Our Research

We are currently conducting a number of research projects in the KU BEAN Lab and in collaboration with our colleagues at the University of Kansas and other institutions. ​This list of projects is intended to be an overview of our studies. If you would like to learn more about a specific area, please contact Dr. Amlung by email. 

Using behavioral economics to investigate decision-making in addictive disorders

Several of our projects have utilized a behavioral economics approach to investigate trait and state-level influences on motivation for alcohol and other drugs and impulsive decision-making. This work relies on the concepts of behavioral economic demand--the quantitative relationship between cost of a commodity (alcohol, tobacco, etc) and consumption--and delayed reward discounting--preferences for immediate vs. delayed rewards. We have shown previously that demand for alcohol is dynamically increased by alcohol-related environmental cues related to alcohol and also by acute stress. 

We are continuing this work by exploring the neural correlates of alcohol demand decision making (described below) and the impact of next-day responsibilities on alcohol demand decisions. In collaboration with Dr. Derek Reed and others, we are utilizing behavioral economic methods to examine co-use of alcohol and vaping (electronic nicotine delivery systems; ENDS).

Investigating functional brain activation associated with alcohol demand and delay discounting

We are currently funded (2019-2025)  by an R01 grant from NIAAA to use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the neural correlates of  state-based increases and decreases in alcohol demand in heavy drinkers. These studies are focused on two established factors that influence alcohol demand, including increases in alcohol demand in the presence of alcohol-related cues, and decreases in alcohol demand in the presence of important next-day responsibilities. This study is being conducted at the University of Kansas and McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. 

Laboratory, crowdsourcing, and ecological momentary assessment studies of alcohol and cannabis use. 

The lab has a long history of conducting laboratory and crowdsourcing studies of behavioral economic facets related to alcohol and cannabis use. These studies use lab methods such as alcohol and cannabis cue exposures. Our crowdsourced projects have explored next-day responsibilities and other contextual factors (e.g., drug use situations, driving after cannabis or alcohol use). We recently launched new projects using ecological momentary assessment and daily diary methods to measure reinforcing value and engagement in alcohol and cannabis use in the natural environment (in collaboration with Drs. Sarah Weinsztok and Noah Emery).

Examining novel structural brain markers of alcohol use disorder
Chronic alcohol use is associated with substantial negative effects on the structure and function of the brain. From 2018-2021, our lab was funded by an R21 grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism  to use structural MRI to investigate the role of intracortical myelin in the neuropathology of alcohol use disorders. We have also examined examining associations between brain structure (cortical thickness, gray matter volume) and neurocognitive functioning among heavy drinkers using data from the Human Connectome Project. 

Other collaborative projects
Examples of studies that we are conducting with colleagues at KU, McMaster University, and other institutions include:

• Examining substance-free alternative activities as behavioral economic substitutes for drug and alcohol use, with the goal of improving personalization of reinforcement-based interventions (with Dr. Sarah Weinsztok)
• Examining trajectories of alcohol and cannabis use among emerging adults (with Dr. James MacKillop and Dr. James Murphy)
• Examining neural correlates of alcohol demand among people with alcohol use disorder and changes in demand following a brief motivational intervention (with Dr. Lawrence Sweet and Dr. James MacKillop)
• Examining behavioral economic predictors of actual cannabis use in the laboratory (with Dr. Elizabeth Aston)
• Examining the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on decision making, alcohol motivation, and decisions to drink and drive (with Dr. Denis McCarthy)