Understanding mechanisms of therapeutic action 

Going bedside-to-benchtop, we try to adress neurobiological mechanisms - underlying psychiatric symptoms in humans - in model organisms. Aiming to gain a better understanding of why particular (experimental) treatment approaches work in humans, we develop and apply experimental designs in model organisms, enabling the study of mechanisms on the cellular level.

Foremost, we are currently working with models of conventional and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation in mice. Beyond respective experiments in animal models of psychiatric disorders, we collaborate with partners, addressing mechanisms of therapeutic action in cancer (i.e. small cell lung cancer). 

Examples of our efforts in reverse translational studies:

• Jarczok MN, Koenig J, Shively CA, Thayer JF. Behavioral depression is associated with increased vagally mediated heart rate variability in adult female cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Int J Psychophysiol. 2018 131:139-143. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.11.004.