Laureate Institute for Brain Research
​Adult studies (18-55) and General Info: 918.502.5100 | info@libr.net
​Teen studies (13-17): 918.502.5142 | info@libr.net
ABCD child study: 918.502.2223 | abcd@libr.net
  • Home
  • ABOUT
    • Mission
    • Leadership
    • Careers
    • Support LIBR
    • Directions
  • RESEARCH
    • Neuroimaging Facility
    • ABCD
    • Funding Sources
  • PEOPLE
    • All Staff
    • Faculty & Investigators >
      • Principal Investigators >
        • Robin Aupperle
        • Salvador Guinjoan
        • Sahib Khalsa
        • Martin Paulus
        • Jonathan Savitz
        • Ryan Smith
        • Jennifer Stewart
      • Associate Investigators >
        • Maria Ironside
        • Namik Kirlic
        • Masaya Misaki
        • Aki Tsuchiyagaito
        • Evan White
        • Haixia Zheng
      • Affiliate Investigators >
        • Hamed Ekhtiari
        • Rene Hurlemann
    • Administrative
    • Scientific
    • Clinical Assessment
    • Technology
    • In Memoriam >
      • Jerzy Bodurka
    • Alumni
    • Scientific Advisory Board
  • STUDIES
    • Ongoing Studies
    • NeuroMAP
    • PASO
    • TUTOUGH
    • Research Match
  • Resources
    • BARI Posters
    • Community Resources
    • COVID HERO
    • FAQ
  • NEWS
    • Current Events

The NeuroCognitive Aspects of Anxiety, Trauma and Treatment (NeuroCATT) Laboratory

Robin Aupperle, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator, Laureate Institute for Brain Research
Associate Professor, The University of Tulsa
Volunteer Faculty Member, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Oklahoma

Curriculum Vitae
​Google Scholar Profile


Email: raupperle@laureateinstitute.org | Phone: 918-502-5744

Mission Statement

The research mission of the lab is to conduct translational neuroscience research that has the potential to inform our understanding and optimization of psychotherapy interventions for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, or trauma-related symptoms. 
​
  • By taking a strength-based approach, we seek to understand how to enhance positive mental health - with the aim to provide a supportive, inclusive space that helps therapy participants and lab members reach their goals and realize their full potential. 

  • Among our highest values is having engagement and input from diverse brains, backgrounds, and viewpoints, which will enable us to tackle important research questions most creatively and powerfully, in ways that benefit the community.

Research Program Highlights

Main Question
What are the behavioral or brain-based characteristics that best predict long-term outcomes and help to identify who will respond to what type of intervention? 

Future Directions
​
To develop individually tailored anxiety, depression, and trauma interventions or prevention strategies that help patients to have better outcomes.
Approach
We use a multi-level approach, i.e. test patients behaviorally, physiologically, and during fMRI, to develop individual-based profiles that will help to personalize therapy treatments and develop novel behavioral interventions and prevention programs.

Picture
Picture

NeuroCATT Research Findings


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

Scientific Background

Dr. Aupperle was born and raised in rural Oklahoma and obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Oklahoma State University. She received her master’s and doctoral education in clinical health psychology at the University of Kansas, under the mentorship of Cary Savage, Ph.D. and Douglas Denney, Ph.D. Her graduate research and clinical education focused on neuropsychology, neuroimaging, and anxiety disorders. She then continued out west to complete clinical internship at the VA San Diego Healthcare System, during which her training focused on clinical neuropsychology, cognitive rehabilitation, and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Dr. Aupperle remained in San Diego to complete a postdoctoral fellowship under the mentorship of Drs. Martin Paulus and Murray Stein, conducting research related to neural substrates of anxiety disorders and PTSD, with a particular emphasis on decision-making processes and treatment. She moved to Kansas City to join the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) Department of Psychology as Assistant Professor in August, 2011. In August, 2014, Dr. Aupperle joined the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa, OK, as Assistant Professor.
​
Dr. Aupperle has initiated research projects at LIBR investigating neurocognitive and behavioral predictors of treatment response to behavioral activation therapy for depression and exposure therapy for anxiety.  In addition, she is taking the lead in LIBR projects investigating predictors of success for females enrolled in a criminal diversion program and factors related to mental health resiliency in college students. 

Lab Members

Picture
Elisabeth Akeman
Research Therapist
Picture
Kelly Cosgrove
Graduate Student, TU
Picture
Hannah Berg
Clinical Psychology Intern
Picture
Tim McDermott
Graduate Student, TU
Picture
Emily Choquette, Ph.D.
Post-Doc Research Associate
Picture
Samantha Ramirez
Research Assistant
Picture
Mallory Cannon
Lab Coordinator
Picture
James Touthang
Software Engineer

Student Volunteers

Alyssa Clinard
​Kyle Devries
Brittany Mangold
​Janelle Payne
​Srivats Srinivasan 

Selected Publications

Aupperle, R.L., Allard, C.B., Grimes, E.M., Simmons, A.N., Flagan, T., Cissell, C.H., Thorp, S.R., Norman, S.B., Paulus, M.P., Stein, M.B. (2013). Neural responses during emotional processing before and after cognitive trauma therapy for battered women. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 214(1): 48-55. 
Paulus, M.P. and Aupperle, R.L. (2015). Finding the balance between safety and threat may hold the key to success when treating PTSD. American Journal of Psychiatry, 172(12): 1173-117.
Kirlic, N., Young, J., Aupperle, R.L. Animal to human translational paradigms relevant for approach avoidance conflict decision making. Behaviour Research and Therapy (2017).
Aupperle. R.L, Melrose, A., Francisco, A., Paulus, M.P., Stein, M.B. (2015). Neural substrates of approach-avoidance conflict decision-making. Human Brain Mapping, 36(2):449-62. 
Chrysikou, L., Gorey, C., Aupperle, R.L. (2016). Anodal transcranical direct current stimulation over right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex alters decision making during approach-avoidance conflict. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 11:548.54. 
Clausen, A.N., Francisco, A.J., Thelen, J., Bruce, J., Martin, L.E., McDowd, J., Simmons, W.K., Aupperle, R.L. PTSD and cognitive symptoms relate to inhibition‐related prefrontal activation and functional connectivity. Depression and Anxiety 34, no. 5 (2017): 427-436.

Research Collaborators

Murray B Stein, Ph.D.
University of California- San Diego
Amy Jak, Ph.D.
San Diego VA Healthcare System
University of California- San Diego
Cary Savage, Ph.D.
University of Kansas Medical Center
Arpi Minassian, Ph.D.
University of California – San Diego
Evangelia Chrysikou, Ph.D.
University of Kansas- Lawrence
Amanda Bruce, Ph.D.
University of Missouri- Kansas City
Kate Wolitzky-Taylor, Ph.D.
University of California – Los Angeles
Amanda Morris, Ph.D.
OSU-Tulsa
Jared Young, Ph.D.
University of California – San Diego
Sandra Billinger, Ph.D.
University of Kansas Medical Center
Michelle Craske, Ph.D.
University of California- Los Angeles
Jim Abelson, M.D., Ph.D.
​University of Michigan
Laura Martin, Ph.D.
University of Kansas Medical Center
Picture

Visit LIBR

6655 South Yale Ave. Tulsa, OK 74136
918.502.5100 | info@laureateinstitute.org

Get Connected

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Careers  |  Compliance

© 2009-2022. All rights reserved
Laureate Institute for Brain Research



Website by Laureate Institute for Brain Research
© 2014. All rights reserved.

6655 South Yale Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136-3326