Project Leader: Dr. Karolina Finc
Stress is one of the most serious yet difficult-to-objectively-assess threats to human well-being. It affects physiology, cognitive functions, emotions, and immune system functioning (Lupien et al., 2009; McEwen & Morrison, 2013). Stress can impair attention, reduce cognitive flexibility and executive control, and, over the long term, increase the risk of mental disorders, autoimmune diseases, and cancers—partly through prolonged activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and chronic inflammation (McEwen, 1998; Arnsten, 2009; Dhabhar, 2014).
Although stress is increasingly recognized as a systemic phenomenon, its mechanisms are rarely studied in an integrated manner encompassing the nervous, immune, and hormonal systems alongside cognitive functioning. The BRIDGEproject transcends these divisions, treating stress as a dynamic process of disruption and restoration of balance within the complex network of interactions between the brain, body, and immune system.
The project aims to develop objective, multilevel indicators of stress levels and nervous system regulatory capacity. We seek to understand how the brain–body–immune system becomes dysregulated, how early signs manifest, and which mechanisms support recovery. In a series of controlled experiments, we will examine the interplay of multiple functional levels—from brain activity and physiological signals (respiration, heart rate, temperature, skin conductance, pupillometry), through immune biomarkers (pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, immune cell phenotyping, cortisol levels, and others) and motor parameters (high-resolution motion capture), to cognitive processes. Additionally, we will use breathing interventions as a method to support autonomic nervous system regulation and assess its susceptibility to modulation (Streeter et al., 2012).
The collected data will be analyzed using network science and complex dynamic systems theory, allowing us to capture the nonlinear nature of interactions among biological systems. This approach will enable modeling of system reorganization under stress, identification of transitional moments, and early warning signals of imbalance—before clinical symptoms appear.
BRIDGE is based on a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between cognitive, biological, medical, and social sciences. The project team includes researchers from:
- Department of Immunology (Dr. hab. Sylwia Wrotek)
- Department of Biostatistics and Biomedical Systems Theory, Collegium Medicum (Dr. hab. Katarzyna Buszko)
- Department of Cognitive Science (Dr. Anna Karczmarczyk)
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology (Dr. hab. Sławomir Czachowski)
- Department of Physiotherapy, Collegium Medicum (Dr. Agnieszka Radzimińska)
Some experiments will be conducted in partnership with the RITMO Centre of Excellence (University of Oslo) using high-resolution motion analysis infrastructure. Key international collaborators include Prof. Giovanni Petri (Northeastern University London; higher-order network modeling) and Prof. Manlio De Domenico (University of Padua; multilayer network analysis).
We welcome collaboration with researchers from other disciplines who can enrich the systemic understanding of stress and its regulatory mechanisms.
Dr. Karolina Finc (Project Leader; Interdisciplinary Center for Modern Technologies) is a cognitive scientist with a PhD in natural and physical sciences. She specializes in network neuroscience, investigating how dynamic brain–body interactions shape cognitive processes. She leads the Complex Networks & Cognition Lab at CNT and conducts research at the intersection of neuroscience, network science, and open science.