Projects
Role of corticostriatal system components in response flexibility, control of learned behavior and neurocognitive deficits. KU Leuven
The corticostriatal system has been suggested to play a role in cognitive functions, but its importance for spatial cognition has been scarcely studied. Different neurological and psychiatric diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia, are related to (cortico)striatal dysfunctions. These disorders are characterized by motor impairments and psychotic episodes, but cognitive problems occur as well, specifically during early phases ...
Identification and characterization of clinically relevant cys-loop receptors. KU Leuven
Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are of high clinical relevance due to their central role in fast synaptic neurotransmission in both the central and peripheral nervous system. They are involved in the disease mechanism of numerous disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, myasthenia gravis, epilepsy and startle disease. Unraveling the 3-dimensional structures of pLGICs can provide insights in ligand recognition, channel gating, ...
Non-Amyloid Pathological Brain Aging in Late Life Depression KU Leuven
Depression and age-related brain disorders such as dementia are together one of the greatest public health issues of our time. With a rapidly increasing aging population and longer life expectancy, the burden associated with depression in later life will only increase. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying depression is crucial for limiting the personal and economic impact of the disorder by improving diagnosis and ...
Stress Sensitivity in Psychosis: Assessment, Mechanism & Intervention KU Leuven
During the last century the concept of “stress” has taken a central position in both preclinical and clinical research. Its implications range from an organism’s most basic survival tactics to physical and mental well-being. In humans, stress is implicated in the epidemiology of a broad range of mental disorders, urging for a better understanding of its dynamics. One group that has been shown to exhibit a sensitized stress response are ...
Research line management for Neuromodulation and Immunopsychiatry University of Antwerp
Implementation of ACT in Daily Life KU Leuven
Mental health problems constitute a major individual, family and public health concern, affecting up to 30% of the population. Yet, both pharmacological and psychological interventions only reach modest effect sizes. There is a need for new and better personalised interventions. In my ERC 'INTERACT' project, we adopted a mobile Health (mHealth) approach for the treatment of psychotic disorder. We developed ACT-DL (Acceptance and Commitment in ...
A computational framework for sensitive and specific quantitative metaproteomics Ghent University
Metaproteomics is an increasingly popular field involving the study of the full protein complement
of entire (microbial) communities. These proteins are the ‘worker’ molecules in cells, carrying out
the chemical reactions that sustain life, and that ensure communication with other cells in the
community and with the host organism. Metaproteomics is frequently applied to gain insight into
human gut microbiota, the ...
The Psychology and Neurobiology of Late Onset Psychosis KU Leuven
Summary
Title: The psychology and neurobiology of late onset psychosis
PhD student: Lies Van Assche
Promotors: Prof. Dr. Mathieu Vandenbulcke, Prof. Dr. Patrick Luyten
The first onset of psychosis in late life is a highly incapacitating syndrome which is more common than previously assumed, presenting in approximately 10-62% of nursing home residents, 5-15% of elderly psychiatric inpatients and 27% of psychiatric ...