what we do

Fear and anxiety are a central part of our emotional world. Our research group aims to understand how fear is transmitted by neuropharmacological means, direct experiences and social information. 
To reach this goal, we use laboratory models of aversive learning in humans that map out how we learn about dangers in the environment and how we adaptively learn safety and overcome fears.
To draw inferences on neurobiological processes, we examine neural responses (fMRI), together with psychophysiological signals (e.g. Skin-conductance and Eye-blink startle reflex) in humans.

Social learning of fear

We often learn by observation of others what is dangerous in our environment. Our group examines the neurotransmitter systems that regulate how we learn fear responses by social information. We employ a laboratory model to probe transmission of threats by observation of others. 

• Article about the laboratory protocol. Nature Protocols 2017
• Article about the opioid regulation of social learning of threats. ​                   Nature Communications 2017

Translational models of fear and anxiety ​

 We are curious how we learn to anticipate aversive experiences (e.g. pain) and respond with fear. To reach this goal, we use laboratory models of aversive learning and return of fear in humans .

• Review about the return of fear (reinstatement) Learning&Memory 2015
• Article about neural responses during the return of fear SCAN 2014

Neurotransmitter systems to augment extinction of fear ​

How we can overcome fears by learning to be safe? And which neurotransmitter can agument safety learning to combat fear?

• Article on Dopaminergic augmentation of safety learning PNAS 2013
• Project B10 within the Collaborative Research Center (SFB TRR58)

Smoking and fear

Smokers are overrepresented in patients that suffer from anxiety disorders. However, it is unclear how smoking and nicotine contributes to fear and anxiety in humans. To address this question, we employ pharmacological nicotinic challenges and investigations in smokers to undertstand the influence of smoking on the  neural systems of fear and anxiety in humans

• Article how smoking impacts on laboratory fear responses and safety learning in Neuropsychopharmacology 2017
• Independent Research Project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG)  (HA 7470/3-1)