Research
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On these pages you can find information about the current topics of my research. These are:
- Neurobiology of memory
- Biomarkers for dopamine-related psychiatric disorders
- Attentive processes in newborns
Additionally, some future plans are listed.
Since 2005, my main research topic is the 'Neurbiology of memory'. In my studies, I am collaborating with several researchers from Maastricht University (i.e., Arjan Blokland, Wim Riedel, and Jos Prickaerts). But I also have joints projects with researchers at the Helsinki University central hospital (i.e., Seppo Kahkonen and Sinikka Munte).
In 2007, I received a VENI grant to study the interaction between acetylcholine and serotonin in memory processing. In 2010 the project ended and I am currently analysing the data of my studies and preparing some manuscripts. But generally, we found that, although both neurotransmitters influence memory separately, they at least do not seem to interact in their effect on memory on a behavioural basis. As for affecting brain activity, results are less clear.
Other neurotransmitter systems we are studying are the dopamine system (effects of methylphenidate on episodic memory) and glutamate (i.e., the role of PDE inhibition in memory and the effects of remifentanil on memory).
Next to my main topic, I am also supervising three PhD students on a variety of topics:
- Inge Klinkenberg: The role of muscarinic receptors in cognitive processes generally affected in schizophrenia, such as Learned Irrelevance, sensory gating, and mismatch negativity.
- Anke Linssen: EEG markers of dopamine activity, such as the contingent negative variation and the role of dopamine in memory.
- Joep Wolters: The role of dopamine in cognitive symptoms found in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.