Tommy Ng, PhD

My research focuses on improving our understanding and treatment of mood, anxiety, sleep, addictive, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. What are the mechanisms underlying these mental health conditions? Why do some patients respond to a particular treatment while others do not? How can we predict whether a patient will benefit from a specific treatment? How can we improve our treatments? To address these questions, my work encompasses basic science research that utilizes functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques and applied clinical research that involves randomized controlled trials.

Peer-Reviewed Publications and Book Chapters

2023

Walsh, R. F. L., Smith, L. T., Klugman, J., Titone, M. K., Ng, T. H., Goel, N., & Alloy, L. B. (2023). An examination of bidirectional associations between physical activity and mood symptoms among individuals diagnosed and at risk for bipolar spectrum disorders. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 161, 104255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2023.104255

2022

Lynch, C., Elbau, I., Ng, T. H., Wolk, D., Zhu, S., Ayaz, A., Power, J. D., Zebley, B., Gunning, F. M., Liston, C. (2022). Automated optimization of TMS coil placement for personalized functional network engagement. Neuron, 110(20), 3263-3277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2022.08.012

Walsh, R. F. L., Smith, L. T., Titone, M. K., Ng, T. H., Goel, N., & Alloy, L. B. (2022). The relationship between physical activity states and depressive symptoms: Using ambulatory assessment to characterize day-to-day associations among individuals with and without bipolar spectrum disorder. Depression and Anxiety, 39, 835-844. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.23290

Carroll, A. L., Damme, K. S. F., Alloy, L. B., Bart, C. P., Ng, T. H., Titone, M. K., Chein, J., Armstrong, C. C., & Nusslock, R (2022). Risk for bipolar spectrum disorders associated with positive urgency and orbitofrontal cortical grey matter volume. NeuroImage: Clinical, 36, 103225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103225

Damme, K. S. F., Alloy, L. B., Kelley, N. J., Carroll, A., Young, C. B., Chein, J., Mohamed, F., Ng, T. H., Titone, M. K., Bart, C. P., & Nusslock, R. (2022). Bipolar spectrum disorders are associated with increased in gray matter volume in the medial orbitofrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. JCPP Advances, 2(1), e12068. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12068

Titone, M. K., Goel, N., Ng, T. H., MacMullen, L. E., & Alloy, L. B. (2022). Impulsivity and sleep and circadian rhythm disturbance predict next-day mood symptoms in a sample at high risk for bipolar disorder: An ecological momentary assessment study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 298, 17-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.155

2021

Bart, C. P., Nusslock, R., Ng, T. H., Titone, M. K., Carroll, A. L., Damme, K. S. F., Young, C. B., Armstrong, C. C., Chein, J., & Alloy, L. B. (2021). Decreased reward-related brain function prospectively predicts increased substance use. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 130(8), 886-898. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000711

Bart, C. P., Titone, M. K., Ng, T. H., Nusslock, R., & Alloy, L. B. (2021). Neural reward circuit dysfunction as a risk factor for bipolar spectrum disorders and substance use disorders: A review and integration. Clinical Psychology Review, 87, 102035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102035

Mac Giollabhui, N., Ng, T. H., Ellman, L. M., & Alloy, L. B. (2021). The longitudinal associations of inflammatory biomarkers and depression revisited: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Molecular Psychiatry, 26, 3302-3314. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-020-00867-4

2020

Titone, M. K., McArthur, B. A., Ng, T. H., Burke, T. A., McLaughlin, L. E., MacMullen, L. E., Goel, N., & Alloy, L. B. (2020). Sex and race influence objective and subjective sleep and circadian measures in individuals at risk for bipolar spectrum disorder. Scientific Reports, 10, 13731. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-70750-3

Damme, K. S. F., Young, C. B., Nusslock, R., Kelley, N. J., Chein, J., Ng, T. H., Titone, M. K., Black, C. B., & Alloy, L. B. (2020). Amygdala subnuclei volume abnormalities across the bipolar spectrum: Insight from diffusion-based subsegmentation and a high-risk design. Human Brain Mapping, 41(12), 3358-3369. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25021

Moriarity, D. P., Ng, T. H., Titone, M. K., Chat, I., Nusslock, R., Miller, G. E., & Alloy, L. B. (2020). Reward responsiveness and ruminative styles interact to predict inflammation and mood symptomatology. Behavior Therapy, 51(5), 829-842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2019.11.007

Moriarity, D. P., Ng, T. H., Curley, E., McArthur, B. A., Ellman, L. M., Coe, C. M., Abramson, L. Y., & Alloy, L. B. (2020). Reward sensitivity, cognitive response style, and inflammatory response to an acute stressor in adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 49, 2149-2159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-020-01216-y

Alloy, L. B., Mac Giollabhui, N., Graham, A. A., Stumper, A., Bart, C. P., Curley, E. E., McLaughlin, L. E., Moriarity, D. P., & Ng, T. H. (2020). Depressive disorders and bipolar and related disorders. In J. E. Maddux & B. A. Winstead (Eds.), Psychopathology: Foundations for a Contemporary Understanding (5th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Alloy, L. B., Ng, T. H., & Moriarity, D. (2020). Bipolar mood disorders. In V. Zeigler-Hill and T. K. Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. New York, NY: Springer.

Alloy, L. B., Titone, M. K., Ng, T. H., & Bart, C. P. (2020). Stress in bipolar disorder. In K. Harkness and E. Hayden (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Stress and Mental Health. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

2019

Ng, T. H., Alloy, L. B., & Smith, D. V. (2019). Meta-analysis of reward processing in major depressive disorder reveals distinct abnormalities within the reward circuit. Translational Psychiatry, 9, 293. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-019-0644-x

Nusslock, R., Glazer, J., Ng, T. H., Titone, M. K., & Alloy, L. B. (2019). Reward hypersensitivity in bipolar disorder: From mechanisms to markers to treatment. In J. Gruber (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Positive Emotion and Psychopathology. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

2018

Titone, M. K., Freed, R. D., O’Garro-Moore, J. K., Gepty, A., Ng, T. H., Stange, J. P., Abramson, L. Y., & Alloy, L. B. (2018). The role of lifetime anxiety history in the course of bipolar spectrum disorders. Psychiatry Research, 264, 202-209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.03.087

2017

Ng, T. H., Burke, T. A., Stange, J. P., Walshaw, P. D., Weiss, R. B., Abramson, L. Y., & Alloy, L. B. (2017). Personality disorder symptom severity predicts onset of mood episodes and conversion to bipolar I disorder in individuals with bipolar spectrum disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 126(3), 271-284. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000255

Ng, T. H., Freed, R. D., Titone, M. K., Stange, J. P., Weiss, R. B., Abramson, L. Y., & Alloy, L. B. (2017). Aggression protects against the onset of major depressive episodes in individuals with bipolar spectrum disorder. Behavior Therapy, 48(3), 311-321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2016.08.005

Alloy, L. B., Ng, T. H., Titone, M. K., & Boland, E. M. (2017). Circadian rhythm dysregulation in bipolar spectrum disorders. Current Psychiatry Report, 19, 21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-017-0772-z

2016

Ng, T. H., Chung, K. F., Ng, K. T., Lee, C. T, & Chan, M. S. (2016). Correlates and prognostic relevance of sleep irregularity in interepisode bipolar disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 69, 155-162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.05.016

Ng, T. H., Chung, K. F., Lee, C. T., Yeung, W. F., & Ho, F. Y. (2016). Eveningness and its associated impairments in interepisode bipolar disorder. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 14(6), 650-664. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2015.1065407

Ho, F. Y., Yeung, W. F., Ng, T. H., & Chan, C. S. (2016) The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of stepped care prevention and treatment for depressive and/or anxiety disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 6, 29281. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep29281

Ng, T. H., Stange, J. P., Black, C. L., Titone, M. K., Weiss, R. B., Abramson, L. Y., & Alloy, L. B. (2016). Impulsivity predicts the onset of DSM-IV-TR or RDC hypomanic and manic episodes in adolescents and young adults with high or moderate reward sensitivity. Journal of Affective Disorders, 198, 88-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.03.045

Yung, K. P., Chung, K. F., Ho, F. Y., Yeung, W. F., & Ng, T. H. (2016). The experience of chronic insomnia among Chinese adults: A study using focus groups and insomnia experience diaries. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 14, 406-428. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2015.1017097

2015

Alloy, L. B., Boland, E. M., Ng, T. H., Whitehouse, W. G., & Abramson, L. Y. (2015). Low social rhythm regularity predicts first onset of bipolar spectrum disorder among individuals with high reward sensitivity. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 124(4), 944-952. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000107

Lam, T. H., Chung, K. F., Yeung, W. F., Yu, Y. M., Yung, K. P., & Ng, T. H. (2015). Hypnotherapy for insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 23(5), 719-732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2015.07.011

Ng, T. H., Chung, K. F., Ho, F. Y., Yeung, W. F, Yung, K. P., & Lam, T. H. (2015). Sleep-wake disturbance in people with interepisode bipolar disorder and high-risk individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 20, 46-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.06.006

Yeung, W. F., Chung, K. F., Yung, K. P., & Ng, T. H. (2015). Doxepin for insomnia: A systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 19, 75-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.06.001

Ho, F. Y., Chung, K. F., Yeung, W. F., Ng. T. H., Kwan, K. S., Yung, K. P., & Cheng, S. K. (2015). Self-help cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 19, 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2014.06.010

2014

Ho, F. Y., Chung, K. F., Yeung, W. F., Ng, T. H., & Cheng, S. K. (2014). Weekly brief phone support in self-help cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia disorder: Relevance to adherence and efficacy. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 63, 147-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.10.002

Chung, K. F., Yu, Y. M., Yung, K. P., Yeung, W. F., Ng. T. H., & Ho, F. Y. (2014). Assessment of fatigue using the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory in patients with major depressive disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(7), 1671-1678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2014.06.006

2013

Ng, T. H. & Johnson S. L. (2013). Rejection sensitivity is correlated with quality of life, psychosocial outcome, and the course of depression in euthymic patients with bipolar I disorder. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 37, 1169-1178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-013-9552-1

Edge, M. D., Johnson, S. L., Ng, T. H., & Carver, C. S. (2013). Iowa gambling task performance in euthymic bipolar I disorder: A meta-analysis and empirical study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 150, 115-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.11.027

Selected Honors and Awards

2020-2022   Croucher Fellowship for Postdoctoral Research - Croucher Foundation

2019-2020   Elizabeth Munsterberg Koppitz Child Psychology Graduate Fellowship - American Psychological Foundation

2020   Payne Whitney Faculty Council Award for Outstanding Research - Weill Cornell Medicine

2017-2019   Presidential Fellowship - Temple University

2019   Travel Fellowship Award - Society of Biological Psychiatry

2019   Outstanding Student Researcher Award - Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology

2019   Psychological Science Research Grant - American Psychological Association of Graduate Students

2018   President’s Award - Society for Research in Psychopathology

2018   Harry and Miriam Levinson Scholarship - American Psychological Foundation and Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology

2017   Johnson Youngstrom Prize for Outstanding Student Poster - Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

2016   Early Graduate Student Researcher Award  - American Psychological Association

2016-2018   Commendation for Excellence - Temple University

2014-2017   Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship for Oversea Studies - Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund

2012-2014   Postgraduate Scholarship - The University of Hong Kong