Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie

Research focus

We have successfully combined expertise in clinical psychiatry and psychotherapy, neuropsychopharmacology and basic science to develop a translational approach in order to understand the pathophysiology of affective disorders and to develop novel treatment strategies for major depression. Our research group was among the first to develop and to support the neuroplasticity hypothesis of depression. Starting from a basic science approach with a focus on long-term synaptic depression (LTD), we soon discovered a facilitation of LTD and an inhibition of long-term synaptic potentiation (LTP) in different animal models of depression and early stress, which were effectively restored by different classes of antidepressants. We have characterized novel targets for antidepressant action, including Ca²⁺ channels, TrkB receptor, mGluR, NMDA receptor subunits. In a translational approach, we have developed and examined methods to assess correlates of synaptic plasticity in healthy humans and depressed patients; including the characterization of therapeutic mechanisms. A neuroplasticity approach to explain and to treat depression highlights the importance of interactions between disorder, treatment and environment. Moreover, it suggests effective ways to augment psychotherapeutic approaches by medication and brain stimulation; hereby providing a science based reconciliation between the schools of biologically and psychotherapeutically oriented psychiatrists. We combine clinical psychiatry and psychotherapy with advanced basic science; thus allowing real bench-to-bedside translation. Our final aim is to contribute to an integrative, science-based and effective treatment of major depression.

Research projects

1. Basic mechanisms of synaptic plasticity
Mechanism of associative LTD, role of astrocytes in LTP, calcium influx pathways, modulation of different forms of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus.

2. Synaptic plasticity in animal models of depression
Behavioral assessment and synaptic plasticity in animal models of depression and early stress.

3. Modulation of synaptic plasticity by antidepressants
Multidimensional approach assessing the modulation of synaptic plasticity by antidepressants and rapid-acting antidepressants, behavioural methods and electrophysiological recordings. Identification of novel targets for antidepressant action (TrkB receptor, mGluR, NMDAR subunits)

4. Correlates of synaptic plasticity in humans
Translational assessment of brain plasticity in healthy controls and depressed patients by visually evoked potentials, transcranial magnetic stimulation, imaging and behavioral methods.

5. Augmentation of psychotherapy and effect of environmental factors on mood disorders
D-Cycloserine in depression, social cognition and influence of positive and negative external stimuli in states of altered plasticity. Role of oxytocin in mood disorders.

6. Treatment of chronic and therapy-resistant depression
Extensive research on CBASP for chronic depression, implementation of in-patient treatment programs for chronic depression and TRD, pharmacotherapy for TRD and bipolar disorder. Brain stimulation: clinical and preclinical ECT, tDCS and rTMS research

7. Health economics
Funding of psychiatric care, AI-based prediction of treatment outcomes and pharmacological trajectories

Research methods

Medical dissertations and master projects

Many medical dissertations and master projects have been successfully finished in our lab or clinical projects. We are constantly recruiting new students. The projects are intensely supervised. Please apply by mail (viktoria.galuba@uniklinik-freiburg.de).
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Current Funding

• ERA-NET-Neuron (coordination) an EU funded project
• Go Bio-initial a BMBF funded project
• Hans-Böckler-Stiftung
• Berta-Ottenstein-Stiftung
• Industry funds as investigator in > 20 clinical trials

Peer-reviewed publications

132 original publications, 7482 citations, h-index 43 (Google Scholar)

» Full List of Publications in PubMed

Selected peer-reviewed publications

• Vestring, S., Galuba, V., Kern, E., Voita, S., Berens, F., Nasiri, D., Domschke, K., & Normann, C. (2024). Ketamine in multiple treatment-resistant depressed inpatients: A naturalistic cohort study. Journal of affective disorders, 350, 895–899. doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.165
• Vestring, S., Dorner, A., Scholliers, J., Ehrenberger, K., Kiss, A., Arenz, L., Theiss, A., Rossner, P., Frase, S., Du Vinage, C., Wendler, E., Serchov, T., Domschke, K., Bischofberger, J., & Normann, C. (2024). D-Cycloserine enhances the bidirectional range of NMDAR-dependent hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Translational psychiatry, 14(1), 18. doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02725-7
• Reif, A., Bitter, I., Buyze, J., Cebulla, K., Frey, R., Fu, D. J., Ito, T., Kambarov, Y., Llorca, P. M., Oliveira-Maia, A. J., Messer, T., Mulhern-Haughey, S., Rive, B., von Holt, C., Young, A. H., Godinov, Y., & ESCAPE-TRD Investigators (2023). Esketamine Nasal Spray versus Quetiapine for Treatment-Resistant Depression. The New England journal of medicine, 389(14), 1298–1309. doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2304145
• Burkhardt, G., Kumpf, U., Crispin, A., Goerigk, S., Andre, E., Plewnia, C., Brendel, B., Fallgatter, A., Langguth, B., Abdelnaim, M., Hebel, T., Normann, C., Frase, L., Zwanzger, P., Diemer, J., Kammer, T., Schönfeldt-Lecuona, C., Kamp, D., Bajbouj, M., Behler, N., … Padberg, F. (2023). Transcranial direct current stimulation as an additional treatment to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in adults with major depressive disorder in Germany (DepressionDC): a triple-blind, randomised, sham-controlled, multicentre trial. Lancet (London, England), 402(10401), 545–554. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00640-2