Universiteit Leiden

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Health, Medical and Neuropsychology

Research

The research carried out within the unit Health, Medical and Neuropsychology investigates the psychological factors of health and disease, and the development of innovative treatment.

Domain: Health and Wellbeing

Prevention

Psychological aspects of health and illness are central to the research of the Health, Medical and Neuropsychology section. The research is often interdisciplinary and focuses on a wide range of patient groups including people with (chronic) medical conditions and brain disorders. 

Somatic disease

Next to this, our research also focuses on the prevention of disease. A healthy lifestyle and high quality of life for everyone, the wellbeing of the (at-risk) patient, and (learning to) cope with obstacles in daily life are the primary themes. 

Neurological condition

In addition to applied research in patients, more fundamental (lab) research focuses on the mechanisms that underlie health and disease.

 

Pillars: Interdisciplinary research "from bench to bedside"

We focus on three important pillars within this domain:

Fundamental research

Fundamental research

Investigating the underlying mechanisms of illness and health.

 

 

Diagnostics and treatment

Diagnostics and treatment

Developing and evaluating innovative diagnostics and treatments.

 

 

Evaluation and implementation

Evaluation and implementation

Implementing innovative diagnostics and treatments.

 

 

The research thus covers the entire process from fundamental research to clinical applications. Characteristic of the research of the Health, Medical and Neuropsychology section is that each project usually comprises several pillars.

Evaluation and implementation
Evaluation and implementation
Diagnostics and treatment
Diagnostics and treatment
Fundamental research
Fundamental research

Topics:

Specific topics that our researchers focus on include healthy lifestyle and self-regulation, medically unexplained symptoms, stress, itch and pain, the placebo effect, work & health, spatial memory, movement control, patient communication, novelty, cognitive inhibition, aging, e-Health, and neuropsychological rehabilitation.

Topic: Work and health
Topic: Work and health
Topic: Stress and stress-related disorders
Topic: Stress and stress-related disorders
Topic: Stigmatization
Topic: Stigmatization
Topic: Spatial thinking
Topic: Spatial thinking
Topic: Self-management in chronic diseases
Topic: Self-management in chronic diseases
Topic: Psychosocial consequenses of ICU treatment
Topic: Psychosocial consequenses of ICU treatment
Topic: Psychopharmacology
Topic: Psychopharmacology
Topic: Population health
Topic: Population health
Topic: Persistent physical symptoms
Topic: Persistent physical symptoms
Topic: Patient communication
Topic: Patient communication
Topic: Novelty and enrichment
Topic: Novelty and enrichment
Topic: Music and health
Topic: Music and health
Topic: Movement and mental functions
Topic: Movement and mental functions
Topic: Itch and pain
Topic: Itch and pain
Topic: Healthy lifestyle: Nudging and self-regulation
Topic: Healthy lifestyle: Nudging and self-regulation
Topic: E-health
Topic: E-health
Topic: Aging and neuropsychological rehabilitation
Topic: Aging and neuropsychological rehabilitation

Methods: State of the art techniques and new developments

We use a variety of interdisciplinary methods for the research: from experiments in the lab to field research, clinical trials and implementation projects. We use state of the art techniques such as quantitative sensory testing (QST), Virtual Reality, brain measures (such as EEG and fMRI), pharmacological manipulations, and neuropsychological testing, and develop new forms of treatment in the field of e-Health and mobile apps.

Valorization and knowledge utilization: Partnerships

Patients and patient organizations are closely involved in our research. For clinical research we work closely with the Leiden University Treatment Expertise Center (LUBEC) of the Faculty of Social Sciences. In addition, we are part of the Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC). Moreover, we have close partnerships with the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), the Medical Delta network, and many other regional and (inter-) national partners, in particular clinical institutions, social partners such as patient associations and other universities.

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