Brenna N. Renn

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Assistant Professor of Psychology

Director, UNLV TREATment Lab

Expertise: Depression, Older Adults/Aging, Digital Mental Health (mHealth)

Biography

Brenna N. Renn is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the the mental health of older adults, particularly in the context of depression, chronic disease, cognitive impairment, health promotion, and in integrated primary care and other medical settings.

Renn joined the UNLV Department of Psychology as assistant professor in 2020. As a mental health services researcher, she is broadly interested in treatment for depression and anxiety, health psychology/behavioral medicine, mental health workforce development, and implementation strategies to improve adoption of evidence-based treatments and expand access to care. Her research has expanded to include digital platforms ("mHealth"), including apps, wearables, and tele-mental health.

Renn conducts provider trainings and consultation in evidence-based behavioral treatments for late-life depression, mHealth, and integrated primary care behavioral health.

Education

Ph.D., Psychology, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
Internship, Geriatric Mental Health and Health Psychology, Baylor College of Medicine
Postdoctoral Fellowship (NIMH-funded T32), Geriatric Mental Health Services Research, University of Washington School of Medicine
B.A., Psychology and Business Administration, University of Puget Sound

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Brenna N. Renn In The News

What We Lose by Armchair Diagnosing Biden and Trump

Making dementia a political weapon has far-reaching, stigmatizing effects.

Why Do I Keep Forgetting Things? Is My Brain Blip Something Else? Experts Weigh In

Prevention

Experts share what’s normal and when you should be concerned.

Mental Health and an Update on the 988 System

Many Nevadans are struggling when it comes to mental health. Death by suicide rates are up for ages 18-24, and for those over 65. The 988 system is designed as a lifeline for people in crisis, and it has been in place for nearly a year.

Medium

Alzheimer's disease—the most common type of dementia—affects roughly one in nine people age 65 and older in the U.S., the Alzheimer's Association reports. And many people experience mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as they age, which can be "a midway point between normal cognitive aging and dementia," Brenna Renn, PhD and assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, tells Best Life.