University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz; Saarland University
Dr. Wolfgang Retz is Professor of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy and heads the
Forensic Psychiatry and Psychotherapy section at the Mainz University Medical
Center as well as the Institute for Forensic Psychology and Psychiatry at the
Saarland University in Homburg/Saar. For many years he has been scientifically
working on ADHD in adults and the significance of this developmental disorder
for criminal behavior across the lifespan. He has published numerous scientific
papers on the neurobiological and environmental architecture of aggressive
behavior as well as the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults. As a forensic
psychiatrist, he is a respected expert in criminal proceedings and is involved
in the interdisciplinary training of forensic psychiatrists and psychologists.
Projects
This project aims to identify cognitive and emotion control deficits in the
context of negative valence and threat interference and their association with
ACE in young offenders. Complementary to other projects, this project will focus
on a group of young people defined by their propensity to aggression showing at
the same time more severe psychopathologies. In a series of studies using
multimodal imaging (EEG-fMRI, EEG-sMRI) in combination with naturalistic
longitudinal follow-up (ecological momentary assessment (EMA)) B02 will identify
the neural mechanisms and predictors of self-regulation deficits as a putative
common developmental pathway for both, aggressive behavior, and psychopathology.
Additionally, B02 will seek to causally confirm neural network mechanisms of
inhibitory control and emotion regulation deficits as the basis of aggressive
behavior and associated psychopathology by real-time EEG-triggered TMS-
stimulation in young offenders.
Test the interaction of the CS and frustrative non-reward as part of the NVS. It
will investigate the electrophysiological correlates of frustrative feedback in
aggression-prone patients. In the aftermath of induced stress, an EEG task-
battery including frustrative feedback will be applied for extraction of error-
related negativity (ERN) and contingent negative variation to monitor electro-
physiologic signaling of the relevant learning and frustration processes. In
half of the participants, tDCS over the prefrontal cortex will be applied to
enhance cognitive control, with participants being put into a stress context
inducing frustration.
Sites
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz offers a broad spectrum of academic
programs across various disciplines, emphasizing interdisciplinary research and
innovation. The university is known for its strong focus on fostering
creativity, cultural engagement, and international collaboration.
