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    Professor Karen Ersche

    University Position
    Professor

    Interests

    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.

    Key Publications

    Theory-driven computational models of drug addiction in humans: Fruitful or futile?

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100066
    Journal: Addiction Neuroscience
    E-pub date: 1 Mar 2023
    Authors: TV Lim, KD Ersche

    Impaired Learning From Negative Feedback in Stimulant Use Disorder: Dopaminergic Modulation.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1093/ijnp/pyab041
    Journal: Int J Neuropsychopharmacol
    E-pub date: 12 Nov 2021
    Authors: TV Lim, RN Cardinal, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    Impairments in reinforcement learning do not explain enhanced habit formation in cocaine use disorder.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-019-05330-z
    Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl)
    E-pub date: 31 Aug 2019
    Authors: TV Lim, RN Cardinal, G Savulich, PS Jones, AA Moustafa, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    Creature of Habit: A self-report measure of habitual routines and automatic tendencies in everyday life.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.04.024
    Journal: Pers Individ Dif
    E-pub date: 1 Oct 2017
    Authors: KD Ersche, T-V Lim, LHE Ward, TW Robbins, J Stochl

    Publications

    Cortical glutamate and GABA are related to compulsive behaviour in individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder and healthy controls.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38695-z
    Journal: Nat Commun
    E-pub date: 27 Jun 2023
    Authors: M Biria, P Banca, MP Healy, E Keser, SJ Sawiak, CT Rodgers, C Rua, AMFLP de Souza, AA Marzuki, A Sule, KD Ersche, TW Robbins

    The ‘Resilient Brain’: challenging key characteristics associated with the concept of resilience.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291722003907
    Journal: Psychol Med
    E-pub date: 25 Jan 2023
    Authors: G Savulich, E Ferry-Bolder, TV Lim, E Mak, KD Ersche

    Prefrontal Cortex Activation and Stopping Performance Underlie the Beneficial Effects of Atomoxetine on Response Inhibition in Healthy Volunteers and Those With Cocaine Use Disorder.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsc.2021.08.010
    Journal: Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging
    E-pub date: 1 Nov 2022
    Authors: P Zhukovsky, S Morein-Zamir, H Ziauddeen, E Fernandez-Egea, C Meng, R Regenthal, BJ Sahakian, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins, JW Dalley, KD Ersche

    Atomoxetine partially restores loss sensitivity in cocaine use disorder

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.10.016
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2021
    Authors: L Cincikas, RN Cardinal, H Ziauddeen, E Fernandez-Egea, R Regenthal, BJ Sahakian, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    Reduced Glutamate Turnover in the Putamen Is Linked With Automatic Habits in Human Cocaine Addiction.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.12.009
    Journal: Biol Psychiatry
    E-pub date: 15 May 2021
    Authors: KD Ersche, TV Lim, AG Murley, C Rua, MM Vaghi, TL White, GB Williams, TW Robbins

    Feeding the addiction: Narrowing of goals to habits.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.11.002
    Journal: Eur Neuropsychopharmacol
    E-pub date: 1 Jan 2021
    Authors: JR Breedon, H Ziauddeen, J Stochl, KD Ersche

    Brain networks underlying vulnerability and resilience to drug addiction.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2002509117
    Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
    E-pub date: 30 Jun 2020
    Authors: KD Ersche, C Meng, H Ziauddeen, J Stochl, GB Williams, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins

    Impulsivity and compulsivity are differentially associated with automaticity and routine on the Creature of Habit Scale.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.07.003
    Journal: Pers Individ Dif
    E-pub date: 1 Nov 2019
    Authors: KD Ersche, LHE Ward, T-V Lim, RJ Lumsden, SJ Sawiak, TW Robbins, J Stochl

    Noradrenergic modulation of stopping impulsivity in cocaine use disorder

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.317
    Journal: EUROPEAN NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2019
    Authors: R Rodrigues, S Morein-Zamir, C Meng, H Ziauddeen, E Fernandez-Egea, R Regenthal, BJ Sahakian, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    Dopaminergic modulation of reinforcement learning in stimulant drug addiction

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.09.191
    Journal: EUROPEAN NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2019
    Authors: TV Lim, RN Cardinal, C Meng, GK Murray, KJ Craig, S Abbott, SS Shabbir, J Suckling, BJ Sahakian, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    Wanting food in cocaine addiction: A more complex relationship

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.732
    Journal: EUROPEAN NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2019
    Authors: J Breedon, H Ziauddeen, KD Ersche

    Deconstructing appetitive learning in cocaine addiction using hierarchical Bayesian modelling

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.11.323
    Journal:
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2019
    Authors: TV Lim, RN Cardinal, PS Jones, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    BMI-related cortical morphometry changes are associated with altered white matter structure.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-018-0269-9
    Journal: Int J Obes (Lond)
    E-pub date: 1 Mar 2019
    Authors: N Medic, P Kochunov, H Ziauddeen, KD Ersche, PJ Nathan, L Ronan, PC Fletcher

    Atomoxetine effects on attentional bias to drug-related cues in cocaine dependent individuals.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-017-4643-4
    Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl)
    E-pub date: 31 Aug 2017
    Authors: L Passamonti, M Luijten, H Ziauddeen, ITS Coyle-Gilchrist, T Rittman, SAE Brain, R Regenthal, IHA Franken, BJ Sahakian, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    SLC6A2 genotype variation and the modulatory effects of atomoxetine on inhibitory control in individuals with and without cocaine use disorder

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-977X(17)31865-5
    Journal: EUROPEAN NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2017
    Authors: AN Le, H Ziauddeen, E Fernandez-Egea, R Regenthal, BJ Sahakian, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    Disrupted iron regulation in the brain and periphery in cocaine addiction.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2016.271
    Journal: Transl Psychiatry
    E-pub date: 21 Feb 2017
    Authors: KD Ersche, J Acosta-Cabronero, PS Jones, H Ziauddeen, RPL van Swelm, CMM Laarakkers, R Raha-Chowdhury, GB Williams

    Increased body mass index is associated with specific regional alterations in brain structure.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2016.42
    Journal: Int J Obes (Lond)
    E-pub date: 1 Jul 2016
    Authors: N Medic, H Ziauddeen, KD Ersche, IS Farooqi, ET Bullmore, PJ Nathan, L Ronan, PC Fletcher

    Carrots and sticks fail to change behavior in cocaine addiction.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf3700
    Journal: Science
    E-pub date: 17 Jun 2016
    Authors: KD Ersche, CM Gillan, PS Jones, GB Williams, LHE Ward, M Luijten, S de Wit, BJ Sahakian, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins

    Investigating ‘waiting impulsivity’ in cocaine addiction: are the effects of atomoxetine mediated by genotype?

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-977X(15)30875-0
    Journal: EUROPEAN NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
    E-pub date: 1 Aug 2015
    Authors: MI Pollard, H Ziauddeen, IT Coyle-Gilchrist, T Rittman, R Regenthal, S Abbott, BJ Sahakian, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    Prefrontal hypoactivity associated with impaired inhibition in stimulant-dependent individuals but evidence for hyperactivation in their unaffected siblings.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1038/npp.2013.90
    Journal: Neuropsychopharmacology
    E-pub date: 1 Sep 2013
    Authors: S Morein-Zamir, P Simon Jones, ET Bullmore, TW Robbins, KD Ersche

    Abnormal brain structure implicated in stimulant drug addiction.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1126/science.1214463
    Journal: Science
    E-pub date: 3 Feb 2012
    Authors: KD Ersche, PS Jones, GB Williams, AJ Turton, TW Robbins, ET Bullmore

    Abnormal structure of frontostriatal brain systems is associated with aspects of impulsivity and compulsivity in cocaine dependence.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awr138
    Journal: Brain
    E-pub date: 1 Jul 2011
    Authors: KD Ersche, A Barnes, PS Jones, S Morein-Zamir, TW Robbins, ET Bullmore

    Impaired visuospatial associative memory and attention in obsessive compulsive disorder but no evidence for differential dopaminergic modulation.

    DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1963-z
    Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl)
    E-pub date: 1 Oct 2010
    Authors: S Morein-Zamir, KJ Craig, KD Ersche, S Abbott, U Muller, NA Fineberg, ET Bullmore, BJ Sahakian, TW Robbins