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Department of Systems Neuroscience

Department Chair:	Prof. Christian Büchel
Department Vice Chair:	Dr. Arne May
Head MTA:	Katrin Müller
Managing Director:	Dipl.-Kauff. Ute Niendorf

The Department

Our department belongs to the Center for Experimental Medicine and does research on the function of the human brain. The findings obtained are used in cooperation with clinical partners for the diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of neuropsychiatric diseases.

Special methods

Our department has a high field magnetic resonance tomograph with a field strength of 3 Tesla. This enables us to measure the activity of nerve cells in the brain in the millimeter range.
The instrument was funded by the "German Research Foundation" (DFG).

Research

The department's research is divided into several work groups (AG). The AG Physics develops new pulse sequences for the MR instrument, making it possible to visualize even finer details. The AG Learning and Memory studies the mechanisms of memory formation but also the deviating processes playing a role in memory loss in disease. The AG Emotions does research on the emotional processing of stimuli and misdirected processes playing a role in development of fear and addiction. The AG Pain studies primarily processes leading to development of chronic pain.

Teaching and Continuing Education

The department offers a science-oriented seminar "A Window to the Brain". After the principles of modern neurosciences have been taught, the latest research findings are presented. In addition, the department offers an interdisciplinary lecture on pain. A course in image data processing is held once a year.

Facts and Figures

In 2008 (status Sept. 2008), 1,066 MR scans had been performed.

Department Statistics

Currently 20 scientists and six non-scientists, 10 visiting scientists from other universities and departments as well as three medical doctoral candidates work in the department.

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