Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Andreas Maercker

 

Main Goals, Keywords

We conduct investigation along the following two distinct research areas: 1) the neurophysiological foundation of both emotion regulation and social-interpersonal processes in psychologically traumatized humans (PTSD), and 2) motivational reserve as protective factor in early dementia (Alzheimer’s disease).

Group Members

1 professor, 2 postdocs, 2 PhD students, 1 study nurse

Previous and Current Research

• A meta-analysis of event-related potential (ERP) studies in people suffering of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) revealed that these individuals exhibit reliable alterations in ERP amplitude and latency, providing evidence to integrate ERP with other neuroimaging, biochemical and behavioural assessment techniques. In specific experiments we could show that the neutralization of traumatic painful emotions is associated with a normalization of the right-prefrontal or right-parietal brain hyperactivity observed before neutralization. A current study examines the relationship between prefrontal brain asymmetry and posttraumatic growth as salutary outcome factor after traumatisation.
• Previous research in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has revealed a variety of protective and risk factors for the outbreak and clinical course of the illness. The most thoroughly investigated protective psychological factors are education, occupational achievements, high premorbid intellectual functioning, as well as stimulating activities. We therefore suggest a model of motivational reserve (MR) capacity, incorporating motivational and volitional factors that function as a resource against the clinical deterioration of AD patients. Thus, MR can be defined as the ability to optimize or maximize performance via differential recruitment of brain networks, which may reflect the use of alternative compensatory strategies.

For further project information, see www.psychologie.uzh.ch/psypath/

Future Projects

• In order to further investigate the emotional and social-interpersonal regulation in traumatized individuals we plan to systematically record brain activity related to positive, neutral, or negative affective states of PTSD. Furthermore, particularly the change and development of positive affective states will be addressed and contingent changes in brain activity investigated. We expect that the development of positive emotional states will increase left prefrontal brain activity. Consequently, besides regulating avoidance and negative emotional arousal (right hemisphere), psychotherapy is expected to entail an increment of positive emotional activity (left prefrontal areas).
• The proposed model of MR in early Alzheimer’s dementia is to be tested in a series of studies (case-control, position emission tomography, and prospective longitudinal studies). Motivational and volitional abilities will be investigated with various types of assessments (self-report, caregiver-report, scenario technique, delay of gratification trial).

Techniques and Equipment

• Ambulatory electrophysiological monitoring (EEG)
• Emotion coding system (facial and verbal expression)
• Psychological laboratory tasks for the elderly (scenario trial, age-adapted delay of gratification trial)

Selected Publications

• Einsle, F., Köllner, V., Dannemann, S., Maercker, A. Development and validation of a self-report for the assessment of adjustment disorders. Psychol Health Med. Oct; 15(5): 584-95 (2010).
• Zoellner, T., Rabe, S., Karl, A., Maercker, A. Post-traumatic growth as outcome of a cognitive-behavioural therapy trial for motor vehicle accident survivors with PTSD. Psychol Psychother. Aug 10 (2010).
  
• Knaevelsrud, C., Liedl, A., Maercker, A. J Posttraumatic growth, optimism and openness as outcomes of a cognitive-behavioural intervention for posttraumatic stress reactions. Health Psychol. Oct; 15(7): 1030-8 (2010). Epub 2010 May 28.

Selected Lectures, Seminars or Colloquia

• Einführung in die Psychopathologie
• Social Neuroscience und psychische Störungen

Funding

Swiss National Science Foundation, EU programs

URL

http://www.psychologie.uzh.ch/fachrichtungen/psypath/Team/Maercker.html