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Keira Aubin

@keiraaub.bsky.social

PhD student in the PaCT lab University of Calgary Psychedelic and Endo/Cannabinoid research 🧠🍄🍃

14 Posts214 Follower140 Folgt
Leah Mayo@mayoonthebrain.bsky.social · last yr.

New @pact-lab.bsky.social paper out today led by [current postdoc] Gavin Petrie & [former postdoc] Raegan Mazurka exploring how acute alcohol impacts endocannabinoid levels & their relation to the subjective effects of alcohol 🍻 link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Effects of acute alcohol administration on endocannabinoids and relation to subjective effects - Psychopharmacology

Rationale Harmful alcohol use remains a significant global public health challenge. Examining variability in the acute subjective effects of alcohol and related neurobiological mechanisms may advance the understanding of susceptibility to harmful alcohol use. Research suggests the endocannabinoid (eCB) system may play an important role in mediating the reinforcing effects of alcohol. This study examined the relationship between alcohol-induced changes in eCB concentrations and the subjective psychoactive effects of acute alcohol consumption. Method Healthy social drinkers (n = 28, aged 20–35 years) participated in a within-subjects, single-blind, placebo-controlled laboratory alcohol challenge study. Alcohol (0.6 g/kg; with 20% adjustment for women) and placebo sessions were counterbalanced. Subjective alcohol effects were assessed from self-report questionnaires administered pre- and post-dosing, including the Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES), Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ), and Profile of Mood States (POMS). The eCBs, N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide; AEA) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG), were assessed from blood plasma taken throughout the dosing session. Results Acute alcohol was associated with an overall decrease in 2-AG concentrations compared to placebo. Further, we found that a drop in 2-AG concentrations was associated with less drug ‘liking’ and feelings of ‘friendliness’, whereas under placebo conditions, a rise in 2-AG was associated with a smaller decrease in feelings of ‘stimulation’ (e.g., feeling energized, talkative). Alcohol did not significantly affect AEA concentrations. Conclusion Our study provides the first evidence that eCBs may contribute to individual differences in sensitivity to alcohol's reward-related mechanisms by influencing subjective experience, offering insight into the potential role of eCBs in the processes underlying harmful alcohol use.

link.springer.com

Alaina Jaster, PhD@jasteralaina.bsky.social · last yr.

Check out my keynote & Day 1 dispatch of #GRCPsychedelics 🧠 via @psychedelicalpha.bsky.social psychedelicalpha.com/news/dispatc...

Dispatch: The Neurobiology of Psychedelics Gordon Research Conference — Plasticity, Psychotherapy, and Perception (Part 1) - Psychedelic Alpha

Here, we share Dr. Alaina Jaster’s observations from the inaugural Neurobiology of Psychedelics Gordon Research Conference, where leading scientists gathered to explore various realms of psychedelic…

psychedelicalpha.com

Kim Hellemans, she/her@drkimhellemans.bsky.social · 2y ago

📢 Exciting new publication from my PhD student, Tanisse Epp! Did you know university students who abstain from alcohol may face stigma? Tanisse’s new study explores mental health & stigma among students who abstain from or consume alcohol on Canadian campuses. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Mental health, substance use, and stigmatization: A comparison of Canadian university students who abstain from or consume alcohol

While alcohol consumption among young adults in Canadian post-secondary settings has been widely studied, the experiences of students who abstain from…

sciencedirect.com

Matt Hill@cannabrain.bsky.social · 2y ago

New lab paper in collaboration with Nick Gilpin's lab. We examined the distribution of CRHR1 expressing neurons within the basolateral amygdala, their integration in circuits emanating to NAc and CeA and their reactivity to stress. sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Acute stress activates basolateral amygdala neurons expressing corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor type 1 (CRHR1): Topographical distribution and projection-specific activation in male and female...

Although the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and corticotropin releasing hormone receptor type I (CRHR1) signaling are both central to the stress response,…

sciencedirect.com

Matt Hill@cannabrain.bsky.social · 2y ago

OK people, given that it appears we are still arguing about whether Die Hard is indeed a Christmas movie, I am going to do a thread on Christmas movies to detail why this should no longer be up for debate.