Cognitive Affective Neuroscience

How does our brain help us to survive in the face of threat? What causes us to have remarkably vivid and long-lasting memories of such experiences? And why do some people suffer psychopathological consequences?

A fundamental property of the brain is that it is able to adapt rapidly to a wide range of environmental conditions. Research, mainly in rodents, has shown that such homeostatic processes are supported by a complex cascade of changes in release of neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, and hormones. In the central nervous system, these act as neuromodulators to alter cellular properties of large-scale neuronal populations through widespread, yet regionally specific effects.

My research focuses on how such alterations affect the human brain. For instance, I investigate how these neurochemicals affect diverse cognitive functions, such as vigilance, executive function, and memory, and thus strategically reallocate our cognitive resources. Also, I address the question how stressful experiences alter the intrinsic neural dynamics in the brain during subsequent “offline” periods such as awake rest and sleep, and how such processes contribute to memory.

I attempt to answer these questions by combining functional neuroimaging with endocrine measures, autonomic psychophysiology, pharmacological manipulations, genetics, and rigorous experimental behavioral paradigms. The ultimate goal of this effort is to advance understanding, treatment, and prevention of stress-related psychopathology.

Links

• Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience