Alan Simmons: The role of anticipation and interoception in a dynamic model of psychiatry

It is a fundamental characteristic of the human brain to construct dynamic models of ourselves and the world around us and to use these models to make predictions about the immediate future (keyword: predictive coding). Numerous studies indicate that this functionality is impaired in some psychiatric disorders. In his online lecture next Thursday, Prof. Alan Simmons will shed light on this complicated relationship and describe it in model form.

Abstract

This talk will present data explicating a dynamic expectation model that offers a biomechanistic perspective on the role of anticipation and interoception in a contemporaneous construct of self as a latent variable. We will initially explore a construct founded on the interaction of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain and highlight recent findings of the critical role of expectation in this comorbidity, revealing maladaptive neural responses during anticipation, and impaired brain responses to expectations. We discuss how this dynamic model can be applied to other conditions that are intrinsically tied to the prediction of a latent state such as eating disorders and substance abuse. We also discuss implications of how modulation of this model due to psychotic conditions or psychedelics could affect formulation of the self as a latent variable. Finally, we will discuss the ramification of this model to inform targeted clinical approaches based on distinct neural biophenotypes.

ONLINE VIA ZOOM

For Meeting link please contact:

Dr. Jürgen Kornmeier
Medical Center, University of Freiburg
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
Phone: +49 761 207 212
E-mail: juergen.kornmeier@uni-freiburg.de