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RESEARCH IN THE LAB
Pizzagalli (PI)
Lyons-Ruth (Co-PI)
Translational Measures of Anhedonia in Humans and Rats
The four major aims of the study are as follow:
1).To investigate the effects of chronic life stressors, including
maltreatment and deviant care in infancy, on hedonic capacity among
depressed and non-depressed individuals using an objective, laboratory-based
measure of anhedonia.
2). To investigate the effects of acute stress on hedonic capacity
and brain mechanisms underlying stress-induced impairments in hedonic
capacity.
3). To develop and evaluate an animal analogue of the signal-detection
task.
4). To investigate the effects of early maternal separation on
hedonic capacity in rodents.
Sasvari-Szekely (PI)
Lyons-Ruth (Co-PI)
The Serotonergic System and Self- or Other-Damaging Behavior
The three major aims of the study are as follow:
1). To investigate the relations between candidate gene polymorphisms
related to serotonin neurotransmitter function and antisocial or
borderline features in young adulthood in the full US sample.
2). To replicate in a Hungarian sample of young adults the preliminary
findings in the US sample of a relation between the short allele
of the 5HTTLPR and impulsive self- and other-damaging behaviors.
3). To investigate the relative contributions of the serotonergic
system and extent of maltreatment, as well as their interaction
in the development of young adult borderline and antisocial traits.
Lyons-Ruth (PI)
Psychopathology and Controlling Behavior in Adolescence
The three major aims of the study are as follows:
1). To develop and validate a coding protocol for identifying controlling-punitive,
controlling-caregiving, and other insecure-disorganized behavior
in adolescence.
2). To assess the degree to which adolescent disorganized/controlling
attachment strategies are associated with adolescent psychiatric
morbidity.
3). to assess whether overall relational risk in infancy is an
important antecedent of disorganized/controlling attachment strategies
in adolescence, with other variables controlled.
Lyons-Ruth (PI)
Genetic and Caregiving Effects on Disordered Attachment
The three major aims for this collaborative study are as follows:
1). To assess whether polymorphisms of the dopamine D4 receptor
(DRD4) and serotonin transporter (5-HTT) candidate genes constitute
genetic risks for disorganized attachment strategies in infancy
or for aspects of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence.
2). To assess whether maternal atypical caregiving behaviors are
associated with maternal genotypes of the above-mentioned candidate
genes.
3). To assess whether an additive or interactive statistical model
best represents the interplay of genetic diathesis and maternal
caregiving behavior in the prediction of disorganized attachment
in infancy, once both maternal and offspring genetic contributions
are accounted for, pooling data from the collaborating labs.
Kobak (PI)
Lyons-Ruth (Co-PI)
Attachment and Risk in Early Adolescence
This study is investigating three hypotheses:
1). Maternal non-autonomous and Unresolved status on the Adult
Attachment Interview increases maternal vulnerability to disregulated
HPA axis responses to stress.
2). Maternal stress reactivity increases risk to adolescent children
of substance abuse and psychopathology.
3). Maternal attachment effects on adolescent adaptation will be
mediated by quality of parent-child interaction, family instability,
and family conflict and cohesion.
Lyons-Ruth (PI)
Attachment and Genetic Risk among Borderline Adolescents
The specific aim of this study is to assess genetic vulnerability,
stress reactivity, and family interaction patterns among a small
series of families with an adolescent in treatment for borderline
personality disorder, to refine the protocol and establish the feasibility
of a larger study.
Lyons-Ruth (PI)
Cortisol Diurnal Rhythm Among Child Psychiatric Inpatients
Holmes (PI)
Lyons-Ruth (Co-PI)
Detection of Mother/Infants at Risk of Developing Severe
Attachment Problems: Developing a Cost-and-Time Effective Measure
to Support the Work of NHS Health Visitors.
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