About

Bonnie Klimes-Dougan is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Minnesota's College of Liberal Arts. Her long-term goal is to explicate risk factors associated with early stages of depression and suicidal risk to facilitate more effective intervention. Her research focuses on understanding developmental and neuroscience approaches that examine the stress and emotion regulatory systems implicated in depression, particularly during adolescence. She has concentrated on assessing key front-limbic neurocircuitry using imaging techniques and associated physiological systems such as the HPA axis. Additionally, her work aims to identify factors that modify risk trajectories and influence neurobiological regulatory processes in depressed youth, including parenting emotion socialization practices and psychosocial prevention efforts.

Selected publications

• 126. Valence-Specific Links Between Emotional Interference, Neural Flexibility, and Adolescent Internalizing Symptoms

  Biological Psychiatry · 2026-04-25

  article
  PublisherDOI

• ATP bioenergetics and fatigue in young adults with and without major depression

  Translational Psychiatry · 2026-03-04

  articleOpen access

  Fatigue is a pervasive and difficult-to-treat symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD) that contributes to disability. Understanding this problem in its earlier stages will be critical for averting long-term negative outcomes. To investigate the molecular roots of fatigue in early-stage depression, the current work measured bioenergetic mechanisms, with a focus on adenosine triphosphate (ATP), in brain and blood cells in young adults with MDD versus healthy controls (HC). To measure ATP concentration and ATP production rate in the visual cortex, we utilized 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging with magnetization transfer (31P MRSI-MT) at 7 Tesla, with and without gamma-ATP resonance saturation. ATP level was also measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at rest and after serial addition of mitochondrial inhibitors. Out of 25 participants (mean age 21.8 years), usable data were available for 18 participants for imaging (9 per group); 24 for PBMCs (13 HC; 11 MDD). The MDD group demonstrated higher ATP production rate in the visual cortex than HC, which correlated positively with Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) scores. ATP concentrations in PBMCs were higher in MDD than HC, and also correlated with FSS scores. After mitochondrial uncoupling, PBMCs in the MDD group had a lower capacity for ATP production than HC. For the first time, we demonstrate an ATP biosignature of fatigue in young adults with MDD that is visible in both brain and peripheral blood. The findings suggest a compensatory mechanism that occurs early in the disease stage.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Preliminary Reporting Patterns of Suicide Ideation and Attempt Among Native American Adolescents in Two Samples

  UNC Libraries · 2025-03-28

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVE: Native American adolescents are disproportionately burdened by suicidality. Here, we examine patterns of reporting of suicide ideation and suicide attempt among Native American youth compared to those from other ethnoracial backgrounds, as this data is important for grounding commonly subscribed to frameworks of suicide risk (e.g., ideation-to-action). METHOD: Data are from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (<em>N</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;54,243; grades 9-12; 51.0% female) and Minnesota Student Survey (<em>N</em>&thinsp;=&thinsp;335,151; grades 8, 9, 11; 50.7% female). Comparing Native American youth to peers from other ethnoracial backgrounds, we examined two suicide reporting patterns: 1) odds of reporting suicide attempt among those who reported ideation and 2) odds of reporting suicide ideation among those who reported an attempt. RESULTS: Across both samples, when reporting suicide ideation, youth from other ethnoracial backgrounds were 20-55% less likely than Native American youth to also report attempt. While few consistent differences were observed between Native American youth and those from other racial minority backgrounds in patterns of co-reporting suicide ideation and attempt across samples, White youth were between 37% and 63% less likely than Native American youth to report a suicide attempt without also reporting ideation. CONCLUSIONS: The increased odds of engaging in a suicide attempt with or without reporting ideation question the generalizability of widely held frameworks of suicide risk to Native American youth and have important implications for suicide risk monitoring. Future research is needed to illuminate how these behaviors unfold over time and the potential mechanisms of risk for engaging in suicide attempts in this disproportionately burdened group. <strong>Abbreviations:</strong> YRBSS: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey; MSS: Minnesota Student Survey.

  PublisherDOI

• Considerations for Cross-Cultural Adaptations and Implementation of Interpersonal Psychotherapy: A Review

  American Journal of Psychotherapy · 2025-06-18 · 1 citations

  reviewSenior author

  OBJECTIVE: Strong social relationships are among the best predictors of mental health, physical health, and longevity, regardless of race or culture. Problems with interpersonal relationships are associated with depression, yet few interventions for depression focus on enhancing social capital. Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and its adaptation for adolescents (IPT-A) are effective, evidence-based treatments for depression aimed at mitigating depressive symptoms by strengthening an individual's interpersonal functioning. Although IPT's efficacy has been established with largely White and middle- and high-income samples, this review highlights studies using IPT and IPT-A to treat depression or depressive symptoms among those affected by marginalization or health disparities around the world. Extensive consideration is given to cultural and contextual adaptations, as well as changes in implementation of the intervention, that the studies may have employed. METHODS: A literature search was conducted in three databases. The studies included in the review examined IPT as a treatment for depression and depressive symptoms in communities for whom IPT was not originally validated and who may experience health care disparities (e.g., marginalized communities and low- and middle-income countries). RESULTS: Forty-nine studies that adapted or adjusted implementation processes of IPT and related therapies across cultures were identified and included. Common adaptations and implementations included culturally appropriate changes to language or vernacular, treatment location, and therapist characteristics. Studies generally supported IPT for individuals facing health care disparities. CONCLUSIONS: Although initially developed and validated with predominantly White, middle- to high-income samples, IPT and IPT-A may be effective and adaptable interventions across cultural settings, requiring culturally and contextually informed adaptations and adjustments to implementation for optimal success.

  PublisherDOI

• Examination of oxidative stress and glutamate as potential mechanisms of N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of non-suicidal self-injury in young people assigned female at birth: randomised trial

  BJPsych Open · 2025-09-01 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) often emerges during adolescence and young adulthood. A prior open-label pilot study suggested that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may reduce NSSI frequency in young individuals. AIMS: This study investigated potential NSSI-related biological markers for NAC in young adults with a history of NSSI using a placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial of two NAC dosage regimens. METHOD: Forty-three individuals (assigned female at birth) aged 16-24 years and with a history of NSSI were randomly assigned to either low-dose NAC (3600 mg/day), high-dose NAC (5400 mg/day) or placebo treatment for 4 weeks. Participants underwent blood draws, magnetic resonance imaging with spectroscopy and clinical assessments before and after treatment. Primary outcomes included brain glutathione (GSH), blood reduced to oxidised GSH ratio and brain glutamate. Secondary outcomes included antioxidant protein levels, brain gamma-aminobutyric acid concentrations, functional connectivity (between amygdala and insula) and clinical outcomes. Pharmacokinetics, tolerability and correlations among measures were also explored. RESULTS: For 39 participants who completed study assessments at follow-up, weekly NSSI and depression symptoms improved similarly across both treatment and placebo groups, with no significant group differences in primary or secondary outcomes at follow-up. Some significant correlations emerged. CONCLUSIONS: The study did not support the proposed biological signatures of NAC in young adults with NSSI, although exploratory findings suggested potential biological correlates of clinical improvement. Further research is necessary to explore neurobiologically based treatments for young adults with NSSI.

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• What parents tell us about the complex reality of lethal means restriction

  BJPsych Open · 2025-11-01

  articleOpen access

  Through rich qualitative interviews, Simon and colleagues highlight how parents of suicidal adolescents navigate the process of lethal means restriction (LMR). Parents face challenges throughout the course of LMR that impact not only their ability to implement it effectively, but also the family dynamic at large. Results underscore a need for standardised, comprehensive training in LMR for clinical and medical professionals, as well as for policy solutions that can have more widespread influence and reduce the burden on parents as they support their children through an extraordinarily difficult time.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Regional brain morphology and current antidepressant use: findings from 32 international cohorts from the ENIGMA major depressive disorder working group

  Molecular Psychiatry · 2025-11-03 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  The understanding of how antidepressant (AD) use is associated with brain structure in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) remains incomplete. We aimed to examine the association between AD medication use and brain morphology in relation to age and sex by pooling structural neuroimaging and clinical data from 32 cohorts within the ENIGMA-MDD working group. Interaction effects of group (2076 cases with current AD use (AD), 1495 cases not currently taking AD (nAD) and 5125 healthy controls (HC)) with age and sex, and main effects of group on regional brain structure (cortical surface area and thickness, and subcortical volume) were examined. Additionally, we examined the effect of AD type (SSRI, SNRI or mirtazapine) and duration of use on brain morphology. Younger individuals in the AD group showed lower bilateral middle temporal gyrus thickness compared to nAD and HC, but this was not seen in older individuals (crossover around 50 years). Lower hippocampal volume and thinner inferior temporal gyrus were shown in AD compared to nAD. These effects were independent of group differences in disease-course-related measures, but were driven by depressive symptom severity. Greater bilateral rostral anterior cingulate thickness was found in individuals older than approximately 40 years taking mirtazapine compared to individuals taking SSRIs or SNRIs. Evidence for subtle structural brain differences in temporal and limbic regions in individuals with MDD who currently use AD medication were found compared to those not currently taking AD medication. Future longitudinal studies are needed to determine the causality of these associations.

  PublisherDOI

• Personal growth through navigating the world as an artist: a qualitative study of the impact of creativity camp on adolescents with depression

  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health · 2025-04-02 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: A growing body of literature suggests that creative arts interventions can effectively support mental health and well-being in young people. We recently reported that after participating in "Creativity Camp"- a 2-week creative arts group intervention- 69 adolescents with depression showed significantly reduced depression symptoms and improved ratings of well-being. To understand the key processes impacting adolescents during and after this intervention, this study applies a multi-informant qualitative data approach. METHOD: Qualitative data collection methods included participatory observation notes taken during the Creativity Camp sessions and interviewing the adolescents and their parents or guardians at the end of the intervention and six months later. We analyzed data using Constructivist Grounded Theory and triangulated the findings from both sets of data to gain comprehensive and reliable interpretation. RESULTS: We found several key processes in the adolescents' experiences during and after camp: internal negotiation between novelty and discomfort, exploring playfulness and responsibility, discovering the uniqueness of self and others, flexible approach toward life, and an expanded view of creativity. From parent interviews, we found that their children expanded personal boundaries and enthusiasm through deep engagement, empowered perspective, and sustained enthusiasm. Triangulating the data from both sources, we constructed a theory that explains the benefits of Creativity Camp on adolescent well-being: "Personal growth by navigating the world as an artist." DISCUSSION: The qualitative analysis identified key processes from the Creativity Camp intervention, along with changes and long-term impacts that may have fostered personal growth. The framework of navigating the world through an artist's lens as a pathway to personal growth presents a novel contribution to existing knowledge and practice in art-based interventions for adolescents with depression. This insight can help shape the design of future arts-in-health approaches for supporting adolescent mental health.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sexual Minority Stress: Preliminary Evidence of Accelerated Pubertal Development in Early Adolescence

  Journal of Adolescence · 2025-01-21 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  INTRODUCTION: Societal stressors place a tremendous burden on individuals who identify with a sexual minority identity. While minority stress experienced by racial/ethnic minority groups has been linked to accelerated aging, this link has yet to be examined among sexual minority youth. This study explores whether sexual minority youth who indicate experiencing stress at home or school (Minority Stress) due to their identity show evidence of accelerated aging (pubertal status or tempo) compared to those who do not report such experiences (No Minority Stress). METHODS: Data are from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Participants were approximately 9-10 years old at baseline, 10-11 years old at Time 1, and 11-12 years old at Time 2. Measures included child-reports of sexual minority identity and stressors, and parent-reports of adolescent pubertal development. RESULTS: Among 432 included participants who identified with a sexual minority identity, 83.6% were assigned female at birth and 24.8% were in the Minority Stress group. There were consistent results showing that sexual minority youth in the Minority Stress group showed accelerated pubertal status over time compared to those in the No Minority Stress group. Pubertal tempo (i.e., slope) was only accelerated for those who first identified as sexual minority at Time 2. CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore that minority stress experienced by sexual minority youth may be linked to differences in pubertal development among these youth. The developmental and clinical implications of these patterns present critical lines for future research concerned with the wellbeing of sexual minority youth.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Cannabis use and suicidal thoughts and behavior: A multi-site, co-twin control study from adolescence through middle adulthood

  2025-09-22

  articleOpen access

  Background: Observational studies have repeatedly linked cannabis use to increased suicidality, yet cannabis use rarely exists in isolation from other risk factors. We therefore tested whether these associations reflect a causal effect, reverse causation, or residual confounding.Methods: We analyzed twin cohorts based in Colorado and Minnesota (N = 6,420) followed from late adolescence into middle adulthood, with repeated assessments of cannabis use and suicidal thoughts/behavior (STB). Prospective and co-twin control analyses examined (a) cross-sectional and prospective links between cannabis use and STB, (b) whether these links persisted after adjusting for genetic and environmental confounds, and (c) whether middle-adulthood associations were moderated by legalized recreational cannabis.Findings: More frequent cannabis use was associated with elevated STB. After accounting for shared familial factors via co-twin control, this relationship remained significant in cross-sectional, but not prospective, analyses. In middle adulthood, associations between cannabis use and STB did not differ across states, regardless of recreational cannabis legalization status. Interpretation: Findings support a contemporaneous link between cannabis use and STB within twin pairs, potentially reflecting causal effects. However, the absence of a prospective within-pair association provides little support for the notion that cannabis use elevates future STB risk independent of familial liability. This pattern suggests causation may be limited to short-term effects, or that the cannabis-STB relationship may primarily reflect confounding by unmeasured time-varying factors (e.g., acute stressors).

  PublisherDOI

Labs

• Research in Adolescent Depression (RAD LAB)PI