Laura Steenbergen
Assistant Professor
- Name
- Dr. L. Steenbergen
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 3875
- l.steenbergen@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-2659-4981
Laura Steenbergen investigates the microbiota-gut-brain-axis and the influence of this axis on mental processes and experiences.
More information about Laura Steenbergen
News
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Antibiotic treatments make us more susceptible to negative emotions -
Stimulating the gut–brain nerve can influence emotion -
Laura Steenbergen in the media -
Grant for research into stress-related disorders -
FameLab: young scientists take the stage -
Veni subsidies for sixteen Leiden researchers -
Laura Steenbergen and Christian Eistrup win Leiden FameLab -
Visit the Leiden preliminary heat of FameLab
Laura Steenbergen investigates the microbiota-gut-brain-axis and the influence of this axis on mental processes and experiences.
Research
Laura Steenbergen mainly investigates the microbiota-gut-brain-axis and the influence of this axis on mental processes and experiences. For example, she investigates whether, and potentially how, the composition of gut microbiota (i.e. gut flora), and interventions such as pro- and antibiotics , influence the way people feel and behave. She also examines the role of the vagus nerve in experiencing emotions and making decisions. In a wider perspective, Laura is interested in wellbeing and in research into vulnerability and prevention in relation to mental complaints. She has a passion for openness and 'unexpected views': she likes to bring disciplines, that look very different on first glance, together, to contibute to scientific and public knowledge. Next to her research, Laura provides education and supervision for Psychology bachelor and master students, and for the post master program to become a clinical psychologist (RINO). Furthermore, she loves to interact t with a wider audience hrough (public) lectures and media and often acts as a sounding board for topics such as (scientific) integrity and social safety.
Career
Laura studied Psychology at Leiden University, where she also obtained her PhD in Cognitive Psychology (more specific: Cognitive Enhancement) in 2016. In her PhD research, she focused on the influence of brain stimulation and dietary supplements on (social) cognitive skills. After her PhD, she received a "Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Talent Grant" that allowed her to further deepen her research on the microbiota-gut-brain axis, the mechanisms in this axis, and its implications for mental well-being. In 2018, she went to Ohio State University to investigate the influence of the vagus nerve on the microbiota-gut-brain axis, and in 2019 she worked as a visiting scholar at the Oxford Center for Emotion and Affective Neuroscience to investigate the influence of pro- and antibiotics on cognitive and affective processing. Simultaneously, Laura started as an associate professor in Clinical Psychology at Leiden University, where she continued the research metioned above. For her work she received several (popular) scientific grants, awards and nominations, such as a NWO Veni grant ("Mind the Microbes!") in 2019 and the" Young Scientist award" from the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.
Grants and Prizes
- 2019: Leids Universiteits Fonds Gratama-Stichting project grant ("The microbiota-gut-brain axis in preventing stress-related disorders: antibiotics, cytokine activity, and cognitive reactivity to emotion").
- 2018: Nederlandse organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Veni beurs ("Mind the Microbes! Toward an understanding of the human microbiota-gut-brain axis and its potential for promoting mental health").
- 2017: Nederlandse organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek ZonMw Enabling Technologies Hotels Public-Private Hotel grant ("Understanding gut feelings: Metabolomics insight in the effects of probiotics on cognitive functioning and mental well-being")
- 2017: Koninklijke Nederlandse Academie van Wetenschappen van der Gaag beurs (on behalf of a work visit to Ohio State University)
- 2017: Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Talent Grant ("Understanding gut feelings: Probiotics and Cognition)
Assistant Professor
- Faculteit der Sociale Wetenschappen
- Instituut Psychologie
- Klinische Psychologie
- Kuijer E.K. & Steenbergen L. (2023), The microbiota-gut-brain axis in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory: current state and future challenges, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 152: 1-16.
- Johnson K.V.A. Steenbergen L. (2022), Do common antibiotic treatments influence emotional processing?, Physiology and Behavior 255: 113900.
- Johnson K.V.A. & Steenbergen L. (2022), Gut feelings: vagal stimulation reduces emotional biases, Neuroscience 494: 119-131.
- Steenbergen L, Maraver M.J., Actis-Grosso R., Ricciardelli P. & Colzato L.S. (2021), Recognizing emotions in bodies: vagus nerve stimulation enhances recognition of anger while impairing sadness, Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 21: 1246-1261.
- Colzato L.S., Steenbergen L. & Sellaro R. (2021), Retraction note to: the effect of gamma-enhancing binaural beats on the control of feature bindings: Springer Nature Editoral Office (2021), Experimental Brain Research (239): 363.
- Steenbergen L., Colzato L.S. & Maraver M.J. (2020), Vagal signaling and the somatic marker hypothesis: The effect of transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation on delay discounting is modulated by positive mood, International Journal of Psychophysiology 148: 84-92.
- Colzato L.S., Steenbergen L. & Hommel B. (2020), Rumination impairs the control of stimulus-induced retrieval of irrelevant information, but not attention, control, or response selection in general, Psychological Research 84: 204-216.
- Maraver M.J., Steenbergen L., Hossein R., Actis-Grosso R., Ricciardelli P., Hommel B. & Colzato L.S. (2020), Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation modulates attentional resource deployment towards social cues, Neuropsychologia 143: 107465.
- Steenbergen L. & Colzato L.S. (2020), Frontiers editorial office (2020) retraction: overweight and cognitive performance: highy bod mass index is associated with impairment in reactive control during task switching, Frontiers in Nutrition 7: 615640.
- Colzato L., Steenbergen L. & Hommel B. (2020), Rumination impairs the control of stimulus-induced retrieval of irrelevant information, but not attention, control, or response selection in general, Psychological Research (84): 204-216.
- Hutten N.R.P.W., Steenbergen L., Colzato L.S., Hommel B., Theunissen E.L., Ramaekers J.G. & Kuypers K.P.C. (2019), Cocaine enhances figural, but impairs verbal ‘flexible’ divergent thinking, European Neuropsychopharmacology 29(7): 813-824.
- Leonte A., Colzato L., Steenbergen L., Hommel B. & Akyürek E.G. (2018), Supplementation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) affects temporal, but not spatial visual attention, Brain and Cognition 120: 8-16.
- Colzato L., Ritter S.M. & Steenbergen L. (2018), Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) enhances divergent thinking, Neuropsychologia 111: 72-76.
- Colzato L.S., Jongkees B.J., De Wit M., Van der Molen M.J. & Steenbergen L. (2018), Variable heart rate and a flexible mind: Higher resting-state heart rate variability predicts better task-switching, Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience 18(4): 730-738.
- Colzato L.S., Steenbergen L. & Sellaro R. (2017), The effect of gamma-enhancing binaural beats on the control of feature bindings, Experimental Brain Research 235(7): 2125-2131.
- Steenbergen L. & Colzato L. (2017), Overweight and cognitive perfomance: High body mass index is associated with impairment in reactive control during task switching, Frontiers in Nutrition 4: e51.
- Colzato L.S. & Steenbergen L. (2017), High vagally mediated resting-state heart rate variability is associated with superior action cascading, Neuropsychologia 106: 1-6.
- Jongkees B.J., Steenbergen L. & Colzato L.S. (2017), Color vision predicts processing modes of goal activation during action cascading, Cortex 94: 123-130.
- Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Hommel B., Kühn S. & Colzato L.S. (2016), "Unfocus" on foc.us: Commercial tDCS headset impairs working memory, Experimental Brain Research 234(3): 637-643.
- Stock A.K., Steenbergen L., Colzato L. & Beste C. (2016), The system neurophysiological basis of non-adaptive cognitive control: Inhibition of implicit learning mediated by right prefrontal regions, Human Brain Mapping 37(12): 4511-4522.
- Beste C., Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Grigoriadou S., Zhang R., Chmielewski W. & Colzato L. (2016), Effects of concomitant stimulation of the GABAergic and Norepinephrine system on inhibitory control - A study using Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation, Brain Stimulation 9(6): 811-818.
- Steenbergen L., Jongkees B.J., Sellaro R. & Colzato L.S. (2016), Tryptophan supplementation modulates social behavior: A review, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 64: 346-358.
- Steenbergen L. (16 June 2016), Cognitive enhancement: toward the integration of theory and practice (Dissertatie. Institute of Psychology, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University). Supervisor(s) and Co-supervisor(s): Nieuwenhuis S.T., Colzato L.S. & Sellaro R.
- Colzato L.S., Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Stock A.K., Arning L. & Beste C. (2016), Effects of L-Tyrosine on working memory and inhibitory control are determined by DRD2 genotype: A randomized controlled trial, Cortex 82: 217-224.
- Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Stock A.K., Verkuil B., Beste C. & Colzato L.S. (2015), Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) enhances response selection during action cascading processes, European Neuropsychopharmacology 25(6): 773-778.
- Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Hommel B. & Colzato L.S. (2015), Tyrosine promotes cognitive flexibility: Evidence from proactive vs. reactive control during task switching performance, Neuropsychologia 69: 50-55.
- Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., De Rover M., Hommel B. & Colzato L.S. (2015), No role of beta receptors in cognitive flexibility: Evidence from task-switching paradigm in a randomized controlled trial, Neuroscience 295: 237-242.
- Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Stock A.K., Beste C. & Colzato L.S. (2015), y-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) administration improves action selection processes: a randomised controlled trial, Scientific Reports 5: e12770.
- Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Van Hemert S., Bosch J.A. & Colzato L.S. (2015), A randomized controlled trial to test the effect of multispecies probiotics on cogitive reactivity to sad mood, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity 48: 258-264.
- Sellaro R., Steenbergen L., Verkuil B., Van IJzendoorn M. & Colzato L.S. (2015), Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) does not increase prosocial behavior in cyberball, Frontiers in Psychology 6: e499.
- Kuypers K.P.C., Steenbergen L., Theunissen E.L., Toennes S.W. & Ramaekers J.G. (2015), Emotion recognition during cocaine intoxication, European Neuropsychopharmacology 25(11): 1914-1921.
- Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Stock A.K., Beste C. & Colzato L.S. (2015), Action video gaming and cognitive control: Playing first person shooter games is associated with improved action cascading but not inhibition, PLoS ONE 10(12): e0144364.
- Christoffels I.K., De Haan A.M., Steenbergen L., Van den Wildenberg W.P.M. & Colzato L.S. (2015), Two is better than one: Bilingual education promotes the flexible mind, Psychological Research 79(3): 371-379.
- Steenbergen L., Sellaro R. & Colzato L.S. (2014), Tryptophan promotes charitable donating, Frontiers in Psychology 5: e1451.
- Colzato L.S., Steenbergen L., De Kwaadsteniet E.W., Sellaro R., Liepelt R. & Hommel B. (2013), Tryptophan promotes interpersonal trust, Psychological Science 24(12): 2575-2577.
- Publieke lezingen
- Voorzitter bestuur