Research Overview

Scroll down to learn more about our different research studies.

Emotion Regulation in Depression and the Aging Brain

This study investigates how problems such as cognitive dysfunction and depression symptomatology relate to the ability to regulate emotions during late middle and older age. Participants take part in an interview to gather information about medical and psychiatric history, a physical exam and blood draw, cognitive testing, a functional MRI scan, and questionnaires. Some parts of this study can be performed virtually, and we are enrolling patients at Stony Brook University who are unable to attend in-person visits at this time due to the pandemic. The overall aim of this study is to use the knowledge that we gain from this study to develop better interventions for emotion dysregulation and depression in older people. We are enrolling participants with and without a history of depression. Participants are enrolled at both Stony Brook University, NY and University of Utah, UT.

Funding Source: National Institute of Mental Health

Cognitive, Clinical and Neural Markers of Late Life Depression

This project aims to better understand executive functioning and reward processing in the context of depression during older age. Participants take part in an interview to gather information about medical and psychiatric history, cognitive testing, and a functional MRI scan. The goal of this study is to identify tools that enable earlier prediction of cognitive decline among older people with depression. At this time, we are enrolling only participants with depression. Participants are enrolled at the University of Utah.

Funding source: US Department of Veterans Affairs

Predicting Cognitive Decline among World Trade Center Responders Using functional MRI

World Trade Center (WTC) responders experience cognitive impairment at higher rates and at earlier ages than community normative samples, with underlying plasma and structural brain markers suggestive of a neurodegenerative process. Early identification of cognitive impairment and prediction of future cognitive decline is imperative for formulating accurate treatment goals and for care planning. This study aims to measure resting state networks in WTC responders with and without cognitive impairment, and associated network patterns with current and prospective cognitive performance to inform a larger study that will aim to These results will inform a study that will aim to identify (with a larger sample) how and to what extent RS fMRI metrics can be used for predicting cognitive change in WTC responders.