intimate partner violence (IPV)
At the Grady Trauma Project, I contributed to an analysis of how early life stressors, such as childhood sexual abuse, are risk factors for later IPV victimination, both with and without a weapon (Huibregtse#, Wallace# et al., 2024 J Interpers Violence). These results highlight the importance of designing interventions to reduce revictimization. Victims of IPV are at high risk for experiencing brain injury, which can encompass TBI, subclinical concussive impacts, and strangulation. My long-term research interests include characterizing the effects of IPV-related brain injury and understanding how these pathophysiological processes and subsequent neurobehavioral and functional sequelae interact with psychological trauma and PTSD.
4. Effects of trauma exposure across reproductive aging
Part of my postdoctoral training has focused on reproductive aging and understanding how and why PTSD symptomology is exacerbated by perimenopause. Perimenopause is characterized by irregular menstrual cycle patterns, hormonal flucuations, and bothersome symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, night sweats, and mood changes. We observed worse PTSD symptoms—specically in the hyperarousal cluster—among women aged 40-55, relative to younger and older women (Michopoulos, Huibregtse et al., 2023 Menopause).
#: co-first authors