Maria Picó-Pérez’s research relies on the use of neuroimaging techniques as a window towards understanding typical and atypical behavior. She has been involved on several national and international projects. Maria’s PhD thesis in the University of Barcelona was focused on studying the neurobiological correlates of emotion regulation in psychiatric disorders, including the use of meta-analytical techniques. She has also developed an interest in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) research that still continues today, and that allowed her the possibility of collaborating in the international consortium ENIGMA.
During her past years as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Minho, Maria has expanded her interests into the study of other psychiatric disorders, and into developing novel biologically-informed treatments such as neurofeedback (a non-invasive neuromodulation technique). More recently, she has also been involved in a project exploring mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is Principal Investigator (PI) of two projects: one related to OCD research, and another focused at studying sex- and gender-related variables in the stress response, attempting to expand on the binary framework of sex differences in order to improve personalized healthcare. During this period, Maria has also supervised students from different academic levels, organized research activities, as well as worked and presented in science communication events.
In 2022 Maria was awarded with a “Ramón y Cajal” contract to start working with a tenure position in the Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging group from the Jaume I University, Spain. Since then, she has also been granted with 2 more projects to continue exploring the influence of sex/gender in the stress response, using meta-analytical and neuroimaging techniques.
Maria Picó-Pérez’s research relies on the use of neuroimaging techniques as a window towards understanding typical and atypical behavior. She has been involved on several national and international projects. Maria’s PhD thesis in the University of Barcelona was focused on studying the neurobiological correlates of emotion regulation in psychiatric disorders, including the use of meta-analytical techniques. She has also developed an interest in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) research that still continues today, and that allowed her the possibility of collaborating in the international consortium ENIGMA.
During her past years as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Minho, Maria has expanded her interests into the study of other psychiatric disorders, and into developing novel biologically-informed treatments such as neurofeedback (a non-invasive neuromodulation technique). More recently, she has also been involved in a project exploring mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is Principal Investigator (PI) of two projects: one related to OCD research, and another focused at studying sex- and gender-related variables in the stress response, attempting to expand on the binary framework of sex differences in order to improve personalized healthcare. During this period, Maria has also supervised students from different academic levels, organized research activities, as well as worked and presented in science communication events.
In 2022 Maria was awarded with a “Ramón y Cajal” contract to start working with a tenure position in the Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging group from the Jaume I University, Spain. Since then, she has also been granted with 2 more projects to continue exploring the influence of sex/gender in the stress response, using meta-analytical and neuroimaging techniques.
1. Picó-Pérez M, Radua J, Steward T, Menchón JM, Soriano-Mas C (2017). Emotion regulation in mood and anxiety disorders: A meta-analysis of fMRI cognitive reappraisal studies. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 79(Pt B): 96-104. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.06.001, IF: 4.185, Q1.
2. Picó-Pérez M, Moreira PS, de Melo Ferreira V, Radua J, Mataix-Cols D, Sousa N, Soriano-Mas C, Morgado P (2020). Modality-specific overlaps in brain structure and function in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Multimodal meta-analysis of case-control MRI studies. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 112: 83-94. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.033. (IF: 8.989; D1).
3. Magalhães R*, Picó-Pérez M*, Esteves M*, Vieira R, Castanho TC, Amorim L, Sousa M, Coelho A, Fernandes HM, Cabral J, Moreira PS, Sousa N (2021). Habitual coffee drinkers display a distinct pattern of brain functional connectivity. Mol. Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01075-4, *Co-first Authorship.
4. Picó-Pérez M, Ferreira S, Couto B, Raposo-Lima C, Machado-Sousa M, Morgado P (2021). Sociodemographic and lifestyle predictors of mental health adaptability during COVID-19 compulsory confinement: a longitudinal study in the Portuguese population. Journal of Affective Disorders, 295, 797-803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.150.
5. Picó-Pérez M*, Fullana MA*, Albajes-Eizagirre, Vega D, Marco-Pallarés J, Vilar A, Chamorro J, Felmingham KL, Harrison BJ, Radua J, Soriano-Mas C. (2022). Neural predictors of cognitive-behavior therapy outcome in anxiety-related disorders: a meta-analysis of task-based fMRI studies. Psychological Medicine, 1-9, doi: 10.1017/S0033291721005444, *Co-first Authorship.
6. Project funding as PI: “Influence of sex and gender on the stress response: going beyond the binary framework for improving personalized healthcare” (EXPL/PSI-GER/1030/2021), Funding entity: FCT, 01/2022-06/2023, Total amount: 49812.50€.
7. Ramón y Cajal post-doctoral contract (Tenure Track position) (RYC2021‐031228‐I) from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (01/2023-12/2027).
8. Project funding as PI: “Exploring sex/gender differences in stress and emotional processing using meta-analytical and neuroimaging techniques” (CIAICO/2022/133), Funding entity: Generalitat Valenciana, 01/2023-12/2025, Total amount: 90000€.
9. Picó-Pérez M*, Magalhães R*, Esteves M, Vieira R, Castanho TC, Amorim L, Sousa M, Coelho A, Moreira PS, Cunha RA, Sousa N (2023). Coffee consumption decreases the connectivity of the posterior Default Mode Network (DMN) at rest. Front. Behav. Neurosci., 17:1176382. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1176382. *Co-first Authorship.
10. Picó-Pérez M, Abalos Marco E, Thurston LT, Ambrosi V, Genon S, Bryant KL, Martínez AB, Ciccia L, Kaiser Trujillo A (2024). Researchers’ sex/gender identity influences how sex/ gender question is investigated in neuroscience: an example from an OHBM meeting. Brain Structure and Function, 0123456789. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-023-02750-8
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Life and Health Sciences
Research Institute (ICVS)
School of Medicine,
University of Minho,
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
Copyright ©2022 ICVS. All Rights Reserved
Copyright ©2022 ICVS. All Rights Reserved
Life and Health Sciences
Research Institute (ICVS)
School of Medicine,
University of Minho,
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
Copyright ©2022 ICVS. All Rights Reserved
Life and Health Sciences
Research Institute (ICVS)
School of Medicine,
University of Minho,
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
