Treatment of addictive disorders
The process leading up to addictive disorders is complex and several factors contribute to induce and maintain addictions to both drugs and natural rewards, including drug priming and exposure to drug related cues. Our research group aims at evaluating novel pharmacological treatments for alcohol and amphetamine dependence, respectively. We also develop treatment for co-morbid ADHD and substance dependence. We collaborate with researchers in psychotherapy, epidemiology, genetics, and infectious diseases.
One main focus is the effects of pharmaceutical drugs on drug-craving, drug-seeking behavior and relapse to illicit drug use in patients with addictive disorders. By combining human experimental models and placebo controlled clinical trials in natural settings we strive to shorten the gap between discovery, medication safety trials and efficacy trials.
We work with three distinct clinical populations: patients with amphetamine dependence, patients with alcohol dependence, and patients with a co-morbid diagnosis of ADHD and a concomitant substance use disorder. We are currently expanding our scope to study treatment methods for opioid dependent patients, as well as evaluation of the Stockholm needle-exchange programme for injecting drug users.
Research Projects
Alcohol dependence
- Clinical trials of novel pharmaceutical compounds for relapse prevention in alcohol dependence
- Human laboratory study of cue-induced craving for amphetamine
- Human laboratory study of cue and alcohol-induced craving for alcohol
- PET neuroimaging of adaptations in the brain glutamate system following long-term heavy alcohol use
- Studies on new pharmaceutical drug candidates on alcohol seeking behavior
Amphetamine dependence and comorbidities
- Functional neuroimaging (fMRI) of patients with amphetamine dependence
- Opioid mechanisms in amphetamine dependence
- Clinical trial of sustained release methylphenidate in amphetamine dependent patients with a criminal life style
- European prevalence study of ADHD among patients with substance use disorders (ICASA collaboration)
- Prevalence of ADHD among women convicted to prison in Sweden
- Health economic analysis of ADHD-treatment in comorbid substance use disorders
Other
- Genetic risk factors for amphetamine dependence
- Evaluation of the Stockholm needle-exchange programme
- Clinical trial of mentalization-based treatment (MBT) for comorbid substance dependence and borderline personality disorder