Neuroscience and Mental Health
Neuroscientists at Karolinska Institutet strive to make fundamental discoveries about nervous system function, to teach and train the next generation of scientists and clinicians, and to translate research findings into improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders.
Interviews and features
Supporting those with chronic pain
Supporting those with chronic pain
Thanks to research by Eva Kosek, there has been an increased understanding of the pain disorder fibromyalgia – and patients today encounter less suspicion.
When you blow a fuse
When you blow a fuse
Why do some people get angrier than others in the same situation? And why do some people go far beyond the social boundaries, causing harm to others and to themselves? There are no simple answers – but we have talked to some of the people who know the most about aggression.
Are you dead tired?
Are you dead tired?
Tiredness can be completely normal or a symptom that turns life into an ordeal. Researchers at KI want to find out more about what happens when our energy runs out.
The fragile memory
The fragile memory
Do you and your brother have different recollections of which one of you knocked over the Christmas tree when the cat ran away and the Christmas porridge got burnt? Perhaps you are both wrong. This according to researchers who study how we remember our lives.
She studies rude behaviour at work
She studies rude behaviour at work
Previous studies indicate that rude behaviour at work is a growing problem. Karin Villaume intends to survey the current situation in the Swedish retail trade.
The reawakening of depression research
The reawakening of depression research
The antidepressant ketamine has lead to a reawakening within the field. This according to Johan Lundberg who sees new possibilities to find a cure for one of the world’s most widespread disorders.
How is the brain affected by culture?
How is the brain affected by culture?
Fredrik Ullén is Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and an internationally recognized concert pianist. He is also the Scientific Director of a new centre for Culture, Cognition and Health.
A picture is worth a thousand words
A picture is worth a thousand words
Internal mental images could have a strong influence on our emotions. Emily Holmes is using this knowledge to develop psychological treatments that can reach sufferers of trauma.
Can AI be useful to psychologists?
Can AI be useful to psychologists?
Within psychological treatment, it is important to determine if the patient is receiving the right kind of therapy early on. Viktor Kaldo is set to study if artificial intelligence, AI, can help us with this.
ADHD and autism
ADHD and autism
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – ALS
Chronic pain
Chronic pain
Eating disorders
Eating disorders
Multiple sclerosis – MS
Multiple sclerosis – MS
Obsessive-compulsive disorder – OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder – OCD
Preventing suicide
Preventing suicide
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Stroke
Stroke
Who do you believe?
Who do you believe?
A cordial smile and a warm gaze – yep, that’s enough for us to make an immediate assumption that someone is trustworthy. However, some find it easier to trust than others. Researchers are trying to find out why.
Loneliness a danger to our health
Loneliness a danger to our health
Feeling alone is tough, and it also appears to be detrimental to our physical health, possibly to the same extent as smoking. Now, research shows that loneliness can be beaten.
The art of keeping calm
The art of keeping calm
Everyone worries at times, but when thoughts of disaster get the upper hand, it might be a good idea to seek help. Researchers at KI knows how to become a little calmer.
Ten action points for better mental health
Ten action points for better mental health
In spring 2018, researchers gathered at KI to discuss the challenges of the future for research on psychological treatments. Read more at KI News.
News in neuroscience
Some of our professors in this area
Changing our view of persistent pain
Changing our view of persistent pain
Living with chronic pain is challenging – not least because of the limited number of good treatments. Camilla Svensson is researching the mechanisms behind persistent pain in rheumatic diseases and how it can be tackled in new, more effective ways.
Insurance medicine and mental disorders
Insurance medicine and mental disorders
Mental disorders, such as depressive and anxiety disorders, can lead to long-term sick leave – but excessively prolonged sick leave can also aggravate the illness. Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz conducts research on the links between mental disorders and social insurance.
Optogenetics to understand complex brain function
Optogenetics to understand complex brain function
Ole Kiehn's research is about understanding how neurons and neural networks operate to generate complex brain function. In his lab, researchers combine electrophysiology and anatomy with molecular mouse genetics, optogenetics and behavioral analyses.
Multisensory mechanisms of body self-perception
Multisensory mechanisms of body self-perception
Henrik Ehrsson's research is centered on the question of how we come to perceive ownership over our bodies – how visual, tactile and proprioceptive information are combined to obtain a single coherent object that is one's own body.
Combining various kinds of data for more knowledge about MS
Combining various kinds of data for more knowledge about MS
Ingrid Kockum is researching into multiple sclerosis, MS, and is leading the major international collaboration MultipleMS. By combining many different types of data, the project will generate increased knowledge on various types of MS.
Noticing patients with obsessive compulsive disorders
Noticing patients with obsessive compulsive disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder and related conditions are more common than many other mental disorders but have long been neglected by both research and psychiatric care. David Mataix-Cols wants to change that.
Studying the brain's neural code
Studying the brain's neural code
Gilad Silberberg's research focuses above all on the basal ganglia and how they form the fundamental link between sensory perception and motor function.
Identifying mechanisms of prenatal damage
Identifying mechanisms of prenatal damage
Sandra Ceccatelli's research aims at identifying mechanisms of prenatal damage in the nervous system that trigger behavioral impairment later in life.
The brain networks while resting
The brain networks while resting
Peter Fransson is mapping the appearance and function of the interconnections between parts of the brain.
How can we stay sharp in our old age?
How can we stay sharp in our old age?
A brain that is kept properly active runs less risk of dementia. But why? This is what Martin Lövdén is studying.
The power of imagery over the psyche
The power of imagery over the psyche
Emily Holmes is passionate about better psychological treatments based on science. Her research concerns how we think and remember in mental images and developing new treatments based on this knowledge.