Keywords
Clinical Conditions
Equipment & Techniques
Science Culture
My research focuses on the neuropsychological correlates and neurochemical processes underlying addictive behaviour and the translation of this knowledge into therapeutic interventions. This work involves a combination of approaches including neuroimaging, neuropsychological testing, and pharmacological intervention. My present project investigates the question of causality, namely whether the neurobiological abnormalities seen in stimulant-dependent individuals are an effect of their long-term exposure to potentially neurotoxic drugs or whether these are the result of a genetic predisposition. I believe that a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in drug addiction has the potential to clarify the health risks associated with drug abuse and to facilitate a more rational development of therapeutic interventions. It may also help to reduce the widespread stigma attached to people who have become dependent on drugs, thus further improving their prospects of recovery.
