Colloquium
Dr. Isabel Berwian, Post Doctoral Research Associate and Associate Research Scholar from Princeton Neuroscience Institute
Title: Uncovering the mechanisms of affective change
Abstract: Common mental disorders are characterized by affective changes such as low mood or anxiety. To improve the treatment of these conditions, it is critical to understand how such affective states can be changed and which conditions would make such changes long-lasting. To elucidate these change mechanisms, I formalize treatment processes using computational models of learning and use these formalizations to derive and test novel hypotheses regarding the effects of different treatments. In this talk, I will illustrate this approach through two projects: 1) investigation of mechanisms of relapse of depression after remission using a physical effort task and 2) uncovering the mechanism of return of fear (anxiety) after successful treatment using an extinction task. I will show how the computational models of these tasks can reveal the cognitive mechanisms underlying affective change. I will also demonstrate the power of these models to predict such changes. Finally, I will briefly introduce the research program I have developed based on these mechanistic insights, which focuses on improving interventions to prevent the return of negative affective states.
Join us at 3:30 PM for cookies, coffee, and conversation! A reception will follow the session in the Psychology Lounge.