Kahnt Lab

Research

We are a cognitive neuroscience lab studying learning and decision-making, and their dysfunctions in psychiatric disorders. Because the sense of smell plays an important role in guiding appetitive behaviors, we also study olfaction.

Our work aims to advance our understanding of the basic brain processes underlying behavior and how they are altered in disorders characterized by compulsive behavior, such as substance use disorder. This research may identify new mechanisms and targets for treatment.

Methods

We use a combination of behavioral testing, neuroimaging (MRI), and non-invasive neuromodulation techniques (TMS, TUS). Our behavioral tasks are inspired by learning theory and designed to facilitate the translation between research in animals and humans. We also use computational techniques for data analysis and to model neural and behavioral mechanisms.