We are there when research and teaching go hand in hand.
Research groups and focal points at the KJK
The University Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Karl-Jasper- Klinik conducts research and teaches as part of the European Medical School Oldenburg-Groningen (EMS). The central object of research at the KJK is the establishment of personalized psychiatry - that is, the development of a tailored form of therapy that provides all patients with the optimal treatment for them, based on neurobiological findings.
The research program "Neuromodulation of Emotion" (NEMO) was established for this purpose: Members of the eponymous research team conduct research on the development of neuromodulatory therapies for various psychiatric conditions, including treatment-resistant depression (TRD), emotion and attention regulation disorders, and anxiety and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders.
Our studies and projects
Hand in hand: care and research
We conduct research on innovative approaches for the treatment of mental illnesses that are associated with a change in social and emotional functioning. The focus is not only on major depression or borderline disorder, but also on schizophrenic disorders, whose negative symptoms are particularly stressful for those affected. The aim of the research work is to develop customized forms of therapy for each patient.
The DREAMS study is investigating whether stimulating activity in the frontal lobe can reduce symptoms of depression. The brain activity is to be stimulated by an innovative further development of an established treatment for depression with few side effects, the so-called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Here, a pulsating magnetic field is used to stimulate activity in specific brain regions in a targeted manner. rTMS is an established procedure that has already been proven to be effective.
Both the psychological complaints and the personal challenges in everyday life are as individual as the people with schizophrenia themselves. Treatment options should therefore be able to be adapted to different needs in the best possible way. The goal of the "SPIRIT" project is to better understand neurobiological mechanisms of schizophrenia. In the future, these so-called "biomarkers" could help to better assess individual courses of the disease and thus contribute to more personalized treatment.
Social relationships and a sense of belonging are of paramount importance for our mental and physical health. But to what extent is social integration related to the treatment success of inpatient psychiatric therapy? The SANITY research project aims to identify neurobiological mechanisms associated with successful social integration during inpatient treatment.
Socializing with friends and family has a positive impact on our well-being. However, social interactions can often pose particular challenges for people with mental illness. In this study, we therefore use audio and video recordings as well as biomarkers to investigate social interactions between sufferers and treatment providers in everyday clinical practice.
Social interaction is indispensable for building and perpetuating trust and (inter-)personal bonding and can significantly influence the resulting prosocial behaviors, such as altruism, empathy or cooperation. Not least since the COVID-19 pandemic, encounters between people increasingly take place in digital space. But to what extent can virtual encounters promote prosocial behavior? The goal of the NerDI research project is to identify the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social forms of interaction, i.e., face-to-face vs. virtual encounters.
This BMBF-funded project, carried out together with partners from science and industry, aims to develop a social-empathic assistance system for people with depression after a psychiatric hospital stay. An attachment-oriented avatar acts as the central interaction interface, which analyzes and produces social signals with a real-time capable attachment simulation in order to strengthen the assistance function.
The NEMO working group is also part of the ZIM network "Smartlife". The strategic orientation of the network is to support people through intelligent aids. The support can be provided in the areas of work, leisure, health and rehabilitation.
