Some diseases have been around almost forever. Others only emerge as a result of changing social circumstances; they move with the times, so to speak.

Erwin L. Hahn Institute for MRI Director Prof. Dr Matthias Brand has now been honoured with the Great Achievement Award of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Addictions (ISSBA) for his pioneering work in researching one of these new emerging disease patterns.

Prof. Brand is particularly interested in internet-related addictive behaviour, such as computer game addiction or online shopping addiction. Together with his colleagues, Prof Brand - one of the leading international scientists in this field - has developed the I-PACE model. The I-PACE model can be used to describe the central processes that underlie the development and maintenance of behavioural addictions on a psychological and neurobiological level. Future studies will examine whether the I-PACE model, having been successfully applied in basic research, can also be used in clinical practice in addiction therapies for those affected.

The ISSBA's Great Achievement Award was presented for the first time in 2023 - making Prof Brand the first recipient. The award ceremony took place as part of the annual International Conference on Behavioural Addictions in Gibraltar in July 2024, where Prof Brand also gave the keynote speech.

Dr Stephanie Antons from Prof Brand's ‘Affective and cognitive mechanisms of specific Internet-use disorders (ACSID)’ research group was also honoured with an award. She received the ‘Best Paper Award’ from the Journal of Behavioural Addictions for her work ‘Treatments and interventions for compulsive sexual behavior disorder with a focus on problematic pornography use: A preregistered systematic review’.

 Our warmest congratulations!

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