The overall aim of my research group is the investigation of associations between brain structure and function and neuroplasticity in neuropsychiatric disorders. We mainly explore MRI-based predictive markers for treatment outcome in depression, in particular regarding noninvasive brain stimulation therapies (e.g. electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)). Another focus is the investigation of clinical efficacy and plasticity associated with psychedelic-induced psychotherapy in patients with alcohol use disorder. Furthermore, we investigate the neurobiology of the reward system, which underlies a series of clinical syndromes associated with reward seeking and goal directed behavior. Methodologically we use multimodal MRI; however, there is a focus on investigating networks of the brain using diffusion MRI-based tractography. In addition, we apply a wide range of clinical assessments, actigraphy, and biological markers of blood samples.
