Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Mentor: Alik Widge, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Project: Gamma Coordination and Avoidance: A Sex-Informed Neuromodulation Strategy
Dr. Adriano Reimer is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota studying the brain circuits that drive excessive avoidance, a disabling symptom in anxiety- and trauma-related disorders that is more common in women. Using a rat model of approach-avoidance conflict, he examines how the prefrontal cortex and amygdala coordinate during threat-related decisions. His work combines behavioral neuroscience, electrophysiology, and machine learning to identify neural signals linked to avoidance and to test whether deep brain stimulation can shift those signals toward healthier patterns. By comparing stimulation strategies and measuring how they affect brain circuit coordination in males and females, Dr. Reimer aims to advance more individualized, sex-informed neuromodulation therapies for psychiatric disorders.
