Psyche
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Social stress and social rewards in alcohol dependence - interaction of cortisol, oxytocin and dopaminergic reward system

Institution: Department of Psychiatry und Psychotherapy, Social Neuroscience Lab,
University of Lübeck
Applicant: Dr. Lena Rademacher
Funding line:
First and Second Applications
Magnetic resonance scanner

Despite the social significance of alcohol dependence, it has not yet been possible to understand the neurobiological causes and derive new treatment approaches. Due to the important role of social interactions and psychosocial stress in the development and therapy of alcohol dependence, the current project focuses on the neuropeptide oxytocin. Oxytocin has an important function in social bonds and interacts with the stress system and the reward system in the brain. The project investigates this interaction in alcohol patients and healthy control subjects using saliva (cortisol) and blood samples (oxytocin) as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging (brain activity during reward processing).

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