Bernadette M. Cortese

Bernadette M. Cortese is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), affiliated with the College of Medicine. Her research focuses on olfactory biomarkers of neuropsychiatric disorders, anxiety, stress, fear, and the neurobiological mechanisms underlying sensory dysfunction in chronic disease. She leads a clinical trial investigating smell training and trigeminal nerve stimulation for post-COVID olfactory loss, with a subspecialty interest in the interplay between emotional processing and long-COVID symptoms.

Research Contributions: Dr. Cortese’s work integrates neuroscience and clinical psychiatry, particularly addressing sensory deficits in neurological conditions. Her 2023 trial explores innovative at-home therapies for smell recovery, combining behavioral interventions with neurostimulation techniques. She also investigates cognitive and emotional impacts of long-COVID through EEG studies of emotional cue processing.

Professional Activity: She holds a primary appointment in Psychiatry and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams across MUSC’s clinical and research divisions. Her lab focuses on translational approaches to sensory and affective disorders, aiming to bridge basic science discoveries with clinical applications.