Erika Comasco

Erika Comasco is an Associate Professor at Uppsala University's Department of Neuroscience and a SciLifeLab Fellow. Her research focuses on the psychoneurobiology of women's mental health, particularly examining how gonadal hormones influence behavior and mental health through molecular, genetic, endocrine, pharmacological, neurophysiological and neuroimaging approaches.

Her primary research interests include the molecular underpinnings of gonadal hormones' influence on women's behavior and mental health, with emphasis on characterizing biomarkers for sex-specific disorders like premenstrual dysphoric disorder. She also investigates the effects of early-life stress and alcohol exposure on brain and behavior, examining (epi)gene-environment interactions in both rodent models and human population-based samples, with special focus on adolescence as a critical period for vulnerability to alcohol use and misuse.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent research activity from 2012 through 2025, with a clear focus on women's mental health across the reproductive spectrum. Her work spans neuroimaging studies, genetic analyses, pharmacological interventions, and systematic reviews, with particular emphasis on premenstrual dysphoric disorder, hormonal effects on brain function, and the biological aspects of mood disorders related to reproductive transitions.

Dr. Comasco leads a research group that includes multiple postdoctoral researchers and PhD students. Her collaborative network is extensive, with frequent co-authorship with researchers from Uppsala University and international institutions, particularly in studies examining hormonal influences on brain and behavior.