According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost one in three adults in the United States have had an anxiety disorder, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or social anxiety, in the past year.
These disorders can cause a significant impact on work, relationships, or daily activities with 22% of adults with anxiety disorders experiencing serious impairment.
Trauma and stress-related disorders are disorders which are triggered by a stressful or traumatic life event. The most well-known trauma and stress-related disorder is posttraumatic stress disorder, which occurs when a person has difficulty recovering from witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event, such as childhood maltreatment, sexual assault, combat, or natural disasters. Approximately 5% of people will have PTSD in their lifetime, with 13 million Americans having PTSD in 2020.
Research faculty in our department engage in basic and applied research related to anxiety, trauma, and stress-related disorders. Areas of interest include the effects of stress on brain maturation, function, and behavior, biomarkers of stress susceptibility and resilience, and formation of traumatic memory in healthy and pathological states. We are also working on establishing genetic and epigenetic markers of early-life trauma and associated psychopathology.
Research Overview
The FND Research Program, housed within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, centers on both foundational and translational research. Led by faculty experts in clinical psychology and behavioral medicine, our lab focuses on developing and validating novel behavioral health interventions, particularly Retraining and Control Therapy (ReACT)—a novel, mechanistically-informed therapy tailored for individuals with FND.
ReACT is designed to directly retrain functional symptoms by addressing catastrophic symptom expectations and enhancing perceived control. It leverages habit reversal techniques, adapted from tic disorder treatments, to help patients retrain involuntary functional symptoms. Initial clinical studies show promising outcomes, and current NIH-funded investigations include:
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A mechanistic study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) evaluating the specific treatment targets through which ReACT reduces FND symptoms.
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A multi-site feasibility trial in collaboration with Yale University and Baylor College of Medicine, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), to prepare for a large-scale efficacy trial.
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A neuroimaging biomarker development study, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), aimed at creating objective outcome measures to validate treatment targets for future clinical trials.
The program is also committed to expanding access to treatment through digital health innovations such as the ReACT digital manual, called the Precision Treatment Tool. The Precision Tool is the first therapist-centered digital platform to assist therapists in providing research-supported precision treatment that is standardized and tailored to each individual patient’s needs at each session.
Leadership
Yogesh Dwivedi, Ph.D.
Program Lead
Distinguished Professor
Elesabeth Ridgely Shook Endowed Chair for Psychiatric Research
Vice Chair for Faculty Affairs/Faculty Development
Co-Director, UAB Depression and Suicide Center
Director, Alabama Brain Collection
Director, Translational Research, UAB Mood Disorders Program
ydwivedi@uab.edu