Benutzerspezifische Werkzeuge

Psychobiology of Stress

The research group “Psychobiology of Stress” focuses on the biological underpinnings of mental disorders related to the stress hormone system. Among others, methods for assessing long-term stress hormone concentrations (hair steroid analyses), stress hormone analyses in saliva, and experimental stress induction paradigms (Trier Social Stress Test) are used. In addition to investigating the role of stress-associated biomarkers in the development and maintenance of mental illnesses (e.g. post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder), their potential as predictors and correlates of successful psychotherapy is being studied. The research results thus create an important basis for the future improvement of personalized treatment options.

Work group leader “Psychobiology of Stress

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Dr. rer. nat. habil. Susann Schmiedgen

Licenced Psychotherapist (CBT)

 +49 351 458-15864

  Publications

Susann Schmiedgen (née Steudte) completed her PhD at the Chair of Biopsychology in Dresden after studying psychology. She then spent her post-doctoral period in Dresden as well as at Oxford University in England. In recent years, she has been intensively involved in the development of hair steroid analysis for the detection of long-term stress hormones and its application in the study of the biological underpinnings of mental disorders. Her main scientific interest is the role of cognitive and endocrine markers in the development and maintenance of trauma-related psychopathology and as predictors and correlates of symptom improvement after psychotherapy. Her research activities have been awarded, among others, the Commerzbank Prize (2014) and the Research award from the Falk von Reichenbach Foundation of the German Society for Psychotraumatology (2018).


Studies

Team

Publications