Malin Gingnell
Researcher at Department of Medical Sciences; Experimental Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ECAN)
- E-mail:
- malin.gingnell@psyk.uu.se
- Visiting address:
- Akademiska sjukhuset, ingång 10
- Postal address:
- Akademiska sjukhuset, ingång 10
751 85 UPPSALA
Research
Experimental Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience –Lab
ECAN
With a background in neuroimaging, one foot in psychology and the other in medicine, the research within our group focuses on various aspects of neural processing in relation to affective stimuli as well as during cognitive tasks, both in one individual at a time and simultaneously during social interaction. This involves both studying healthy participants and clinical cohorts, in the lab or in more natural settings, as well as performing various treatment studies. Our methods include fMRI, PET, EEG, fNIRS and psychophysiological measurements.
The interplay between emotions and ovarian steroid hormones has been in particular focus, such as how the changes in sex hormone levels during puberty interacts with levels of anxiety.
In addition to this, we look at how profound changes in physiology (such as during hypoglycemia or after a sudden decrease in blood flow), as well as more subtle manipulations (such as the intake of caffeine) affect affective symptoms and brain function. Another research trajectory includes the mechanisms underlying treatment effects, both regarding pharmaceutical treatments such as SSRI, but also applying brain stimulating techniques such as ECT and TMS as well as therapeutic interventions such as CBT. In relation to the later, we do in-depth studies of especially the learning process during extinction, using conditioning as a proxy for mechanisms activated during exposure therapy or fear learning. We also conducted studies that explore the mechanisms behind the placebo effect, both in more general terms and in relation to affective disorders and the neurobiological features of curiosity and grief.
Data collection is performed in collaboration with several research groups at Uppsala University as well as together with international groups. As an example, the group is part of RE-MEND and UPIC and collaborates with the research centers WOMHER, CIRCUS and CMH. The team members also coordinate activity in anxiety - an interdisciplinary research network.
Lab leaders:
Malin Gingnell & Andreas Frick
Post docs:
PhD-students:
Magdalena Wlad
Lykke Silfverbrandt
Ebba Widegren
Ashika Roy
Patricia Gil Paterna
Barry Karlsson
Carolina Knhis de Camargo
Carl Brandt
Sara Chergia
Kristina Stenström
Lab manager:
Hampus Berg
Lab assistants:
Vanessa Messinger
Felicia Pohl
Previously associated:
Matilda Frick, post doc (now at Stockholm University, Sweden)
Wiebke Struckmann, PhD (now at Stanford, USA)

Publications
Recent publications
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Part of Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 2026
- DOI for Effects of intermittent theta- burst stimulation on emotion anticipation and processing in depression- investigating behavioral, electrodermal and neural activity
- Download full text (pdf) of Effects of intermittent theta- burst stimulation on emotion anticipation and processing in depression- investigating behavioral, electrodermal and neural activity
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Part of Behavioural Brain Research, 2026
- DOI for Developmental differences in reward-learning and its connection to resting-state functional connectivity modeled using a hierarchical Bayesian model
- Download full text (pdf) of Developmental differences in reward-learning and its connection to resting-state functional connectivity modeled using a hierarchical Bayesian model
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Directed causal networks for leading and following in hyperscanning EEG
Part of Social Neuroscience, p. 205-218, 2025
- DOI for Directed causal networks for leading and following in hyperscanning EEG
- Download full text (pdf) of Directed causal networks for leading and following in hyperscanning EEG
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Emotion anticipation and processing in depression: Behavioral, neural, and physiological reactivity
Part of European psychiatry, 2025
- DOI for Emotion anticipation and processing in depression: Behavioral, neural, and physiological reactivity
- Download full text (pdf) of Emotion anticipation and processing in depression: Behavioral, neural, and physiological reactivity
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Part of Journal of Psychopharmacology, p. 836-846, 2025
- DOI for Acute effects of 150 mg caffeine on subjective, physiological, and behavioral components of anxiety in panic disorder and healthy controls - A randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial
- Download full text (pdf) of Acute effects of 150 mg caffeine on subjective, physiological, and behavioral components of anxiety in panic disorder and healthy controls - A randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial
All publications
Articles in journal
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Part of Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 2026
- DOI for Effects of intermittent theta- burst stimulation on emotion anticipation and processing in depression- investigating behavioral, electrodermal and neural activity
- Download full text (pdf) of Effects of intermittent theta- burst stimulation on emotion anticipation and processing in depression- investigating behavioral, electrodermal and neural activity
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Part of Behavioural Brain Research, 2026
- DOI for Developmental differences in reward-learning and its connection to resting-state functional connectivity modeled using a hierarchical Bayesian model
- Download full text (pdf) of Developmental differences in reward-learning and its connection to resting-state functional connectivity modeled using a hierarchical Bayesian model
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Directed causal networks for leading and following in hyperscanning EEG
Part of Social Neuroscience, p. 205-218, 2025
- DOI for Directed causal networks for leading and following in hyperscanning EEG
- Download full text (pdf) of Directed causal networks for leading and following in hyperscanning EEG
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Emotion anticipation and processing in depression: Behavioral, neural, and physiological reactivity
Part of European psychiatry, 2025
- DOI for Emotion anticipation and processing in depression: Behavioral, neural, and physiological reactivity
- Download full text (pdf) of Emotion anticipation and processing in depression: Behavioral, neural, and physiological reactivity
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Part of Journal of Psychopharmacology, p. 836-846, 2025
- DOI for Acute effects of 150 mg caffeine on subjective, physiological, and behavioral components of anxiety in panic disorder and healthy controls - A randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial
- Download full text (pdf) of Acute effects of 150 mg caffeine on subjective, physiological, and behavioral components of anxiety in panic disorder and healthy controls - A randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial
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Fear extinction retention in children, adolescents, and adults
Part of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 2025
- DOI for Fear extinction retention in children, adolescents, and adults
- Download full text (pdf) of Fear extinction retention in children, adolescents, and adults
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Part of Developmental Psychobiology, 2024
- DOI for The influence of anterior cingulate GABA+ and glutamate on emotion regulation and reactivity in adolescents and adults
- Download full text (pdf) of The influence of anterior cingulate GABA+ and glutamate on emotion regulation and reactivity in adolescents and adults
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A Japanese translation of the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality
Part of Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences, 2024
- DOI for A Japanese translation of the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality
- Download full text (pdf) of A Japanese translation of the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality
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Part of BMC Psychiatry, 2024
- DOI for Allopregnanolone and progesterone in relation to a single electroconvulsive therapy seizure and subsequent clinical outcome: an observational cohort study
- Download full text (pdf) of Allopregnanolone and progesterone in relation to a single electroconvulsive therapy seizure and subsequent clinical outcome: an observational cohort study
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Directed causal effect with PCMCI in hyperscanning EEG time series
Part of Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2024
- DOI for Directed causal effect with PCMCI in hyperscanning EEG time series
- Download full text (pdf) of Directed causal effect with PCMCI in hyperscanning EEG time series
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Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activity during cognitive challenge in social anxiety disorder
Part of Behavioural Brain Research, 2023
- DOI for Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activity during cognitive challenge in social anxiety disorder
- Download full text (pdf) of Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activity during cognitive challenge in social anxiety disorder
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Blinding integrity of dorsomedial prefrontal intermittent theta burst stimulation in depression
Part of International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 2023
- DOI for Blinding integrity of dorsomedial prefrontal intermittent theta burst stimulation in depression
- Download full text (pdf) of Blinding integrity of dorsomedial prefrontal intermittent theta burst stimulation in depression
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Part of Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, p. 312-318, 2023
- DOI for Intercorrelation of physiological seizure parameters and hormonal changes in electroconvulsive therapy
- Download full text (pdf) of Intercorrelation of physiological seizure parameters and hormonal changes in electroconvulsive therapy
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Part of Translational Psychiatry, 2023
- DOI for Triple network model of brain connectivity changes related to adverse mood effects in an oral contraceptive placebo-controlled trial
- Download full text (pdf) of Triple network model of brain connectivity changes related to adverse mood effects in an oral contraceptive placebo-controlled trial
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Part of Behavioural Brain Research, 2023
- DOI for Pupil dilation during negative prediction errors is related to brain choline concentration and depressive symptoms in adolescents
- Download full text (pdf) of Pupil dilation during negative prediction errors is related to brain choline concentration and depressive symptoms in adolescents
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An fMRI-study of leading and following using rhythmic tapping
Part of Social Neuroscience, p. 558-567, 2022
- DOI for An fMRI-study of leading and following using rhythmic tapping
- Download full text (pdf) of An fMRI-study of leading and following using rhythmic tapping
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Part of NeuroImage, 2022
- DOI for Modulation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex functional connectivity after intermittent theta-burst stimulation in depression: combining findings from fNIRS and fMRI
- Download full text (pdf) of Modulation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex functional connectivity after intermittent theta-burst stimulation in depression: combining findings from fNIRS and fMRI
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Part of Translational Psychiatry, 2022
- DOI for Serotonin and dopamine transporter availability in social anxiety disorder after combined treatment with escitalopram and cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Download full text (pdf) of Serotonin and dopamine transporter availability in social anxiety disorder after combined treatment with escitalopram and cognitive-behavioral therapy
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Part of Learning and Motivation, 2022
- DOI for Internet-delivered approach-avoidance conflict task shows temporal stability and relation to trait anxiety
- Download full text (pdf) of Internet-delivered approach-avoidance conflict task shows temporal stability and relation to trait anxiety
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Postpartum Gray Matter Changes in the Auditory Cortex
Part of Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2021
- DOI for Postpartum Gray Matter Changes in the Auditory Cortex
- Download full text (pdf) of Postpartum Gray Matter Changes in the Auditory Cortex
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Part of Journal of Neuroscience Research, p. 2261-2270, 2021
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Part of Translational Psychiatry, 2021
- DOI for Expectancy effects on serotonin and dopamine transporters during SSRI treatment of social anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial
- Download full text (pdf) of Expectancy effects on serotonin and dopamine transporters during SSRI treatment of social anxiety disorder: a randomized clinical trial
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Part of Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2021
- DOI for Unchanged cognitive performance and concurrent prefrontal blood oxygenation after accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation in depression: a sham-controlled study
- Download full text (pdf) of Unchanged cognitive performance and concurrent prefrontal blood oxygenation after accelerated intermittent theta-burst stimulation in depression: a sham-controlled study
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Part of Molecular Psychiatry, p. 3970-3979, 2021
- DOI for Expression and co-expression of serotonin and dopamine transporters in social anxiety disorder: a multitracer positron emission tomography study
- Download full text (pdf) of Expression and co-expression of serotonin and dopamine transporters in social anxiety disorder: a multitracer positron emission tomography study
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Part of Diabetes, p. 1265-1277, 2021
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Part of Psychiatry Research, 2021
- DOI for Inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter systems in depressed and healthy: A positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy study
- Download full text (pdf) of Inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitter systems in depressed and healthy: A positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy study
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Gray matter increases within subregions of the hippocampal complex after pregnancy
Part of Brain Imaging and Behavior, p. 2790-2794, 2021
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Part of World Journal of Biological Psychiatry, p. 247-256, 2021
- DOI for Modulation of the prefrontal blood oxygenation response to intermittent theta-burst stimulation in depression: A sham-controlled study with functional near-infrared spectroscopy
- Download full text (pdf) of Modulation of the prefrontal blood oxygenation response to intermittent theta-burst stimulation in depression: A sham-controlled study with functional near-infrared spectroscopy
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From baby brain to mommy brain: Widespread gray matter gain after giving birth
Part of Cortex, p. 334-342, 2020
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Higher- and lower-order personality traits and cluster subtypes in social anxiety disorder
Part of PLOS ONE, 2020
- DOI for Higher- and lower-order personality traits and cluster subtypes in social anxiety disorder
- Download full text (pdf) of Higher- and lower-order personality traits and cluster subtypes in social anxiety disorder
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Part of Psychiatry Research, 2020
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Part of Journal of Affective Disorders, p. 230-237, 2020
- DOI for Neuroimaging, genetic, clinical, and demographic predictors of treatment response in patients with social anxiety disorder
- Download full text (pdf) of Neuroimaging, genetic, clinical, and demographic predictors of treatment response in patients with social anxiety disorder
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Part of Brain Stimulation, p. 1665-1667, 2020
- DOI for Transcranial magnetic intermittent theta-burst stimulation for depression in pregnancy - A case series
- Download full text (pdf) of Transcranial magnetic intermittent theta-burst stimulation for depression in pregnancy - A case series
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Part of Behavioural Brain Research, 2020
- DOI for Intermittent theta burst stimulation over the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex modulates resting-state connectivity in depressive patients: A sham-controlled study
- Download full text (pdf) of Intermittent theta burst stimulation over the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex modulates resting-state connectivity in depressive patients: A sham-controlled study
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Potential Brain Age Reversal after Pregnancy: Younger Brains at 4–6 Weeks Postpartum
Part of Neuroscience, p. 309-314, 2018
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Part of Neuropsychopharmacology, p. 555-563, 2018
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Part of BJPsych bulletin, 2018
- DOI for Anterior cingulate cortex activity as a candidate biomarker for treatment selection in social anxiety disorder
- Download full text (pdf) of Anterior cingulate cortex activity as a candidate biomarker for treatment selection in social anxiety disorder
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Different patterns of attentional bias in antenatal and postpartum depression
Part of Brain and Behavior, 2017
- DOI for Different patterns of attentional bias in antenatal and postpartum depression
- Download full text (pdf) of Different patterns of attentional bias in antenatal and postpartum depression
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Emotional anticipation after delivery - a longitudinal neuroimaging study of the postpartum period
Part of Scientific Reports, 2017
- DOI for Emotional anticipation after delivery - a longitudinal neuroimaging study of the postpartum period
- Download full text (pdf) of Emotional anticipation after delivery - a longitudinal neuroimaging study of the postpartum period
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Part of EBioMedicine, p. 179-188, 2017
- DOI for Do You Believe It? Verbal Suggestions Influence the Clinical and Neural Effects of Escitalopram in Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Trial
- Download full text (pdf) of Do You Believe It? Verbal Suggestions Influence the Clinical and Neural Effects of Escitalopram in Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Trial
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Part of Psychiatry Research, p. 85-90, 2017
- DOI for Within-session effect of repeated stress exposure on extinction circuitry function in social anxiety disorder
- Download full text (pdf) of Within-session effect of repeated stress exposure on extinction circuitry function in social anxiety disorder
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The effect of combined hormonal contraceptives use on brain reactivity during response inhibition
Part of European journal of contraception & reproductive health care, p. 150-157, 2016
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Part of British Journal of Psychiatry, p. 229-235, 2016
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Personality and risk for postpartum depressive symptoms
Part of Archives of Women's Mental Health, p. 539-546, 2015
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Emotion Reactivity Is Increased 4-6 Weeks Postpartum in Healthy Women: A Longitudinal fMRI Study
Part of PLOS ONE, 2015
- DOI for Emotion Reactivity Is Increased 4-6 Weeks Postpartum in Healthy Women: A Longitudinal fMRI Study
- Download full text (pdf) of Emotion Reactivity Is Increased 4-6 Weeks Postpartum in Healthy Women: A Longitudinal fMRI Study
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Part of Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine, 2015
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Enlargement of visual processing regions in social anxiety disorder is related to symptom severity
Part of Neuroscience Letters, p. 114-119, 2014
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Part of Human Brain Mapping, p. 4450-4458, 2014
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Part of Biological Psychiatry, 2014
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Part of Biological Psychiatry, 2014
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Part of Frontiers in Neuroscience, p. 380, 2014
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Part of Behavioural Brain Research, p. 330-335, 2014
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Part of Biology of Mood & Anxiety Disorders, p. 3, 2014
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Premenstrual dysphoric disorder and prefrontal reactivity during anticipation of emotional stimuli
Part of European Neuropsychopharmacology, p. 1474-1483, 2013
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Part of Psychoneuroendocrinology, p. 1133-1144, 2013
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Prefrontal activity during response inhibition decreases over time in the postpartum period
Part of Behavioural Brain Research, p. 132-138, 2013
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Altered Amygdala but not Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity in Social Anxiety Disorder
Part of Biological Psychiatry, 2013
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Part of Biological Psychiatry, 2013
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Part of Biological Psychiatry, 2013
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Part of Biological Psychiatry, 2013
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Acute Sleep Deprivation Enhances the Brain's Response to Hedonic Food Stimuli: An fMRI Study
Part of Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2012
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Part of Hormones and Behavior, p. 400-406, 2012
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Part of Journal of Affective Disorders, p. 347-350, 2012
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Part of Gynecological Endocrinology, p. 486-490, 2011
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Part of Archives of Women's Mental Health, p. 417-423, 2010
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Part of Biological Psychiatry, p. 124, 2009
Articles, review/survey
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Part of Psychoneuroendocrinology, p. 28-52, 2014