About

Lucinda Baker, PT, PhD, is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy at the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience, a Master’s of Science in Physical Therapy, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Physical Therapy, all from the University of Southern California. Her professional interests are generally limited to treatments using electrical stimulation in all of their permutations, including wound care, neuro re-education, and augmenting voluntary strengthening.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Biology
• Internal medicine
• Surgery
• Demography
• Genetics
• Ophthalmology
• Developmental psychology
• Geography
• Ecology
• Endocrinology
• Psychology
• Gerontology
• Evolutionary biology

Selected publications

• Peer Victimization in Childhood and Timing of Substance Use Initiation: Evidence from a Twin Study

  Behavior Genetics · 2025-07-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Previous studies robustly link childhood peer victimization experience to the timing of substance use initiation. However, no study has investigated the contributions of genetic and environmental factors to this link. The current study focused on a sample of 779 twin pairs followed from age 9–10 to 19–20, which is racially/ethnically and socioeconomically representative of the greater Los Angeles area. The aims were to investigate (1) the associations between childhood victimization, including physical (e.g., kicking, pushing), verbal (e.g., taunting), and relational victimization (e.g., spreading rumors), and timing of substance use initiation, and (2) the contributions of genetic/environmental factors to these associations. Multinomial logistic regressions revealed several small associations, but none of these survived corrections for multiple testing. Univariate genetic models suggested genetic (A) and nonshared environmental influences (E) on verbal victimization (V A = .43, V E = .57), shared environmental (C) and nonshared environmental factors on relational victimization (V C = .22, V E = .78), and ambiguous familial influences and E on physical victimization (V A = .34, V E = .66; V C = .26, V E = .74). Timing of cigarette initiation were explained by A, C, and E (V A = .48, V C = .31, V E = .21). Quantitative sex differences in contributions of A, C, and E were detected for alcohol (V AM = .90, V EM = .10; V CF = .86, V EF = .14) and marijuana initiation (V AM = .89, V EM = .11; V CF = .79, V EF = .21); however, A could be dropped for females and C could be dropped for males across both variables. Multivariate twin analyses were not feasible, due to the low cross-trait correlations. These findings call into question the robustness of links between self-reported victimization in childhood and prospectively measured timing of substance initiation across adolescence.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Electrodermal reactivity in an aversive countdown task: Concurrent and prospective relations with triarchic psychopathy traits and antisocial behavior outcomes in a child-aged sample

  Frontiers in Psychiatry · 2025-12-03

  articleOpen access

  Introduction: Considerable evidence exists for reduced electrodermal reactivity to aversive cues/events in high-psychopathic individuals, but most research of this kind has employed adult samples and cross-sectional designs. The current study examined skin conductance (SC) activation during anticipation of and in response to a noise stressor in a sample of 9-10 year old children in relation to constituent traits of psychopathy described by the triarchic model (i.e., boldness, disinhibition, meanness), both concurrently and at a five-year follow-up, and in relation to antisocial behavior at the follow-up. Methods: Participants were 1,082 children from the greater Los Angeles area who underwent successive waves of testing in a longitudinal twin project. Current study analyses focused on (a) SC from the noise stressor task and parental ratings of children's triarchic traits collected at wave 1 of the project (W1; ages 9-10), and (b) parent- and child-ratings of the triarchic traits along with child-reported engagement in aggressive and nonaggressive antisocial behavior (ASB) collected at wave 3 (W3; ages 14-15). Results: Reduced SC reactivity in the noise-stressor task at W1 was related to parent-rated boldness both concurrently (at W1) and prospectively (at W3), but not to parent-rated disinhibition or meanness at either wave. Interestingly, reduced SC reactivity at W1 showed associations with both boldness and meanness as rated by child participants themselves at W3. Additionally, reduced W1 SC reactivity was uniquely predictive of child-reported nonaggressive ASB at W3, whereas W1 parent-rated boldness was uniquely predictive of child-reported aggressive behavior at W3. Discussion: Our finding of an inverse relationship between SC reactivity and parent-rated boldness at W1 corroborates evidence from prior adult research and points to low fear (threat sensitivity) as the basis of deficient stress responding in psychopathy. The finding of contrasting predictive relations for W1 SC reactivity and W1 parent-rated boldness with ASB at W3 suggests differing roles for elements of threat sensitivity tapped by each (e.g., low anxiousness versus social dominance) in nonaggressive versus aggressive forms of ASB. Our findings highlight the nuances of dispositional fearlessness as construct of relevance to psychopathy and suggest important avenues for future research.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Visual Field Outcomes in the Primary Tube Versus Trabeculectomy Study

  Ophthalmology · 2024-04-05 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• BONE MARROW-DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL THERAPY IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE: AN EARLY PHASE CLINICAL TRIAL

  Cytotherapy · 2024-05-22 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Triarchic traits as risk versus protective factors for ADHD symptomatology: A prospective longitudinal investigation

  Development and Psychopathology · 2024-01-22 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are associated with myriad adverse outcomes, including interpersonal difficulties, but factors that moderate the developmental course and functional impact of ADHD over time are not well understood. The present study evaluated developmental contributions of the triarchic neurobehavioral traits (boldness, meanness, and disinhibition) to ADHD symptomatology and its subdimensions from adolescence to young adulthood. Participants were twins and triplets assessed at ages 14, 17, and 19 (initial N = 1,185, 51.2% female). Path analyses using negative binomial regression revealed that boldness at age 14 was associated with more ADHD symptoms cross-sectionally (especially hyperactivity/impulsivity), but fewer symptoms (especially inattention) at age 19 in the prospective analysis. Notably, inclusion of interpersonal problems at ages 14 and 17 as covariates reduced the latter effect to nonsignificant. Disinhibition concurrently and prospectively predicted higher levels of ADHD symptoms, including both subdimensions, and the prospective effects were partially mediated by greater social impairment at age 17. Meanness prospectively (but not concurrently) predicted higher levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. Sex moderated certain associations of meanness and disinhibition with ADHD symptoms. These findings highlight how fundamental neurobehavioral traits shape both psychopathology and adaptive outcomes in the developmental course of ADHD.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Mediating and Moderating Role of Sensation-Seeking in the Association between Resting Heart Rate and Antisocial Behavior

  Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment · 2024-06-21 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract The association between lower resting heart rate and antisocial behavior has been suggested to be mediated by sensation-seeking. However, other theoretical models suggest that sensation-seeking has a moderating influence. This study sought to investigate the interplay between resting heart rate, sensation-seeking and antisocial behavior. Two subsets of participants from the Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior (RFAB) project ( n = 690, n = 391) were used. We conducted mediation analyses and logistic regression analyses to test for mediating and moderating effects of sensation-seeking on the association between resting heart rate and antisocial behavior by young adulthood. In general, sensation-seeking partially mediated the association between resting heart rate in childhood as well as adolescence and antisocial behavior by young adulthood. Resting heart rate in childhood and adolescence also interacted with sensation-seeking to predict antisocial behavior by young adulthood, such that a lower resting heart rate increased the odds of antisocial behavior among individuals with higher but not lower levels of sensation-seeking. Our results on a theoretical level suggest that sensation-seeking is important to understand the association between resting heart rate and antisocial behavior. Results further suggest that encouraging prosocial behaviors as a means of fulfilling the need for stimulation in individuals with a psychophysiological risk profile could serve as an effective approach in redirecting their behaviors towards positive outcomes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Interaction of Resting Heart Rate with Empathy in Predicting Externalizing Behavior

  Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment · 2024-02-15 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Biopsychosocial criminological theories suggest that it is important to consider interactions between risk factors from different domains in the prediction of externalizing behavior. Lower resting heart rate is considered the best replicated biological risk factor for externalizing behavior. The psychological construct of empathy has also shown to be predictive of such behavior, but little is known about the potential interaction between these two different risk factors in predicting externalizing behavior. We examined the moderating role of empathy on the association between resting heart rate in childhood and adolescence with externalizing behavior by young adulthood using two subsets of participants from the Longitudinal Risk Factors for Antisocial Behavior project: Subsample 1 ( n = 697) at ages 9–10 and 19–20 years and Subsample 2 ( n = 394) at ages 14–15 and 19–20 years. Linear and logistic regressions showed that empathy moderated the association between resting heart rate in adolescence and externalizing behavior by young adulthood. Among individuals with low but not high levels of empathy, increased resting heart rate predicted lower levels of externalizing behavior. Interventions enhancing empathic skills in individuals with psychophysiological risk profiles could be beneficial.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Four-Year Visual Outcomes in the Protocol W Randomized Trial of Intravitreous Aflibercept for Prevention of Vision-Threatening Complications of Diabetic Retinopathy

  JAMA · 2023 · 58 citations

  • Medicine
  • Ophthalmology
  • Surgery

  Importance: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections in eyes with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) without center-involved diabetic macular edema (CI-DME) reduce development of vision-threatening complications from diabetes over at least 2 years, but whether this treatment has a longer-term benefit on visual acuity is unknown. Objective: To compare the primary 4-year outcomes of visual acuity and rates of vision-threatening complications in eyes with moderate to severe NPDR treated with intravitreal aflibercept compared with sham. The primary 2-year analysis of this study has been reported. Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized clinical trial conducted at 64 clinical sites in the US and Canada from January 2016 to March 2018, enrolling 328 adults (399 eyes) with moderate to severe NPDR (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study [ETDRS] severity level 43-53; range, 0 [worst] to 100 [best]) without CI-DME. Interventions: Eyes were randomly assigned to 2.0 mg aflibercept (n = 200) or sham (n = 199). Eight injections were administered at defined intervals through 2 years, continuing quarterly through 4 years unless the eye improved to mild NPDR or better. Aflibercept was given in both groups to treat development of high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) or CI-DME with vision loss. Main Outcomes and Measures: Development of PDR or CI-DME with vision loss (≥10 letters at 1 visit or ≥5 letters at 2 consecutive visits) and change in visual acuity (best corrected ETDRS letter score) from baseline to 4 years. Results: Among participants (mean age 56 years; 42.4% female; 5% Asian, 15% Black, 32% Hispanic, 45% White), the 4-year cumulative probability of developing PDR or CI-DME with vision loss was 33.9% with aflibercept vs 56.9% with sham (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.40 [97.5% CI, 0.28 to 0.57]; P < .001). The mean (SD) change in visual acuity from baseline to 4 years was -2.7 (6.5) letters with aflibercept and -2.4 (5.8) letters with sham (adjusted mean difference, -0.5 letters [97.5% CI, -2.3 to 1.3]; P = .52). Antiplatelet Trialists' Collaboration cardiovascular/cerebrovascular event rates were 9.9% (7 of 71) in bilateral participants, 10.9% (14 of 129) in unilateral aflibercept participants, and 7.8% (10 of 128) in unilateral sham participants. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with NPDR but without CI-DME at 4 years treatment with aflibercept vs sham, initiating aflibercept treatment only if vision-threatening complications developed, resulted in statistically significant anatomic improvement but no improvement in visual acuity. Aflibercept as a preventive strategy, as used in this trial, may not be generally warranted for patients with NPDR without CI-DME. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02634333.

  DOI

• Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells: MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL THERAPY IN DIABETIC KIDNEY DISEASE: EVALUATING SAFETY AND RESPONSE PREDICTORS

  Cytotherapy · 2023-05-01 · 2 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Outcomes of Glaucoma Reoperations in the Primary Tube Versus Trabeculectomy Study

  Ophthalmology Glaucoma · 2023-02-22 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R21ES022369

  NIH · $468k · 2017

• NIH Grant U10CA032102

  NIH · $199.7M · 2015

• NIH Grant R01MH058354

  NIH · $8.5M · 2015

Frequent coauthors

• Catherine Tuvblad

  Örebro University

  129 shared

• Alexander Swarbrick

  113 shared

• Adrian Raine

  University of Pennsylvania

  97 shared

• Holly Holliday

  Cancer Institute (WIA)

  97 shared

• Daniel Roden

  UNSW Sydney

  95 shared

• Simon Junankar

  Garvan Institute of Medical Research

  76 shared

• Christopher J. Ormandy

  70 shared

• Sunny Z. Wu

  52 shared

Labs

• Health Equity LabPI

Education

• Ph.D., Biokinesiology

  University of Southern California

  2000

• M.S., Biokinesiology

  University of Southern California

  1996

• B.S., Physical Therapy

  University of Southern California

  1993