Project Title: Neural Correlates of Inhibition Control and Reward Processes.

Investigators:

Ms Evelyn Chen, Ms. Alice Crole, and A/Prof Rob Hester

School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne.

Project Description:

We are looking for right-handed smokers, aged between 18 – 45, who smoke more than 15 cigarettes per day for at least the last 2 years

You are invited to participate in a study that will examine the relationship between our ability to deliberately control or suppress our behaviour, and our sensitivity to reward (desire or motivation for a particular behaviour). The study utilises a go/no go task under different conditions to examine the interplay of reward sensitivity, and inhibition control, and whether differences in behaviour are reflected in brain activity differences measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

There are two sessions involved. The first session takes place at the University of Melbourne, Parkville, and will involve you making simple judgments on a series of images displayed on a computer screen. In the second session, you will do this task inside a MRI scanner while we take images of your brain at the MRI scanner based within the Royal Children’s Hospital. To assess eligibility for the study, we will also ask you to complete questionnaires about your drug use behavior, as well as current and past medical and psychiatric history.

You will be reimbursed $20 per hour for your time and additional payment commensurate with performance on tasks providing monetary rewards.

MRI Brain Imaging: MRI is a standard non-invasive procedure for taking images of the brain and has no known risks for people who have no metal in their body. You can also choose to receive a disc containing the images of your brain.

This experiment follows guidelines of the National Health and Medical Research Council statement on human experimentation and adheres to the ethical review process of the University of Melbourne.

For further information, or to volunteer to take part in the study, contact:

Evelyn Chen

School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne.

E-mail: eche@student.unimelb.edu.au