Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit

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Research Interests

All research interests of the SCAN-Unit are focused on the "functional neuro-anatomy of the interaction between emotion and cognition", one of the main research areas of the faculty of psychology layed down in the development plan of the university of Vienna (external link).

Neuro-scientific research has shown that in cognitive processes many partial aspects (perception, attentiveness, learning, memory and thinking) are usually active at the same time and influence one another. Recent research points out that emotions are similarly integrated into this dynamic process. This main research area aims to make the neuronal cognition systems, and thus cognition itself, clearer by investigating the interaction between emotion and cognition. Studies done in the course of this research are carried out in both the normal and the clinical areas using the methods of functional and structural neuroimaging, as well as using pharmacological interventions, neuroendocrinological, and psychophysiological measurements. The main methods we use are high-density event-related potentials (ERPs) and electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), combined ERP/TMS, and structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (in cooperation with the Centre of Excellence of High-Field MR at the Medical University of Vienna) (external link).

Currently active research projects:

• Neural correlates of empathy and prosocial behavior (further information)
• Neural correlates of decision-making (further information)
• Cortical Realtime Neurofeedback (further information)
• Affective visual processing without awareness (further information)
• TMS to treat smoking addiction (further information)
• Imaging Genetics: genes and reward processing (further information)
• Multimodal Neuroimaging (further information)

Developments and Accomplishments in Methology and Measurement

• Threeway LCD-tachistoscope with millisecond resolution
• Photogrammetric Head Digitizer - 3D-PHD
• High-resolution DC-EEG

Recently finished Research-Projects:

• Functional neuroanatomy of learned helplessness
• Functional neuroanatomy of mental rotation