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Psychologisches Institut Methoden der Plastizitätsforschung

Themen für Masterarbeiten

Übersicht der Masterarbeitsthemen dieser Professur

Durch Klick auf die einzelnen Themen werden die Detail-Informationen angezeigt.

Falls Sie bei uns eine Masterarbeit machen möchten, erstellen Sie bitte eine Anfrage.

  • Informationen zur Masterarbeit
    Bitte fügen Sie Ihrer Bewerbung für eine Masterarbeit am Lehrstuhl Methoden der Plastizitätsforschung neben einem kurzen Lebenslauf auch ein ca. einseitiges Motivationsschreiben bei, in welchem Sie erklären, warum Sie sich für das Forschungsprojekt bewerben. Für Informationen in Bezug auf konkrete und aktuelle Masterarbeiten wenden Sie sich bitte an eine der genannten Kontaktpersonen.

    Pro Bereich können jeweils ca. 2 bis 4 Masterarbeiten vergeben werden.
    Betreuungsperson der Masterarbeit: Prof. Dr. N. Langer

 

offen:

  • Left-right asymmetries in the contralateral delay activity (CDA) and their consequences for CDA-based measures of visual working memory

    Beschreibung: The contralateral delay activity (CDA) is a widely used electrophysiological marker of visual working memory capacity, quantified as the difference between contralateral and ipsilateral posterior activity during the retention interval. By convention, this difference wave is collapsed across left- and right-cued trials, implicitly assuming that its amplitude does not depend on which hemifield was cued. However, this assumption has not been examined systematically. If CDA amplitude depends on the cued hemifield, the collapsed measure is an average of two non-equivalent quantities, and its interpretation as a single index of memory load requires revision. Such a difference may be artifactual, reflecting lateralized recording biases such as residual horizontal eye position, which would introduce measurement error into a widely used index. Alternatively, it may reflect hemispheric asymmetries in attentional selection or maintenance, which the conventional collapsing would then obscure. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to characterize any hemifield difference in CDA amplitude in an existing EEG dataset (#EEGManyLabs; N = 304), and to evaluate competing accounts of it, proceeding from artifactual explanations to accounts in terms of lateralized attention and hemispheric specialization.

    References:
    Vogel, E. K., & Machizawa, M. G. (2004). Neural activity predicts individual differences in visual working memory capacity. Nature, 428(6984), 748?751. Neural activity predicts individual differences in visual working memory capacity
    Strzelczyk, D., Clayson, P. E., Sigurdardottir, H. M., Mushtaq, F., Pavlov, Y. G., et al. (2026). Contralateral delay activity as a marker of visual working memory capacity: a multi-site registered replication. Cortex. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2026.04.006
    Kontakt: Dr. Dawid Strzelczyk, E-Mail

    Status: offen (erfasst / geändert: 18.08.2026)

  • Seen or missed: does the aperiodic EEG exponent track cortical excitability?

    Beschreibung: The balance between neural excitation and inhibition (E/I) is a fundamental property of healthy brain function, shaping cortical maturation, aging, and a range of clinical conditions. Yet it has long been difficult to measure in humans, requiring invasive or expensive and poorly scalable methods. Over the past decade, the aperiodic exponent of the EEG power spectrum (indexing how steep the power spectrum is) has been proposed as a non-invasive window onto this balance. Since then, it has already been used as a lifespan marker and a candidate biomarker for ADHD, autism, and Alzheimer's disease. But the evidence behind this prominent interpretation is largely indirect, and it has outpaced its empirical foundation.
    This master thesis project aims to test this interpretation directly. We will employ the near-threshold visual detection paradigm, the classical task behind one of the major findings of the field: the role of alpha oscillations as a marker of cortical inhibition. Following this influential literature, we ask whether the prestimulus aperiodic exponent predicts whether a stimulus is subsequently detected. If the exponent validly indexes E/I balance, flatter spectra should precede detected stimuli and steeper spectra missed ones. Every trial thus becomes a behavioral readout of whether a given spontaneous cortical state enabled or prevented perception.
    In this thesis you will collect EEG data from healthy adults performing this task, calibrate individual detection thresholds via adaptive staircase, extract single-trial aperiodic parameters using spectral parameterization, and model whether they predict perception. You will be trained in EEG recording, spectral analysis, and mixed-effects statistical modelling, and contribute to a better understanding of one of the most intensively investigated parameters in current EEG research.

    Literature:
    Donoghue, T., Haller, M., Peterson, E. J., Varma, P., Sebastian, P., Gao, R., ... & Voytek, B. (2020). Parameterizing neural power spectra into periodic and aperiodic components. Nature neuroscience, 23(12), 1655-1665.
    Ergenoglu, T., Demiralp, T., Bayraktaroglu, Z., Ergen, M., Beydagi, H., & Uresin, Y. (2004). Alpha rhythm of the EEG modulates visual detection performance in humans. Cognitive brain research, 20(3), 376-383.
    Gao, R., Peterson, E. J., & Voytek, B. (2017). Inferring synaptic excitation/inhibition balance from field potentials. Neuroimage, 158, 70-78.
    Kontakt: Dr. Marius Troendle, E-Mail

    Status: offen (erfasst / geändert: 07.08.2026)

  • Comparing brain lateralization of functional networks between autistic and non-autistic individuals

    Beschreibung: Hemispheric specialization is among the most fundamental properties of the human brain and refers to the division of functional tasks across the two cerebral hemispheres. Among these, language lateralization is well established and has also been shown to be atypical in autistic individuals. In previous work we showed that autistic males exhibit decreased lateralization in the language, ventral attention and control networks (Peterson et al., 2024). Furthermore, atypical lateralization in language networks was related to history of early language delay in autistic individuals. Aim is to replicate these findings in another large dataset and expand analyses to autistic females to potentially tap into sex differences and also explore associations with ADHD.

    Literature:
    1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s11689-024-09529-w
    2. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1722812
    3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006899308010767
    4. https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article/29/6/2533/5033556
    Kontakt: Dr. Dorothea Floris, E-Mail

    Status: offen (erfasst / geändert: 07.08.2026)

 

vergeben:

  • Investigating Heterogeneity of Hippocampal Subfields in Alzheimer's Disease: A Normative Modeling Approach

    Beschreibung: The hippocampus, a key region implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), comprises distinct subfields such as CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus, and subiculum. Emerging evidence suggests that specific subfields may show prominent outlier patterns in AD, reflecting varying levels of vulnerability. Furthermore, linking these patterns to cognitive decline and clinical severity could provide a deeper understanding of disease progression and heterogeneity. This thesis focuses on deriving normative models for hippocampal subfield volumes using pre-extracted information from T1-weighted MRI scans and analyzing the deviation patterns obtained. The extensive data available from the UK Biobank will be used to establish a baseline for healthy aging, while deviations in these subfields will be examined in relation to AD using the OASIS-3 dataset. By comparing these baselines and deviations, the project will explore subfield-specific patterns of neurodegeneration and their potential links to cognitive decline and disease severity. Further directions of the project include investigating sex differences in subfield vulnerability, examining brain asymmetry in atrophy patterns, and exploring the relationship between hippocampal subfield changes and AD subtypes. This study seeks to enhance our understanding of hippocampal subfield involvement in AD and its contribution to disease heterogeneity. Literature: La Joie, R., Perrotin, A., de La Sayette, V., Egret, S., Doeuvre, L., Belliard, S., et al. (2013). Hippocampal subfield volumetry in mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and semantic dementia. NeuroImage: Clinical, 3, 155-162. DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2013.08.007 Marquand, A. F., Rezek, I., Buitelaar, J., & Beckmann, C. F. (2016). Understanding heterogeneity in clinical cohorts using normative models: Beyond case-control studies. Biological Psychiatry, 80(7), 552-61. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.12.023 Verdi, S., Marquand, A. F., Schott, J. M., & Cole, J. H. (2021). Beyond the average patient: How neuroimaging models can address heterogeneity in dementia. Brain, 144(10), 2946-2953. DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab165
    Anzahl Arbeiten für dieses Thema: 1
    Zeitrahmen: FS 25
    Eingabedatum: 15.01.2025
    Kontakt: MSc Camille Elleaume, E-Mail

    Status: vergeben (erfasst / geändert: 14.04.2025)

  • Linking different aspects of neuroanatomy / brain function to characterize ADHD / autism

    Beschreibung: There are many neuroimaging studies in autism and ADHD that characterize different biological aspects of the conditions. Combining simultaneously different neuroanatomical or neurofunctional measures is still limited and can provide a more complementary, informative picture of their underlying neurobiology. In this project, we will employ linked independent component analysis to study different neuroanatomical or neurofunctional aspects of brain organization and study the added value of such multimodal analyses. Datasets: ABIDE, HBN, ADHD200, UKB, (EU-AIMS) Methods: linked ICA on different Freesurfer derivatives (CT, SA, volume, ...) / resting-state fMRI metrics (SCA, ReHo, VMHC, fALFF, ...) Literature: 1. https://elifesciences.org/articles/44443 2. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-024-00349-4 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5662460/
    Anzahl Arbeiten für dieses Thema: 1
    Zeitrahmen: FS 25
    Eingabedatum: 15.01.2025
    Kontakt: Dr. Dorothea Floris, E-Mail

    Status: vergeben (erfasst / geändert: 17.03.2025)

  • Transdiagnostic Approaches to Childhood Psychopathology

    Beschreibung: Background Traditional diagnostic approaches in psychology (e.g., ICD-11 and DSM-V) often categorize disorders as isolated, independent constructs. In contrast, transdiagnostic approaches identify common features across different disorders, offering a more integrative perspective on mental health. These approaches create dimensions of interconnected mental disorders, which can help explain phenomena such as comorbidity, symptom overlap across diagnoses, and symptom variability within diagnoses. One example of such an approach is the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) model. Objectives This master's thesis seeks to apply a dimensional approach to investigate a broad range of psychopathologies in childhood and adolescence, with a focus on the relatedness of and intercorrelations among these psychopathologies. A key tool for this investigation could be the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), which includes various externalizing and internalizing symptoms. A thorough examination of the methodological possibilities for analyzing such data should be a core component of the thesis. A budding interest for statistical methods is favorable. The analyses will primarily focus on behavioral data (mainly questionnaire data), though the inclusion of additional measures, such as EEG or MRI data, may be possible if time allows. Sample The data are already available and must not be collected. The sample includes approximately 4500 participants from the United States, aged 5 to 21 years. Behavioral, psychiatric, neuroanatomical, demographic, and further data were collected. Target age group: childhood and adolescence. Formalities This Master's thesis must be written in English ? strong English language skills are a prerequisite. The project is designed to be completed within two semesters. Further Reading Alexander, L. M., Escalera, J., Ai, L., Andreotti, C., Febre, K., Mangone, A., Vega-Potler, N., Langer, N., Alexander, A., Kovacs, M., Litke, S., O'Hagan, B., Andersen, J., Bronstein, B., Bui, A., Bushey, M., Butler, H., Castagna, V., Camacho, N., ... Milham, M. P. (2017). 92 An open resource for transdiagnostic research in pediatric mental health and learning disorders. Scientific Data, 4(1), 170181. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2017.181 Forbes, M. K., Ringwald, W. R., Allen, T., Cicero, D. C., Clark, L. A., DeYoung, C. G., Eaton, N., Kotov, R., Krueger, R. F., Latzman, R. D., Martin, E. A., Naragon-Gainey, K., Ruggero, C. J., Waldman, I. D., Brandes, C., Fried, E. I., Goghari, V. M., Hankin, B., Sperry, S., ... Wright, A. G. C. (2024a). Principles and procedures for revising the hierarchical taxonomy of psychopathology. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, 133(1), 4-19. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000886 Forbes, M. K., Watts, A. L., Twose, M., Barrett, A., Hudson, J. L., Lyneham, H. J., McLellan, L., Newton, N. C., Sicouri, G., Chapman, C., McKinnon, A., Rapee, R. M., Slade, T., Teesson, M., Markon, K., & Sunderland, M. (2024b). A hierarchical model of the symptom-level structure of psychopathology in youth. Clinical Psychological Science. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026241257852 Kotov, R., Krueger, R. F., Watson, D., Cicero, D. C., Conway, C. C., DeYoung, C. G., Eaton, N. R., Forbes, M. K., Hallquist, M. N., Latzman, R. D., Mullins-Sweatt, S. N., Ruggero, C. J., Simms, L. J., Waldman, I. D., Waszczuk, M. A., & Wright, A. G. C. (2021). The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP): A Quantitative Nosology Based 108 on Consensus of Evidence. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 17(1), 83-108. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-081219-093304 Ringwald, W. R., Forbes, M. K., & Wright, A. G. C. (2023). Meta-analysis of structural evidence for the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) model. Psychological Medicine, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291721001902 https://www.apa.org/depression-guideline/child-behavior-checklist.pdf
    Anzahl Arbeiten für dieses Thema: 1
    Zeitrahmen: FS 25
    Eingabedatum: 15.01.2025
    Kontakt: MSc Ines Engler, E-Mail

    Status: vergeben (erfasst / geändert: 17.03.2025)

Falls Sie bei uns eine Masterarbeit machen möchten, erstellen Sie bitte eine Anfrage.