The research lab of Philip L. Johnson, PhD, focuses on integregating preclinical and clinical research to investigate the mechanisms of centrally regulated anxiety and panic associated behavior that coincides with cardiorespiratory and thermoregulatory activity. Researchers in this lab are trying to determine how these systems contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders such as panic disorder and post-traumatic disorder.
Since women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with these anxiety-related disorders than men and because a dramatic loss of ovarian function occurs during menopause which leads to disruption in anxiety, mood and thermoregulation, the lab is also investigating how sex hormones such as estrogen modulate activity within these circuits.