Research Interest Areas

The Center for Neuro-Developmental Psychopathology encompasses diverse interests; reflecting the specialties of our faculty and staff, and the needs of those we serve. The National Institute of Health’s Research Domain Criteria Initiative (RDoC) is fully integrated to the various clinical research projects of the center.

Major clinical research interest areas are:

Emotional Dysregulation

Focusing on unraveling the complexities of Emotional Dysregulation, our primary areas of interest include Disruptive Mood and Behavior Disorders, Irritability Across Various Psychiatric Disorders, and Assessment and Interventions of Emotional Dysregulation. Through rigorous investigation and innovative approaches, we strive to advance our understanding of the critical aspects of emotional well-being, ultimately paving the way for more effective treatments and improved outcomes.

Neuroimaging

Neuroimaging entails the utilization of quantitative (computational) methods to investigate the structure and operation of the central nervous system. It emerged as an objective approach to scientifically explore the human brain functions without invasive procedures. Moreover, it is progressively applied for quantifiable investigations into brain disorders and psychiatric conditions. This field is profoundly multidisciplinary, integrating neuroscience, computer science, psychology, and bio-statistics.

In our lab, neuroimaging plays a crucial role by facilitating in-depth examination of the functions attributed to specific brain regions. Furthermore, it enables the detection of brain disparities in individuals with potential brain disorders or mental health issues.

Techniques like magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroencephalography (EEG), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) enable researchers to directly observe brain activities during the execution of various perceptual, motor, and cognitive tasks (neuropsychological tasks).

Novel Psychopharmacology

Our center develops and engaged in various psychopharmacological clinical studies. Our primary interest is to verify the neural level impact by various interventions (“target engagement”). This is the next step of departure from the traditional clinical trials, by utilizing state-of-art neuroscience methods to examine the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of various mental health disorders, and determine the actual changes of them by psychiatric medications, behavioral interventions, and other modalities of interventions.