Team

RTG Speaker

Dr. Cornelia Kranczioch

Co-Speaker of RTG

PIs

Post-Doctoral Researchers

Dr. AmirHussein Abdolalizadeh Saleh

https://uol.de/biologische-psychologie/team

  

Education:
    MD at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
    
Research Background:
identification of the neurobiological underpinnings of neurologic and psychiatric disorders
Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Schizophrenia, Autism
neuroimaging tools including diffusion and functional MRI

Current Project: His current focus in RTG is on predicting the optimal neuromodulation and its outcomes in patients with Parkinson's disease using different statistical and imaging analytical methods.

Link to Scholar: scholar.google.com/citations

Doctoral Researchers

Rebekah Brückner

https://uol.de/biologische-psychologie/team

  

P6: Combining cognitive training and tACS in patients after stroke to improve interference control
PI: Özyurt
Collaborators: Herrmann, Thiel
  

Education:
    (2022 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation
    (2018 - 2021) Master of Science in Neurocognitive Psychology, University of Oldenburg
    (2013 - 2016) Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, University of California Berkeley

Research Background:
MEG, EEG, MRI and tACs techniques, Auditory processing, Stroke rehabilitation

Current Project: Combining cognitive training and tACs in patients after stroke to improve interference control

 

Linda Büker

https://uol.de/amt/mitarbeiter/linda-bueker

  

P4: Sensor-based tracking of upper limb use in domestic environments
PI: Hein
Collaborator: Kranczioch
  

Education:
    (2023 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation

Jennifer Decker

https://uol.de/neuropsychologie/team/jennifer-decker-phd-candidate

  

P3: Motor imagery neurofeedback training at home for upper-limb motor recovery in stroke and associated changes in cortical motor-prefrontal functional connectivity
PI: Kranczioch
Collaborators: Thiel, Grefkes
  

Education:
    (2022 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation
    
Research Background:
Motor imagery, Neurofeedback, Electroencephalography (EEG), Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Motor and cognitive assessment, Stroke patients

Repeated practice of movement sequences enables these movements to be learned and perfected. A similar effect can be achieved by simply imagining these movements, since the activity of the responsible brain areas strongly overlaps. This type of motor imagery (MI) training allows especially motor impaired individuals (e.g., stroke patients) to work on improving their actual motor skills on a cognitive level and is therefore promising in the context of neural rehabilitation. To provide feedback on performance during practice, additional neurofeedback (NF) can be provided based on individual brain activity during practice, often EEG-based. This allows for real-time objective error analysis as well as correction so that neural activity is specifically modulated.

Current Project: In this across-subjects multiple baseline study, extensive testing of motor function and cognition as well as structural and functional imaging using EEG and MRI will be performed before and after four weeks of MI-NF training. The aim is to further investigate the effects of intensive home-based MI-NF training on the connectivity of motor and prefrontal areas and on the recovery of upper limb motor function in stroke patients.

 

Motahare Delbari

https://uol.de/neuropsychologie/team

  

P2: TMS-induced EEG responses for the characterization of brain network integrity
PI: Debener, Grefkes
Collaborators: Herrmann
 

Education:
    (2023 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation

 

Yan Deng

https://uol.de/biologische-psychologie/team

  

P10: Noradrenergic and cholinergic modulation of functional connectivity related to motor performance and interference resolution in older volunteers and patients with Parkinson’s disease
PI: Thiel
Collaborators: Witt, Grefkes
  

Education:
    (2022 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation

 

Paul Grupe

https://uol.de/psychologie/statistik/paul-grupe

  

P8: Monitoring far-transfer effects of neuromodulation and cognitive training on interference control in daily activities after stroke by means of experience sampling methods
PI: Andrea Hildebrandt
Collaborators: Brütt, Özyurt, Kranczioch

Education:
    (2023 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation
    (10/2021 - 09/2023) MSc in Neurocognitive Psychology, University of Oldenburg
    (09/2018 - 8/2021) BSc in Psychology, Leiden University, Netherlands
   

 

Theresa Johannßen

https://uol.de/en/experimental-psychology

  

P9: Modulating frontal midline theta EEG oscillations in order to improve motor performance and interference resolution in older volunteers and patients with Parkinson’s disease
PI: Herrmann
Collaborator: Witt
  

Education:
    (2022 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation
    (2022) MSc in Neurosciences, University of Bremen
    (2019) BSc in Psychology, University of Bremen

Research Background:
Electroencephalography, Brain Stimulation, Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation, Clinical Neuropsychology, Parkinson's Disease, Developmental Neuropsychology

Current Project: Research on neural oscillations has shown that impaired midfrontal theta activity (4-8 Hz) is associated with cognitive symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease. By transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) cortical oscillations can be modulated and thus cognitive processes and behaviour. The aim of my PhD project is to investigate tACS as a potential therapy to restore cognitive functions in Parkinson’s disease.

 

Sina Khajei

https://uol.de/en/applied-neurocognitive-psychology/team

  

P7: Brain mechanisms of cognitive interference in coordination of realistic action sequences in virtual reality
PI: Rieger
Collaborators: Hein
  

Education:
    (2024 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation

 

Lara Papin

https://uol.de/neuropsychologie/team/lara-papin-phd-candidate-1

  

P12: Gait-related brain activity in patients with Parkinson’s disease: A mobile EEG study and non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation
PI: Debener
Collaborators: Witt, Hein
  

Education:
    (2022 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation

 

Wolf Pink

https://uol.de/ambulantes-assessment-psychologie/team

  

P5:  Frequency specific neurofeedback to promote interference reduction in memory consolidation
PI: Roheger, H. Hildebrandt
Collaborators: Kranczioch, Özyurt
  

Education:
    (2024 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation

 

Luisa Schmidt

https://uol.de/neurologie/mitarbeiter

  

P11: Effectiveness of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on motor performance and interference resolution in patients with Parkinson’s disease
PI: Witt
Collaborators: Thiel, Debener
  

Education:
    (2022 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation

 

 

Ina Wargers

https://uol.de/en/health-services-research/divisions/junior-research-group-for-rehabilitation-science/mitarbeiter/ina-wargers-m-sc

  

P13: How to translate neuromodulation into neurorehabilitative routine care?
PI: Brütt
Collaborators: A.Hildebrandt, H.Hildebrandt
  

Education:
    (2023 - current) PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation
    (2018 - 2020) M.Sc. Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Physiotherapy, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen (HAWK)
    (2013 - 2017) B.Sc. Speech and Language Therapy, Medical School Hamburg

 

Associated Researchers

Associated Doctoral Researchers

Till Bömmer

https://uol.de/neurologie/mitarbeiter

  

PI: Witt

Paria Jahansa

PI: Adele Diederich

  

Education:
    (2022 - current) PhD associated with the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation
    (2018 - 2021) MSc Mathematical Statistics, Faculty of Mathematical Sciences at Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran, Iran

Research Background:
Bayesian mixture models for clustering Big Data
data mining, including time series, regression, data mining, and multivariate analysis
With nearly a decade of experience utilizing statistical learning methods with R programing language, I am always eager to broaden my knowledge and explore practical applications of statistics in interdisciplinary projects.

Current Project: DFG-funded project focused on testing race models for the stop signal task using the copula approach. This project has allowed me to expand my knowledge and experience in the field of statistics, especially about the copula functions, and has provided me with valuable opportunities to work collaboratively with other researchers and experts in the field of mathematical psychology.

 

Katharina Meier

https://uol.de/neurologie/mitarbeiter

  

PI: Witt

  

Education:
    (2022 - current) PhD (Dr. med. Excellence program) associated with the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation
    (2018 - current) studies of Medical Sciences, University of Oldenburg

Current Project: We are investigating the transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and analyzing the effects of this neuromodulation procedure in healthy subjects and patients with Parkinson's disease. In the study, I am mainly focusing on analyzing pupil size, saliva alpha-amylase and adverse events. My goal is to continue pursuing this research direction in the future.

 

Anna Röschel

https://uol.de/ambulantes-assessment-psychologie/team

  

P5: Frequency specific neurofeedback to promote interference reduction in memory consolidation
PI: H. Hildebrandt, Roheger, Kranczioch
Collaborators: Özyurt
 

Education:
    (2023 - current) associated PhD in the Research Training Group for Neuromodulation

 

Dr. med. Johannes Stalter

https://uol.de/neurologie/johannes-stalter

  

PI: Witt

 

Research Background:
Transcranial temporal interference stimulation (tTIS) is a new method to non-invasively stimulate
regions in the depth of the brain. The idea behind this is to send out two very-high frequencies that do not interfere with brain activity, which are slightly different (e.g. 2 kHz and 2,1 kHz) and are overlapping in the region of interest (ROI) in deep brain regions such as the basal ganglia. In this way, the frequencies extinct each other with only the delta of both frequencies (in this example 0,1 kHz) targeting in the ROI. This frequency then stimulates the deep laying regions. Overlying cortical layers are not affected by this technique. The current is applied by electrodes which are placed on the scalp of the participants. Previous studies demonstrated the efficiency of tTIS in an animal model and the safety of tTIS in humans. The studies of this application extent the research question to a proof of principle of tTIS in a disease model namely Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Current Project: In this project, tTIS will be applied for the first time in PD patients. One major symptom complex are the motor symptoms, which are caused by neuronal oscillation changes in the basal ganglia, namely the putamen. Another aspect of this disease are non-motor symptoms like apathy, which is defined by a lack of motivation. This is thought to be caused by changed oscillations in the region of the nucleus accumbens.
To provide an exact stimulation, we will simulate the stimulation on a single-subject level with individual MRI scans. In the second phase, the two different aspects of this disease are investigated. First, we stimulate the putamen of the participants. The change in motor performance will be measured with a finger tapping task, which is analyzed by a 3D video camera system. Another sequential finger tapping task is performed to measure motor learning. Second, the nucleus accumbens will be stimulated with a gamma frequency to enhance effortreward behavior and therefore modulate the motivation. This is tested with a well-established motivation task, in which the participants have to squeeze a hand grip to gain rewards. The studies will be accompanied by a standardized safety investigation. Using a cross-over real or sham design, the impact of tTIS on motor and non-motor symptoms will be investigated in order to perform feasibility, safety and a first prove of concept of tTIS to treat motor and non-motor aspects of a neurodegenerative disease.

 

Administration

Richelle Durano

RTG Office

Finances and Administration

Dr. rer. nat. Gesa Feenders

RTG Office

Scientific Administration

(Changed: 08 Mar 2024)  | 
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