Are depressive and anxiety disorders visible in the adolescent brain?

June 01, 2015 • 1 min read

Adolescence is a period in life during which many changes occur. For most adolescents these changes just happen and have no further detrimental implications for their daily live. However, for some adolescents this period is not without consequences. Video.

Differences in brain activation

Bianca van den Bulk investigated the differences in brain activation between adolescents with depressive and anxiety disorders and adolescents without psychiatric disorders. Does the brain of adolescents with depressive and anxiety disorders work differently than the brain of normally developing adolescents? And what is the influence of treatment or change in symptomatology on brain activity? Watch the video (in Dutch).

PhD Defence

Bianca van den Bulk - The Affective Amygdala: towards a better understanding of adolescent depressive and anxiety disorders

What motivates adolescents?

Adolescence is marked by a peak in activity in the reward center of the brain. In our recent study, we found that various motivational factors contribute to these developmental changes from early adolescence to early adulthood.

Lisa Schreuders • March 25, 2018

Should research always be fun?

Sometimes it is necessary to elicit negative feelings in studies. For example, by getting socially anxious participants to give a speech that will be judged by peers. A difficult task for participants, but it results in important insights in this disorder.

• November 14, 2016

The Horrors of Halloween: Trick or Treat?

Falling leaves, days getting darker: the end of October is approaching! While some people prefer to stay warm by the fire, there are others who would rather go out in search of a good scare during Halloween. But why do some people enjoy being scared silly?

Mara van der Meulen • October 24, 2016

leidenpsychologyblog

Bianca G. van den Bulk