• Social connectedness and trauma research: neurobiological mechanisms of cognitive and sensory changes in social isolation and loneliness
• Modulation of social perception with hormonal probes and non-invasive brain stimulation (tDCS/tACS): effects on the processing of visual, tactile and olfactory stimuli
• Use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI 1.5 to 7 T) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), psychophysiological measurements (e.g. EDA, ECG and respiration in social dyads) and wearables

2024

• De Felice, S.; Chand, T.; Croy, I.; Engert, V.; Goldstein, P.; Holroyd, C. B.; Kirsch, P.; Krach, S.; Ma, Y.; Scheele, D.; Schurz, M.; Schweinberger, S.R.; Hoehl, S.+ ; Vrticka, P.+; Relational Neuroscience: insights from hyperscanning research, Neurosci Biobehav Rev;. Defeliceetal Relationalneuroscience R1. 

• Kanterman A, Scheele D, Nevat M, Saporta N, Lieberz J, Hurlemann R, Shamay-Tsoory S (2024). Let me in: The neural correlates of inclusion motivation in loneliness. J Affect Disord 15:361:399-408

• Berger R, Hurlemann R, Shamay-Tsoory S, Kanterman A, Brauser M, Gorni J, Luhmann M, Schramm E, Schultz J, Philipsen A, Lieberz J, Scheele D (2024) Oxytocin-augmented modular-based group intervention for loneliness: A proof-of-concept randomized-controlled trial. Psychother & Psychosom 93:169-180
• Stevens L, Bregulla M, Scheele D (2024) Out of touch? How trauma shapes the experience of social touch – neural and endocrine pathways. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 159:105595
• Mielacher C, Scheele D, Kiebs M, Schmitt L, Dellert T, Philipsen A, Lamm C, Hurlemann R (2024) Altered reward network responses to social touch in major depression. Psychological Medicine 54: 308-316  

2023

• Schneider E, Hopf D, Aguilar-Raab C,Scheele D, Neubauer AB, Sailer U, Hurlemann R, Eckstein M, Ditzen B (2023) Affectionate touch and diurnal oxytocin levels: An ecological momentary assessment study. Elife 12: e81241 
• Mielacher C, Scheele D, Kiebs M, Schmitt L, Dellert T, Philipsen A, Lamm C, Hurlemann R (2023) Altered reward network responses to social touch in major depression. Psychological Medicine 54(2):308-316
• Coenjaerts M, Adrovic B, Trimborn I, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R,Scheele D (2023). Effects of exogenous oxytocin and estradiol on resting-state functional connectivity in women and men. Scientific Report 13: 3113
  • Supplementary Information
• Sailer U, Riva F, Lieberz J, Campbell-Meiklejohn, Scheele D, Pfabigan DM (2023). Hungry for compliments? Ghrelin is not associated with neural responses to social rewards or their pleasantness. Frontiers in Psychiatry 14:1104305
• Schneider E, Hopf D, Eckstein M, Scheele D, Aguilar-Raab C, Herpertz SC, Grinevich V, Ditzen B (2023). Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic moderates Pain Perception and Momentary Oxytocin Levels. Journal of Clinical Medicine16;12(6):2333

2022

• Morr M, Noell J, Sassin D, Daniels J, Philipsen A, Becker B, Stoffel-Wagner B, Hurlemann R, Scheele D (2022) Lonely in the Dark: Trauma Memory and Sex-specific Dysregulation of Amygdala Reactivity to Fear Signals. Advanced Science 9: e2105336
  • Supplementary Information
• Coenjaerts M, Trimborn I, Adrovic B, Stoffel-Wagner B, Cahill L, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R, Scheele D (2022) Estradiol and oxytocin modulate sex differences in hippocampal reactivity and episodic memory. Neuroimage 264: 119689
  • Supplementary Information
• Lieberz J, Shamay-Tsoory SG, Saporta N, Kanterman A, Gorni J, Esser T, Kuskova E, Schultz J, Hurlemann R, Scheele D (2022) Behavioral and neural dissociation of social anxiety and loneliness. Journal of Neuroscience 42: 2570-2583
• Saporta N, Scheele D, Lieberz J‚ Nevat M, Kanterman A, Hurlemann R, Shamay-Tsoory SG (2022) Altered activation in the action observation system during synchronization in high loneliness individuals. Cerebral Cortex 33: 385-402
• Saporta N, Peled-Avron L, Scheele D, Lieberz J‚ Hurlemann R, Shamay-Tsoory SG (2022) Touched by loneliness – How loneliness impacts the response to observed human touch: a tDCS study. Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience 17: 142-150
• Morr M, Liu X, Hurlemann R, Becker B, Scheele D (2022) Chronic loneliness: Neurocognitive mechanisms and interventions. Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics 91: 227-237.

2021

• Lieberz J, Shamay-Tsoory SG, Saporta N, Esser T, Kuskova E, Stoffel-Wagner B, Hurlemann R, Scheele D (2021) Loneliness and the social brain: how perceived social isolation impairs human interactions. Advanced Science 8: e2102076
  • Supplementary Information
• Morr M, Lieberz J, Dobbelstein M, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R,Scheele D (2021) Insula reactivity mediates subjective isolation stress in alexithymia. Scientific Reports 11: 15326
  • Supplementary Information
• Coenjaerts M, Pape F, Santoso V, Grau F, Stoffel-Wagner B, Philipsen A, Schultz J, Hurlemann R,Scheele D(2021) Sex differences in economic decision-making: exogenous estradiol has opposing effects on fairness framing in women and men. European Neuropsychopharmacology 50: 46-54
  • Supplementary Information
• Saporta N, Scheele D, Lieberz J, Stuhr-Wulff F, Hurlemann R, Shamay-Tsoory SG (2021) Opposing Association of Situational and Chronic Loneliness with Interpersonal Distance. Brain Sciences 11: 1135
• Liu C, Lan C, Li K, Zhou F, Yao S, Xu L, Yang N, Yang J, Yong X, Ma Y, Scheele D, Kendrick KM, Becker B (2021) Oxytocinergic modulation of threat-specific amygdala sensitization in humans is critically mediated by serotonergic mechanisms. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience & Neuroimaging 6: 1081-1089
• Liu C, Xu L, Li J, Zhou F, Yang X, Zheng X, Fu M, Li K, Sindermann C, Montag C, Ma Y, Scheele D, Ebstein RP, Yao S, Kendrick KM, Becker B (2021) Serotonin and early life stress interact to shape brain architecture and anxious avoidant behavior – a TPH2 imaging genetics approach. Psychological Medicine 51: 2476-2484
• Marsh N, Scheele D, Postin D, Onken M, Hurlemann R (2021) Eye-tracking reveals a role of oxytocin in attention allocation towards familiar faces. Frontiers in Endocrinology 12: 629760
• Quintana DS, Lischke A, Grace S, Scheele D, Ma Y, Becker B (2021) Advances in the field of intranasal oxytocin research: lessons learned and future directions for clinical research. Molecular Psychiatry 26: 80-91

2020

• Maier A, Heinen-Ludwig L, Güntürkün O, Hurlemann R, Scheele D (2020) Childhood maltreatment alters the neural processing of chemosensory stress signals. Frontiers in Psychiatry 11:783
  • Supplementary Information
• Kreuder AK, Scheele D Schultz JW, Henning J, Marsh N, Dellert T, Ettinger U, Philipsen A, Babasiz M, Herscheid A, Remmersmann L, Stirnberg R, Stöcker T, Hurlemann R (2020) Common and dissociable effects of oxytocin and lorazepam on the neurocircuitry of fear. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 117:11781-11787
  • Supplementary Information
• Maier A, Gieling C, Heinen-Ludwig C, Stefan V, Schultz J, Güntürkün O, Becker B, Hurlemann R,Scheele D (2020) Association of Childhood Maltreatment With Interpersonal Distance and Social Touch Preferences in Adulthood. The American Journal of Psychiatry 177: 37-46
  • Supplementary Information
• Lieberz J*, Scheele D*, Spengler FB, Matheisen T, Schneider L, Stoffel-Wagner B, Kinfe MT, Hurlemann R (2020) Kinetics of oxytocin effects on amygdala and striatal reactivity vary between women and men. Neuropsychopharmacology 45: 1134-1140
  • Supplementary Information

2019

• Zhou X, Zimmermann K, Xin F, Zhao W, Derckx R, Sassmannshausen A,Scheele D, Hurlemann R, Weber B, Kendrick KM, Becker B (2019) Cue Reactivity in the Ventral Striatum Characterizes Heavy Cannabis Use, Whereas Reactivity in the Dorsal Striatum Mediates Dependent Use. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience & Neuroimaging 4: 751-762
• Zhao W, Zimmermann K, Zhou X, Zhou F, Fu M, Dernbach C, Scheele D, Weber B, Eckstein M, Hurlemann R, Kendrick KM, Becker B (2019) Impaired cognitive performance under psycho-social stress in cannabis-dependent males is associated with attenuated precuneus activity. Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience 44: 1-10
• Chaudhry SR, Lendvai IS, Muhammad S, Westhofen P, Kruppenbacher J, Scheef L, Boecker H, Scheele D Hurlemann R, Kinfe TM (2019) Interictal assay of peripheral circulating inflammatory mediators in migraine patients under adjunctive cervical non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation: a proof-of-concept study. Brain Stimulation 12: 643-651
• Spengler FB*, Scheele D*, Kaiser S, Heinrichs M. Hurlemann R (2019) A protective mechanism against illusory perceptions is amygdala-dependent. The Journal of Neuroscience 39: 3301-3308
• Boström A, Scheele D, Stoffel-Wagner B, Hönig F, Chaudhry SR, Muhammad S, Hurlemann R, Krauss JK, Lendvai IS, Chakravarthy KV, Kinfe TM (2019) Saliva molecular inflammatory profiling in female migraine patients responsive to adjunctive cervical non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation: the MOXY Study. Journal of Translational Medicine 17: 53
• Zimmermann K, Kendrick KM., Scheele D, Dau W, Banger M, Maier W, Weber B, Ma Y, Hurlemann R, Becker B (2019) Altered striatal reward processing in abstinent dependent cannabis users: social context matters. European Neuropsychopharmacology 29: 356-364
• Kreuder AK, Wassermann L, Wollseifer M, Ditzen B, Eckstein M, Stoffel-Wagner B, Hennig J, Hurlemann R, Scheele (2019) Oxytocin enhances the pain-relieving effects of social support in romantic couples. Human Brain Mapping 40: 242 - 251
  • Supplementary Information
• Gravius N, Chaudhry SR, Muhammad S, Boström A, Gravius S, Randau T, Scheele D, Westhofen P, Kruppenbacher J, Stoffel-Wagner B, Maier C, Weidlich A, Yearwood TL, Chakravarthy KV, Kramer JM, Hurlemann R, Kinfe TM (2019) Selective L4 dorsal root ganglion stimulation evokes pain relief and changes of inflammatory markers: Profiling of saliva and serum molecular patterns. Neuromodulation: 22: 44 - 52
• Maier A*, Scheele D*, Spengler F, Menba T, Mohr F, Güntürkün O, Stoffel-Wagner B, Kinfe T, Maier W, Khalsa S, Hurlemann R (2019) Oxytocin reduces a chemosensory-induced stress bias in social perception. Neuropsychopharmacology 44: 281 - 288
  • Supplementary Information (453.5 kB)
• Eckstein M, Almeida de Minas AC, Scheele D, Kreuder AK, Hurlemann R, Grinevich V, Ditzen B (2019) Oxytocin for learning calm and safety. International Journal of Psychophysiology 136: 5 - 14
• Scheele D, Zimbal S, Feinstein JS, Delis A, Neumann C, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R (2019) Treatment-resistant depression and ketamine response in a patient with bilateral amygdala damage. The American Journal of Psychiatry 176: 982-986
  • Supplementary Information
• Scheele D, Lieberz J, Patin A, Engels C, Schneider L, Stoffel-Wagner B, Becker B, Hurlemann R (2019) Trauma disclosure moderates the effects of oxytocin on intrusions and neural responses to fear. Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics 88: 61 - 63
  • Supplementary Information
• Hurlemann R*, Scheele D*, Kinfe TM, Berger R, Philipsen A, Voncken M, Kuypers KPC, Schruers K (2019) Increased temporal discounting in social anxiety disorder normalizes after oxytocin treatment. Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics 88: 55 - 57
  • Supplementary Information

2018

• Zhou F, Zimmermann K, Xin F, Scheele D, Dau W, Banger M, Weber B, Hurlemann R, Kendrick KM, Becker B (2018) Shifted balance of dorsal versus ventral striatal communication with frontal reward and regulatory regions in cannabis dependent males. Human Brain Mapping 39: 5062 - 5073
• Bolea-Alamanac B, Bailey SJ, Lovick TA,Scheele D, Valentino R (2018) Female psychopharmacology matters! Towards a sex-specific psychopharmacology. Journal Psychopharmacology 32:125-133
• Lendvai IS, Maier A, Scheele D, Hurlemann R, Kinfe TM (2018) Spotlight on cervical vagus nerve stimulation in patients with primary headache disorders: A Review. Journal of Pain Research 11: 1613 - 1625
• Patin A, Scheele D, Hurlemann R (2018) Oxytocin and Interpersonal Relationships. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences. In R. Hurlemann & V. Grinevich (Eds.), Behavioral Pharmacology of Neuropeptides: Oxytocin (S. 389-420). Cham: Springer Nature.

2017

• Marsh N, Scheele D, Feinstein JS, Gerhardt H, Strang S, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2017) Oxytocin-enforced norm compliance reduces xenophobic outgroup rejection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 114: 9314 - 9319
  • Supplementary Information
• Spengler FB, Schultz J, Scheele D, Essel M, Maier W, Heinrichs M, Hurlemann R (2017) Kinetics and dose-dependency of intranasal oxytocin effects on amygdala reactivity. Biological Psychiatry 82: 885 - 894
  • Supplementary Information
• Kreuder AK*, Scheele D*, Wassermann L, Wollseifer M, Stoffel-Wagner B, Lee M, Hennig J, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2017) How the brain codes intimacy: The neurobiological substrates of romantic touch. Human Brain Mapping 38: 4525 - 4534
  • Supplementary Information
• Spengler FB*, Scheele D*, Marsh N, Kofferath C, Flach A, Schwarz S, Stoffel-Wagner B, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2017) Oxytocin facilitates reciprocity in social communication. Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience 2: 1325 - 1333
  • Supplementary Information
• Hurlemann R, Marsh N, Schultz J, Scheele D (2017) Oxytocin shapes the priorities and neural representations of attitudes and values. Behavioral & Brain Sciences (BBS) 40: e241
• Hurlemann R, Scheele D, Maier W, Schultz J (2017) Oxytocin drives prosocial biases in favor of attractive people. Behavioral & Brain Sciences (BBS) 40: e30
• Bennet A, Hopkins WD, Feldman R, Gazzola V, Giedd J, Lamb MJ, Scheele D, Sheridan MA, Suomi SJ, Tomoda A, Tottenham N (2017) Neural Foundations of Variability in Attachment. In H. Keller & K.A. Bard (Eds.), The Cultural Nature of Attachment: Contextualizing Relationships and Development (S. 245-271). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

2016

• Striepens S, Schröter F, Stoffel-Wagner B, Maier W, Hurlemann R, Scheele D(2016) Oxytocin enhances cognitive control of food craving in women. Human Brain Mapping 37: 4276 - 4285
  • Supplementary Information
• Eckstein M, Scheele D, Patin A, Preckel K, Becker B, Walther A, Domschke K, Grinevich V, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2016) Oxytocin facilitates Pavlovian fear learning in males. Neuropsychopharmacology 41: 932 - 939
  • Supplementary Information
• Hu Y, Scheele D, Becker B, Voos G, David B, Hurlemann R, Weber B (2016) The effect of oxytocin on third-party altruistic decisions in unfair situations: an fMRI study. Scientific Reports 6: 20236
  • Supplementary Information
• Scheele D, Plota J, Stoffel-Wagner B, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2016) Hormonal contraceptives suppress oxytocin-induced brain reward responses to the partner’s face. Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience 11: 767 - 774
  • Supplementary Information
• Hurlemann R & Scheele D (2016) Dissecting the role of oxytocin in the formation and loss of social relationships. Biological Psychiatry 79: 185 - 193
  • Supplementary Information
• Hurlemann R, Maier W, Scheele D(2016) Interactions of noradrenaline and cortisol and the induction of indelible memories. Behavioral & Brain Sciences (BBS) 39: e213

2015

• Marsh N, Scheele D, Gerhardt H, Strang S, Enax L, Weber B, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2015) The neuropeptide oxytocin induces a social altruism bias. The Journal of Neuroscience 35: 15696 - 15701
• Fürst A*, Thron J*, Scheele D, Marsh N, Hurlemann R (2015) The neuropeptide oxytocin modulates consumer brand relationships. Scientific Reports 5: 14960
  • Supplementary Information
• Scheele D, Schwering C, Spunt RP, Elison JT, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2015) A human tendency to anthropomorphize is enhanced by oxytocin. European Neuropsychopharmacology 25: 1817 - 1823
• Hurlemann R, Arndt S, Schlaepfer TE, Reul J, Maier W,Scheele D (2015) Diminished appetitive startle modulation following targeted inhibition of prefrontal cortex. Scientific Reports 5: 8954
  • Supplementary Information
• Eckstein M, Becker B, Scheele D, Scholz C, Preckel K, Schlaepfer TE, Grinevich V, Kendrick KM, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2015) Oxytocin facilitates the extinction of conditioned fear in humans. Biological Psychiatry 78: 194 - 202
• Feature in Scientific American
• Commentary in Biol Psychiatry (2015) 78: 154 – 155
  • Supplementary Information
• Preckel K*, Scheele D*, Eckstein M, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2015) The influence of oxytocin on volitional and emotional ambivalence. Social Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience 10: 987 - 993
  • Supplementary Information
• Mielacher C, Scheele D, Hurlemann R (2015) Experimental and therapeutic neuromodulation of emotion and social cognition using non-invasive brain stimulation. Der Nervenarzt 86: 1500 - 1507

2014

• Scheele D Striepens N, Kendrick KM, Schwering C, Noelle J, Wille A, Schlaepfer TE, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2014) Opposing effects of oxytocin on moral judgment in males and females. Human Brain Mapping 35: 6067 - 6076
  • Supplementary Information
• Preckel K*,Scheele D*, Kendrick KM, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2014) Oxytocin faciliatates social approach behavior in women. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 8: 191
  • Supplementary Information
• Scheele D, Kendrick KM, Khouri C, Kretzer E, Stoffel-Wagner B, Güntürkün O, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2014) An oxytocin-induced facilitation of neural and emotional responses to social touch correlates inversely with autism traits. Neuropsychopharmacology 39: 2078 - 2085
• Hot Topic SFN 2014, Washington, DC
  • Supplementary Information
• Eckstein M*, Scheele D*, Weber K, Stoffel-Wagner B, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2014) Oxytocin facilitates the sensation of social stress. Human Brain Mapping 35: 4741 - 4750

2013

• Scheele D, Wille A, Kendrick KM, Stoffel-Wagner B, Becker B, Güntürkün O, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2013) Oxytocin enhances brain reward system responses in men viewing the face of their female partner. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 110: 20308 - 20313
• Research Highlight: Nature (2013) 504: 11
  • Supplementary Information
• Scheele D*, Mihov Y*, Schwederski O, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2013) A negative emotional and economic judgment bias in major depression. European Archives of Psychiatry & Clinical Neuroscience 263: 675 - 683
• Becker B, Scheele D, Moessner R, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2013) Deciphering the neural signature of conversion blindness. The American Journal of Psychiatry 170: 121 - 122

2012

• Scheele D*, Striepens E*, Güntürkün O, Deutschländer S, Maier W, Kendrick KM, Hurlemann R (2012) Oxytocin modulates social distance between males and females. The Journal of Neuroscience 32: 16074 - 16079
• Research Highlight: Nature (2012) 492: 157
• Striepens N*,Scheele D*, Kendrick KM, Becker B, Schaefer L, Schwalba K, Reul J, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2012) Oxytocin facilitates protective responses to aversive social stimuli in males. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 109: 18144 - 18149
  • Supplementary Information
• Becker B*, Mihov Y*, Scheele D*, Kendrick KM, Feinstein JS, Matusch A, Aydin M, Reich H, Urbach H, Oros-Peusquens AM, Shah NJ, Kunz WS, Schlaepfer TE, Zilles K, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2012) Fear processing and social networking in the absence of a functional amygdala. Biological Psychiatry 72: 70 - 77 
  • Supplementary Information
• Brüne M*, Scheele D*, Heinisch C, Tas C, Wischniewski J, Güntürkün O (2012) Empathy moderates the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on costly punishment. PLoS One 7:e44747
• Scheele D, Mihov Y, Kendrick KM, Feinstein JS, Reich H, Maier W, Hurlemann R (2012) Amygdala lesion profoundly alters altruistic punishment. Biological Psychiatry 72: e5 - e7

2011

• Krogias C, Hoffmann K, Eyding J, Scheele D, Norra C, Gold R, Juckel G, Assion HJ (2011) Evaluation of basal ganglia, brainstem raphe and ventricles in bipolar disorder by transcranial sonography. Psychiatry Research 194:190-197

2010

• Edel MA, Rudel A, Hubert C, Scheele D, Brüne M, Juckel G, Assion HJ (2010) Alexithymia, emotion processing and social anxiety in adults with ADHD. European Journal of Medical Research 15:403-409
• Studentkowski G, Scheele D, Calabrese P, Balkau F, Höffler J, Aubel T, Edel MA, Juckel G, Assion HJ (2010) Cognitive impairment in patients with a schizoaffective disorder: a comparison with bipolar patients in euthymia. European Journal of Medical Research 15: 70-78