Psychopharmacology
October 26, 2026
Aline Frick, Grace Blest‐hopley, Manesh Girn et al.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) shows marked sex differences in prevalence, symptomatology, and treatment response. However, females remain underrepresented in many clinical trials, and sex-specific treatment outcomes are rarely examined. This study reanalyzed data from a randomized controlled trial comparing psilocybin and escitalopram for MDD to evaluate sex differences across multiple...
Psychopharmacology
October 17, 2026
Giada Lombardi, Grace Blest‐hopley, Martina Maria Tarantini et al.
RATIONALE: Regular cannabis use has been associated with alterations in reward-related neural processes, yet findings remain inconsistent and the relationship between neural activity and behavioural performance is not fully understood. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to characterise neural and behavioural correlates of reward processing in regular cannabis users (CU) compared with matched...
Research Square
June 19, 2026
Aline Frick, Grace Blest‐hopley, Manesh Grin et al.
preprint
Abstract Rationale: Major depressive disorder (MDD) shows marked sex differences in prevalence, symptomatology, and treatment response. However, women remain underrepresented in many clinical trials, and sex-specific treatment outcomes are rarely examined. Objectives This study reanalyzed data from a randomized controlled trial comparing psilocybin and escitalopram for MDD to evaluate sex...
medRxiv Preprint Server
April 23, 2026
Giada Lombardi, Grace Blest‐hopley, Martina Maria Tarantini et al.
preprint
Regular cannabis use has been associated with alterations in reward-related neural processes, yet findings remain inconsistent and the relationship between neural activity and behavioural performance is not fully understood. The present study aimed to characterise neural and behavioural correlates of reward processing in regular cannabis users (CU) compared with matched non-users (NU) using the...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
August 6, 2025
Grace Blest‐hopley, Giuseppe Pasculli, Simon Ruffell et al.
3 citations
Introduction Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, has shown therapeutic potential in treating mental health disorders by, amongst the many effects, promoting neuroplasticity and reorganising functional connectivity across cortical and subcortical networks involved in emotion and cognition. Veterans with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) often experience chronic neurological and psychological...
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
July 11, 2025
Zahira Ziva Cohen, Grace Blest‐hopley
9 citations
The influence of ovarian hormone fluctuations on neurochemistry, cognition, and psychological responses remains insufficiently examined in current psychedelic research and clinical protocols. Traditional practices and case studies underscore the importance of accounting for these factors in investigations of psychedelic effects. This opinion paper explores the critical intersections between...
Brain and Behavior
July 1, 2025
Megan Calnan, Grace Blest‐hopley, Chris Busch et al.
4 citations
Abstract Background : Military veterans are at risk of various mental health conditions, with profound implications for post‐deployment quality of life. Current treatment options encounter high dropout rates and non‐responsiveness, and overlook the importance of community building in veterans’ holistic recovery. Preliminary research suggests psychedelics offer therapeutic benefits for...
Psychological Medicine
October 17, 2023
Cathy Davies, Matthijs Geert Bossong, Daniel Martins et al.
9 citations
ABSTRACT Background Hippocampal hyperperfusion has been observed in people at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR), is associated with adverse longitudinal outcomes and represents a potential treatment target for novel pharmacotherapies. Whether cannabidiol (CBD) has ameliorative effects on hippocampal blood flow (rCBF) in CHR patients remains unknown. Methods Using a double-blind,...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
May 12, 2023
Grace Blest‐hopley, Ben H Amit, Aisling O'Neill et al.
Editorial on the Research Topic Appropriateness and safety of using cannabinoid and psychedelic medicines as treatments for psychiatric disorders
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
November 3, 2021
Brandon Gunasekera, Cathy Davies, Grace Blest‐hopley et al.
preprint
Abstract Background The neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) remain unclear. Here, we examined the spatial acute effect of THC on human on regional brain activation or blood flow (hereafter called ‘activation signal’) in a ‘core’ network of brain regions that subserve a multitude of processes. We also investigated whether the neuromodulatory...
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
2019
Grace Blest‐hopley, Vincent Giampietro, Sagnik Bhattacharyya
HighlightsAdolescent abstinent cannabis users showed significantly greater activation in the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal and posterior parietal cortices compared to controls.Adolescent users showed increased activation in regions involved in executive functioning, attentional control and the default mode network compared to non‐using controls.No significant group differences in...
Schizophrenia Bulletin
April 1, 2018
Grace Blest‐hopley, Aisling O'Neill, R. Wilson et al.
Abstract Background Long-term use of cannabis has long been associated with changes in cognition, including memory and learning, particularly verbal learning in man. However, evidence regarding the neurobiological underpinnings of impairments in memory following long-term cannabis use has not been consistent. Furthermore, to our knowledge none of the studies published to date have specifically...