Pharmacological Modulation of Cognitive Functions: Studies with fMRI

There is ample evidence that normal cognitive and emotional information processing is functionally dependent on the concerted activity of different interacting neurotransmitter systems. In a series of studies, we employed acute pharmacological challenge paradigms and subchronic pharmacological interventions in order to elucidate GABAergic and dopaminergic effects on functional brain imaging patterns subserving short-term working memory, learning processes and prediction uncertainty. An acute lorazepam challenge was associated with decreased cortical and subcortical activity during a 2-back working memory task. F…