Karen J. Hartwell

Karen J. Hartwell is a Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Her academic focus centers on nicotine dependence and neuroimaging (fMRI) applications in addiction research.

Her research involves innovative approaches to substance use disorders, including

• Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for stimulant and nicotine dependence
• Oxytocin's role in modulating neural responses to social stress and reward
• Telemedicine models to improve access to addiction treatment
• Analysis of vaping trends in the southeastern United States

Recent publications highlight TMS neuroimaging studies for addiction treatment (2023-2025), with keywords spanning Addiction Medicine, Neuroimaging, and Psychiatric Research. Key subfields include Opioid Use Disorder, Cocaine Addiction, and Neuromodulation.

Clinically, she works at the MUSC Health Institute of Psychiatry, with expertise in treating substance-related disorders. Her work also addresses implementation challenges in rural healthcare and medication adherence in veterans populations.