Veronica B. Perez, PhD

Veronica B. Perez, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who helps people cope more effectively with life issues and mental health problems. Dr. Perez is one of the psychologists with UC San Diego Health's early psychosis program, which specializes in treating adolescents and young adults who are experiencing changes in their thoughts, behavior or emotions that might be associated with serious mental health issues.

Her research focuses on identifying biomarkers of severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and other psychosis disorders; obsessive-compulsive disorder; and hoarding disorder. Biomarkers are measurable indicators that show the presence or severity of particular disease states. Dr. Perez is also interested in studying how biomarkers can help identify whether a treatment intervention will be effective in a specific patient and how their brain will process it.

Dr. Perez completed her postdoctoral training at University of California, San Francisco and through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Center of Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center. She completed a predoctoral internship through UC San Diego School of Medicine/VA San Diego Healthcare System's psychology internship program. Dr. Perez earned her doctoral degree in clinical psychology with an emphasis in cognitive electrophysiology at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore.

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For more information, see Behavioral and Mental Health.