Research

The "Computational Neuropsychiatry" research group investigates how dopamine-dependent processing of reward stimuli shapes impulsivity, cognition, and emotion regulation in ADHD and related disorders. Using pharmacological brain imaging (fMRI) and artificial-intelligence approaches, we aim to uncover neurobiological mechanisms and advance precision psychiatry through more targeted, personalized treatments.

The "Computational Neuropsychiatry" research group is dedicated to unravelling the neurobiological mechanisms underlying impulsivity and reward-processing dysregulation in psychiatric disorders. While our main focus is adult ADHD, we also study other conditions involving dopaminergic dysfunction, such as schizophrenia. Our work extends beyond conventional disciplinary boundaries, exploring how deficits in reward processing affect cognitive and emotional functioning.

A central pillar of our approach is pharmacological fMRI research, conducted in collaboration with the LOEWE Center DYNAMIC. These studies allow us to probe the dopaminergic system and other neurotransmitter pathways, yielding key insights into brain function and potential therapeutic targets.

Notably, our research has also begun to draw parallels between neurobiology and artificial intelligence: we study large language models, which — much like the dopaminergic system's role in salience estimation — generate semantic predictions. Through these multifaceted approaches, we aim to make a meaningful contribution to precision psychiatry and ultimately improve patient outcomes through more targeted, effective interventions.

• Adult ADHD
   
• Impulsivity and reward dysregulation in psychiatric disorders
   
• Pharmacological fMRI studies
   
• Large language models in psychiatry

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (resting-state measurements, special paradigms for reward delay, etc.) in collaboration with the Cooperative Brain Imaging Center (CoBIC), Frankfurt
• Pharmacological provocation using dopaminergic or other substances
• Clinical trials (investigator-initiated or in collaboration with industry)
• Genetic studies (e.g., GWAS and polygenic risk score studies)
• Online questionnaires and experiments on ADHD, eating behavior, personality traits, and creativity, including next-word prediction experiments
• Anthropometric measures (body composition and fitness tests)
• Computer-aided tests of concentration (CPT, partly with motion analysis)
• Natural language processing (NLP)

LOEWE Center DYNAMIC, Subproject 3.2: Pharmacological Modulation of Brain and Psychological Networks

In subproject 3.2, based at the Department of Psychiatry in Frankfurt, we are investigating how pharmacological interventions can modulate brain and psychological networks. This study involves administering single doses of specific pharmacological agents (such as dopamine agonists or ketamine) to healthy volunteers.

Collaboration: Ernst Strüngmann Institute, Frankfurt

Link here.

SPEAK-SAFE Project

This project aims to create the first German psychiatric text corpus for evaluating AI-NLP and to develop an NLP model that optimizes diagnostic processes in psychiatric, psychosomatic, and psychotherapeutic care, by collecting therapist-patient dialogues during therapeutic sessions.

Collaboration: Athene PADAM, TU Darmstadt

PSYCH-GPT: Characterizing Psychiatric Symptoms Using AI Language Models

PSYCH-GPT employs large language models to advance psychiatric diagnosis and therapy. This research project pursues two complementary approaches: 1) as a model of psychiatric disorders, and 2) as a clinical tool.

Duration: October 2025–2028

Collaboration: Reiss Foundation

Group Leader

apl. Prof. Dr. med. Oliver Grimm, Leitender Oberarzt (Senior Attending Psychiatrist)
ogrimm@uni-frankfurt.de

Team Members

• Dr. med. Hendrik Kröger, MSc
• Kamil Piwowar, MSc
• Lara Hamzehpour, MSc
• Christopher Landau, MSc
• Lorina Zapf, MSc, MSc
• cand. med. Hannah Rößler
• cand. med. Valentin Dutsch
• cand. med. Jan Leonards
• cand. med. Marielou Lüderwaldt
• cand. med. Sofia Arampatzi
• cand. med. Ziba Mossawaty, Dipl.-Inf. (FH)
• cand. med. Helen Veauthier
• cand. med. Alexander Abbas
• cand. med. Nicole Korabelnikov
• cand. med. Andreas Kalogeris
• Annika Schäfer, student assistant
• Delia Schmidt, student assistant
• Sarah Back, student assistant

1. Mayer JS, Hees K, Medda J, et al. Bright light therapy versus physical exercise to prevent co-morbid depression and obesity in adolescents and young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Trials. doi.org/10.1186/s13063-017-2426-1

2. Grimm O, Kittel-Schneider S, Reif A. Recent developments in the genetics of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2018;72:654–672. doi.org/10.1111/pcn.12673

3. Grimm O, van Rooij D, Tshagharyan A, et al. Effects of comorbid disorders on reward processing and connectivity in adults with ADHD. Transl Psychiatry 2021;11:1–7.

4. Grimm O, Nägele M, Küpper-Tetzel L, et al. No effect of a dopaminergic modulation fMRI task by amisulpride and L-DOPA on reward anticipation in healthy volunteers. Psychopharmacology 2021;238(5):1333–1342.

• IMpACT & ECNP-Netzwerk „ADHD Across the Lifespan" 
• IMpACT ADHD Genomics
• ECNP-Netzwerk „Experimental Medicine"
• ECNP-Netzwerk „AI in Mental Health"