Prof. Dr. Armin Zlomuzica

Gegenwärtige und frühere akademische Positionen

• seit April 2025: Prodekan der Fakultät für Psychologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
• seit Januar 2025: Principal Investigator am Deutschen Zentrum für Psychische Gesundheit (DZPG)
• seit Mai 2021: Heisenberg-Professur „Behavioral and Clinical Neuroscience”
• 2014-2021: Juniorprofessor für “Clinical and Behavioral Neuroscience”, Ruhr Universität Bochum
• 2011-2014: Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter, AE Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie, (Prof. Dr. J. Margraf), Ruhr-Universität Bochum
• 2009-2011: Praktische Ausbildung als psychologischer Psychotherapeut, Psychotherapeutische Institutsambulanz Düsseldorf (Prof. Dr. R. Pietrowsky), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
• 2009-2011: Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter, AE Verhaltenspsychopharmakologie (Prof. Dr. E. Dere), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
• 2006-2009: Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter, Institut für Experimentelle Psychologie, AE Physiologische Psychologie (Prof. Dr. J. P. Huston), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
• 2000-2006: Wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft, Abteilung für Schlafmedizin und Neuropsychologie, Rhein-Ruhr Klinik, Essen

Akademische und psychotherapeutische Qualifikationen | Weiterbildungen

• 2017: Approbation als Psychologischer Psychotherapeut, Schwerpunkt Verhaltenstherapie
• 2006-2009: Promotion (Dr. rer. nat.), Institut für Experimentelle Psychologie, AE Physiologische Psychologie (Prof. Dr. J. P. Huston), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf (Thema der Dissertation: „Pharmacological and Genetic Modulation of Episodic-like Memory in the Mouse”; Gesamtnote: magna cum laude)
• 1999-2005: Studium der Psychologie (Diplom), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf (Thema der Diplomarbeit: „Der Einfluss von Schlaf auf falsche Erinnerungen im Deese-Roediger-McDermott Paradigma"; Gesamtnote: sehr gut)
  
  

Mitgliedschaften in Fachgesellschaften

• Mitglied der Society for Neuroscience (SFN)
• Mitglied der International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS)
• Mitglied der European Brain and Behaviour Society (EBBS)
• Mitglied der German Association for Behavioral Therapy (DGVT)
• 2016-2020 Mitglied des Jungen Kollegs der Nordrhein-Westfälischen Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Künste
• 2015 Mitglied der Global Young Faculty, Mercator Stiftung

Fördermittel | Auszeichnungen | Stipendien

• 2016-2020: Mitglied des Jungen Kollegs der Nordrhein-Westfälischen Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Künste
• 2016: Travel Award, Neuroscience and Psychotherapy Meeting, 20./21. März 2016, Nizza
• 2015: Mitglied der Global Young Faculty, Mercator Stiftung
• 2014: Editorial Honorarium, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
• 2013: Travel Award, International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, Dublin, Irland
• 2011: Stipendium, DGPA Springschool “Genes, Brain, and Behavior”, St. Goar, Deutschland

Forschungsprojekte

• 2020-2025: Zlomuzica A (Hauptantragssteller): Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG ZL 59/4-1). Heisenberg Programm. Titel: “Neue therapeutische Ansätze für Angststörungen“, ~790.000 Euro
• 2021-2025: Zlomuzica A (Hauptantragssteller): Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG ZL 59/3-2).  Sachbeihilfe. Titel: “Modification of CS-UCS contingencies in anxiety disorders, ~450.000 Euro
• 2020-2023: Zlomuzica A (Hauptantragssteller): Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG ZL 59/5-1). Sachbeihilfe. Titel: “Generalisierung in der Expositionstherapie“, ~212.000 Euro
• 2017-2021: Zlomuzica A (Hauptantragssteller), Margraf J: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG ZL 59/3-1). Teilprojekt im Rahmen des Sonderforschungsbereichs SFB 1280. Titel: “Extinction in the therapy context“, ~ 380.000 Euro
• 2014-2017: Zlomuzica A (Hauptantragssteller), Schneider S, Margraf J: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG ZL 59/2-2). Teilprojekt im Rahmen der Forschergruppe FOR 1581. Titel: “Exposure therapy outcome in specific phobia: the significance of extinction learning and stress system activity“, ~200.537 Euro
• 2012-2014: Zlomuzica A (Hauptantragssteller), Schneider S, Margraf J: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG ZL 59/2-1). Teilprojekt im Rahmen der Forschergruppe FOR 1581. Titel: “Clinical Implications of Extinction Learning and Renewal in Specific Phobia“, ~57.810 Euro
• 2011: Zlomuzica A (Hauptantragssteller): Rektoratsfinanzierung der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Titel: “The impact of genetic variation on     extinction learning and symptom improvement during exposure-based psychotherapy”, 10.000 Euro

Artikel in Peer-Reviewed Journalen

2025

Zlomuzica A, Raeder F, Reher S, Lange M, Dere E. Context-dependency of vicarious extinction learning. Behav Brain Res. 2025 Jan 30:115461. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115461

Zlomuzica A, Kodzaga I, Piovesan K, Lipp A. Treating anxiety comorbidity: Lessons from exposure generalization studies. Behav Brain Res. 27;481:115409.

Kodzaga I, Heistermann J, Zlomuzica A. (2025) Generalization of exposure therapy: Systematic review and recommendations for future research. Behav Res Ther. Jul;190:104751. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2025.104751

2024

Plank L, Zlomuzica A. (2024) Natural language processing reveals differences in mental time travel at higher levels of self-efficacy. Sci Rep. 14(1):25342

Plank L, Zlomuzica A (2024) Reduced speech coherence in psychosis-related social media forum posts. Schizophrenia, 10(1):60.

2022

Zlomuzica A, Plank L, Dere E. (2022) A new path to mental disorders: Through gap junction channels and hemichannels. Neurosci Biobehav Rev.142:104877.

Zlomuzica A, Kullmann F, Hesse J, Plank L, Dere E. (2022) Recognition memory, primacy vs. recency effects, and time perception in the online version of the fear of scream paradigm. Sci Rep. 22;12(1):14258.

Zlomuzica A, Dere E (2022) Towards an animal model of consciousness based on the platform theory. Behav Brain Res. 15;419:113695.

Zlomuzica A, Lange M, Reher S, Machulska A, Rinck M. (2022) The effects of psychological stress on approach tendencies for smoking-related cues in smokers. Eur J Neurosci. 55(9-10):2581-2591.

2021

Lin M, Wen X, Qian M, He D, Zlomuzica A (2021) Self-focused attention vs. negative attentional bias during public speech task in socially anxious individuals. Behavior Research and Therapy, 136:103766. (IF 4.500)

2020

Dere D, Zlomuzica A, Dere E (2020) Channels to consciousness: a possible role of gap junctions in consciousness. Reviews in the Neurosciences, in press (IF 3.358)

Zlomuzica A, Raeder F, Schneider S, Konrad C, Merz CJ, Wolf OT, Margraf J (2020) Clinical implications of extinction learning in anxiety disorders. Neuroforum, in press.

Raeder F, Merz CJ, Margraf J, Zlomuzica A (2020) The association between fear extinction, the ability to accomplish exposure and exposure therapy outcome in specific phobia. Scientific Reports, 9;10(1):4288. (IF 4.525).

2019

Dere D, Zlomuzica A*, Dere E (2019) Fellow travellers in cognitive evolution: Co-evolution of working memory and mental time travel? Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 105:94-105. (IF 8.00; 5Y-IF 9.42).

Raeder F, Heidemann F, Margraf J, Zlomuzica A (2019) No pills, more chills: the adverse effect of hormonal contraceptive use on exposure therapy benefit. Journal of Psychiatry Research, 119:95-101. (IF 3.917; 5Y-IF 4.475).

Raeder F, Schneider S, Totzeck C, Adolph D, Margraf J, Zlomuzica A (2019) Reactivation of positive mastery experiences promotes exposure therapy benefit in height phobia. Cognitive Therapy and Research, in press (IF 2.432; 5Y-IF 2.750).

Woud ML, Heeren A, Shkreli L, Meyer T, Egeri L, Cwik JC, Zlomuzica A, Kessler H, Margraf J (2019) Investigating the effect of proactive interference control training on intrusive memories. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 4;10(1):1611092. (IF 4.209).

Raeder F, Karbach L, Struwe H, Margraf J, Zlomuzica A (2019) Low perceived self-efficacy impedes discriminative fear learning. Frontiers in Psychology, 18;10:1191. (IF 2.089).

Raeder F, Merz CJ, Wolf OT, Margraf J, Zlomuzica A (2019) Post-exposure cortisol administration does not augment the success of exposure therapy: A randomized placebo-controlled study. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 99, 174-182. (IF 4.774; 5Y-IF 5.522).

2018

Zlomuzica A, Preusser F, Roberts S, Lester K, Dere E, Eley TC, Margraf J (2018) The role of KIBRA in reconstructive episodic memory. Molecular Medicine, 24: 7. (IF 3.457; 5Y-IF 4.304).

Zlomuzica A, Woud ML, Machulska A, Dietrich L, Kleimt K, Assion HJ, Wolf OT, Dere E, Margraf J (2018) Deficits in episodic memory and mental time travel in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, 83:42-54. (IF 4.187; 5Y-IF 4.131).

Woud ML, Zlomuzica A, Cwik J, Margraf J, Shkreli L, Blackwell SE, Gladwin TE, Ehring T (2018) Effects of appraisal training on responses to recalling a distressing autobiographical event. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 56:26-34. (IF 3.105; 5Y-IF 3.797).

2017

Preusser F, Margraf J, Zlomuzica A (2017) Generalization of extinguished fear to untreated fear stimuli after exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology, 13:2545-2552. (IF 6.403; 5Y-IF 6.991).

Zlomuzica A, Machulska A, Roberts S, von Glischinski M, Rinck M, Lester KJ, Eley TC, Margraf J (2017) The dopamine D2 receptor mediates approach-avoidance tendencies in smokers. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 268:261-268. (IF 3.569; 5Y-IF 3.231).

Dere E, Dere D, de Souza Silva MA, Huston JP, Zlomuzica A (2017) Fellow travellers: Working memory and mental time travel in rodents. Behavioural Brain Research, 17:30255-3. (IF 3.002; 5Y-IF 3.080).

2016

Dere E, Zlomuzica A, Staniloiu A, Markowitsch HJ (2016) Editorial: Progress in Episodic Memory Research. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 10:61 (IF 3.104; 5Y-IF 3.311).

Machulska A, Zlomuzica A, Rinck M, Assion HJ, Margraf J (2016) Approach bias modification in inpatient psychiatric smokers. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 76:44-51 (IF 4.183; 5Y-IF 4.461).

Breeden P, Dere D, Zlomuzica A*, Dere E* (2016) The mental time travel continuum: On the architecture, capacity, versatility and extension of the mental bridge into the past and future. Reviews in the Neurosciences, 27:421-34 (IF 2.546; 5Y-IF 3.191).

Woud ML, Zhang XC, Becker ES, Zlomuzica A, Margraf J (2016) Catastrophizing Misinterpretations Predict Somatoform-Related Symptoms and New Onsets of Somatoform Disorders. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 81:31-7 (IF 2.809; 5Y-IF 3.374).

Zlomuzica A, Dere D, Binder S, DeSouza Silva MA, Huston JP, Dere E (2016) Neuronal histamine and cognitive symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease. Neuropharmacology, 15:188-4 (IF 5.012; 5Y-IF 4.681).

Zlomuzica A, Preusser F, Totzeck C, Dere E, Margraf J (2016) The Impact of Different Emotional States on the Memory for What, Where and When Features of Specific Events. Behavioural Brain Research, 298:181-87 (IF 3.002; 5Y-IF 3.080).

2015

Binder S, Dere E, Zlomuzica A (2015) A critical appraisal of the what-where-when episodic-like memory test in rodents: Achievements, caveats and future directions. Progress in Neurobiology, 130:71-85 (IF 13.177; 5Y-IF 11.181).

Zlomuzica A, Preusser F, Schneider S, Margraf J (2015) Increased perceived self-efficacy facilitates the extinction of fear in healthy participants. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 9:270 (IF 3.392; 5Y-IF 3.498).

Margraf J, Zlomuzica A (2015) Changing the future rather than the past: Towards a translational paradigm shift in treating anxiety disorders. EMBO Reports, 16:259-60 (IF 7.739; 5Y-IF 7.413).

2014

Machulska A*, Zlomuzica A*, Adolph D, Rinck M, Margraf J (2014) “A cigarette a day keeps the goodies away”: Smokers show automatic approach tendencies for smoking - but not for food-related stimuli. PLOS One, 10:2: e0116464 (IF 3.234; 5Y-IF 3.702).

Mosig C, Merz CJ, Mohr C, Adolph D, Wolf OT, Schneider S, Margraf J, Zlomuzica A (2014) Enhanced discriminative fear learning of phobia-irrelevant stimuli in spider-fearful individuals. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8:328 (IF 3.270; 5Y-IF 3.863).

Ambree O, Buschert J, Zhang W, Arolt V, Dere E, Zlomuzica A (2014) Impaired spatial learning and reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis in histamine H1-receptor knockout mice. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 24:1394-404 (IF 4.369; 5Y-IF 4.754).

Dere E & Zlomuzica A (2014) Far beyond declarative and non-declarative memories. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8:173 (IF 3.270; 5Y-IF 3.863).

Zlomuzica A, Dere D, Machulska A, Adolph D, Dere E, Margraf J (2014) Episodic memories in anxiety disorders: Clinical implications. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8:131 (IF 3.270; 5Y-IF 3.863).

Ebel P, vom Dorp K, Petrasch-Parwez E, Zlomuzica A, Kinugawa K, Mariani J, Minich D, Ginkel C, Degen J, Eckhardt M, Dere E, Dörmann P, Willecke K (2013) Inactivation of ceramide synthase 6 in mice results in an altered sphingolipid metabolism and behavioral abnormalities. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 288:21433-47 (IF 4.600; 5Y-IF 4.863).

Zlomuzica A, Dere D, Dere E (2013) The histamine H1 receptor and recollection-based discrimination in a temporal order memory task in the mouse. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 111: 58-63 (IF 2.820; 5Y-IF 2.772).

Pause BM, Zlomuzica A, Kinugawa K, Mariani J, Pietrowsky R, Dere E (2013) Perspectives on episodic-like and episodic memory. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 7:33 (IF 4.160; 5Y-IF 4.255).

Kinugawa K, Schumm S, Pollina M, Depre M, Jungbluth C, Doulazmi M, Sebban C, Zlomuzica A, Pietrowsky R, Pause B, Mariani J, Dere E (2013) Aging-related episodic memory decline: are emotions the key? Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 7:2 (IF 4.160; 5Y-IF 4.255).

Zlomuzica A, Burghoff S, Schrader J, Dere E (2013) Superior working memory and behavioural habituation but diminished psychomotor coordination in mice lacking the ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73) gene. Purinergic Signalling, 9:175-82 (IF 3.510; 5Y-IF 3.300).

Ginkel C, Hartmann D, Vom Dorp K, Zlomuzica A, Farwanah H, Eckhardt M, Sandhoff R, Degen J, Rabionet M, Dere E, Doermann P, Sandhoff K, Willecke K (2012) Ablation of neuronal Ceramide Synthase 1 in mice decreases ganglioside levels and expression of Myelin Associated Glycoprotein in oligodendrocytes. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 287:41888-902 (IF 4.651; 5Y-IF 5.023).

Zlomuzica A, Tress O, Binder S, Willecke K, Dere E (2012) Changes in object recognition and anxiety-like behaviour in mice expressing a Cx47 mutation that causes Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-like Disease. Developmental Neuroscience, 34:277-87 (IF 3.413; 5Y-IF 3.250).

Tress O, Maglione M, May D, Pivneva T, Seyfarth J, Binder S, Zlomuzica A, Theis M, Dere E, Kettenmann H, Willecke K (2012) Panglial gap junctional communication is essential for maintenance of myelin in the central nervous system. Journal of Neuroscience, 32:7499-518 (IF 6.908; 5Y-IF 7.869).

Dere E, Zlomuzica A (2012) The role of gap junctions in the brain in health and disease. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 36:206-17 (IF 9.440; 5Y-IF 9.924).

Zlomuzica A, Viggiano D, Degen J, Binder S, Ruocco LA, Sadile AG, Willecke K, Huston JP, Dere E (2012) Behavioral alterations and changes in Ca/Calmodulin kinase II levels in the striatum of connexin 36 deficient mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 226:293-300 (IF 3.327; 5Y-IF 3.674).

Tress O, Maglione M, Zlomuzica A, May D, Dicke N, Degen J, Dere E, Kettenmann H, Hartmann D, Willecke K (2011) Pathologic and phenotypic alterations in a mouse expressing a connexin47 missense mutation associated with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-like disease in humans. PLOS Genetics, 7:7: e1002146 (IF 8.694; 5Y-IF 9.173).

Dere E, Zlomuzica A, De Souza Silva MA, Ruocco LA, Sadile AG, Huston JP (2010) Neuronal histamine and the interplay of memory, reinforcement and emotions. Behavioural Brain Research, 215:209-20 (IF 3.393; 5Y-IF 3.302).

Zlomuzica A, Reichinnek S, Maxeiner S, Both M, May E, Wörsdörfer P, Draguhn A, Willecke K, Dere E (2010) Deletion of connexin45 in mouse neurons disrupts one-trial object recognition and alters kainate-induced gamma-oscillations in the hippocampus. Physiology and Behavior, 101:245-53 (IF 2.891; 5Y-IF 3.160).

Zlomuzica A, Ruocco LA, Sadile AG, Huston JP, Dere E (2009) Histamine H1-receptor knockout mice exhibit impaired spatial memory in the eight-arm radial maze. British Journal of Pharmacology, 157:86-91 (IF 5.204; 5Y-IF 4.600).

Dere E, Zlomuzica A, Viggiano D, Ruocco LA, Watanabe T, Sadile AG, Huston JP, De Souza Silva MA (2008) Episodic-like and procedural memory impairments in histamine H1-receptor knockout mice coincide with changes in acetylcholine esterase activity in the hippocampus and dopamine turnover in the cerebellum. Neuroscience, 157:532-541 (IF 3.556; 5Y-IF 3.661).

Zlomuzica A, Viggiano D, De Souza-Silva MA, Ishizuka T, Gironi Carnevale UA, Ruocco LA, Watanabe T, Sadile AG, Huston JP, Dere E (2008) The histamine H1-receptor mediates the motivational effects of novelty. European Journal of Neuroscience, 27:1461-1474 (IF 3.385; 5Y-IF 4.001).

Dere E, Zheng-Fischhöfer Q, Viaggiano D, Gironi Carnevale UA, Rocco LA, Zlomuzica A, Schnichels M, Willecke K, Huston JP, Sadile A (2008) Connexin31.1 deficiency in the mouse impairs object memory and modulates open-field exploration, AChE levels in the striatum, and CREB levels in the striatum and piriform cortex. Neuroscience, 153:396-405 (IF 3.556; 5Y-IF 3.661).

Zlomuzica A, Dere E, Huston JP, De Souza Silva MA (2008) The selective NK3 receptor agonist senktide promotes episodic-like memory in mice. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 90:420-425 (IF 3.757).

Zlomuzica A, De Souza Silva MA, Huston JP, Dere E (2007) NMDA-receptor modulation by D-cycloserine promotes episodic-like memory in mice. Psychopharmacology, 193:503-509 (IF 3.561; 5Y-IF 4.030).

* geteilte Erst- und Letztautorenschaft

Buchkapitel (Peer-Reviewed)

2018

Zlomuzica A, Schneider S, Margraf J (2018) Panikstörung und Agoraphobie. In: Leibing, Eric (Ed.): Lehrbuch der Psychotherapie für die Ausbildung zur/zum Psychologischen PsychotherapeutIn und für die ärztliche Weiterbildung. München: CIP-Medien.

Von Brachel R, Zlomuzica A, Teismann T (2018) Verhaltensaktivierung. In: Margraf J, Schneider S (Ed.): Lehrbuch der Verhaltenstherapie. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Zlomuzica A (2018) Das rekonstruktive Gedächtnis. In: Michels, Christoph (Ed.): Das Gedächtniskonzept aus dem Blickwinkel der interdisziplinären Forschung. Paderborn: Verlag Ferdinand Schöningh.

2013

Zlomuzica A, Binder S, Dere E (2013) Chapter 1: Gap junctions in the brain. In: Dere E. (Ed.) Gap Junctions in the Brain: Physiological and Pathological Roles. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, pp. 3-17.

Zlomuzica A, Avci XH, Dere E (2013) Chapter 26: The behavioral genetics of gap junctions. In: Dere E (Ed.) Gap Junctions in the Brain: Physiological and Pathological Roles. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, pp. 277-283.

Dere E, Zlomuzica A, De Souza Silva A, Huston JP (2013) Object recognition in the mouse. In: Crusio WE, Sluyter F, Gerlai RT, Pietropaolo S (Eds.) Behavioral Genetics of the Mouse: Volume I. Genetics of Behavioral Phenotypes. Cambridge: University Press, pp. 331-337.

2012

Dere E, Ambree O, Zlomuzica A (2012) Histidine Decarboxylase. In: Mello JPF (Ed.) Amino Acids in Human Nutrition and Health. Section 1: Enzymes. Oxfordshire: Cabi Publishing, pp. 89-102.

2008

Dere E, Zlomuzica A, Huston JP, De Souza Silva, MA (2008) Chapter 2.2: Animal episodic memory. In: Dere E, Easton A, Nadel L, Huston JP (Eds.) Handbook of Episodic Memory. Vol. 18. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science, pp. 155-184.