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Barbara J. Sahakian

13 papers in the library · 350 citations · publishing 2004-2025

Papers

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THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE CANNABIS WITH AND WITHOUT CANNABIDIOL ON NEURAL REWARD ANTICIPATION IN ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS

The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology February 1, 2025 Martine Skumlien, Tom P. Freeman, Daniel L. Hall et al.

Abstract Background Cannabis, and its main psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), may alter the brain’ s reward system both acutely and over time. The endocannabinoid and reward systems mature during adolescence and adolescents may therefore respond differently to acute cannabis exposure compared with adults. Despite this, no previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)...

DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae059.114 (opens in new tab) Cannabidiol Cannabis Anticipation artificial intelligence Cognitive psychology +1

Distributed harmonic patterns of structure-function dependence orchestrate human consciousness.

Communications Biology January 28, 2023 Andrea I. Luppi, Jakub Vohryzek, Morten L. Kringelbach et al. 98 citations

A central question in neuroscience is how consciousness arises from the dynamic interplay of brain structure and function. Here we decompose functional MRI signals from pathological and pharmacologically-induced perturbations of consciousness into distributed patterns of structure-function dependence across scales: the harmonic modes of the human structural connectome. We show that...

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04474-1 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Consciousness Brain research Psychedelics Cognitive science

Dopaminergic brainstem disconnection is common to pharmacological and pathological consciousness perturbation

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences July 23, 2021 Lennart R.b. Spindler, Andrea I. Luppi, Ram Adapa et al.

Significance Understanding the neural bases of consciousness is of basic scientific and clinical importance. Human neuroimaging has established that a network of interconnected brain regions known as the default mode network disintegrates in anesthesia and after brain damage that causes disorders of consciousness. However, the neurochemical underpinnings of this network change remain largely...

"Hot" and "Cold" Cognition in Users of Club Drugs/Novel Psychoactive Substances.

Frontiers in Psychiatry March 24, 2021 George Savulich, Owen Bowden-Jones, Robert Stephenson et al.

Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are popular "club/party" drugs that first attracted attention in the UK in 2009 and remained legal until the 2016 Psychoactive Substances Act criminalized their distribution. Unlike "traditional" illicit drugs, very little is known about the influence of their analogs on neuropsychological functioning. We characterized the cognitive and emotional profile of...

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.660575 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Neuropsychology Emotion Drug addiction Legal highs +2

Neuroethics and cannabis use globally: Impact on adolescent cognition and wellbeing

2020 A. Selamoglu, A. Malinowska, George Savulich et al.

Abstract This chapter reviews the literature on the effects of adolescent cannabis use on cognition, wellbeing and the neuroethical implications for societies across the globe. Given its widespread use and availability, cannabis use in adolescence may impact the developing brain, manifesting in cognitive, psychiatric, academic and social changes, thus raising neuroethical concerns. We review...

Default Mode Network Engagement Beyond Self-Referential Internal Mentation.

Brain Connectivity April 5, 2018 Deniz Vatansever, Anne E. Manktelow, Barbara J. Sahakian et al.

The default mode network (DMN) is typically associated with off-task internal mentation, or with goal-oriented tasks that require self-referential processing such as autobiographical planning. However, recent reports suggest a broader involvement of the DMN in higher cognition. In line with this view, we report global connectivity changes that are centered on the main DMN hubs of precuneus and...

Lifestyle use of drugs by healthy people for enhancing cognition, creativity, motivation and pleasure

British Journal of Pharmacology April 20, 2017 L‐s Camilla d'Angelo, George Savulich, Barbara J. Sahakian 95 citations

Today, there is continued, and in some cases growing, availability of not only psychoactive substances, including treatments for mental health disorders such as cognitive enhancers, which can enhance or restore brain function, but also 'recreational' drugs such as novel psychoactive substances (NPS). The use of psychoactive drugs has both benefits and risks: whilst new drugs to treat cognitive...

Angular default mode network connectivity across working memory load

Human Brain Mapping 2017 Deniz Vatansever, Anne E. Manktelow, Barbara J. Sahakian et al.

AbstractInitially identified during no‐task, baseline conditions, it has now been suggested that the default mode network (DMN) engages during a variety of working memory paradigms through its flexible interactions with other large‐scale brain networks. Nevertheless, its contribution to whole‐brain connectivity dynamics across increasing working memory load has not been explicitly assessed. The...

Default mode network connectivity during task execution

Neuroimage July 26, 2015 Deniz Vatansever, D.K. Menon, Anne E. Manktelow et al. 157 citations

Initially described as task-induced deactivations during goal-directed paradigms of high attentional load, the unresolved functionality of default mode regions has long been assumed to interfere with task performance. However, recent evidence suggests a potential default mode network involvement in fulfilling cognitive demands. We tested this hypothesis in a finger opposition paradigm with task...

Disrupted 'reflection' impulsivity in cannabis users but not current or former ecstasy users.

Journal of Psychopharmacology May 30, 2008 L Clark, Jonathan P. Roiser, Trevor W Robbins et al.

Evidence for serotonin involvement in impulsivity has generated interest in the measurement of impulsivity in regular ecstasy users, who are thought to display serotonergic dysfunction. However, current findings are inconsistent. Here, we used a recently developed Information Sampling Test to measure 'reflection' impulsivity in 46 current ecstasy users, 14 subjects who used ecstasy in the past,...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108089587 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Serotonin Humans Neurotoxicity syndromes Substance-related disorders +9

Neuropsychological function in ecstasy users: a study controlling for polydrug use.

Psychopharmacology January 2007 Jonathan P. Roiser, Robert D Rogers, Barbara J. Sahakian

A number of studies have compared ecstasy users to control groups on various measures of neuropsychological function in order to determine whether ecstasy use results in lasting cognitive deficits. However, few of those studies controlled adequately for non-ecstasy illicit drug use. The aim of this study was to investigate neuropsychological function in chronic ecstasy users while controlling...

The effect of polymorphism at the serotonin transporter gene on decision-making, memory and executive function in ecstasy users and controls.

Psychopharmacology October 2006 Jonathan P. Roiser, Robert D Rogers, Lynnette J Cook et al.

3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") is a popular drug of abuse known to result in depletions of the serotonin (5-HT) system. A number of studies have reported that ecstasy users differ from controls on a variety of measures of cognitive function. However, the literature is not consistent and many negative findings were also reported. One reason for such inconsistency might be...

Relationship between ecstasy use and depression: a study controlling for poly-drug use.

Psychopharmacology May 2004 Jonathan P. Roiser, Barbara J. Sahakian

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or "ecstasy") causes serotonin neuron damage in laboratory animals. The serotonin system is known to be important in the regulation of mood. Previous research has shown that MDMA users score higher on self-report ratings of depression than controls. However, MDMA users commonly take other illicit substances and many studies do not fully control for...