Assistant Professor
 
Area: Clinical

Contact Information

Email: nestorl@umich.edu
Psychology Office: 2253 East Hall
Psychology Phone: 734-936-5819

Research and Teaching Interests

My primary research interests center on affective neuroendocrinology and child/adolescent depression. I'm ultimately interested in understanding the core bio-cognitive and affective mechanisms that underlie the disease process itself, and exploring how these mechanisms differ from etiological or 'risk' factors.  Specifically, together with my students at the newly created Michigan Psychoneuroendocrinology Affective Laboratory (Michigan PAL), we are pursuing three interrelated lines of research. First, we are exploring the mechanisms behind the endocrine dysregulation observed in some depressed and at-risk children and adolescents. In doing so, we seek to determine 1) whether endocrine dysregulation is a risk factor for childhood depression, a consequence of depression, or a representation (core component) of the disease process, and 2) how endocrine dysregulation in depression differs from the type of dysregulation observed in anxiety and other mood disorders. Second,  we are attempting to identify the endocrine, cognitive, and affective processes that may signal a "prodromal" phase of childhood depression. To this end, we are examining changes in endocrine and affective processes that occur prior to the onset of the first major depressive episode in children and adolescents. Finally, we work in collaboration with Dr. Marika Kovacs at the University of Pittsburgh Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic on a large intergenerational study of the role of physiological and cognitive inflexibility in the development of childhood-onset depression.

“I am currently recruiting graduate students in clinical psychology for the 2010-2011 academic year. I am interested in students who are passionate about psychopathology research and want to pursue a research career in clinical science or clinical neuroscience. Students who are primarily interested in clinical work (i.e., practice) are not a good match for my laboratory or our program. Competitive students usually will have extensive experience in psychopathology research, including completion of an undergraduate research thesis, at least one publication or conference presentation/poster, and 1-2 years of experience working in a research laboratory after completing their bachelors degree. If you choose to apply to our program and you are interested in joining my research lab, please make sure you mention this on your cover letter and research statement. In addition, please send me an email after you submit your completed application.”

 

Recent Publications
Lopez-Duran, N. L., Nusslock, R., Kovacs, M., & George, C. (Under Review). Frontal EEG asymmetry moderates the effects of stressful life events on internalizing symptoms in children at familial risk for depression.

Lopez-Duran  N. L., & Kovacs, M. (In Press).  Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis dysregulation in depressed children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Baji, I., Lopez-Duran, N. L. *, Kovacs, M., George, C., László, M. L., Kapornai, k., Kiss, E., & Vetro, A., (In Press).  Age, sex, somatic complaints, and the symptom presentation of childhood depression in a Hungarian clinical sample.  Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (*Corresponding Author)

Lopez-Duran, N. L., Hajal, N. J., Olson, S. L., Felt, B., & Vazquez, D. M. (2009).  Individual differences in salivary cortisol response to fear and frustration in children: A methodological examination of peak timing and stress modality. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 103(3), 285-295.

László Mayer, L., Lopez-Duran, N. L.*, Kovacs, M., George, C., Baji, I., Kapornai, k., Kiss, E., & Vetro, A. (2009).  Stressful life events in a clinical sample of depressed children in Hungary.  Journal of Affective Disorders.115(1-2), 207-214. (*Corresponding Author)

Lopez-Duran, N. L., Hajal, N. J., Olson, S. L., Felt, B., & Vazquez, D. M. (2009).  Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis functioning in reactive and proactive aggression in children.  Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37(2), 169-182.

Lopez, N. L., Vazquez, M., Felt, B., Olson, S. L. (2009).  An integrative approach to the neurophysiology of emotion regulation.  In S.L. Olson and A.J. Sameroff (Eds), Regulatory processes in the development of behavior problems: Biological, behavioral, and social interactions.  Cambridge University Press.