van Wingen G.A.: Neuroimaging in Psychiatry

The general aim of my research is to understand the neural mechanisms underlying the development and treatment of psychiatric disorders. I therefore investigate how biological and psychological factors that are associated with psychiatric vulnerability affect the brain, as well as how successful treatment normalizes brain function and structure. To address these questions, I combine genetics, stress manipulations and various treatment approaches with noninvasive neuroimaging techniques such as functional MRI, structural MRI, DTI, and MR spectroscopy. My current research focuses on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying fear learning, identifying common and specific neural abnormalities across psychiatric disorders, and detecting neuroimaging biomarkers that predict treatment response.