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 StatementThe 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.
Research Program HighlightsMain 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. |
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NeuroCATT Research Findings
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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.
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
Elisabeth Akeman
Research Therapist 
Kelly Cosgrove
Graduate Student, TU |
Hannah Berg
Clinical Psychology Intern 
Tim McDermott
Graduate Student, TU |
Emily Choquette, Ph.D.
Post-Doc Research Associate 
Samantha Ramirez
Research Assistant |
Mallory Cannon
Lab Coordinator 
James Touthang
Software Engineer |
Student Volunteers
Alyssa Clinard
Kyle Devries
Brittany Mangold
Janelle Payne
Srivats Srinivasan
Kyle Devries
Brittany Mangold
Janelle Payne
Srivats Srinivasan
Selected Publications
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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).
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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.
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Research Collaborators
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Murray B Stein, Ph.D.
University of California- San Diego Cary Savage, Ph.D.
University of Kansas Medical Center Arpi Minassian, Ph.D.
University of California – San Diego |
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