Associate Professor - Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health
Director - Program for Resilience
The Anne K. “Nancy” Jeffrey Endowed Professorship for Mental Health Equity and Resilience
Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research
460 Medical Center Drive
Columbus, OH 43210
Dr. Anthony (Tony) King is a neuroscientist and licensed psychologist/psychotherapist who is committed to clinical and translational research aimed at elucidating the social, psychological, neural, physiological and genomic factors and processes underlying risk and resilience for mental health, and the relationships of social-emotional and mental health to physical health. He researches the neural and physiological mechanisms underlying effective psychotherapies, and is dedicated to developing improved, neuroscience-based treatments for trauma- and stress-related disorders such as PTSD and depression. He is also dedicated to clinical and translational research and service with underserved and health-disparity populations, including better understanding of early-life trauma and social and environmental stressors, including poverty, social marginalization, indignity, and injustice, and approaches to building resilience and growth.
Special Interests
- Psychological and physiological resilience
- Neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other stress- and trauma-related disorders
- Mindfulness- and compassion-based interventions for mood and trauma-related disorders
- Neuroimaging and large-scale neural network connectivity
- Neural, psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) and psychoneuroendocrinology (PNE) effects of trauma, childhood adversity, early-life poverty and racial discrimination
Dr. King is focused on advancing the design, testing and implementation of effective, efficient neuroscience-based psychotherapy interventions for psychiatric disorders, as well as empirically supported approaches for nurturing resilience and mind-body and positive psychology interventions for people exposed to trauma and undergoing stressful life events.
He uses functional MRI neuroimaging, EEG, psychophysiological and psychoneuro-endocrine/immunology/genomic tools and approaches to work on understanding the neural mechanisms within psychotherapies for trauma-related disorders like PTSD and depression, including exposure- and mindfulness-based treatments.
Dr. King researches the effects of trauma, childhood adversity (e.g., early-life poverty) and racial discrimination/marginalization on the brain, autonomic nervous system and stress hormone and immune systems, and has strong interest in how these effects could explain the connection of trauma and childhood adversity to substantially elevated health risks. He is a member of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium PTSD Subcommittee and ENIGMA-PGC PTSD Neuroimaging consortium. Through this work, he seeks to identify ecological and modifiable social, behavioral and cognitive-affective factors that maximize resilience and may support improved interventions.
He is particularly interested in understanding how mind-body educational approaches and interventions like mindfulness, yoga and other traditional and indigenous approaches may be useful for building resilience and buffering or ameliorating effects of trauma and adversity in both children and adults, among our patients facing stressful and traumatic conditions, and in the community.
Dr. King is author/co-author of over 60 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals, and his research has been funded by NIMH, NCCIH, NSF, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Mind and Life Institute.
Education
MS: Rutgers University (APA Accreditation), Clinical Psychology
PhD: University of Michigan, Molecular and Integrative Physiology
PhD: Fielding Graduate University (APA Accreditation), Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology internship: Mary A. Rackham Institute, University of Michigan (APA Accreditation)
Clinical psychology fellowship: University of Michigan Psychological Clinic
Clinical lecturer: Anxiety Disorders Program, Dept. Psychiatry, University of Michigan
Selected Publications
Neurobiology of Mindfulness-based and Exposure-based Interventions for PTSD:
Associations between resting-state functional connectivity and treatment response in a randomized clinical trial for posttraumatic stress disorder.
Sheynin J, Duval ER, King AP, Angstadt M, Phan KL, Simon NM, Rauch SAM, Liberzon I.
Depress Anxiety. 2020 Oct;37(10):1037-1046. doi: 10.1002/da.23075. Epub 2020 Jul 15.
PMID: 32668087 Clinical Trial.
Cortisol awakening response in PTSD treatment: Predictor or mechanism of change.
Rauch SAM, King A, Kim HM, Powell C, Rajaram N, Venners M, Simon NM, Hamner M, Liberzon I.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020 Aug;118:104714. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104714. Epub 2020 May 15.
PMID: 32446108 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Neural function during emotion processing and modulation associated with treatment response in a randomized clinical trial for posttraumatic stress disorder.
Duval ER, Sheynin J, King AP, Phan KL, Simon NM, Martis B, Porter KE, Norman SB, Liberzon I, Rauch SAM.
Depress Anxiety. 2020 Jul;37(7):670-681. doi: 10.1002/da.23022. Epub 2020 Apr 19.
PMID: 32306485 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Neural correlates of emotional reactivity and regulation associated with treatment response in a randomized clinical trial for posttraumatic stress disorder.
Joshi SA, Duval ER, Sheynin J, King AP, Phan KL, Martis B, Porter KE, Liberzon I, Rauch SAM.
Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2020 May 30;299:111062. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2020.111062. Epub 2020 Mar 5.
PMID: 32278278 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
A neurobehavioral account for decentering as the salve for the distressed mind.
King AP, Fresco DM.Curr Opin Psychol. 2019 Aug;28:285-293. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.02.009. Epub 2019 Feb 22.PMID: 31059966 Free PMC article. Review
Efficacy of Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Sertraline Hydrochloride, and Their Combination Among Combat Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Rauch SAM, Kim HM, Powell C, Tuerk PW, Simon NM, Acierno R, Allard CB, Norman SB, Venners MR, Rothbaum BO, Stein MB, Porter K, Martis B, King AP, Liberzon I, Phan KL, Hoge CW.
JAMA Psychiatry. 2019 Feb 1;76(2):117-126. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.3412.
PMID: 30516797 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Altered Default Mode Network (DMN) Resting State Functional Connectivity Following a Mindfulness-based Exposure Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Comabt Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq.
King AP, Block SR, Sripada RK, Rauch S, Giardino N, Favorite T, Angstadt M, Kessler D, Welsh R, Liberzon I. Depress Anxiety. 2016 Apr;33(4):289-99. doi: 10.1002/da.22481. PMID: 27038410 Free article.
A Pilot Study of Mindfulness-Based Exposure Therapy in OEF/OIF Combat Veterans with PTSD: Altered Medial Frontal Cortex and Amygdala Responses in Social-Emotional Processing.
King AP, Block SR, Sripada RK, Rauch SA, Porter KE, Favorite TK, Giardino N, Liberzon I.
Front Psychiatry. 2016 Sep 20;7:154. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00154. eCollection 2016.
PMID: 27703434 Free PMC article.
Integrating biological treatment mechanisms into randomized clinical trials: Design of PROGrESS (PROlonGed ExpoSure and Sertraline Trial).
Rauch SAM, Simon NM, Kim HM, Acierno R, King AP, Norman SB, Venners MR, Porter K, Phan KL, Tuerk PW, Allard C, Liberzon I, Rothbaum BO, Martis B, Stein MB, Hoge CW.
Contemp Clin Trials. 2018 Jan;64:128-138. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2017.10.013. Epub 2017 Oct 29.
PMID: 29081351 Clinical Trial.
Changes in Salivary Cortisol During Psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Study in 30 Veterans.
Rauch SAM, King AP, Liberzon I, Sripada RK.
J Clin Psychiatry. 2017 May;78(5):599-603. doi: 10.4088/JCP.15m10596.
PMID: 28102979 Clinical Trial.
A pilot study of group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
King AP, Erickson TM, Giardino ND, Favorite T, Rauch SA, Robinson E, Kulkarni M, Liberzon I.
Depress Anxiety. 2013 Jul;30(7):638-45. doi: 10.1002/da.22104. Epub 2013 Apr 17.
PMID: 23596092 Free PMC article.
Neurobiology of Self Construal
Interdependent self-construal predicts increased gray matter volume of scene processing regions in the brain.
Yu Q, King AP, Yoon C, Liberzon I, Schaefer SM, Davidson RJ, Kitayama S.
Biol Psychol. 2021 Apr;161:108050. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108050. Epub 2021 Feb 13.
PMID: 33592270
DRD4 polymorphisms modulate reward positivity and P3a in a gambling task: Exploring a genetic basis for cultural learning.
Glazer J, King A, Yoon C, Liberzon I, Kitayama S.
Psychophysiology. 2020 Oct;57(10):e13623. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13623. Epub 2020 Jun 25.
PMID: 32583892
The gray matter volume of the temporoparietal junction varies across cultures: a moderating role of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4).
Kitayama S, Yu Q, King AP, Yoon C, Liberzon I.
Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci. 2020 May 11;15(2):193-202. doi: 10.1093/scan/nsaa032.
PMID: 32300802 Free PMC article.
Cultural variation in the gray matter volume of the prefrontal cortex is moderated by the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4).
Yu Q, Abe N, King A, Yoon C, Liberzon I, Kitayama S.
Cereb Cortex. 2019 Aug 14;29(9):3922-3931. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhy271.
PMID: 30364935
Gene by Culture Effects on Emotional Processing of Social Cues among East Asians and European Americans.
Javanbakht A, Tompson S, Kitayama S, King A, Yoon C, Liberzon I.
Behav Sci (Basel). 2018 Jul 11;8(7):62. doi: 10.3390/bs8070062.
PMID: 29997310 Free PMC article.
Dopamine-System Genes and Cultural Acquisition: The Norm Sensitivity Hypothesis.
Kitayama S, King A, Hsu M, Liberzon I, Yoon C.
Curr Opin Psychol. 2016 Apr;8:167-174. doi: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.11.006. Epub 2015 Dec 24.
PMID: 28491931 Free PMC article.
Dopamine Receptor Gene DRD4 7-Repeat Allele X Maternal Sensitivity Interaction on Child Externalizing Behavior Problems: Independent Replication of Effects at 18 Months.
King AP, Muzik M, Hamilton L, Taylor AB, Rosenblum KL, Liberzon I.
PLoS One. 2016 Aug 5;11(8):e0160473. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160473. eCollection 2016.
PMID: 27494520 Free PMC article
The dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) moderates cultural difference in independent versus interdependent social orientation.
Kitayama S, King A, Yoon C, Tompson S, Huff S, Liberzon I.
Psychol Sci. 2014 Jun;25(6):1169-77. doi: 10.1177/0956797614528338. Epub 2014 Apr 18.
PMID: 24747168
Neurobiology of PTSD:
Cortical volume abnormalities in posttraumatic stress disorder: an ENIGMA-psychiatric genomics consortium PTSD workgroup mega-analysis.
Wang X, Xie H, Chen T, Cotton AS, Salminen LE, Logue MW, … Jovanovic T, Kaufman ML, King AP, Koch SBJ,… , Thompson PM, Morey RA, Liberzon I.
Mol Psychiatry. 2020 Dec 7:10.1038/s41380-020-00967-1. doi: 10.1038/s41380-020-00967-1. Online ahead of print.
PMID: 33288872
Genomic influences on self-reported childhood maltreatment.
Dalvie S, Maihofer AX, Coleman JRI, Bradley B, Breen G, Brick LA, Chen CY, Choi KW, Duncan LE, Guffanti G, Haas M, Harnal S, Liberzon I, Nugent NR, Provost AC, Ressler KJ, Torres K, Amstadter AB, Bryn Austin S, Baker DG, Bolger EA, Bryant RA, Calabrese JR, Delahanty DL, Farrer LA, Feeny NC, Flory JD, Forbes D, Galea S, Gautam A, Gelernter J, Hammamieh R, Jett M, Junglen AG, Kaufman ML, Kessler RC, Khan A, Kranzler HR, Lebois LAM, Marmar C, Mavissakalian MR, McFarlane A, Donnell MO, Orcutt HK, Pietrzak RH, Risbrough VB, Roberts AL, Rothbaum AO, Roy-Byrne P, Ruggiero K, Seligowski AV, Sheerin CM, Silove D, Smoller JW, Stein MB, Teicher MH, Ursano RJ, Van Hooff M, Winternitz S, Wolff JD, Yehuda R, Zhao H, Zoellner LA, Stein DJ, Koenen KC, Nievergelt CM.
Transl Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 27;10(1):38. doi: 10.1038/s41398-020-0706-0. PMID: 32066696 Free PMC article.
Molecular genetic overlap between posttraumatic stress disorder and sleep phenotypes.
Lind MJ, Brick LA, Gehrman PR, Duncan LE, Gelaye B, Maihofer AX, Nievergelt CM, Nugent NR, Stein MB, Amstadter AB; Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
Sleep. 2020 Apr 15;43(4):zsz257. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsz257. PMID: 31802129 Free PMC article.
International meta-analysis of PTSD genome-wide association studies identifies sex- and ancestry-specific genetic risk loci.
Nievergelt CM, Maihofer AX, Klengel T, Atkinson EG, Chen CY, … Hauser MA, Heath AC, Hemmings SMJ, Hougaard DM, Jakovljevic M, Jett M, Johnson EO, Jones I, Jovanovic T, Qin XJ, Junglen AG, Karstoft KI, Kaufman ML, Kessler RC, Khan A, Kimbrel NA, King AP, … Zhao H, Zoellner LA, Liberzon I, Ressler KJ, Haas M, Koenen KC.
Nat Commun. 2019 Oct 8;10(1):4558. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-12576-w.
PMID: 31594949 Free PMC article.
MicroRNA-19b predicts widespread pain and posttraumatic stress symptom risk in a sex-dependent manner following trauma exposure.
Linnstaedt SD, Rueckeis CA, Riker KD, Pan Y, Wu A, Yu S, Wanstrath B, Gonzalez M, Harmon E, Green P, Chen CV, King T, Lewandowski C, Hendry PL, Pearson C, Kurz MC, Datner E, Velilla MA, Domeier R, Liberzon I, Mogil JS, Levine J, McLean SA.
Pain. 2020 Jan;161(1):47-60. doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001709.
PMID: 31569141 Free PMC article.
Neural Mechanisms of Spatial Attention Deficits in Trauma.
Russman Block SR, Weissman DH, Sripada C, Angstadt M, Duval ER, King AP, Liberzon I.
Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2020 Oct;5(10):991-1001. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.05.014. Epub 2019 Jun 5. PMID: 31377230
Smaller Hippocampal Volume in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Multisite ENIGMA-PGC Study: Subcortical Volumetry Results From Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Consortia.
Logue MW, van Rooij SJH, Dennis EL, Davis SL, Hayes JP, Stevens JS, Densmore M, Haswell CC, Ipser J, Koch SBJ, Korgaonkar M, Lebois LAM, Peverill M, Baker JT, Boedhoe PSW, Frijling JL, Gruber SA, Harpaz-Rotem I, Jahanshad N, Koopowitz S, Levy I, Nawijn L, O'Connor L, Olff M, Salat DH, Sheridan MA, Spielberg JM, van Zuiden M, Winternitz SR, Wolff JD, Wolf EJ, Wang X, Wrocklage K, Abdallah CG, Bryant RA, Geuze E, Jovanovic T, Kaufman ML, King AP, Krystal JH, Lagopoulos J, Bennett M, Lanius R, Liberzon I, McGlinchey RE, McLaughlin KA, Milberg WP, Miller MW, Ressler KJ, Veltman DJ, Stein DJ, Thomaes K, Thompson PM, Morey RA.
Biol Psychiatry. 2018 Feb 1;83(3):244-253. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.09.006. Epub 2017 Sep 20.
PMID: 29217296 Free PMC article.
A putative causal relationship between genetically determined female body shape and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Polimanti R, Amstadter AB, Stein MB, Almli LM, Baker DG, Bierut LJ, Bradley B, Farrer LA, Johnson EO, King A, Kranzler HR, Maihofer AX, Rice JP, Roberts AL, Saccone NL, Zhao H, Liberzon I, Ressler KJ, Nievergelt CM, Koenen KC, Gelernter J; Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Workgroup.
Genome Med. 2017 Nov 27;9(1):99. doi: 10.1186/s13073-017-0491-4.
PMID: 29178946 Free PMC article.
Gestational and Postnatal Cortisol Profiles of Women With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and the Dissociative Subtype.
Seng JS, Li Y, Yang JJ, King AP, Kane Low LM, Sperlich M, Rowe H, Lee H, Muzik M, Ford JD, Liberzon I.
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2018 Jan;47(1):12-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jogn.2017.10.008. Epub 2017 Nov 22.
PMID: 29175262 Free PMC article.
Largest GWAS of PTSD (N=20 070) yields genetic overlap with schizophrenia and sex differences in heritability.
Duncan LE, Ratanatharathorn A, Aiello AE, Almli LM, Amstadter AB, Ashley-Koch AE, Baker DG, Beckham JC, Bierut LJ, Bisson J, Bradley B, Chen CY, Dalvie S, Farrer LA, Galea S, Garrett ME, Gelernter JE, Guffanti G, Hauser MA, Johnson EO, Kessler RC, Kimbrel NA, King A, Koen N, Kranzler HR, Logue MW, Maihofer AX, Martin AR, Miller MW, Morey RA, Nugent NR, Rice JP, Ripke S, Roberts AL, Saccone NL, Smoller JW, Stein DJ, Stein MB, Sumner JA, Uddin M, Ursano RJ, Wildman DE, Yehuda R, Zhao H, Daly MJ, Liberzon I, Ressler KJ, Nievergelt CM, Koenen KC.
Mol Psychiatry. 2018 Mar;23(3):666-673. doi: 10.1038/mp.2017.77. Epub 2017 Apr 25.
PMID: 28439101 Free PMC article.
Behavioral and neural correlates of disrupted orienting attention in posttraumatic stress disorder.
Russman Block S, King AP, Sripada RK, Weissman DH, Welsh R, Liberzon I.
Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2017 Apr;17(2):422-436. doi: 10.3758/s13415-016-0488-2.
PMID: 27966102
Childhood Cumulative Risk Exposure and Adult Amygdala Volume and Function.
Evans GW, Swain JE, King AP, Wang X, Javanbakht A, Ho SS, Angstadt M, Phan KL, Xie H, Liberzon I.
J Neurosci Res. 2016 Jun;94(6):535-43. doi: 10.1002/jnr.23681. Epub 2015 Oct 15.
PMID: 26469872 Free PMC article.
Presurgical Psychological and Neuroendocrine Predictors of Psychiatric Morbidity After Major Vascular Surgery: A Prospective Longitudinal Study.
King AP, Abelson JL, Gholami B, Upchurch GR Jr, Henke P, Graham L, Liberzon I.
Psychosom Med. 2015 Nov-Dec;77(9):993-1005. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000235.
PMID: 26461854 Free PMC article.
Childhood Poverty Predicts Adult Amygdala and Frontal Activity and Connectivity in Response to Emotional Faces.
Javanbakht A, King AP, Evans GW, Swain JE, Angstadt M, Phan KL, Liberzon I.
Front Behav Neurosci. 2015 Jun 12;9:154. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00154. eCollection 2015.
PMID: 26124712 Free PMC article.
Biological and symptom changes in posttraumatic stress disorder treatment: a randomized clinical trial.
Rauch SA, King AP, Abelson J, Tuerk PW, Smith E, Rothbaum BO, Clifton E, Defever A, Liberzon I.
Depress Anxiety. 2015 Mar;32(3):204-12. doi: 10.1002/da.22331. Epub 2014 Dec 30.
PMID: 25639570 Free article. Clinical Trial.
Impaired contextual modulation of memories in PTSD: an fMRI and psychophysiological study of extinction retention and fear renewal.
Garfinkel SN, Abelson JL, King AP, Sripada RK, Wang X, Gaines LM, Liberzon I.
J Neurosci. 2014 Oct 1;34(40):13435-43. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4287-13.2014.
PMID: 25274821 Free PMC article.
Interaction of the ADRB2 gene polymorphism with childhood trauma in predicting adult symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Liberzon I, King AP, Ressler KJ, Almli LM, Zhang P, Ma ST, Cohen GH, Tamburrino MB, Calabrese JR, Galea S. JAMA Psychiatry. 2014 Oct;71(10):1174-82. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.999.
PMID: 25162199 Free PMC article.
Haplotype-based study of the association of alcohol and acetaldehyde-metabolising genes with alcohol dependence (with or without comorbid anxiety symptoms) in a Cape Mixed Ancestry population.
Crawford A, Dalvie S, Lewis S, King A, Liberzon I, Fein G, Koenen K, Ramesar R, Stein DJ.
Metab Brain Dis. 2014 Jun;29(2):333-40. doi: 10.1007/s11011-014-9503-x. Epub 2014 Feb 25.
PMID: 24567230 Free PMC article.
Genetic association analysis of 300 genes identifies a risk haplotype in SLC18A2 for post-traumatic stress disorder in two independent samples.
Solovieff N, Roberts AL, Ratanatharathorn A, Haloosim M, De Vivo I, King AP, Liberzon I, Aiello A, Uddin M, Wildman DE, Galea S, Smoller JW, Purcell SM, Koenen KC.
Neuropsychopharmacology. 2014 Jul;39(8):1872-9. doi: 10.1038/npp.2014.34. Epub 2014 Feb 14.
PMID: 24525708 Free PMC article.
DHEA enhances emotion regulation neurocircuits and modulates memory for emotional stimuli.
Sripada RK, Marx CE, King AP, Rajaram N, Garfinkel SN, Abelson JL, Liberzon I.
Neuropsychopharmacology. 2013 Aug;38(9):1798-807. doi: 10.1038/npp.2013.79. Epub 2013 Apr 3.
PMID: 23552182 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Allopregnanolone elevations following pregnenolone administration are associated with enhanced activation of emotion regulation neurocircuits.
Sripada RK, Marx CE, King AP, Rampton JC, Ho SS, Liberzon I.
Biol Psychiatry. 2013 Jun 1;73(11):1045-53. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.12.008. Epub 2013 Jan 21.
PMID: 23348009 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Neural dysregulation in posttraumatic stress disorder: evidence for disrupted equilibrium between salience and default mode brain networks.
Sripada RK, King AP, Welsh RC, Garfinkel SN, Wang X, Sripada CS, Liberzon I.
Psychosom Med. 2012 Nov-Dec;74(9):904-11. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0b013e318273bf33. Epub 2012 Oct 31.
PMID: 23115342 Free PMC article.
Altered resting-state amygdala functional connectivity in men with posttraumatic stress disorder.
Sripada RK, King AP, Garfinkel SN, Wang X, Sripada CS, Welsh RC, Liberzon I.
J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2012 Jul;37(4):241-9. doi: 10.1503/jpn.110069.
PMID: 22313617 Free PMC article.