Prof Chris Brewin

Research summary

Past research projects include the development of neural model of intrusive imagery in mental disorders, a neuroimaging study of emotional memory in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, an evaluation of the NHS mental health response to the 2005 London bombings, a study of delayed onset PTSD in UK war pensioners, a test of psychological intervention for elderly victims of crime, and an evaluation of imagery rescripting as an intervention for depressed patients with intrusive memories. The five areas in which I am currently most active are: the design of mental health responses for survivors of disasters and terrorist attacks; considering how memory research should be applied in the courts; experimental studies designed to influence rates of intrusive memory following trauma; the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (I am closely involved with the proposals for the International Classification of Diseases 11th edition); and the use of immersive virtual reality to improve self-compassion.

Keywords: Anxiety, Amygdala, Brain imaging, Clinical trials, Cognition, Depression,

Emotion, fMRI, Hippocampus, Memory, Neuroimaging, Neuroscience, Post-traumatic

stress disorder, Stress, Terrorism, Disasters, Memory, Virtual Realty, Self-compassion.

Conditions: Anxiety disorders, Depressive disorders, Dissociative disorders

Methods: Functional MRI (fMRI), Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)

Education

University of Sheffield

Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy | 1981

University of Oxford

Other higher degree, Master of Science | 1977

University of Oxford

First Degree, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) | 1975

Publications

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