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The department "Behavioral neurology" arose from the common aim of Magdeburg neurobiologists to understand, how human beings can control their actions, mind and mood.

Work in the department will be focused on the issue of evaluation and motivation. Animal models revealed how these features are organized in the brain and how reward-signaling neurotransmitter systems contribute to the processes underlying evaluation and motivation.

We intend to study these interactions in humans, both in healthy volunteers and in patients with dysfunctions in evaluation and motivation. Relevant neural networks shall be identified via combined approaches with non-invasive techniques like multimodal imaging with functional MRI (7 Tesla) and electrophysiology, and invasive measurements of neural activity.

Prof. Sturm, Head of the Stereotaxy Unit at the University of Cologne , accepted the Leibniz Chair for Surgery in Magdeburg . He will establish a unit for stereotactic neurosurgery and deep brain stimulation in cooperation with the university Magdeburg .

In a collaborative effort with the faculty of natural sciences the neural activation patterns will be mathematically modeled and correlated with psychological concepts.

The Department „Behavioral Neurology“ closely cooperates with the other departments of the Leibniz Institute, with the Department of Neurology of the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg and with the Center for Advanced Imaging.

• 04/05 Department Behavioral Neurology [PDF 0.2 MB]