It has been well-established that the pathogenesis and progression of diseases is affected by psychological and emotional factors. However, only due to recent progress in behavioral, neuroscience and immunological research the biochemical basis of these mind-body interaction could be uncovered in more detail. The working groups in our Institute are analyzing in numerous research projects in experimental animals as well as healthy subjects and patients this bi-directional communication among behavior and mood, brain functions and peripheral organ systems. On the one hand we analyze how functions of the peripheral immune system affect mood and neuropsychological functions such as learning and memory and how conversely associative learning paradigms can modify immune functions in the context of a placebo response. On the other hand we analyze the psychological and neuronal processing of pain stimuli and investigate how the pain processing can be shaped by learning and behavioral interventions. Moreover, our research activities concentrate on the interaction between the brain and the immune system and analyze the effects of psychological stress on immune functions.

The over all aim of our research activities is based on the better understanding of the interaction among behavior, the brain and peripheral organ systems to develop new and innovative treatment options for patients e.g. via specifically designed behavioral protocols which can be employed together with medical treatments in order to optimize and maximize the treatment outcome for the patient benefit.

Most of our research projects are funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and are partially integrated in the “Center Grants” funded by the DFG.

DFG-Forschergruppe (FOR 1581): „Extinction Learning: Neural Mechanisms, Behavioural Manifestations, and Clinical Implications.“

DFG Forschergruppe (FOR 751): “The Science of Social Stress”.

DFG Forschergruppe (FOR 1328): „Expectation and conditioning as basic mechanisms of the placebo and nocebo response – From neurobiology to clinical applications“.

DFG Graduiertenkolleg (1045): „Modulation von Wirtszellfunktionen zur Behandlung viraler und bakterieller Infektionen“.