Gitta Wörtwein

CV

Academic degrees:

M.Sc., Psychology, University of Konstanz, Germany. 1992.

Ph.D., Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 2000.

Appointments and training:

1992 -1994:   Trainee, Neuropsychology, Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet.

1994 - 1998:  PhD-student, Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Rigshospitalet and Department of Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen.

1995 - 1996:  Visiting scientist, Department of Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.

1998 - 2005:  Post doc., Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Rigshospitalet and Department of Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen.

Awards and Honors:

1995: "Cand. theol. Christian Severin Christiansens og hustru Betty Caroline f. Dahlstrøms" award, 1995: Sasakawa Foundation award, 2002: "Læge Gerhard Linds" award.

Research:

GW is co-head of a research group at the Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry (together with Anders Fink-Jensen) that currently counts ~10 people. We study the neurobiology of addiction and stressrelated neuropsychiatric disorders. The group is supported by grants from the Danish Medical Research Council, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Lundbeck Foundation as well as a number of smaller foundations.

Knowledge of languages

Teaching

Kursusleder (sammen med Gret Martin Hald) for Medicinsk psykologi og sundhedspsykologi på medicinstudiet, 2. semester.

Psykologi, kommunikation og etik på tandlægestudiet.

Psykologi, pædagogik og kommunikation på Folkesundhedsvidenskab.

Kursusleder for alle samfunds- og adfærdsvidenskabelige fag på cand. scient.san. uddannelsen.

Medlem af studienævnet for cand.scient.san. studiet.

Primary fields of research

Neuroplasticity: role in psychiatric disorders, namely depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse.

Musacarinergic-dopaminergic interactions.

Behavioral characterization of genetically modified mice and rats.

Current research

The role of muscarinergic M4 and M5 receptors in the regulation of dopamine release in the limbic system: relationship to addiction and psychosis.

Neuroplasticity and its role in depression.

Transfere and validation of rat behavioral models to genetically modified mice.