Research interest (Scroll down for publication list)
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Making the most of human being
As a species, humans have always relied on their adaptability and intelligence in order to survive. Regardless of country, culture, race, or gender, we have a natural curiosity to learn. After all, like Darwin said*, "it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself". Although that process seems to be going just fine, most of the time, without intervention, we cannot help but curiously wonder what it means to be human, what life really is, and how we can make the most of it. Inspired by the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, I do believe that the process of exploring life; curiously wondering, asking questions, and going into the depths of ourselves, should not be mistaken for the process of demanding definitive answers - see the video on the right. |
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"I am the captain of my ship, I am the master of my fate".
Society teaches us we are responsible for - and to some extent in control of - our own success and well-being; the self-help era. But inherent to us adapting to our environment, we adapt the evironment too. Interaction with this ever-changing environment makes life very demanding, and wanting to control life - certainty - is an exhausting illusion most of us pursue anyhow. Hence, it should not be a surprise that 'lifehacks' for success and happiness keep gaining momentum; anything (but not too complicated) in order to deal best with being human and the life that comes with it. Essentially, I aim to scientifically study and find safe and healthy ways to help us dealing with these demands.
Chasing the Human Potential.
Humans are capable of more than we are aware of. If only we found out what keeps us from employing our full potential...
It all starts with how we perceive, process, and respond to the vast worlds within and around us (i.e. emotion and cognition). Hence, my interest in studying methods to optimize emotional (e.g. emotion regulation, mood, etc.) and cognitive functioning (e.g. attention, flexibility, memory, etc.).
We are not our brains.
In order to reach this human potential, to 'well-be', we are forced to adapt a more holistic approach. The brain is not an independent all-controlling entity. It is instead heavily influenced by the rest of the body. In fact, some say (and I would agree) our guts may function as a second brain. Additionally, human being is more than a physical manifestation (i.e. brain, body); we have amazing non-physical - and perhaps as such non-quantifiable - minds of our own! So, if one wants to enhance well-being, one needs to take all that into account; never to forget about the subject behind all the objects of feeling, thinking, and behaving. That is, the person's own idiographic mind or 'self'. Unfolding the full human potential for optimal well-being may perhaps even lie in coming to an understanding of how those two, object and subject, are inherently equal.
Why 'enhancement' if there is nothing 'wrong'?
At least in my opinion, well-being follows not only from the treatment (i.e. absence) of decline, disease, or disorders, but also from enhancing (i.e. further optimizing) what we think is already ‘good’. In fact, the things we think are good might not be so good as we think, and the same may apply to things we think are 'wrong'... maybe we think a bit too little and/or too much sometimes.
The purpose of life.
Enhancing well-being through emotion (feeling) and cognition (thinking) is in essence perhaps what every individual strives for in life; to well-be human, whether diagnosed with something 'wrong' or not. Food (supplements), training, electrical stimulation, or interaction with other humans; such methods may help enhance well-being, for example by delaying cognitive decline (in e.g. elderly) and/or preventing psychopathology.
Current focus
I am currently investigating the influence of the vagal nerve and pro- and antibiotics on microbiota-gut-brain interactions, emotion and cognition, and well-being. From a practical point of view, my research includes methods such as food supplementation (tyrosine, tryptophan, probiotics) and electrical brain stimulation (tVNS, tDCS). Additionally, I appreciate an occasional scientific trip to our inner personality structures.
Society teaches us we are responsible for - and to some extent in control of - our own success and well-being; the self-help era. But inherent to us adapting to our environment, we adapt the evironment too. Interaction with this ever-changing environment makes life very demanding, and wanting to control life - certainty - is an exhausting illusion most of us pursue anyhow. Hence, it should not be a surprise that 'lifehacks' for success and happiness keep gaining momentum; anything (but not too complicated) in order to deal best with being human and the life that comes with it. Essentially, I aim to scientifically study and find safe and healthy ways to help us dealing with these demands.
Chasing the Human Potential.
Humans are capable of more than we are aware of. If only we found out what keeps us from employing our full potential...
It all starts with how we perceive, process, and respond to the vast worlds within and around us (i.e. emotion and cognition). Hence, my interest in studying methods to optimize emotional (e.g. emotion regulation, mood, etc.) and cognitive functioning (e.g. attention, flexibility, memory, etc.).
We are not our brains.
In order to reach this human potential, to 'well-be', we are forced to adapt a more holistic approach. The brain is not an independent all-controlling entity. It is instead heavily influenced by the rest of the body. In fact, some say (and I would agree) our guts may function as a second brain. Additionally, human being is more than a physical manifestation (i.e. brain, body); we have amazing non-physical - and perhaps as such non-quantifiable - minds of our own! So, if one wants to enhance well-being, one needs to take all that into account; never to forget about the subject behind all the objects of feeling, thinking, and behaving. That is, the person's own idiographic mind or 'self'. Unfolding the full human potential for optimal well-being may perhaps even lie in coming to an understanding of how those two, object and subject, are inherently equal.
Why 'enhancement' if there is nothing 'wrong'?
At least in my opinion, well-being follows not only from the treatment (i.e. absence) of decline, disease, or disorders, but also from enhancing (i.e. further optimizing) what we think is already ‘good’. In fact, the things we think are good might not be so good as we think, and the same may apply to things we think are 'wrong'... maybe we think a bit too little and/or too much sometimes.
The purpose of life.
Enhancing well-being through emotion (feeling) and cognition (thinking) is in essence perhaps what every individual strives for in life; to well-be human, whether diagnosed with something 'wrong' or not. Food (supplements), training, electrical stimulation, or interaction with other humans; such methods may help enhance well-being, for example by delaying cognitive decline (in e.g. elderly) and/or preventing psychopathology.
Current focus
I am currently investigating the influence of the vagal nerve and pro- and antibiotics on microbiota-gut-brain interactions, emotion and cognition, and well-being. From a practical point of view, my research includes methods such as food supplementation (tyrosine, tryptophan, probiotics) and electrical brain stimulation (tVNS, tDCS). Additionally, I appreciate an occasional scientific trip to our inner personality structures.
Peer-reviewed publications
2020
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. [url]
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 [url]
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(1), 204-216. [url]
2019
de Groot, A. C., & Steenbergen, L. (2019). Antibiotic use associated to decreased recognition of facial emotion expressions and increased aggressive cognitive reactivity: a preliminary study. [pdf]
Yakın, D., Gençöz, T., Steenbergen, L., & Arntz, A. (2019). An integrative perspective on the interplay between early maladaptive schemas and mental health: The role of self‐compassion and emotion regulation. Journal of clinical psychology, 75(6), 1098-1113. [url]
Hutten, N. R., Steenbergen, L., Colzato, L. S., Hommel, B., Theunissen, E. L., Ramaekers, J. G., & Kuypers, K. P. (2019). Cocaine enhances figural, but impairs verbal ‘flexible’divergent thinking. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 29(7), 813-824. [url]
2018
Colzato, L.S., Jongkees, B.J., de Wit, M., van der Molen, M.J.W., & Steenbergen, L. (2018). Variable heart rate and a flexible mind: higher heart rate variability predicts better cognitive flexibility, Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience. [url]
Colzato, L.S., Ritter, S.M., & Steenbergen, L. (2018). Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation enhances divergent thinking, Neuropsychologia [url]
Leonte, A., Colzato, L.S., 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 [url]
2017
Colzato, L. S., & Steenbergen, L. (2017). High vagally mediated resting-state heart rate variability is associated with superior action cascading, Neuropsychologia, 106, 1-6 [url]
*Steenbergen, L., & Colzato, L. S. (2017). Overweight and Cognitive Performance: High Body Mass Index Is Associated with Impairment in Reactive Control during Task Switching, Frontiers in Nutrition doi: 10.3389/fnut.2017.00051 [url]
*Colzato, L. S., Steenbergen, L., & Sellaro, R. (2017). The effect of gamma-enhancing binaural beats on the control of feature bindings, Experimental Brain Research, 1-7. doi: 10.1007/s00221-017-4957-9 [url]
Jongkees, B. J., Steenbergen, L., & Colzato, L. S. (2017). Color vision predicts processing modes of goal activation during action cascading, Cortex. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.07.004 [url]
*Please note: After complaints (by myself and others) and investigation, Leiden University has recommended retraction of these papers. The respective journals have not yet taken actions to do so, besides publishing issues of concern.
2016
Steenbergen L. (16th of June 2016), Cognitive enhancement : toward the integration of theory and practice (Dissertation. Institute of Psychology, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University).
Steenbergen L., Jongkees B.J., Sellaro R. & Colzato L.S. (2016), Tryptophan supplementation modulates social behavior: A review, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 64: 346-358. [url]
Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Hommel B., Lindenberger, U., Kühn S. & Colzato L.S. (2016), "Unfocus" on foc.us: Commercial tDCS headset impairs working memory, Experimental Brain Research 234(3): 637-643. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
2015
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 cognitive reactivity to sad mood, Brain, Behavior and Immunity 48: 258-264. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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 / Psychologische Forschung 79(3): 371-379. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
2013 and 2014
Steenbergen L., Sellaro R. & Colzato L.S. (2014), Tryptophan promotes charitable donating, Frontiers in Psychology 5: e1451. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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 [url]
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(1), 204-216. [url]
2019
de Groot, A. C., & Steenbergen, L. (2019). Antibiotic use associated to decreased recognition of facial emotion expressions and increased aggressive cognitive reactivity: a preliminary study. [pdf]
Yakın, D., Gençöz, T., Steenbergen, L., & Arntz, A. (2019). An integrative perspective on the interplay between early maladaptive schemas and mental health: The role of self‐compassion and emotion regulation. Journal of clinical psychology, 75(6), 1098-1113. [url]
Hutten, N. R., Steenbergen, L., Colzato, L. S., Hommel, B., Theunissen, E. L., Ramaekers, J. G., & Kuypers, K. P. (2019). Cocaine enhances figural, but impairs verbal ‘flexible’divergent thinking. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 29(7), 813-824. [url]
2018
Colzato, L.S., Jongkees, B.J., de Wit, M., van der Molen, M.J.W., & Steenbergen, L. (2018). Variable heart rate and a flexible mind: higher heart rate variability predicts better cognitive flexibility, Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience. [url]
Colzato, L.S., Ritter, S.M., & Steenbergen, L. (2018). Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation enhances divergent thinking, Neuropsychologia [url]
Leonte, A., Colzato, L.S., 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 [url]
2017
Colzato, L. S., & Steenbergen, L. (2017). High vagally mediated resting-state heart rate variability is associated with superior action cascading, Neuropsychologia, 106, 1-6 [url]
*Steenbergen, L., & Colzato, L. S. (2017). Overweight and Cognitive Performance: High Body Mass Index Is Associated with Impairment in Reactive Control during Task Switching, Frontiers in Nutrition doi: 10.3389/fnut.2017.00051 [url]
*Colzato, L. S., Steenbergen, L., & Sellaro, R. (2017). The effect of gamma-enhancing binaural beats on the control of feature bindings, Experimental Brain Research, 1-7. doi: 10.1007/s00221-017-4957-9 [url]
Jongkees, B. J., Steenbergen, L., & Colzato, L. S. (2017). Color vision predicts processing modes of goal activation during action cascading, Cortex. doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.07.004 [url]
*Please note: After complaints (by myself and others) and investigation, Leiden University has recommended retraction of these papers. The respective journals have not yet taken actions to do so, besides publishing issues of concern.
2016
Steenbergen L. (16th of June 2016), Cognitive enhancement : toward the integration of theory and practice (Dissertation. Institute of Psychology, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University).
Steenbergen L., Jongkees B.J., Sellaro R. & Colzato L.S. (2016), Tryptophan supplementation modulates social behavior: A review, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 64: 346-358. [url]
Steenbergen L., Sellaro R., Hommel B., Lindenberger, U., Kühn S. & Colzato L.S. (2016), "Unfocus" on foc.us: Commercial tDCS headset impairs working memory, Experimental Brain Research 234(3): 637-643. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
2015
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 cognitive reactivity to sad mood, Brain, Behavior and Immunity 48: 258-264. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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 / Psychologische Forschung 79(3): 371-379. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
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. [url]
2013 and 2014
Steenbergen L., Sellaro R. & Colzato L.S. (2014), Tryptophan promotes charitable donating, Frontiers in Psychology 5: e1451. [url]
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. [url]
