Mark D. Litt, Ph.D. Professor Division of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health Research Interests Educational Interests Relevant Work in Complimentary and Alternative Medicine Presentations Abstracts Articles

Influence of Cognitions and Affects on Pain and Illness; Psychoneuroimmunology

Clinical Psychologist
Division of Behavioral Sciences,
Department of Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences

Dr. Litt received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Yale University in 1986, where his focus of training was behavioral medicine. He joined the Departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in 1986, and the Department of Behavioral Sciences in 1988 (now the Division of Behavioral Sciences).

His primary interest is in the cognitive, behavioral and affective processes that lead to changes in behavior in many health-related domains. Accordingly, he has explored these processes in the areas of substance abuse, chronic pain, anxiety control, and exercise behavior. He is the author of many scientific articles in each of these areas, is a reviewer for numerous professional journals, and is a principal investigator or co-investigator on several federal grants.

His most recent work is directed toward developing interventions to manipulate key cognitive constructs like self-efficacy and social/environmental support more effectively in order to improve health behavior and decrease pain. These constructs are also being examined for their effects on markers of systemic inflammation. These concepts are currently being applied in federal grants on chronic orofacial pain and in addictions.

Dr. Litt is currently funded by the National Institute on Dental and Craniofacial Research, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Dr. Litt has presented findings from these projects in national and international forums, and is a frequent guest lecturer for students and graduate students at his home university.

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Dr. Litt’s primary teaching focus is on cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of pain and pain management in dentistry. His section in the 3rd year Pain and Anxiety course covers the origins of dental fear and its role in dental pain, and the assessment and management of pain and anxiety in the dental environment. Another 3rd year course is devoted to treatment planning for patients with pain and other complications.

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Addresses and Colloquia

• Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMJ) - March 2006
  Advances in Treatment. Invited address, Celebrate Women lecture series. Farmington, CT
• Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMJ) - July 2004
  Theory and Practice. Invited address, Celebrate Women lecture series. Farmington, CT
• Fibromyalgia Syndrome - October 2003
  Background & Treatment. Invited address, Connecticut Society of Psychiatric Nurse-Practitioners. Farmington, CT
• Cognitive Mechanisms in Behavioral Treatment for TMD - December 2002
  Invited address, General Clinical Research Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
• Cognitive Mechanisms in Behavioral Treatment for TMD - June 2002
  Invited address, Dental Dean’s Seminar series, University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine.
• Psychological and Non-Pharmacological Pain Management in Cancer Patients - AHEC - May 2002
  Current issues in Women’s Health Lecture Series, Backus Hospital, Norwich, CT
• Managing Pain After Injury - October 1999
  Invited address, Dept. of Psychiatry and Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Connecticut School of Medicine
• Non-Pharmacological Treatment of Cancer Pain - May 1998
  Invited address, Medical Grand Rounds, Sharon Hospital, Sharon, CT
  

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Litt, M. D. & Kalinowski, L. (March 1999). Pain level and variation in TMD patients. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Association of Dental Research, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Litt, M.D. & Herndon, C.D.A. (November, 2000). Prediction of Pain and Disability in Interstitial Cystitis. Paper presented at the 19th annual meeting of the American Pain Society, Atlanta, GA.

Litt, M.D. (March 2001). Dispositional predictors of outcome in TMD treatment. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Seattle, WA.

Litt, M.D. (April 2001). Daily mood, attributions, and coping processes in TMD pain. Paper presented at the 20th annual meeting of the American Pain Society, Phoenix, AZ.

Litt, M.D., Napolitano, C., Shafer, D. & Goupil, M. (March 2002). Real-time assessment of coping process in TMD treatment. In M. Litt & S. Reisine (Chairs), Orofacial pain, TMD, and Xerostomia. Paper session conducted at the 80th annual meeting of the International Association of Dental Research, San Diego, CA.

Litt, M.D, Miller, L., Kreutzer, D., Burleson, J. & Albertsen, P. (March 2002). Cytokines and environmental variables in pain and quality of life in nonbacterial chronic prostatitis. Paper presented at the 21st annual meeting of the American Pain Society, Baltimore, MD.

Litt, M.D., Shafer, D. & Williams, C. (March 2003). Long-Term Outcome of Brief Treatment for TMD Pain. In M. Litt & K. Atchison (Chairs), Pain and Patient Perceptions. Paper session conducted at the 32nd annual meeting of the American Association of Dental Research, San Antonio, TX.

Bahl, R., Litt, M.D., Burleson, J.A., Lalla, R.V., Damato, K.L., Dauser, D.A. & Peterson, D.E. (March 2004). Oral Mucositis Pain in Cancer Patients Receiving Myeloablative Chemotherapy. Poster presented at the 82nd annual meeting of the International Association of Dental Research, Honolulu, HI.

Litt, M.D. (May 2004). Momentary Assessment of Pain and Coping Processes in TMD Treatment: Accessing the Head of the Chronic Pain Patient. In R. Jamison (Chair), Innovative Technology and Electronic Diaries for Monitoring Chronic Pain. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society, Vancouver, Canada.

Litt, M.D. (March 2005). Conservative Regimen Adherence and Long-Term Outcomes in TMD. In M. Litt & M. Tavares (Chairs), Service Use and Outcomes. Paper presented at the 83rd annual meeting of the International Association of Dental Research, Baltimore, MD.

Litt, M.D. & Kreutzer, D.L. (April 2005). Cytokine Changes as a Function of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment in TMD. In P. Brawer (Chair), Pain. Paper session conducted at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Boston, MA. (Citation paper).

Gavin, M.D., Litt, M., Khan, A., Onyiuke, H. & Kozol, R.A. (October 2005). A Prospective Study of Cognitive Intervention in the Reduction of Postoperative Pain and Narcotic Demand. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the New England Surgical Society, Bretton Woods, NH.

Litt, M.D., Kreutzer, D.; Shafer, D. (May 2006). Alterations of Inflammatory Cytokines in Temporomandibular Dysfunction as a function of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment. In S.D. Dewailly, and F. Kronenberg (Chairs), Randomized Clinical Trials. Paper presented at the North American Research Conference On Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Edmonton, Alberta, CA.

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Litt, M. (1999). Pain level and variation in TMD patients. Journal of Dental Research, 78 SI, Abstract No. 3083.

Litt, M.D. (2001). Dispositional predictors of outcome in TMD treatment. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 23, 2001 Supplement, S053.

Litt, M.D., Napolitano, C., Shafer, D. & Goupil, M. (2002). Real-time assessment of coping process in TMD treatment. Journal of Dental Research, 81 SI A, Abstract No. 2409.

Litt, M., Miller, L., Kreutzer, D., Burleson, J. & Albertsen, P. (2002). Cytokines and environmental variables in pain and quality of life in nonbacterial chronic prostatitis. The Journal of Pain, 3 Supplement 1, Abstract No. 685.

Litt, M.D., Shafer, D. & Williams, C. (March 2003). Long-Term Outcome of Brief Treatment for TMD Pain. Journal of Dental Research, 82 SI A, Abstract No. 1501.

Bahl, R., Litt, M.D., Burleson, J.A., Lalla, R.V., Damato, K.L., Dauser, D.A. & Peterson, D.E. (March 2004). Oral Mucositis Pain in Cancer Patients Receiving Myeloablative Chemotherapy. Journal of Dental Research, 83 SI A, Abstract No. 3058.

Litt, M.D. (March 2005). Conservative Regimen Adherence and Long-Term Outcomes in TMD. Journal of Dental Research, 84 SI A, Abstract No. 1437.

Litt, M. & Kreutzer, D. (2005). Cytokine changes as a function of cognitive-behavioral treatment in TMD. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 29, Supplement, S122.

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Litt, M.D., Kalinowski, L., & Shafer, D. (1999). A dental fears typology of oral surgery patients: matching patients to anxiety interventions. Health Psychology, 18, 614-624.

Cherniack, M., Dillon, C., Erdil, M., Ferguson, S., Kaplan, J., Krompinger, J., Litt, M., Murphy, M. (2001). Clinical and psychological correlates of lumbar motion abnormalities in low back disorders. Spine Journal, 1, 290-298.

Miller, L.J., Fischer, K.A., Goralnick, S.J., Litt, M., Burleson, J.A., Albertsen, P., & Kreutzer, D.L. (2002). Nerve growth factor and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Urology, 59, 603-608.

Miller, L.J., Fischer, K.A., Goralnick, S.J., Litt, M., Burleson, J.A., Albertsen, P., & Kreutzer, D.L. (2002). Interleukin-10 levels in seminal plasma: implications for chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Journal of Urology, 167, 753-756.

Fortinsky, R.H., Bohannon, R.W., Litt, M.D., Tennen, H., Maljanian, R., Fifield, J., Garcia, R.I. & Kenyon, L. (2002). Rehabilitation therapy self-efficacy and functional recovery after hip fracture. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 25 (4), 241-246.

Litt, M.D. (2004). Stressful medical procedures. In A.J Christensen, R. Martin, & J.M. Smyth (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Health Psychology. New York: Kluwer, (pp. 302-304).

Litt, M.D., Shafer, D. & Napolitano, C. (2004). Momentary Mood and Coping Processes In TMD Pain. Health Psychology, 23, 354-362

Gavin, M., Litt, M., Khan, A., Onyiuke, H. & Kozol, R. (2006). A prospective, randomized trial of cognitive intervention for postoperative pain. American Surgeon, 72(5), 414-418.

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