Affective Neuroscience Laboratory
Using Tools in Translational Neuroscience to Study Sex-linked Factors Related to PTSD Risk
Source: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health
Mechanism: R15
Role: Principal Investigator
Award amount: $406,312
Project Narrative
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating and costly psychiatric disorder that affects twice as many women as men (10% of women and 4% of men), but biological underpinnings related to heightened female risk for developing this disorder remain unknown. Thus, finding tools to mitigate PTSD symptoms is of vital
importance to mental health research. The long-term goal of this project is to use translational neuroscience models of learned fear and anxiety to develop clinically useful tools to treat unwanted, persistent, and intrusive memories associated with PTSD.
TOPOWA Study: Social Drivers of Mental Illness among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Slums
Source: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health
Mechanism: R01
Role: Co-Investigator
Award amount: $3,300,000
Project Narrative
Despite extensive research linking poverty to mental illness, there is a dearth of studies examining mechanisms of resilience against complex proximal stressors in low-resource settings. The TOPOWA project (meaning empowerment) will examine the mechanisms for which Socioeconomic Strengthening Targeted Training (SeSTT) moderates the pathway between the adverse effects of poverty (proximal social and environmental stressors) and mental illness among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) in Kampala, Uganda.
Investigating Patient Cognitive Load and Stress Levels during Postpartum Discharge
Source: Office of Research, Kennesaw State University
Mechanism: Interdisciplinary Innovation Initiative (I3) Grant
Role: Co-Investigator
Award amount: $75,000
Project Narrative
Among high-income countries, the United States (U.S) has the highest maternal mortality despite generally decreasing rates in other developed countries.
Complications that occur during the postpartum period are the leading causes of maternal deaths. Poor knowledge of the warning signs of postpartum complications may prevent women from seeking timely emergency postpartum care. Cognitive load is a theoretical construct that describes an individual’s information processing capacity during learning. Psychological stress has been identified as a major factor that may interact with cognitive load. The purpose of this study is to investigate patients’ cognitive load and stress levels during discharge education after childbirth.