The University of Toledo

Angela McGrady, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Psychiatry Adjunct Professor, Department of Physiology & Molecular Medicine RESIDENCY POSITION: Physiologist/Counselor RESEARCH & CLINICAL EXPERTISE: Behavioral Medicine; Psychophysiology CERTIFICATION/LICENSURES: Certified: Biofeedback Certification Institute of America Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (Ohio)

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:
Angele McGrady received her B.S. from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, her Masters from Michigan State University and her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Toledo. She also has a Masters in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Toledo. She is licensed as a Professional Clinical Counselor and is certified as a biofeedback provider from the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America. 

She is Director of Medical Education for the Department and teaches Behavioral Science.  She publishes and lectures widely on topics related to Behavioral Medicine in chronic illness. Her clinical and research interests include behavioral medicine, psychophysiology, stress related disorders and stress management.

Dr. McGrady’s professional activities have included: President of the Biofeedback Society of Ohio, President of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, Associate Editor of the international journal "Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback". She is also on the editorial board of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine. Dr. McGrady lectures locally and nationally on topics related to Stress and Chronic Illness, Stress Management and Biofeedback.

Dr. McGrady’s research deals with the mechanisms underlying the relaxation response in persons with stress related disorders. Her recent publications are in the areas of headache, diabetes and autonomic dysfunction. Biofeedback is used as a model system to demonstrate an individual’s ability to modify physiological functions with mental techniques. In collaboration with Gretchen Tietjen M.D., Dept of Neurology, Dr. McGrady completed a recent study on 40 patients with migraine headache. Results indicated that patients who have aura performed equally well as patients without aura in the biofeedback protocol. Cerebral blood flow in the middle cerebral artery was compared in the aura and nor aural patients. Those with aura demonstrated higher blood flow velocity and a large left right difference, compared to non aura patients. Current research is focused on the role of depression in patients with Type 2 diabetes. This is a randomized controlled trial of biofeedback in patients with elevated blood glucose and the influence of depressed mood on patients’ ability to acquire the relaxation techniques.

Recent Publications
McGrady, A.V., Higgins, Jr., J.T. Prediction of response to biofeedback assisted relaxation in hypertensives: development of a hypertensive predictor profile (HYPP). Psychosomatic Medicine 51:277-284, 1989.

McGrady, A., Bailey, B., Good, M. A controlled study of biofeedback assisted relaxation in Type I diabetes. Diabetes Care, 14(5):360-365, 1991.

McGrady, A., Conran, P., Dickey, D., Garman, D., Farris, E. The effects of biofeedback-assisted relaxation on cell mediated immunity, cortisol, and white blood cell count in healthy adult subjects. J. of Behav. Med., 15(4):343-354, 1992.

McGrady, A. Effects of group relaxation training and thermal biofeedback on blood pressure and related physiological and psychological variables in essential hypertension. Biofeedback and Self Regulation, 19(l):51-66, 1994.

McGrady, A., Wauquier, A., McNeil, A., Gerard, G. Effect of biofeedback-assisted relaxation on migraine headache and changes in cerebral blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery. Headache, 34:424-428, 1994.

Wauquier, A., McGrady, A., Aloe, L., Klausner, T., Collins, B. Changes in cerebral blood flow velocity associated with biofeedback-assisted relaxation treatment of migraine headaches are specific for the middle cerebral artery. Headache, 35:358-362, 1995.

Weaver, M.T., McGrady, A. Blood pressure response to biofeedback-assisted relaxation:can it be predicted? Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 20(5):229-240, 1995.

McGrady, A., Graham, G., Bailey, B. Biofeedback assisted relaxation in insulin dependent diabetes: A replication and extension study. Ann. Behav. Med. 18(3):185-189, 1996.

Roberts, G., McGrady, A. Racial and gender effects on the relaxation response: implications for the development of hypertension. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 21(1):51-62, 1996.

McGrady, A. Good news-bad press: applied psychophysiology in cardiovascular disorders. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 21(4):335-346, 1996.

McGrady, A., Bush, E.G., Grubb, B. Outcome of biofeedback assisted relaxation for neurocardiogenic syncope and headache: A clinical replication series. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 22(1):63-72, 1997.

McGrady, A., Andrasik, F., Davies, T., Striefel, S.,Wickramasekera, I., Baskin, S., Penzien, D., Tietjen, G., Psychophysiologic therapy for chronic headache in primary care. Primary Care Companion Journal of Clinical Psychiatry ,1999.

McGrady, A., Horner, J., Role of mood in outcome of biofeedback assisted relaxation therapy in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback 24 (4): 79-88, 1999.

McGrady, A., Lynch, D., Nagel, R., Zsembik, C. Application of the high risk model of threat perception to a primary care patient population. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 187 (6): 369-375, 1999.

Lynch, D.J., McGrady, A., Nagel, R. Czembik, C. Somatization in family practice: comparing 5 methods of classification. Primary Care Companion Journal Clinical Psychiatry. 1(3): 85-89, 2000.

Kern-Buell, C., McGrady, A., Conran, P., Neson, L. Asthma severity, psychophysiological indicators of arousal and immune functions in asthma patients undergoing biofeedback assisted relaxation. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. 25(2): 79-89, 2000.

Birk, T., McGrady, A., MacArthur, R.D., Khuder, S. The effects of massage therapy alone and in combination with other complementary therapies on immune functions and quality of life in HIV.
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 6(5): 405-414, 2000.

McGrady A. Kern-Buell, C., Khuder, S.A. Grubb, BP. Psychological and physiological factors associated with tilt table testing for neurally mediated syncopal syndromes. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology. 24(3): 296-301, 2001.