Department of Psychology

Biography:

Keywords: Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuropsychology, Biological Psychology, Frontal Striatal Disorders

I received my doctorate from the University of Cambridge, England in 2001. After I completed graduate school, I returned home to Toronto to work at The Hospital for Sick Children in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry division. Prior to completing post graduate work, I trained as a clinical neuropsychologist, working at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute in the neurology department. Following further internship training and a return to research, I became a licensed practitioner in 2005. At around the same time, I began working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Ryerson University.

My teaching interests include courses in cognitive neuroscience, biological psychology, abnormal psychology, child psychopathology and clinical psychology.

In terms of research, over the past two years, I have supervised students with varying levels of research experience (volunteers to Master level students) on projects that emphasis brain-behaviour relationships. My research takes a comparative approach by examining various psychiatric and development disorders from a neuropsychological perspective with emphasis on frontal striatal pathology.

Selected Publications:

Ornstein. T.J., Sahakian, B.J., & McKenna, P.J. Cognitive test-retest reliability in patients with chronic schizophrenia, patients with brain damage and healthy volunteers. (2007). Psychological Medicine, Accepted.

Schachar, R. J., Crosbie, J., Barr, C.L., Ornstein, T.J., Kennedy, J., Malone, M., Roberts, W., Ickowicz, A., Tannock, R., Chen, S., & Pathare, T (2005). Inhibition of motor responses in siblings concordant and discordant for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 162, 1076-1082.

McKenna, P.J., Ornstein,T.J., & Baddely, A.D. (2002). Schizophrenia. In A.D. Baddeley, B. Wilson & M. Kopelman (Eds.) (2nd ed.), Handbook of Memory Disorders. Chichester: Wiley.

Affiliations:

• College of Psychologists of Ontario
• Canadian Psychological Association