Heather Brenhouse

Heather Brenhouse is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Psychology at Northeastern University. She holds a BS in Psychobiology from Binghamton University, an MS in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience from Rutgers University, and a PhD in Experimental Psychology from Northeastern University. Her postdoctoral training included work at Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital.

Her research focuses on the developmental neuropsychobiology of early life adversity, particularly how adverse experiences alter brain development and increase vulnerability to mental illness. She investigates stress-induced changes in prefrontal cortex interneurons, inflammatory responses, and their long-term behavioral consequences using rodent models. Key areas include sex differences in stress responses, pubertal timing, and interventions to mitigate adverse outcomes.

Dr. Brenhouse leads the Developmental Neuropsychobiology Lab, which employs genetic, behavioral, and pharmacological approaches to study corticolimbic connectivity and neuroimmune interactions. Her work bridges basic science and translational research, with implications for understanding anxiety, addiction, and psychiatric disorders in humans.

• Education:
  • BS in Psychobiology, Binghamton University
  • MS in Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers University
  • PhD in Experimental Psychology, Northeastern University
• Labs: Brenhouse Lab (Developmental Neuropsychobiology)
• Key Themes: Early life stress, neuroinflammation, adolescent neurodevelopment, sex differences, translational neuroscience