Integrated Working Group "Heart & Brain"

The IAG “Heart & Brain” interlinks subjects of psychology and neurology (psychosomatics, psychology, psychiatry, psychotherapy, neurology, neurobiology) with cardiology subjects (cardiology, cardiac surgery, angiology) and thus acts as a central interface between two MHB research areas: “Mental Health” and “Cardiovascular Disease”.

A key research focus is on interactions which have received little attention until now: depending on the degree of severity, cardiovascular diseases may have a considerable impact on patients’ mental well-being, quality of life and cognitive functions.

On the other hand, depression and anxiety disorders constitute risk factors for cardiac illness and comorbidities (approximately 20%). The IAG aims to explore this reciprocal relation between heart and mind or psyche from various perspectives and via multiple methodological approaches.

Another field of activity: cardiological interventions at the interface of heart/mind. These include procedures to protect against cerebral embolism from cardiac causes (such as oral anticoagulation, LAA occluder, PFO occluder, protection devices in TAVI/transcatheter aortic valve implantation, and transseptal puncture), procedures in intracerebral hemorrhage from oral anticoagulation (like LAA occluder and New Oral Anticoagulant antagonists), procedures to regulate heart rhythm in atrial fibrillation and other supraventricular tachycardia (e.g. cardioversion, pulmonary vein isolation and other ablation strategies), as well as restoration and optimization of cerebral perfusion.

For more detailed information (in German) see here.