December 5, 2013

The impact of dopamine on aggression: an [18F]-FDOPA PET Study in healthy males

2013, Hormones/Neuromodulators /

Abstract Cerebral dopamine (DA) transmission is thought to be an important modulator for the development and occurrence of aggressive behavior. However, the link between aggression and DA transmission in humans has not been investigated using molecular imaging and standardized behavioral tasks. We investigated aggression as a function of DA transmission in a group of (N […]

The impact of dopamine on aggression: an [18F]-FDOPA PET Study in healthy males Read More »

Elaborative encoding during REM dreaming as prospective emotion regulation

2013, Social Cognition /

Abstract Rapid eye movement (REM) dreaming results in “emotionally intelligent encoding,” according to the target article. Building on this, we argue that elaborative encoding alters emotional processing of upcoming events and thereby functions as prospective emotion regulation. After elaborative encoding, future events are appraised differently and result in a redirected emotional response. Disturbed elaborative encoding

Elaborative encoding during REM dreaming as prospective emotion regulation Read More »

Test-retest reliability of fMRI brain activity during memory encoding

2013, Meta-Science (Methods) /

Abstract The mechanisms underlying hemispheric specialization of memory are not completely understood. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to develop and test models of hemispheric specialization. In particular for memory tasks however, the interpretation of fMRI results is often hampered by the low reliability of the data. In the present study we therefore

Test-retest reliability of fMRI brain activity during memory encoding Read More »

Neural activation during anticipation of opposite-sex and same-sex faces in heterosexual men and women

2013, Social Reward /

Abstract Psychobiological accounts of face processing predict that greater salience is attributed to faces matching a viewer’s sexual preference than to faces that do not. However, behaviorally, this effect could only be demonstrated in tasks assessing reward ‘wanting’ (e.g. work-per-view-tasks) but not in tasks assessing ‘liking’ (e.g. facial attractiveness ratings), and has been found to

Neural activation during anticipation of opposite-sex and same-sex faces in heterosexual men and women Read More »

Lack of association of a functional catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphism with risk of tobacco smoking: results from a multicenter case-control study

2013, Clinical /

Abstract Background: The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) modulates dopaminergic neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex as well as in the mesolimbic reward system. Since the reward system mediates addictive behavior, the COMT gene is a strong candidate gene regarding the pathophysiology of tobacco dependence and smoking behavior. Because of rather conflicting results in previous studies, the purpose of the

Lack of association of a functional catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphism with risk of tobacco smoking: results from a multicenter case-control study Read More »

Oxytocin influences processing of socially relevant cues in the ventral tegmental area of the human brain

2013, Hormones/Neuromodulators, Social Cognition, Social Reward /

Abstract Background: Evidence accumulates that the neuropeptide oxytocin plays an important role in mediating social interaction among humans and that a dysfunction in oxytocin-modulated brain mechanisms might lie at the core of disturbed social behavior in neuropsychiatric disease. Explanatory models suggest that oxytocin guides social approach and avoidance by modulating the perceived salience of socially meaningful

Oxytocin influences processing of socially relevant cues in the ventral tegmental area of the human brain Read More »

Join us!

If you are interested in joining our group as an intern or to do your BSc/MSc or PhD thesis just contact us by clicking the button.

Contact us
Scroll to Top