White Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience

Welcome to the White Lab!

We investigate the neural basis of emotion and drug effects using MRI, monoamine challenge, and assessments of temperament, affect and behavior.

Our research goals are threefold: To understand 1) the neural foundations of trait and state emotion, 2) mechanisms of vulnerability and resilience to substance use, misuse, and dependence, and 3) brain systems contributing to universal human rights domains of agency, freedom from want, freedom from fear, uniqueness, and unconditionality.

We use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate these topics.  Structural imaging (sMRI) provides information about brain anatomy.  Functional imaging (fMRI) provides information about brain activation and deactivation responses to stimuli.  Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) provides information about compounds in brain tissue.  These neuroimaging methods provide information on structure, function and metabolic processes.

Drug challenge provides noninvasive information about the sensitivity of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin receptors, transporters and their contribution to emotion.

Together these methods provide a unique and powerful approach to understanding the neural foundation of emotion and its relationship with physiology, cognition, and behavior. Our studies have relevance for prevention and treatment of substance use, misuse, and dependence, and improve our understanding of basic emotion, wellness and flourishing in humans.

Our Research is Supported By: