Stefan Ursu, MD, PhD

Assistant Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry

I am interested, in general, in factors that influence human decision making. Under this broad category, topics that I find particularly intriguing are the changes in cognitive control in response to positive and negative incentives and, conversely, how higher-order "top-down" processes modulate representations of the value of future outcomes of actions. A closely related area of interest is the role of affect in decision making.

Current projects are investigating, in healthy human subjects, the interactions between representations of possible outcomes of actions and active cognitive control processes (e.g. suppression of prepotent responses). The neural substrates of these mechanisms are explored using behavioral, neuroimaging (i.e. fMRI) and electrophysiological (i.e. ERP) methods. Of particular interest are the specific roles played by brain structures such as the orbitofrontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, basal ganglia and amygdala.

The general principles derived from studies of healthy subjects are subsequently used to better understand various aspects of psychopathology. Thus, a parallel series of studies are currently underway, examining reward-related processes in schizophrenia and drug addiction, as well as the nature of affective processing deficits in schizophrenia.

RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITIONS AVAILABLE: Dr. Ursu is currently looking for motivated individuals interested in working as research assistants on these projects. For more information, you may e-mail Dr. Stefan Ursu with a brief statement of interests, the type of position you are seeking (e.g. paid, research credit, etc), and CV if available.


	Stefan Ursu, MD, PhD Assistant Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry I am interested, in general, in factors that influence human decision making. Under this broad category, topics that I find particularly intriguing are the changes in cognitive control in response to positive and negative incentives and, conversely, how higher-order "top-down" processes modulate representations of the value of future outcomes of actions. A closely related area of interest is the role of affect in decision making. Current projects are investigating, in healthy human subjects, the interactions between representations of possible outcomes of actions and active cognitive control processes (e.g. suppression of prepotent responses). The neural substrates of these mechanisms are explored using behavioral, neuroimaging (i.e. fMRI) and electrophysiological (i.e. ERP) methods. Of particular interest are the specific roles played by brain structures such as the orbitofrontal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, basal ganglia and amygdala. The general principles derived from studies of healthy subjects are subsequently used to better understand various aspects of psychopathology. Thus, a parallel series of studies are currently underway, examining reward-related processes in schizophrenia and drug addiction, as well as the nature of affective processing deficits in schizophrenia. RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITIONS AVAILABLE: Dr. Ursu is currently looking for motivated individuals interested in working as research assistants on these projects. For more information, you may e-mail Dr. Stefan Ursu with a brief statement of interests, the type of position you are seeking (e.g. paid, research credit, etc), and CV if available.
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