The Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg is comprised of several research groups that apply neurobiological and immunological examination methods as well as spectroscopic, functional and structural imaging techniques to address their research questions.

• Translational psychiatry: Imaging, Neurophysiology, Psychoimmunology and Environmental Gene Interactions

See ongoing studes no. 1, 2, 4, 5, 11, 13, 14

• Medical Informatics, Artificial Intelligence (EU-Deep-Health)

See ongoing studies no. 7, 8

• Clinical Research (Psychotherapy Research, Health Services Research, Psychopharmacotherapy Research)  

See ongoing studies no. 3, 6, 9, 10, 12

Current Research Projects

1. Breathing air study: Investigation of signatures from the air we breathe using proton mass spectrometry. A total of 90 patients (30 with depression, 30 with mild cognitive disorders and 30 with schizophrenia) and 30 healthy subjects will be studied. PI: Prof. Frodl
2. Breathomics: Identification of glutamatergic markers from the breath: multimodal imaging using 7 Tesla MR spectroscopy, EEG/EP, breath analysis (proton mass spectrometry): examination of 25 patients with depression (before starting therapy with antidepressants) and 25 healthy subjects , IIT: Janssen-Cilag), PI: Prof. Frodl
3. Additional effect of virtual reality in the therapy of social phobia compared to "standard" cognitive behavioural therapy, clinical study, co-financed by EU funds (ERC Grant Prof T. Wolbers): PIs: Wolbers, Frodl, Albrecht
4. Brain structure and function in patients with depression + anxiety disorders compared to patients with depression without anxiety disorders and healthy subjects, a multimodal imaging study, current goal 25 patients with anxiety + depression and 25 patients with depression, 25 healthy subjects, PIs: Prof. Frodl, Dr. Metzger
5. Special MRI signatures in patients with depression who had a history of childhood abuse compared to depression without childhood abuse, PI: Prof. Frodl
6. Additional benefits of transcranial direct current stimulation in cognitive remediation, sham-controlled clinical study, diagnosis-spanning from depression to schizophrenia, a total of 100 patients, who all receive cognitive training over 8 weeks, half each receive active tdcs or sham stimulation PI: Prof. Frodl
7. DEEP-Health: EU Grant: Establishment of artificial intelligence methods to improve diagnosis and therapy processes in depression and dementia, PI: Prof. Frodl
8. MIRACUM: Medical Informatics Initiative of the BMBF: Access Committee Member: Prof. Frodl
9. CHIMPS-NET -Children and young people with parents who are mentally ill and/have addictions - children of mentaly ill parents - network, Federal Government Support. Establishment of care structures for the treatment of young people with mental illnesses.  Cross-sectoral, family-oriented interventions are to be established. The establishment of the new structures is to be accompanied by care research. Electronic treatment and information approaches are also to be further developed.
10. Oxidative stress in acute alcohol withdrawal: comparison of the diazepam regimen with the distraneurin scheme, measurement of oxidative stress markers. Investigator Initiated Trial (IIT): Cheplarpharm, PI: Prof. Steiner
11. Neuronal correlates of violence: fMRI examination of hooligans, versus martial artists, versus healthy controls, PIs: S. Seidenbecher, M. Schöne, Prof. Schiltz
12. Cambridge- biomarker study: follow-up study in patients with depression and schizophrenia, initial examination immediately upon admission and then 6 weeks follow-up of acute treatment, PI: Prof. Steiner
13. Dementia study: identification of blood and CSF biomarkers of patients with different dementia markers and follow-up, PI: PD. Dr. Busse
14. Epigenetics in trauma sequelae, depressive patients and healthy volunteers including psychodynamic diagnostics, PI: Dr. Gescher