FINAL_OM-IR-2026_Report-PDF-Version_Pages-Compressed - Flipbook - Page 21
Laura Berner, PhD
One Mind Board of Directors
Rising Star Award
Bulimia nervosa is driven by cycles of binge eating
and purging that are hard to break even with the best
available treatments, with more than half of bulimia
patients continuing to experience symptoms despite
current treatments. Dr. Berner’s project targets the
ventrolateral prefrontal cortex — a region central to
self-control — through a novel combination of wearable
neurofeedback and personalized smartphone interventions
during moments of peak vulnerability. This is the 昀椀rst
study to extend this kind of brain training for bulimia into
daily life contexts.
Neir Eshel, MD, PhD
One Mind–Burroughs Wellcome
Fund Rising Star Award
In depression, even simple tasks can feel exhausting. Dr. Eshel’s
lab discovered why: the brain normally releases dopamine
not just as a reward, but in response to e昀昀ort itself — a signal
that says “keep going.” In depression, that signal breaks down,
making e昀昀ort feel depleting rather than sustaining. His research
maps the circuits that generate this signal and tests strategies —
including potential medications and brain stimulation — to restore
healthy e昀昀ort signaling.
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