About

Area of specialization: Affective Neuroscience

Research Advisor/Mentor: Dr. Heath Demaree

Research Interests: I am broadly interested in the interaction between cognition and emotion. My current research focuses on the neural and physiological underpinnings of emotion regulation and how individual differences in executive functioning impact the ability to regulate emotion in both healthy populations, and those with various neurodegenerative diseases. Another line of my work examines the impact of neurmodulation–specifically Deep Brain Stimulation–on cognitive and emotional processes, and the neuroethical issues surrounding the use of neurotechnologies.

Recent Publications

Merner, A. R., Frazier, T., Ford, P. J., Cooper, S. E., Machado, A., Lapin, B., … & Kubu, C. S. (2021). Changes in Patients’ Desired Control of Their Deep Brain Stimulation and Subjective Global Control Over the Course of Deep Brain Stimulation. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15, 69.

Wilt, J. A., Merner, A. R., Zeigler, J., Montpetite, M., & Kubu, C. S. (2021). Does Personality Change Follow Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease Patients?. Frontiers in Psychology, 12.

Merner, A.R., Montpetite, M., Zeigler, J., Ford, P.J., & Kubu, C.S. (April, 2021) Personality changes following deep brain stimulation in patients with parkinson’s disease. Presented at the 7th annual BRAIN Initiative Investigator’s Meeting, Virtual.

Merner, A.R., Montpetite, M., Zeigler, J., Ford, P.J., & Kubu, C.S. (April, 2021) Is MRI-guided focused ultrasound non-invasive? Insight from qualitative analysis of internet sites. Presented at the 7th annual BRAIN Initiative Investigator’s Meeting, Virtual.

Merner, A.R., Jiang, H., Lim, R., Olejko, A.W., King, M.J., & Macnamara, B.N. (March, 2021). Relationships between depression, anxiety, and stress during COVID-19: A network modeling approach. Presented at the 33rd annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Virtual.

Merner, A.R., Ford, P.J., & Kubu, C.S. (July, 2020) Relationship between patients’ desired control of their deep brain stimulator and subjective global control. Accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the International Neuroethics Society, Virtual.

Merner, A.R., Montpetite M.M., Zeigler, J., Ford, P.J., Kubu, C.S. (June, 2020). Neuropsychological predictors of personality change in patients with Parkinson’s Disease and DBS. Accepted for presentation at the 6th annual BRAIN Initiative Investigators Meeting, Virtual.

Merner, A.R. & Demaree, H.A. (May, 2020) Working memory capacity predicts alcohol consumption via positive metacognitive beliefs about alcohol’s value in emotion regulation. Presented at the 32nd annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Virtual.

Merner, A.R. (2020). Managing productivity in the time of COVID-19. APS Observer 33(5).

Pace-Schott, E., Amole, M., Aue, T., Balconi, M., Bylsma, L., Critchley, H., Demaree, H.A., Friedman, B., Kotynski Gooding, A.E., Gosseries, O., Jovanovic, T., Kirby, L.A.J., Kozlowska, K., Laureys, S., Lowe, L., Magee, K., Marin, M.F., Merner, A.R., Robinson, J., Smith, R., Spangler, D., vanOverveld, M., VanElzakker, M. (2019). Physiological Feelings. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews.

Kubu, C.S., Ford, P.J., Wilt, J.A., Merner, A.R., Montpetite, M., Zeigler, J., & Racine, E. (2019). The Importance of Interdisciplinary Teams in Investigating Personality Changes following DBS. Neuroethics.

Kubu, C.S., Merner, A.R., Montpetite, M.M., Zeigler, J., Ford, P.J. (April 2019). Personality Change in the context of Parkinson’s Disease: What do patients tell us? Presented at the 5th annual BRAIN Initiative Investigator’s Meeting, Washington, D.C.

Merner, A.R., Montpetite M.M., Zeigler, J., Ford, P.J., Kubu, C.S. (April 2019). Personality Change in the context of Parkinson’s Disease: What do standard clinical measures tell us? Presented at the 5th annual BRAIN Initiative Investigators Meeting, Washington, D.C.