Araba Chintoh

Dr. Araba Chintoh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto. She is a Clinician Scientist at the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute in the Schizophrenia Division at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She sees patients in crisis at CAMH’s Gerald Sheff and Shanitha Kachan Emergency Department. She also provides care emerging adults as well as marginalized populations through her clinical roles at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, Across Boundaries and Inner City Health Associates.

Her clinical and research interests focus on schizophrenia and include psychopharmacology, metabolic dysfunction, access and provision of mental and physical health care and ways to improve the health and care for patients with chronic brain illnesses. 

She received an honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, completed her Masters of Science at McGill and PhD in the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto. She attended medical school in England at Newcastle University and returned to Toronto to complete her specialty training in Psychiatry. She has also finished a Clinical Fellowship through the Clinician Investigator Program at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Away from work, Dr. Chintoh is actively involved in leadership and governance skill holding various roles with local, national and international organizations. She is a consultant for international sports federations on aspects of player welfare and is passionate about the wellness and culture of sports organizations from grassroots to professional/elite levels.

Research Synopsis

My research focus is to improve the outcomes for patients with treatment resistant psychosis. I am interested in collaborative research projects exploring pharmacology, neuromodulation, neuropsychology and psychosocial domains all targeted to improving the functioning and quality of life for patients with schizophrenia. 
 
My background spans preclinical and clinical research. I have expert technical skills in preclinical operant models, intracerebroventricular cannulations, microvascular catheter insertion and biochemical assays. I have a solid knowledge base in the pathophysiology of, and interactions between, antipsychotic action and glucose dysregulation in schizophrenia. 

Recent Publications

Stogios N, Gdanski N, Gerretsen P, Chintoh AF, Graff-Guerrero A, Rajji TK, Remington G, Hahn M, Agarwal SM. Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction in Schizophrenia: Impact on Cognitive and Metabolic Health. NPJ Schizophrenia, 7(1):22-31, 2021.

Agarwal SM, Panda R, Costa-Dookhan K, MacKenzie N, Casuccio Treen Q, Caravaggio F, Hashim E, Leung G, Kirpalani A, Matheson K, Chintoh A, Kramer CK, Voineskos A, Graff-Guerrero A, Remington G, Hahn M. Metformin for early comorbid glucose dysregulation and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a pilot double blind randomized study. Translational Psychiatry, 11(1): 219-227. 2021. Accepted for publication.

Costa-Dookhan KA, Agarwal SM, Chintoh A, Tran VN, Stogios N, Ebdrup BH, Sockalingam S, Rajji TK, Remington GJ, Siskind D, Hahn MK. The clozapine to norclozapine ratio: a narrative review of the clinical utility to minimize metabolic risk and enhance clozapine efficacy. Expert Opinions in Drug Safety, 19(1):43-57, 2020.

Agarwal SM, Kowalchuk C, Castellani L, Costa-Dookhan KA, Caravaggio F, Asgariroozbehani R, Chintoh A, Graff-Guerrero A, Hahn MK. Brain insulin action: Implications for the treatment of schizophrenia. Neuropharmacology, 168: 1-10, 2019.

MacKenzie NE, Kowalchuk C, Agarwal SM, Costa-Dookhan KA, Caravaggio F, Gerretsen P, Chintoh A, Remington GJ, Taylor VH, Müeller DJ, Graff-Guerrero A, Hahn MK. Antipsychotics, Metabolic Adverse Effects, and Cognitive Function in Schizophrenia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9:622, 2019.

Honours and Awards