PhD Project Maja Neidhart
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Psychotic experiences, affectivity and neural correlates
In this Ph.D. project the interaction between psychotic experiences, affectivity, and neuronal correlates is investigated. Psychotic experiences are associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorder. The prevalence of psychotic experiences is high, linked to various risk factors, and might serve as a response to stress.
This project examines psychotic experiences dimensional and transdiagnostic in both clinical and non-clinical samples. The emphasis is to on analyzing factors that play a role in the onset and persistence of psychotic experiences.
A central idea is to investigate how emotions and cognitions contribute in the etiological model of psychotic experiences. It could be assumed that emotions, such as anxiety, impact the search for meaning in both internal and external stimuli. The attribution of meaning through dysfunctional information processing might be linked to feelings of threat, which, in turn, could impact the onset and maintenance of psychotic experiences.
Additionally, there is an emphasis on uncovering neural correlates. To achieve this, fMRI data is analyzed and compared with a range of covariates. Within the framework of a Big Data methodology, existing datasets are harmonized with the aim of gaining a comprehensive understanding of the processes and underlying mechanisms.
- Supervisor: Prof. Henrik Walter, Prof. Tobias Banaschewski.
- Funding: EU-Project „environMENTAL“.
- Contact: maja.neidhart(at)charite.de