Tracey Shors

Tracey Shors is a neuroscientist and distinguished professor in behavioral neuroscience, systems neuroscience, and psychology as well as a member of the Center for Collaborative Neuroscience at Rutgers University.

Shors was involved in the initial studies on neurogenesis. Also, she developed MAP Training (Mental And Physical Training), which combines mental training with meditation and physical training with aerobic exercise.

Career Shors received her doctorate from the University of Southern California. She continued with postdoctoral training at USC and worked at Princeton University and Genentech before joining the faculty at Rutgers University in 1998. She also conducted early research on sex differences in the brain and how they may contribute to the high incidence of depression, anxiety and PTSD in women.

MAP Training Based on her research, she developed MAP Training (Mental And Physical Training). MAP Training combines mental training with meditation and physical training with aerobic exercise. Since 2012, her lab has been providing MAP Training to people with depression, trauma history, anxiety and HIV, as well as those living with the stress and trauma of everyday life. They have documented positive outcomes in both mental and physical health. Specifically, her lab reported that the combination of meditation and aerobic exercise can lessen depression, anxiety and traumatic thoughts about the past. Her studies further determined that doing both activities together was better than doing either mediation or aerobic exercise alone. Shors is currently writing a book about trauma and the brain with Flatiron Press/MacMillan to be published in spring of 2021.