The Computational and Cognitive Neural Sciences lab (ballardlab.org) at UC Riverside is recruiting psychology PhD students to join our team! Check out the flyer to learn about the lab and our stellar research community at UCR. Apply by 12/1!
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In individuals with cocaine use disorder, we found a spatial gradient of altered hemodynamic latencies in the striatum. This pattern independently correlated with nicotine use, revealing a conserved physiological profile associated with addictive substance use. 5/n

Using PET, genetics, and pharmacology, we found that hemodynamic latency is tightly coupled to dopamine physiology. Broadly speaking, higher latency in the NAcc was associated with lower dopamine function and more perseverative behavior—linking BOLD signal timing to cognition. 4/n

Hemodynamic latencies are markedly increased in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc)—a key dopaminergic region linked to addiction. This effect is strikingly precise: the anatomical NAcc boundary (green) aligns closely with the shift in hemodynamic latency. 3/n

fMRI doesn’t directly measure dopamine, but could dopamine influence BOLD signal timing? Dopamine axons wrap around microvessels, and dopamine triggers vasoconstriction. We hypothesized that higher extracellular dopamine increases the latency of the hemodynamic response. 2/n

The Computational and Cognitive Neural Sciences lab at UC Riverside is recruiting psychology PhD students to join our team! Check out the flyer to learn about the lab and our stellar research community at UCR. Apply by 12/1! @halledz.bsky.social @ilanabennett.bsky.social @ucriverside.bsky.social