Jack b. Nitschke

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The research focus of our laboratory is on the neuroscience of human emotion and affective disorders. One of our primary research goals is to determine the neurobiological substrates of heterogeneity in anxiety and depression. Our studies use clinical and nonclinical samples and employ an array of methodologies including fMRI, EEG, eye-blink startle, neuropsychological tasks, cortisol, and autonomic psychophysiology. We have developed laboratory-based models of anticipatory and reactivity processes elicited by emotional stimuli. Building on this work, we are currently examining the placebo effect as a function of expectancy. Another major interest of ours is the neural circuitry of positive emotion, with our fMRI research in this area employing novel paradigms for inducing potent positive emotions.

Jack B. Nitschke

Associate Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology
Ph.D. 1998, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
E-mail:jnitschke@wisc.edu
Web: http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/nitschkelab/

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS

Nitschke, J.B., Sarinopoulos, I., Mackiewicz, K.L., Schaefer, H.S., & Davidson, R.J. (in press). Functional neuroanatomy of aversion and its anticipation. NeuroImage.

Nitschke, J.B., Nelson, E.E., Rusch, B.D., Fox, A.S., Oakes, T.R., & Davidson, R.J. (2004). Orbitofrontal cortex tracks positive mood in mothers viewing pictures of their infants. NeuroImage, 21, 583-592.

Nitschke, J.B., Heller, W., Etienne, M.A., & Miller, G.A. (2004). Prefrontal cortex activation differentiates processes affecting memory in depression. Biological Psychology, 67, 125-143.

Nitschke, J.B., & Heller, W. (2002). The neuropsychology of anxiety disorders: Affect, cognition, and neural circuitry. In H. D’Haenen, J.A. den Boer, & P. Willner (Eds.), Biological psychiatry (pp. 975-988). Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Nitschke, J.B., Larson, C.L., Smoller, J.J., Navin, S. D., Pederson, A.J.C., Ruffalo, D., Mackiewicz, K.L., Gray, S.M., Victor, E., & Davidson, R.J. (2002). Startle potentiation in aversive anticipation: Evidence for state but not trait effects. Psychophysiology, 39, 254-258.

Nitschke, J.B., Heller, W., Imig, J.C., McDonald, R.P., & Miller, G.A. (2001). Distinguishing dimensions of anxiety and depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 25, 1-22.

Nitschke, J.B., Heller, W., Palmieri, P.A., & Miller, G.A. (1999). Contrasting patterns of brain activity in anxious apprehension and anxious arousal. Psychophysiology, 36, 628-637.