The elephant in the room: the role of consciousness in psychiatry research
Research Question
Despite significant progress in our understanding of biological mechanisms in psychiatry, it remains unknown HOW changes in the brain lead to the emergence of psychiatric symptoms. This is due to the mind-body problem, where emergent phenomena, such as consciousness, are more than the sum of the parts of the underlying system (the brain).
Project Description
The study of consciousness provides methods that may complement the neuroscience methods used in psychiatry for addressing how symptoms emerge. Specifically, the use of philosophical theory and method, such as phenomenology, may prove useful. Phenomenology explores the experiential aspect of experience. I propose to study the philosophical methods used in consciousness research and to combine them with neuroscience methods used in psychiatry to address how it is that psychiatric symptoms emerge.
Selected Publications
Van Hulst B, de Zeeuw P, Durston S: Distinct neuropsychological profiles within ADHD: A latent class analysis of cognitive control, reward sensitivity and timing. Psychol med, 2015;45:735-745
Wierenga LM, Oranje B, Langen M, Durston S: The developmental trajectories of cortical thickness and surface area are independent. Neuroimage 2014;87:120-126.