Dr Sally Adams

Summary

My research interests are in the psychopharmacology of drug of abuse such as alcohol and tobacco. I am particularly interested in the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms that underpin addictive behaviours. My PhD thesis examined the effects of acute alcohol consumption on motivational salience for alcohol-related cues and impulsivity in light and heavy social drinkers. My current research investigates the effects of varenicline and cognitive bias modification on neural responses to smoking-related cues.

Biography

I graduated from the University of Wales, Institute Cardiff in 2003 with a BSc in Psychology. I went on to complete a MSc in Health Psychology at the University of Bath. My dissertation investigated dopamine regulation of cigarette cravings and attentional bias for smoking related cues in heavy smokers. I have additionally worked as a research assistant on projects examining health and ethnicity, online learning in psychology & emotional processing and antidepressants.

Expertise

My research interests are in the cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms that underpin the initiation, maintenance and cessation of addictive behaviours. My current research examines the role of specific cognitions (e.g. inhibitory control, attentional bias) and their underlying neural mechanisms in social drinkers. My dissertation investigated dopamine regulation of cigarette cravings and attentional bias for smoking related cues in heavy smokers. I have additionally worked as a research assistant on projects examining health and ethnicity, online learning in psychology & emotional processing and antidepressants.

Memberships

Organisations

School of Experimental Psychology

Experimental Psychology staff

• Experimental Psychology research staff

Research themes

• Brain, Behaviour, and Health

Research groups

• Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group

Recent publications

• Adams, S & Munafò, MR 2013, ‘Will peak provoked craving prove superior to cue-reactivity?’. Addiction (Abingdon, England), vol 108., pp. 1027-8
• Attwood, AS, Rogers, PJ, Ataya, AF, Adams, S & Munafò, MR 2012, ‘Effects of caffeine on alcohol-related changes in behavioural control and perceived intoxication in light caffeine consumers’. Psychopharmacology, vol 221., pp. 551-60
• Adams, S, Ataya, AF, Attwood, AS & Munafò, MR 2012, ‘Effects of alcohol on disinhibition towards alcohol-related cues’. Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
• Ataya, AF, Adams, S, Mullings, E, Cooper, RM, Attwood, AS & Munafo, MR 2012, ‘Methodological considerations in cognitive bias research: The next steps’. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol 124., pp. 191-192
• Adams, S, Ataya, A, Attwood, A & Munafo, M 2012, ‘Effects of acute alcohol consumption on alcohol-related cognitive biases in light and heavy drinkers are task-dependent’. Journal of Psychopharmacology, vol 26., pp. 245 - 253
• Ataya, A, Adams, S, Emma, M, M., CR, Attwood, A & Munafo, M 2011, ‘Internal reliability of measures of substance-related cognitive bias’. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, vol 121., pp. 148 - 151

View complete publications list in the University of Bristol publications system