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Valerie H. Curran

9 papers in the library · 2,358 citations · publishing 1997-2024

Papers

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Polydrug Use Typologies of Regular Ecstasy Users Visiting Electronic Dance Music Events: A Latent Class Analysis.

European Addiction Research 2024 Ruben Johannes Jacob Van Beek, Matthijs Blankers, Marloes Kleinjan et al. 3 citations

Polydrug use patterns among young adults using ecstasy vary, as well as their willingness to change them. Polydrug use patterns are likely associated with different adverse health outcomes. It is unknown whether polydrug use patterns of young adults who use ecstasy are similar in different countries. This study aims to identify and compare polydrug use patterns and willingness to change them of...

Substance Use and Attendance Motives of Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Event Attendees: A Survey Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health January 19, 2023 Koen Ponnet, Bert Hauspie, Nicky Dirkx et al. 21 citations

EDM event attendees are a high-risk population for substance use and associated adverse effects. The aim of this study was to examine substance use at EDM events, focusing on associations between attendance motives and substance use. Sociodemographic characteristics, event specifics, past-year use, and attendance motives were assessed through an online survey. Participants were 1345 Belgian EDM...

Ketamine treatment for depression: opportunities for clinical innovation and ethical foresight.

Lancet Psychiatry April 5, 2017 Ilina Singh, Celia J. A. Morgan, Valerie H. Curran et al. 158 citations

We present a review and analysis of the ethical considerations in off-label ketamine use for severe, treatment-resistant depression. The analysis of ethical considerations is contextualised in an overview of the evidence for ketamine use in depression, and a review of the drug's safety profile. We find that, based on current evidence, ketamine use for severe, treatment-resistant depression does...

Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study.

Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016 Robin Carhart-Harris, Mark Bolstridge, James Rucker et al. 1,546 citations

BACKGROUND: Psilocybin is a serotonin receptor agonist that occurs naturally in some mushroom species. Recent studies have assessed the therapeutic potential of psilocybin for various conditions, including end-of-life anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and smoking and alcohol dependence, with promising preliminary results. Here, we aimed to investigate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy...

The effect of acutely administered MDMA on subjective and BOLD-fMRI responses to favourite and worst autobiographical memories

The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology December 17, 2013 Robin Carhart-Harris, Matthew B. Wall, David Erritzøe et al. 110 citations

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a potent monoamine-releaser that is widely used as a recreational drug. Preliminary work has supported the potential of MDMA in psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The neurobiological mechanisms underlying its putative efficacy are, however, poorly understood. Psychotherapy for PTSD usually requires that patients revisit traumatic...

Investigating the interaction between schizotypy, divergent thinking and cannabis use

Consciousness and Cognition January 10, 2012 Gráinne Schäfer, Amanda Feilding, Celia J. A. Morgan et al. 60 citations

Cannabis acutely increases schizotypy and chronic use is associated with elevated rates of psychosis. Creative individuals have higher levels of schizotypy, however links between cannabis use, schizotypy and creativity have not been investigated. We investigated the effects of cannabis smoked naturalistically on schizotypy and divergent thinking, a measure of creativity. One hundred and sixty...

Brain serotonin transporter binding in former users of MDMA (‘ecstasy’)

The British Journal of Psychiatry March 31, 2009 Sudhakar Selvaraj, Rosa Hoshi, Zubin Bhagwagar et al. 59 citations

Background Animal experimental studies have prompted concerns that widespread use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘ecstasy’) by young people may pose a major public health problem in terms of persistent serotonin neurotoxicity. Aims To determine the status of brain serotonin neurons in a group of abstinent MDMA users. Method We assessed the integrity of brain serotonin neurons by...

Sub-acute effects of MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, "ecstasy") on mood: evidence of gender differences

Psychopharmacology April 1, 2002 Suzanne L. Verheyden, J. A. Hadfield, Tara Calin et al. 118 citations

RationaleResearch with animals suggests that central 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) function may be attenuated for a period following a single dose of +/-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy'). If the same is true in humans, then functions thought to be modulated by 5-HT may differ in MDMA users compared with non-users a few days after the drug is taken.AimsThe present study therefore...

Mood and cognitive effects of ± 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’): week‐end ‘high’ followed by mid‐week low

Addiction July 1, 1997 Valerie H. Curran, Ross A. Travill 283 citations

Abstract Aims. Recreational use of ± 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’) is widespread. The present study aimed to examine both the acute and residual effects of this drug on users' mood and cognitive Junction. Design and participants. A parallel group design was used to compare 12 participants who reported having taken MDMA with 12 participants who reported having consumed only...