University of Miami · PsychologyThe Emotional Brain Lab
Aaron S Heller · Coral Gables, Florida
Research Focus
Dr. Aaron Heller's research focuses on understanding how our brains react to emotionally significant events, particularly in individuals with anxiety and depression. By studying students receiving grades on challenging exams, his lab uses advanced brain imaging techniques to identify the neural processes linked to emotional responses. The aim is to uncover the underlying mechanisms of emotional dysregulation, which could lead to better treatments for these common mental health disorders.
Major Depressive DisorderGeneralized Anxiety Disorderneurobiologyaffective neurosciencefMRIemotional responsesbrain imagingneural dynamicsemotional dysregulationreal-world events
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the neural dynamics of emotional responses linked to anxiety and depression.
AIM 02Differentiate between anticipatory and reactive emotional processes in real-world settings.
AIM 03Utilize brain imaging to understand how emotional states are sustained over time.
AIM 04Develop insights that inform brain-based interventions for mental health disorders.
AIM 05Study the impact of high-stakes events on emotional regulation in students.
Skills the Lab Values
fMRIdata analysisHidden Markov Modelsecological momentary assessmentbehavioral statisticsparticipant recruitmentneuroimaging techniquesemotion assessmentcomputational modelingpsychological assessment
Output against the department
Publications123bottom 39% of dept.180th of 296
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations6.7ktop 46% of dept.137th of 296
this lab
most citedleast cited
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