Habenular (dys)function in decisions on approach and avoidance (A12)

• Subject Area: Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Term: from 2013 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 36555331

The habenula (Hb) is an important relay controlling release of dopamine and serotonin. Our aim is to understand the contribution of the Hb to active and passive avoidance and to learning from aversive events. To this end, high-resolution structural, diffusion-weighted and functional MRI, pharmacological challenges, and in-vivo receptor density mapping using positron emission tomography will be performed in healthy volunteers. Because dysfunction of the Hb has been suggested to contribute to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, we will search for volume and connectivity aberrations of the Hb in patients with addiction.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 779: Neurobiology of Motivated Behaviour
• Applicant Institution: Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Oliver Speck; Professor Dr. Markus Ullsperger