Dr. Scot Kristian Hill, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology in the College of Health Professions received his PhD in School Psychology from Ball State University, specializing in Clinical Neuropsychology. Dr. Hill completed Postdoctoral Fellowships in clinical neuropsychology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and the Brain Behavior Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Prior to joining RFUMS, Dr. Hill was a member of the Center for Cognitive Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Hill’s early research focused on learning disabilities and the impact of neurodevelopmental issues on cognitive abilities. More recently, his interests lie in neurocognitive deficits associated with psychosis; the neural and cognitive bases of working memory dysfunction in schizophrenia, particularly frontostriatal communications; electrophysiological and neuropsychological markers of psychosis; intermediate phenotypes shared among psychotic disorders; and neurotransmitter regulation in psychosis (genetic and systems level). Research methods include behavioral analysis, neuropsychological testing, electroencephalography (EEG), genotype analyses, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), multivariate analyses (pattern classification, subtype identification, structural equations modeling). Research reports have appeared in several areas including Neuropsychology, Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Psychology journals.

Honors include NIMH National Research Service Award Fellowship, NIMH Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award, and NIH Clinical Research Loan Repayment Program Award. Dr. Hill has been the principal investigator on several extramural and foundation grants and has served as co-investigator or consultant on several projects investigating disease and treatment related effects on neuroscognition in first episode and chronic schizophrenia, shared genetic liability underlying schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and cognitive and affective dysfunction in pediatric bipolar disorder.

Are You a Prospective Graduate Student? Dr. Hill will not be accepting a student for the 2022/2023 academic year.

Research

Dr. Hill is currently involved in researching neurocognition in psychosis. Specifically, Dr. Hill has ongoing involvement in the Bipolar and Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes (B-SNIP) research group. In addition, Dr. Hill has ongoing research with his lab at Rosalind Franklin University researching working memory deficits in schizophrenia across neuropsychological, genetic, and electroencephalographic methods. The lab's most recent publication involved integration of genetic and neuropsychological assessment data in understanding serial order processing deficits across varied conditions of stimulus recall in individual's with schizophrenia.

Research Lab

Research Topics

1. Neurocognition in psychosis
2. Cognitive treatment effects
3. Intermediate cognitive phenotypes

Dr. Hill is currently involved in researching neurocognition in psychosis. Specifically, Dr. Hill has ongoing involvement in the Bipolar and Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes (B-SNIP) research group. In addition, Dr. Hill has ongoing research with his lab at Rosalind Franklin University researching working memory deficits in schizophrenia across neuropsychological, genetic, and electroencephalographic methods. The lab's most recent publication involved integration of genetic and neuropsychological assessment data in understanding serial order processing deficits across varied conditions of stimulus recall in individual's with schizophrenia.

Graduate Students

	Tasha Rhoads, MS Tasha is a sixth-year student in the PhD program and is currently on internship at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. Her research interests include identifying neurophysiological and neuropsychological biomarkers of psychotic disorders as well as psychological and cognitive predictors of surgical outcome and success. In her free time, she enjoys attending concerts, sewing, cooking, traveling and gardening.
	Milena Gotra, MS Milena is a fifth-year student in the PhD program and is currently on internship at West Virginia University. Her research interests are in using neuroimaging and computerized paradigms to evaluate cognition, with recent projects in identifying divergent neuropathological and longitudinal cognitive profiles of psychosis. In her free time, she enjoys going for walks with her dog and traveling back to Russia.
	Lindsey Holbrook, MS Lindsey is a fifth-year student in the PhD program. Her research interests include traumatic brain injury, PTSD, emotional injury, and rehabilitation. In her free time, she enjoys singing, cooking, playing piano, working out, spending time with friends, and watching movies.
	Cari Cohen, MS Cari is a fourth-year student in the PhD program. Her research interests include aging, Alzheimer's disease, and mild cognitive impairment. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exercising, playing tennis, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.
	Erin Kaseda, MS Erin is a fourth-year student in the PhD program, completing dual specialization on the neuropsychology and health psychology tracks. Her research interests include the effects of cancer and its treatment on cognition, particularly in pediatric populations, as well as cognitive biomarkers of medical illness. This year, she is completing an advanced pediatric assessment practicum at NorthShore University Health System, as well as external research practica at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Lurie Children's Hospital. Erin also serves as the student representative to the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology's Board of Directors and as a student committee member of the Asian Neuropsychological Association and Division 40's Women in Neuropsychology committee. In her free time, Erin enjoys running half marathons and hiking with her West Highland White terrier, Hubble.
	Madison Dykins, BA Madison is a second-year student in the PhD program. Her research interests include environmental contributions to severe mental illness etiology, the duration of untreated psychosis and cognitive markers for clinical high risk for psychosis. In her free time, Madison enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and kickboxing.
	Mira Leese, BA Mira Leese is a first-year student in the PhD program. Her research interests include the development of Web-based performance validity tests (PVTs) as well as exploring digital biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease. In her free time, Mira enjoys singing, baking, watching documentaries, and exploring Chicago.
	Elmma Khalid, BA Elmma is a second-year in the Clinical Counseling program. Her research interests include psychosis, cognitive impairment, and the impact of trauma on psychological functioning. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, spending time with her friends, and teaching yoga.
	Alivia Hay, BA Alivia is a second-year student in the Clinical Counseling program on the research track. Her research interests include neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In her free time she enjoys gardening, playing the flute, exercising and spending time with friends/family.
	Izhani Rosa, BA Izhani Rosa is a first-year student in the Clinical Counseling program. Her research interests include neurodevelopmental disorders and the factors that affect social and academic outcomes (e.g., integration, TEACCH model, acceptance learning in typically developing peers). In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing with her dog, spending time with friends and family, and dancing.
	Sophia Parmacek, BA Sophia is a first-year student in the Clinical Counseling program. Her research interests include neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her dog and baking.
	Kelli Nini, BA Kelli is a first-year student in the Clinical Counseling program. Her research interests include psychopathy, aggression, and neuroanatomy. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, dancing, and strolling her native New Orleans.
	Alec Neale, MS

Alumni

Hayley Amsbaugh, PhD Jenna Axelrod, PhD Alison Buchholz, PhD Tarra Carrathers, PhD Courtney Eskridge, PhD William Hochberger, PhD Emily Kalscheur, PhD Zachery Resch, MS Jarret Roseberry, PhD Nicholas Velissaris, PhD Maura Wolfe, PhD

Publications

Gershon, E. S., Lee, S. H., Zhou, X., Sweeney, J. A., Tamminga, C., Pearlson, G. A., ... & Hill, S.K. (2021). An opportunity for primary prevention research in psychotic disorders. Schizophrenia Research.

 Parker, D. A., Trotti, R. L., McDowell, J. E., Keedy, S. K., Hill, S.K., Gershon, E. S., ... & Clementz, B. A. (2021). Auditory oddball responses across the schizophrenia-bipolar spectrum and their relationship to cognitive and clinical features. American Journal of Psychiatry, appi-ajp.

 Huang, L. Y., Jackson, B. S., Rodrigue, A. L., Tamminga, C. A., Gershon, E. S., Pearlson, G. D., Keshavan, M. S., Keedy, S. S., Hill, S.K., Sweeney, J. A., Clementz, B. A., & McDowell, J. E. (2021). Antisaccade error rates and gap effects in psychosis syndromes from bipolar-schizophrenia network for intermediate phenotypes 2 (B-SNIP2). Psychological Medicine, 1-10.

Eskridge, C. L., Hochberger, W. C., Kaseda, E. T., Lencer, R., Reilly, J. L., Keedy, S. K., ... & Hill, S.K. (2021). Deficits in generalized cognitive ability, visual sensorimotor function, and inhibitory control represent discrete domains of neurobehavioral deficit in psychotic disorders. Schizophrenia research, 236, 54-60.

Hill, S.K., Keefe, R., Sweeney, J., Hill, S., Keefe, R., & Sweeney, J. (2020). Cognitive biomarkers of psychosis. In Psychotic Disorders: Comprehensive Conceptualization and Treatments. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.

Hochberger, W. C., Eskridge, C., Bishop, J. R., Reilly, J. L., Rubin, L. H., Keedy, S., Gershon, E. S., Tamminga, C. A., Pearlson, G. D., Ragozzino, M., Keshavan, M. S., Sweeney, J. A., & Hill, S.K. (2020). Catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype differentially contributes to the flexibility and stability of cognitive sets in patients with psychotic disorders and their first-degree relatives. Schizophrenia research, S0920-9964(20)30433-3. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2020.08.005

Gotra, M. Y., Hill, S.K., Gershon, E. S., Tamminga, C. A., Ivleva, E. I., Pearlson, G. D., Keshavan, M. S., Clementz, B. A., McDowell, J. E., Buckley, P. F., Sweeney, J. A., & Keedy, S. K. (2020). Distinguishing patterns of impairment on inhibitory control and general cognitive ability among bipolar with and without psychosis, schizophrenia, and schizoaffective disorder. Schizophrenia research, S0920-9964(20)30385-6. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2020.06.033

Hochberger WC, Combs T, Reilly JL, Keefe RSE, Keshavan MS, Pearlson GD, Tamminga CA, Clementz BA, Sweeney JA, Hill S.K. (2018). Decline from expected cognitive ability is modestly familial across psychotic disorders. Schizophrenia Research, 192, 300-307.

Nelson, C., Hill, S.K. (2018) et al. “Beneficial and Adverse Effects of Antipsychotic Medication on Cognitive Flexibility Are Related to COMT Genotype in First Episode Psychosis.” Schizophrenia Research.

Hochberger, W. C., Hill S.K., et al (2018). “P3 Amplitude Attenuation Secondary to Increases in Target-to-Target Interval (TTI) during Spatial Serial Order Recall: Implications for EEG Models of Working Memory Function.” International Journal of Neuroscience, pp. 1–22.

Shafee, R., Hill S.K., et al (2018). “Polygenic Risk for Schizophrenia and Measured Domains of Cognition in Individuals with Psychosis and Controls.” Translational Psychiatry, vol. 8, no. 1.

Combs, T. Hill S.K., et al. (2018) “Deficient Single Item Maintenance Following Intact Updating in Schizophrenia.” Schizophrenia Research, vol. 195, pp. 353–356.

Hochberger, W.C., Hill S.K., et al. (2018) “Deviation from Expected Cognitive Ability across Psychotic Disorders.” Schizophrenia Research, vol. 192, pp. 300–307.

Alliey-Rodriguez N, Grey TA, Shafee R, Padmanabhan J, Tandon N, Klinger M, Spring J, Coppes L, Reis K, Keshavan MS, Gage D, McCarroll S, Bishop JR, Hill S.K., Reilly JR, Lencer R, Clementz B, Buckley B, Meda S, Narayanan B, Glahn D, Pearlson G, Ivleva E, Tamminga C, Sweeney JA, Curtis D, Keedy S, Badner J, Liu C, & Gershon ES (2017). Common variants of NRXN1, LRP1B and RORA are associated with increased ventricular volumes in psychosis-GWAS findings from the B-SNIP deep phenotyping study. bioRxiv, 175489.

Sheffield, J.M., Hill S.K., et al. (2017) “Transdiagnostic Associations Between Functional Brain Network Integrity and Cognition.” JAMA Psychiatry, vol. 74, no. 6, Jan. 2017, p. 605.

Eum, S. Hill S.K., et al. (2017). Cognitive Burden of Anticholinergic Medications in Psychotic Disorders.” Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol. 43, no. suppl_1.

Hochberger, W.C., Hill S.K., et al. (2016) “Unitary Construct of Generalized Cognitive Ability Underlying BACS Performance across Psychotic Disorders and in Their First-Degree Relatives.” Schizophrenia Research, vol. 170, no. 1, pp. 156–161.

Hanna, R.C., Hill S.K., et al. (2016) “Cognitive Function in Individuals With Psychosis: Moderation by Adolescent Cannabis Use.” Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 1496–1503.

Reilly, J. L., Hill S.K., et al. (2016) “Impaired Context Processing Is Attributable to Global Neuropsychological Impairment in Schizophrenia and Psychotic Bipolar Disorder.” Schizophrenia Bulletin.

Rubin, Leah H., Hill S.K., et al. (2016) “Sex Differences in Associations of Arginine Vasopressin and Oxytocin with Resting-State Functional Brain Connectivity.” Journal of Neuroscience Research, vol. 95, no. 1-2, pp. 576–586.

Hill, S.K., et al. (2014) “Regressing to Prior Response Preference After Set Switching Implicates Striatal Dysfunction Across Psychotic Disorders: Findings From the B-SNIP Study.” Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 940–950.

Ethridge, L. E., Hill S.K., et al. (2014) “Behavioral Response Inhibition in Psychotic Disorders: Diagnostic Specificity, Familiality and Relation to Generalized Cognitive Deficit.” Schizophrenia Research, vol. 159, no. 2-3, pp. 491–498.

Roseberry, JE, & Hill, S.K. (2014). Limited practice effects and evaluation of expectation of change: MATRICS consensus cognitive battery. Schizophrenia Research, 159, 188-192.

Rubin, Leah H., Hill S.K., et al. (2014) “Reduced Levels of Vasopressin and Reduced Behavioral Modulation of Oxytocin in Psychotic Disorders.” Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol. 40, no. 6, pp. 1374–1384.

Reilly, J. L., Hill S.K. et al. (2013) “Elevated Antisaccade Error Rate as an Intermediate Phenotype for Psychosis Across Diagnostic Categories.” Schizophrenia Bulletin, vol. 40, no. 5, pp. 1011–1021.

Hill, S.K., et al. (2013) “Neuropsychological Impairments in Schizophrenia and Psychotic Bipolar Disorder: Findings from the Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network on Intermediate Phenotypes (B-SNIP) Study.” American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 170, no. 11, 2013, pp. 1275–1284.

Hill, S.K., Bjorkquist, O., Carrathers, T., Roseberry, J. E., Hochberger, W., and Bishop, J. (2013). Sequential Processing Deficits in Schizophrenia: Relationship to Neuropsychology and Genetics. Schizophrenia Research.

Hill, S.K., Griffin, G.B., Houk, J.C., & Sweeney, J.A. (2011). Differential effects of paced and unpaced responding on delayed serial order recall in schizophrenia. Schizophrenia research, 131, 192-197. 

Hill, S.K., Griffin, G.B., Miura, T.K., Herbener, E.S., & Sweeney, J.A. (2010). Salience of working memory maintenance and manipulation processing in schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine, 40, 1979-1986. 

Hill, S.K., Bishop, J.R., Palumbo, D, & Sweeney, J.A. (2010). The effect of second generation antipsychotics on cognition: Current issues and future challenges. Expert Reviews of Neurotherapeutics, 10(1), 43-57.

Hill, S.K., Reilly, J.L., Harris, M.S.H., Rosen, C., Marvin, R.W., DeLeon, O., & Sweeney, J.A. (2009). A comparison of neuropsychological dysfunction in first-episode psychosis patients with unipolar depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research, 113, 167-175.

Hill, S.K., Reilly, J.L., Harris, M.S.H., Khine, T., & Sweeney, J.A. (2008). Oculomotor and neuropsychological effects of antipsychotic treatment for schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 34, 494-506.

Hill, S.K., Sweeney, J.A., Hamer, R.M., Keefe, R.S.E., Perkins, D.O., Gu, H., McEvoy, J.P., & Lieberman, J.A. (2008). Efficiency of the CATIE and BACS neuropsychological batteries in assessing cognitive effects of antipsychotic treatments in schizophrenia. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 14, 209-221.

Hill, S.K., Harris, M.S., Herbener, E.S., Pavuluri, M., & Sweeney, J.A. (2008). Neurocognitive allied phenotypes of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 34, 743-759.