Sakina Rizvi, University of Toronto

Research

Intervention Psychotherapy Suicide Risk Chronic Neuropathic Pain Internal Pilot Mdma 'Ecstasy'Randomized Trial Brain Imaging

Latest papers

Impact of childhood adversity on deep brain stimulation outcomes for treatment resistant depression.
Psychiatry research · 2026
Engagement in meaningful activities post suicide loss: A scoping review protocol.
PloS one · 2024
Pro-inflammatory markers are associated with response to sequential pharmacotherapy in major depressive disorder: a CAN-BIND-1 report
CNS Spectrums · 2023

All 9 publications

Latest funding

Understanding Provincial and Territorial Suicide Prevention Efforts in Canada (SPEC-PT): A Mixed-Methods Study to Inform a National Suicide Prevention Strategy
CIHR · 2026 · Co-investigator
$745,876
Ecstasy to Alleviate SEvere Chronic Neuropathic Pain (EASE Pain) - A Multi-centre Internal Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
CIHR · 2025 · Principal investigator
$1,034,806
Investigating the efficacy of a novel therapy for suicide risk in adults: A randomized controlled trial of an intensive single session of "Brief Skills for Safer Living"
CIHR · 2024 · Nominated PI
$1,204,875

All 8 grants and awards

9 publications.

01

Impact of childhood adversity on deep brain stimulation outcomes for treatment resistant depression.

Ng E, Elias GJB, Germann J, Boutet A, Rizvi S, Lozano AM, Kennedy SH, Giacobbe P

Psychiatry research2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2026.117007 PMID: 41722327

02

Engagement in meaningful activities post suicide loss: A scoping review protocol.

Gill M, Premnazeer M, Scali O, Rizvi S, Schendelman A, Polatajko H, Cameron JI

PloS one2024

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296522 PMID: 38166109

03

Pro-inflammatory markers are associated with response to sequential pharmacotherapy in major depressive disorder: a CAN-BIND-1 report

Husain MI, Foster JA, Mason BL, Chen S, Zhao H, Wang W, Rotzinger S, Rizvi S, Ho K, Lam R

CNS Spectrums20235 citationsOpen Access

DOI: 10.1017/s109285292300233x PMID: W4377564379

04

Neuroimaging Correlates of Treatment Response with Psychedelics in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review.

Kuburi S, Di Passa AM, Tassone VK, Mahmood R, Lalovic A, Ladha KS, Dunlop K, Rizvi S, Demchenko I, Bhat V

Chronic stress (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)2022

DOI: 10.1177/24705470221115342 PMID: 35936944

05

Gatekeeper training for friends and family of individuals at risk of suicide: A systematic review.

Morton M, Wang S, Tse K, Chung C, Bergmans Y, Ceniti A, Flam S, Johannes R, Schade K, Terah F, Rizvi S

Journal of community psychology2021Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22624 PMID: 34125969

06

The Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression (CAN-BIND): magnetic resonance imaging protocols

MacQueen GM, Hassel S, Arnott SR, Jean A, Bowie CR, Bray SL, Davis AD, Downar J, Foster JA, Frey BN

Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience201959 citations

DOI: 10.1503/jpn.180036

07

Sexual dysfunction, depression, and the impact of antidepressants.

Kennedy SH, Rizvi S

Journal of clinical psychopharmacology2009Senior author

DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0b013e31819c76e9 PMID: 19512977

08

A double-blind comparison of sexual functioning, antidepressant efficacy, and tolerability between agomelatine and venlafaxine XR.

Kennedy SH, Rizvi S, Fulton K, Rasmussen J

Journal of clinical psychopharmacology2008

DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0b013e318172b48c PMID: 18480691

09

Psychotherapy through the phases of bipolar disorder: evidence for general efficacy and differential effects.

Rizvi S, Zaretsky AE

Journal of clinical psychology2007First author

DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20370 PMID: 17417815

Understanding Provincial and Territorial Suicide Prevention Efforts in Canada (SPEC-PT): A Mixed-Methods Study to Inform a National Suicide Prevention Strategy

Co-investigatorCIHR2026Project Grant

Principal investigators: Sinyor, Mark

Keywords: National Suicide Prevention Strategy; Provincial And Territorial Suicide Prevention Efforts; Stakeholder Perspectives; Suicide; Suicide Prevention Evaluation

$745,876

Ecstasy to Alleviate SEvere Chronic Neuropathic Pain (EASE Pain) - A Multi-centre Internal Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Principal investigatorCIHR2025Project Grant

Principal investigators: Goel, Akash; Bosma, Rachael L; Khan, James S; McIsaac, Daniel I; Pritlove, Cheryl; Ritvo, Paul G; Rizvi, Sakina; Rosenblat, Joshua D; Wijeysundera, Duminda N

Keywords: Chronic Neuropathic Pain; Internal Pilot; Mdma 'Ecstasy'; Randomized Trial

$1,034,806

Investigating the efficacy of a novel therapy for suicide risk in adults: A randomized controlled trial of an intensive single session of "Brief Skills for Safer Living"

Nominated PICIHR2024Project Grant

Principal investigators: Rizvi, Sakina

Keywords: Intervention; Psychotherapy; Suicide Risk

$1,204,875

Risk in a painful moment: Examining how dynamic increases in social disconnection increase suicide capability

Co-investigatorSSHRC2023Insight Development Grant

Principal investigators: Salomons, Tim

Keywords: Suicide; Suicide Risk; Pain; Pain Tolerance; Capability for suicide; Experience sampling methodology; Ecological momentary assessment

$68,906

An fMRI study investigating pain processing to understand mechanisms of suicide risk

Nominated PICIHR2022Project Grant

Principal investigators: Rizvi, Sakina

Keywords: Brain Imaging; Fmri; Interpersonal Theory Of Suicide Risk; Pain; Suicide

$100,000

The central autonomic network and post-concussion outcome: investigating brain-heart interactions

Co-investigatorCIHR2022Project Grant

Principal investigators: Schweizer, Tom A; Churchill, Nathan W

Keywords: Autonomic; Concussion; Mri; Stress

$677,024

Mitigating suicide risk during the COVID-19 pandemic via telehealth using an intensive single session of "Brief Skills for Safer Living"

Nominated PICIHR2020Op Gr: COVID-19 MH/SU - Developing Innovative Adaptations of Services/Delivery

Principal investigators: Rizvi, Sakina

Keywords: Intervention; Psychotherapy; Suicide Risk

$193,000

Characterizing Dopamine D2 and D3 Receptor Binding in Treatment Resistant Depression

Nominated PICIHR2018Project Grant

Principal investigators: Rizvi, Sakina; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel

Keywords: Dopamine Receptor; Flb 457; Phno; Positron Emission Tomography; Treatment Resistant Depression

$317,476

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Psychiatry
Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences
Anesthesiology and Pain Management
Radiology
Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
Behavioural Neuroscience & Psychiatry
Other

Co-authors at University of Toronto, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Jane Foster

Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences

2 shared papers, latest 2023

Benicio Frey

Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences

2 shared papers, latest 2023

Venkat Bhat

Behavioural Neuroscience & Psychiatry

1 shared papers, latest 2022

Geoffrey Hall

Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour

1 shared papers, latest 2019

Catherine Lebel

Radiology

1 shared papers, latest 2019

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2025

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Intervention Dear Professor Rizvi, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Impact of childhood adversity on deep brain stimulation outcomes for treatment resistant depression." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Ecstasy to Alleviate SEvere Chronic Neuropathic Pain (EASE Pain) - A Multi-centre Internal Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial" (2025), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Sakina Rizvi

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Impact of childhood adversity on deep brain stimulation outcomes for treatment resistant depression.

Engagement in meaningful activities post suicide loss: A scoping review protocol.

Pro-inflammatory markers are associated with response to sequential pharmacotherapy in major depressive disorder: a CAN-BIND-1 report

Neuroimaging Correlates of Treatment Response with Psychedelics in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review.

Gatekeeper training for friends and family of individuals at risk of suicide: A systematic review.

The Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression (CAN-BIND): magnetic resonance imaging protocols

Sexual dysfunction, depression, and the impact of antidepressants.

A double-blind comparison of sexual functioning, antidepressant efficacy, and tolerability between agomelatine and venlafaxine XR.

Psychotherapy through the phases of bipolar disorder: evidence for general efficacy and differential effects.

Understanding Provincial and Territorial Suicide Prevention Efforts in Canada (SPEC-PT): A Mixed-Methods Study to Inform a National Suicide Prevention Strategy

Ecstasy to Alleviate SEvere Chronic Neuropathic Pain (EASE Pain) - A Multi-centre Internal Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Investigating the efficacy of a novel therapy for suicide risk in adults: A randomized controlled trial of an intensive single session of "Brief Skills for Safer Living"

Risk in a painful moment: Examining how dynamic increases in social disconnection increase suicide capability

An fMRI study investigating pain processing to understand mechanisms of suicide risk

The central autonomic network and post-concussion outcome: investigating brain-heart interactions

Mitigating suicide risk during the COVID-19 pandemic via telehealth using an intensive single session of "Brief Skills for Safer Living"

Characterizing Dopamine D2 and D3 Receptor Binding in Treatment Resistant Depression

Frequent collaborators

Roumen Milev

Gustavo Turecki

Jane Foster

Benicio Frey

Venkat Bhat

Fidel Vila-Rodriguez

Peter Giacobbe

Katharine Dunlop

Alexandre Boutet

Wei Wang

Raymond Lam

Jonathan Downar

Geoffrey Hall

Catherine Lebel