The TNN Lab


Department of Psychiatry

University of Pittsburgh

Welcome to the Translational Neuropsychopharmacology and Neuroimaging Lab. The main focus of our research is to examine individual differences in mechanisms of antidepressant treatment response in order to identify new targets for therapeutic interventions. In particular, we are interested in understanding how expectancies and learning mechanisms impact mood improvement using placebos as experimental probes. We use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) in conjunction with physiological and behavioral measures to investigate how the response to pharmacological treatments can be shaped by expectancies and learning mechanisms.

The lab is directed by Marta Pecina, Associate Professor of Psychiatry.