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Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Katja Bertsch

Equal opportunity committee member Principal investigator

University of Würzburg

0000-0001-9177-9010

Katja Bertsch

Katja Bertsch is a Professor for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg.

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Projects

A02: Context effects on threat processing in dependence of testosterone levels

Katja Bertsch Sabine Herpertz Ute Habel Isabel Neumann Nick Worm Julius-Maximilians University Würzburg Heidelberg University RWTH Aachen Negative valence system Biological Psychiatry Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
The focus will be on the influences of a provocative context on social threat processing in AMD under different testosterone levels. Specifically, the project aims to analyze the modulating function of context under testosterone application versus suppression on threat sensitivity in healthy controls as well as patient groups. Additionally, we will determine the influence of endogenous hormone variations (testosterone, oxytocin, estrogen and cortisol) on NVS in high versus low aggressive patients in a large group of patients recruited in Q01. With this sample, we will try to identify multidimensional biosignatures based on hormonal levels in combination with fMRI measures of amygdala and amygdala-prefrontal connectivity, NVS measures by questionnaires, aggression measures and psychopathological data.

B04: Investigating psychological and neural correlates of intimate partner violence

Lisa Wagels Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg Katja Bertsch Julia Koch Julia Schräder Linda Wilkin-Krug RWTH Aachen Central Institute of Mental Health Julius-Maximilians University Würzburg Cognitive system Biological Psychiatry Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Focus on the neural correlates of characterizing cognitive control deficits during conflict situations. The project will investigate patients with varying levels of cognitive control along with their close partners (sibling or intimate partner) to identify the dynamics of self-regulation and co-regulation in provoked conflict situations in patients with control deficits. To identify the precursors and dynamics of conflict escalation, the project will apply measures of behavioral reactions, skin conductance, simulated or real conflict, fMRI and fMRI-hyperscanning techniques and physiological measures. Neuroimaging data will also be combined with information on stress, control and conflicts in real-life via EMA.

Publications

Gender differences in aggression associated with mental disorders

Katja Bertsch Ute Habel A02: Context effects on threat processing in dependence of testosterone levels Biological Psychiatry Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Negative valence system

Aggressive behavior shows striking gender differences. Cross-cultural research shows that men are more likely to engage in physical aggression, while women tend to use indirect forms of aggressive behavior. Aggression is a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by situational, genetic, psychological and other factors. Despite being a transdiagnostic feature in numerous mental disorders, gender-specific differences and the underlying influencing factors have not yet been sufficiently investigated. Many findings originate from older publications and methodologically sound and in particular behavior-based investigations are rare. This article provides a narrative literature review that summarizes the current state of research on gender differences in aggression in selected mental disorders, including substance use disorders, psychotic disorders and borderline personality disorder. The implications for future research and the clinical practice are discussed.

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