Research

Our research is focused on stress-related disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and depression. We apply experimental paradigms, neuroimaging techniques, randomized controlled trials, and a cognitive-developmental-neuroscience approach to explore biological, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of these psychopathologies. We use the knowledge gained through basic research to develop new strategies for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of these disorders in children, adolescents, and adults.

Understanding the Nature of Biased Cognition in Psychopathology

A normative function of the mechanisms underlying fear is to facilitate detection and processing of danger in the environment and to help the organism respond effectively to threatening situations. Biases in processing threat-related information have been implicated in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety and stress-related disorders. In our research we explore questions such as:

Do biases in threat monitoring and processing play a causal or maintaining roles in stress-related psychopathology?
What are the neural mechanisms associated with cognitive biases in individuals who suffer from stress-related psychopathologies, such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression?
What are the effects of acute stress and trauma on threat processing?

Sample publications

Bar-Haim, Y., Lamy, D., Pergamin, L., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., & van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2007). Threat-related attentional bias in anxious and non-anxious individuals: A meta-analytic study. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 1-24.

Bar-Haim, Y., Holoshitz, Y., Eldar, S., Frenkel, T.I., Muller, D., Charney, D.S., Pine, D.S., Fox, N.A., & Wald, I. (2010). Life-threatening danger suppresses attention bias to threat. American Journal of Psychiatry, 167, 694-698.

Naim, R., Abend, R. Wald, I., Eldar, S., Levi, O., Fruchter, E., Ginat, K., Halpern, P., Sipos, M. L., Adler, A.B., Bliese, P. D., Quartana, P. J., Pine, D. S., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2015). Threat-related attention bias variability and post-traumatic stress. American Journal of Psychiatry, 172, 1242-1250.

Wald, I., Degnan, K.A., Gorodetsky, E., Charney, D.S., Fox, N.A., Fruchter, E., Goldman, D., Lubin, G., Pine, D.S., Bar-Haim, Y. (2013). Attention to threats and combat-related post-traumatic stress symptoms: Prospective associations and moderation by the serotonin transporter gene. JAMA Psychiatry, 70, 401-408.

Abend, R., Pine, D. S., Fox, N. A., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2014). Learning and memory consolidation processes of attention bias modification in anxious and non-anxious individuals. Clinical Psychological Science, 2, 620-627.

Lazarov, A., Abend, R., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2016). Social anxiety is related to increased dwell time on socially threatening faces. Journal of Affective Disorders, 193, 282-288.

Understanding the Nature of Intrusive Re-experiencing in PTSD

Despite being introduced nearly four decades ago, disputes remain regarding the definition and core symptoms of PTSD. In other areas of psychopathology research, a focus on core symptom dimensions has provided a foundation for basic and clinical research to overcome disagreements on categorical syndrome definitions. We apply a domain-focused approach to PTSD research, focusing on the unique symptom domain of intrusive and involuntary recollection and re-experiencing of trauma memories. By emphasizing this core dimension, we implement mechanisms-oriented investigations and apply concrete strategies for improving posttraumatic psychopathology treatment.

Sample publications

Herz, N., Bar-Haim, Y., Holmes, E.A., and Censor, N. (2020). Intrusive memories: a mechanistic signature for emotional memory persistence. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 135, 103752.

Bar-Haim, Y., Stein, M.B., Bryant, R.A., Bliese, P.D., Ben Yehuda, A., Kringelbach, M.L., Jain, S., Dan, O., Lazarov, A., Wald, I., Levi, O., Neria, Y., and Pine, D.S. (2021). Intrusive traumatic re-experiencing: Pathognomonic of the psychological response to traumatic stress. American Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 119-122.

Herz, N., Bar-Haim, Y., Tavor, I., Tik, N., Sharon, H., Holmes, E.A., & Censor, N., (2022). Neuromodulation of visual cortex reduces the intensity of intrusive memories. Cerebral Cortex, 32, 408–417.

Levi, O., Ben Yehuda, A., Pine, D.S., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2022). A sobering look at treatment effectiveness of military-related post-traumatic stress disorder. Clinical Psychological Science, 10, 690-699.

Developing Methods of Modifying Cognitive Biases and Reducing Clinical Symptoms

Cognitive bias modification (CBM) is a class of mechanized psychological interventions designed to target specific aberrant cognitive processes considered key in the etiology and/or maintenance of specific psychiatric disorders. Our lab is engaged in a multistage translational process that involves: (1) Identification of reliable cognitive targets and establishing their association with specific disorders; (2) Clinical translations designed to rectify the identified cognitive targets; (3) Verification of effective target engagement; and (4) Testing of clinical utility in randomized controlled trials.

Sample publications

Badura-Brack, A.S., Naim, R., Ryan, T.J., Levy, O., Abend, R., Khanna, M.M., McDermott, T.J., Pine, D.S., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2015). Effect of attention training on attention bias variability and PTSD symptoms: Randomized controlled trials in Israeli and US combat veterans. American Journal of Psychiatry, 172, 1233-1241.

Wald, I., Fruchter, E., Ginat, K., Stolin, E., Dagan, D., Bliese, P.D., Quartana, P.J., Sipos, M.L., Pine, D.S., & Bar-Haim Y. (2016). Selective prevention of combat-related PTSD using attention bias modification training: A randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine, 46, 2627-2636.

Lazarov, A., Pine, D.S., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2017). Gaze-contingent music reward treatment for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 174, 649-656.

Arad, G., Azriel, O., Pine, D.S., Lazarov, A., Sol, O., Weiser, M., Garber, E., Bloch, M., & Bar-Haim, Y. (2023). Attention bias modification treatment (ABM) vs a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and waitlist control for social anxiety disorder: A randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Psychiatry, 180, 357-366.