ProfessorAnne Lingford-Hughes, PhD BMBCH FRCPsych

Professor Lingford-Hughes's research has focused on using neuroimaging and neuropharmacological challenges to characterize the neurobiology of addiction. She has used positron emission tomography (PET) and fMRI to characterize the dopamine (DRD2, DRD3), opioid (mu), GABA-benzodiazepine (a5 subtype), GABA-B, NK1 receptor systems in a range of substance addictions including alcoholism, cocaine and opiate dependence in the ICCAM protocol as well disordered gambling. More recently she has been exploring how to facilitate successful opiate detoxification in 2 projects: A:using neuroimaging of brain processes (eg mediating reward, cue reactivity) to assess the potential of NK1 antagonism to attenuate any dysregulation & B: a clinical trial to assess the potential of baclofen (GABA-B agonist) in reducing methadone doses during detox (the FORWARDS trial). The aim of her research programme is to better understand neurobiology underpinning these disorders to improve treatment.