Welcome to the web site of Ira Haraldsen's research group
Psychoendocrinology
NPU II research focus on neuroendocrinology
- Development of sex- specific brain function
- GnRH and GnRHR non- reproductive cognitive function
- Pathological ageing/AD
- Diagnosis and treatment tool development
Main research focus/work area:
The SOBER (Sex on Brain European Research group) is a recent establish research group in neuroendocrinology, focusing on the time correlated phenomenon's of pruning and increasing GnRHR expression- meaning synapses reduction and sex specific neural network development during sensitive periods like pre-postnatal - during puberty and ageing around 50 years do age.
Because of my groups direct hands on experiences in basic science, from microbiological, immunhistochemistry methods to PET/radiochemistry we wish to bridge the gap from classical molecular biology to cognitive science.
We have published recently significant publications one Wojinius et al showing increasing sex differences by blocking puberty - meaning that sex differences in function/morphology brain may exist to reduce sex differences in behaviour - in concordance with the hypothesis earlier stressed by de Vries and Søderstrøm .
The other paper is just now pending acceptance stressing the idea that sex-specific visuospatial cognitive ability differences are context dependent and gene expression of brain plasticity genes correlates with this context dependency, meaning males learn better during different stimuli then female. The outcome who is navigating better than the others could be reversed by chosing different stimuli. This paper will hopefully lead to a more careful re-design and description of translational gene expression studies on cognitive sex differences.
Furthermore , we are focusing on sex-specific receptor visualisation for PET diagnostics and sex-specific ageing processes in Alzheimer Disease models.
Download SOBER (Sex on Brain European Research Group) Powerpoint presentation
May 7, 2012
Latest publications
Development of psychophysiological motoric reactivity is influenced by peripubertal pharmacological inhibition of gonadotropin releasing hormone action - Results of an ovine model
Psychoneuroendocrinology (in press)
PubMed 22534405
Why the factorial structure of the SCL-90-R is unstable: Comparing patient groups with different levels of psychological distress using Mokken Scale Analysis
Psychiatry Res (in press)
PubMed 22494703
A study of the dimensionality and measurement precision of the SCL-90-R using item response theory
Int J Methods Psychiatr Res, 20 (3), e39-55
PubMed 21812065
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