Welcome from the DirectorMartin Paulus, M.D.
President and Scientific Director "Since arriving at LIBR in 2014, I have been enormously energized by the opportunity to make a real difference using neuroscience to improve the life of patients with mental illness. At the same time, I recognize this is a very challenging task, which cannot be accomplished overnight. However, with a thoughtful eye on what is doable, we are hoping to make a measureable impact on ways to assess and treat patients within five years. We have started a major study at LIBR, the Tulsa 1000, or T-1000. The goal for this study is to determine whether neuroscience-based measures can be used to predict outcomes in patients with mental illness. In particular, we are trying to determine what factors best predict who will respond well to a particular treatment. The study is a definitive step towards developing a science-based personalized medicine approach in mental health. Unfortunately, mental health treatment providers are still using guesswork and intuition in matching treatments to patients. As a consequence mental health treatment is fundamentally a trial and error endeavor, which can result in prolonged suffering if treatments do not work. The hope is that we will be able to use scientific approaches to more precisely match patients to treatments." 
Dr. Paulus Joins JAMA Psychiatry Editorial Board
Congratulations to Dr. Martin Paulus for being appointed to the Editorial Board of the top-ranked psychiatry journal, JAMA Psychiatry.
LIBR Awarded $11.3 Million Grant
LIBR has been awarded an $11.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to help researchers predict and treat mood and anxiety disorders. Known as a Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) award, it is the largest grant awarded to the institute to date. “This funding makes possible the collaborative advancement of mental health research for the benefit of all Oklahomans while also laying the groundwork for pivotal future funding in mental health science.” - Dr. Martin Paulus, Scientific Director and President 
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Meet the InvestigatorsJustin Feinstein, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor Research Program Highlights Main Question Can an intervention that enhances present moment awareness for internal bodily sensations help patients with anxiety establish a healthier balance between their body and brain? Future Directions Develop floatation as an intervention approach for different mental illnesses including anxiety, addiction, and anorexia. Approach Uses floatation to help patients disconnect from the outside world and reconnect to signals coming from the inside of their body. Waterproof and wireless physiological equipment will measure blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, movement, and EEG. Functional neuroimaging will be used to determine where these changes take place inside the brain. Dr. Feinstein joined the faculty of the Laureate Institute for Brain Research and the University of Tulsa in December of 2013, after completing his Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Iowa, and his postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology. He earned his undergraduate degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of California, San Diego, and completed his clinical internship at the San Diego VA hospital with a focus on the treatment of veterans with PTSD using Prolonged Exposure therapy. In May of 2015, construction of LIBR's Float Clinic and Research Center (FCRC) was completed. The FCRC’s mission is to investigate the effects of Floatation-REST (Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy) on both the body and brain, as well as explore its potential as a therapeutic treatment for promoting mental health and healing in patients who suffer from anxiety. 
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What's New & NoteworthyInteroception Special Issue Published in Biological Psychiatry: CNNI
In November 2016, LIBR organized the Interoception Summit, a first of its kind gathering of interoception experts from around the world. The primary output of this gathering is the white paper “Interoception and Mental Health: A Roadmap” published in the June 2018 Interoception special issue of Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. Several articles were contributed by LIBR investigators and highlight LIBR's growing impact on the interoception field. 
National News Coverage on Floatation by CBS This Morning
An interview with Dr. Justin Feinstein and visit to the LIBR Float Clinic and Research Center was featured on CBS This Morning with co-host John Dickerson. He spoke with Dr. Feinstein about the floatation process and detailed his own personal experience. 
Feinstein Lab Publishes Float Study in PLoS One
LIBR is excited to announce the PLoS One publication of the 1st float study ever conducted in patients suffering from both anxiety and depression. Dr. Justin Feinstein and colleagues showed that 1 hour of float therapy can provide significant short-term relief from symptoms of stress and anxiety, leaving patients in a peaceful and serene mental state. While the current study examined only the short-term effects of floating, studies are currently underway to evaluate the long-term benefits of floating after repeated practice. |
Cannabis Conference: What We Have Learned Through Scientific Research
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The Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa, OK is sponsoring a conference "Cannabis: What We Have Learned Through Scientific Research" on January 17th, 2019 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Lorton Performance Center on the University of Tulsa campus.
A panel of academic experts from around the country will discuss their research findings related to public health and cannabis use. The conference will consist of opening remarks and introductions, plenary talks, panelist sessions and moderated discussions throughout the day. Lunch will be provided. The conference is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required and will be accepted through January 10th, 2019. Continuing education credits have been approved for this event (5.5 hours). CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for the Cannabis Conference |
William K. Warren Jr. "Frontiers in Neuroscience" Conferences Series
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December 19th, 2018
Speaker: Barbara L. Perry, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego Topic: Chronobiology of Women's Mood Disorders Location: Laureate Conference Center, 6655 South Yale Ave, Tulsa, OK 74136 Time: 11:00-11:45 a.m. Lunch (registration required), 12:00-1 p.m. Presentation |
The William K. Warren Foundation
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The Laureate Institute for Brain Research opened May 1, 2009 and currently houses a multidisciplinary team of scientists and clinical research staff who apply neuroimaging, genetic, pharmacological and neuropsychological tools to investigate the biology of neuropsychiatric disorders. The Institute's creation was founded by The William K. Warren Foundation for the purpose of conducting studies aimed at developing more effective treatments or prevention strategies for these disorders. The William K. Warren Foundation continues to be the lead sponsor of LIBR research studies, which are led by scientists from diverse backgrounds, including physics, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, developmental neuroscience, computer science and genetics.
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