UCLA Neuroscience Program Ph.D. Admissions Neuroscience Faculty UCLA and Beyond  



Edythe London
Neuroimaging Brain Function in Addictive and Other Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Email Address:  elondon@mednet.ucla.edu
Home Page: http://www.npi.ucla.edu/cab

Work Address:
NPI
NPI
Phone Numbers:
(310) 825-0812 Fax
Phone Numbers:
(310) 825-0606 Laboratory

Selected Publications:

A Azizian, L Nestor, D Payer, JR Monterosso, AL Brody, ED London Smoking reduces conflict-related anterior cingulate activity in abstinent cigarette smokers performing a Stroop task. Neuropsychopharmacology (in press) ; .
B Lee, ED London, RA Poldrack, J Farahi, A Nacca, JR Monterosso, JA Mumford, AV Bokarius, M Dahlbom, J Mukherjee, RM Bilder, AL Brody, MA Mandelkern Striatal dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability is reduced in methamphetamine dependence and linked to impulsivity. J. Neurosci. (in press) ; .
SM Berman, RT Kuczenski, JT McCracken, ED London Potential adverse effects of amphetamine treatment on brain and behavior: a review. Mol. Psychiatry 2009; 14(2): 123-142.
AC Dean, ED London, CA Sugar, CMR Kitchen, A-N Swanson, KG Heinzerling, AD Kalechstein, S Shoptaw Predicting adherence to treatment for methamphetamine dependence from neuropsychological and drug use variables. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009; 105(1-2): 48-55.
SM Berman, J O’Neill, S Fears, G Bartzokis, ED London Abuse of amphetamines and structural abnormalities in brain. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 2008; (1141): 195-220.
Research Interest:

Dr. London's research aims to develop a better understanding of addictive disorders, using a translational approach toward rational design of therapeutics. Ongoing projects focus on the neurobiology of substance abuse and development of new probes for the study of brain function by external imaging. Using positron emission tomography (PET) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging, current projects concern dependence on methamphetamine and nicotine. The questions asked in human research relate to the links between genetics, cognitive function, affect and vulnerability to drug abuse and the maintenance of dependence. Correlative studies in animal models of addiction relate altered neuronal function with gene expression, as affected by drug treatments. Dr. London did human studies that identified reduction of cortical metabolism as an objective measure to test potential medications to block drug-induced reward. This measure has been used to identify new candidate medications to treat psychostimulant dependence, and they fostered a shift from the focus on subcortical mechanisms of drug reinforcement, which were studied mainly in animals, toward an emphasis on higher cortical function, which can be studied noninvasively in humans. Her laboratory also was the first to show the relationship between drug craving and activation of limbic and infra-limbic regions that contribute to episodic memory and link memory with emotion. Her findings were the basis for a national research initiative to focus on cognitive neuroscience approaches to understanding and treating addictive disorders. Her research also focused on development of new approaches and probes for noninvasive imaging of brain function and biochemistry. In this regard, her most important accomplishment has been the development of halogenated analogues of A-85380. These compounds are the most subtype-specific, highest affinity, and safest radioligands for imaging and quantitation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors with PET and single photon computed tomography. For more information please visit http://london.npih.ucla.edu.