| Drugs and cognition |
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People involved in this research Prof. dr. Jan Ramaekers Prof. dr. Wim Riedel Dr. Arjan Blokland Dr. Lisbeth Evers Dr. Christine Firk Dr. Lisa Jonkman (Dept. of Cognitive Neuroscience) Dr. Kim Kuypers Dr. Rob Markus Dr. Anke Sambeth Dr. Eef Theunissen Dr. Peter van Ruitenbeek Dr. Annemiek Vermeeren Dr. Eric Vuurman MSc Katja Bakker MSc Wendy Bosker MSc Silke Conen MSc Inge Klinkenberg MSc Anke Linssen Main projects Memory processing (Katja Bakker, Arjan Blokland, Kim Kuypers, Anke Linssen, Jan Ramaekers, Wim Riedel, Peter van Ruitenbeek, Anke Sambeth, Annemiek Vermeeren) Research on the neurobiological foundations of memory has shown that various neurotransmitters play important roles in memory processing. For instance, acetylcholine plays a role in short-term memory, whereas serotonin is involved in the longer term memory system. Phosphodiesterase (PDE), on the other hand, is involved in long-term potentiation. The Experimental Research Unit aims to further unravel the neurobiological basis of memory. The approach is to, e.g., examine in humans whether memory impairments induced by various manipulations can be reversed by modulating others. Most studies focus on the roles of glutamatergic, cholinergic, histaminergic, and serotonergic neurotransmission. Additionally, imaging methods (EEG, fMRI and MEG) are used as a tool next to behavioral measures, to unravel the timing of the effects and their locations in the brain. Cognition in general (Katja Bakker, Wendy Bosker, Silke Conen, Lisbeth Evers, Lisa Jonkman, Kim Kuypers, Anke Linssen, Rob Markus, Jan Ramaekers, Eef Theunissen) Next to specific memory processing, we assess the role of neurotransmitters in many other cognitive processes, such as attention or impulsivity. These effects are mainly studied in drug users. Examples are studies of the effects of acute MDMA effects on memory and impulse control after repeated dosing and during a night of sleep deprivation. An example of a study in healthy participants is the interactive role of serotonin and stress on cognitive performance. Drug testing studies in rodent models of cognition (Arjan Blokland, Inge Klinkenberg, Anke Sambeth, in collaboration with Pharmaceutical companies, e.g. EnVivo, Solvay, Boehringer) Memory processes, as well as other cognitive functions, can also be assessed in animals. Several people of the group use rodent models of cognition to test both putative cognition enhancers as well as neuroprotective compounds. Furthermore, we examine the brain activity of those animals to find out what kind of changes take place in the brain during cognitive processes. Dietary manipulation as method to assess the role of a neurotransmitter in cognition (Arjan Blokland, Lisbeth Evers, Christine Firk, Anke Linssen, Rob Markus, Wim Riedel, Peter van Ruitenbeek, Anke Sambeth, Eef Theunissen, Eric Vuurman) Frequently used methods to manipulate a neurotransmitter system are to manipulate the diet of a participant. Examples of this are acute tryptophan (serotonin) and tyrosine (dopamine) depletion. Both methods are used by the Experimental Psychopharmacology Unit to unravel the role of neurotransmitters in cognition. Not only do we impair e.g., memory processing, but we also try to positively influence cognition and behavior using other dietary manipulations. Currently, we are also examining the possibility to change histamine function by performing histidine depletion. Drugs of Abuse (Katja Bakker, Wendy Bosker, Kim Kuypers, Jan Ramaekers, Eef Theunissen) The aim of these present studies is to assess the effects of high potency marijuana and of MDMA on performance of occasional and heavy users in placebo controlled, double blind study design. Performance tasks include measures of neuropsychological functions such as executive function, impulsivity and risk taking. Key publications
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