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Characterizing the Neurobiology of Pathological Dissociation: Mechanisms of Face Perception and Self Referential Processing

Award Number: K01MH118467
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/10/2019
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2024

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Characterizing the Neurobiology of Pathological Dissociation: Mechanisms of Face Perception and Self Referential Processing - The candidate for this Mentored Career Development Award has a PhD in cognitive psychology and neuroscience with extensive training in the cognitive/neural mechanisms of stress, emotion, and mindfulness. This proposal is designed to facilitate the candidate's pathway to independence by providing training and mentorship in clinical assessment, and two new methodologies: eye-tracking and crowd-sourced online “big data,” while also refining the candidate's neuroimaging skills. This training is essential to achieving the candidate's long-term goal of an independent career in translational clinical research investigating the predictors and correlates of posttraumatic neuropsychiatric sequelae, including pathological dissociation. Pathological dissociative symptoms in psychiatric populations are common, debilitating, and costly at both the personal and societal level; however, their biological mechanisms are largely unknown. Phenomenologically, dissociation encompasses a range of symptoms and occurs transdiagnostically. Traumatized individuals with dissociative symptoms typically have co-occurring psychiatric conditions, high rates of suicidality, and are disproportionate treatment utilizers. We propose that a novel way to measure dissociation is through the cognitive and neural processes associated with one's physical self (e.g., face) and psychological self (e.g., personality traits). A major goal of this proposal is to establish a new transdiagnostic, objective measure of dissociation by quantifying these self-related behavioral and biological correlates. Foundational research has documented differential patterns of brain activation in those with high vs. low levels of dissociative symptoms. These studies, however, have been limited in scope: 1) cross-diagnostic mechanisms have not been explored, 2) they have largely focused on a single paradigm, 3) they have targeted dissociative symptoms of detachment from the body and environment (depersonalization/derealization), which do not cover the wide range of documented dissociative symptoms. To address these limitations, we propose to examine the behavioral and biological correlates of face perception, self-face processing, and personality trait-based self processing in a transdiagnostic sample of individuals who report dissociative symptoms using neuroimaging, eye-tracking, and online big data collection techniques. Successful completion of these Aims will provide a much-needed dataset to further underpin biological theories of dissociation and will inform potential neural circuits to target for treatment. This research and training will occur at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated psychiatric hospital. McLean is a world leader in the treatment and research of mental illness, and in training generations of clinicians and scientists. It maintains the largest program of research in neuroscience and psychiatry of any private psychiatric hospital in the US. This facility and the greater Boston area offer a phenomenal set of resources to maximize the training and scientific potential afforded by this Career Development Award.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2022	THE MCLEAN HOSPITAL CORPORATION	115 MILL ST	BELMONT	MA	02478	MIDDLESEX	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	7/25/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $156,586 )
2022	2022	MCLEAN HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	115 MILL ST	BELMONT	MA	02478	MIDDLESEX	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	5/19/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$156,586
														Subtotal = $156,586

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $156,586 )
2021	2021	MCLEAN HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	115 MILL ST	BELMONT	MA	02478	MIDDLESEX	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	7/20/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$156,586
														Subtotal = $156,586

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $209,754 )
2020	2020	MCLEAN HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	115 MILL ST	BELMONT	MA	02478	MIDDLESEX	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	6/1/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$156,186
2020	2020	MCLEAN HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	115 MILL ST	BELMONT	MA	02478	MIDDLESEX	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	2	9/10/2020	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$53,568
														Subtotal = $209,754

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $156,079 )
2019	2019	MCLEAN HOSPITAL CORPORATION, THE	115 MILL ST	BELMONT	MA	02478	MIDDLESEX	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	1/8/2019	NEW	$156,079
														Subtotal = $156,079

Grand Total All Awards = $679,005

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Characterizing the Neurobiology of Pathological Dissociation: Mechanisms of Face Perception and Self Referential Processing

Award Number: K01MH118467

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/10/2019

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2024

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