Peter Finn, a clinical psychologist, will focus on the reduction of risky behavior in people prone to impulsive or anti-social behavior or who are prone to early onset alcoholism, according to the University.
In particular, Finn will focus on the role of memory in impulse decision making.
The grant comes particularly from NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
The study seeks to establish whether cognitive training can enhance decision-making abilities.
Cognitive training has been used for treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, obsessive compulsive disorder, memory loss and serious depression, according to the University.
While the study is not a clinical trial, Finn said in a University press release that it has the potential to impact future treatment.
Finn is a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. He earned his Ph.D. from McGill University in 1988.
His research in the past has been in three areas.
Apart from research in cognitive and motivational processes in substance abuse, Finn also researched working memory and self regulation and disinhibitory processes in personality.
Finn and his team will look at three different groups. Two will be adults whose alcohol abuse began before age 20.
One of these two will be people with a history of impulsive behavior.
The third group will be people with no history of substance abuse, according to the University.
The study will have two parts, one looking at the effect of an intentional refocusing technique on working memory and the other at the effectiveness of a working memory training program.
Finn also said the study may have important effects on relapse in alcoholism.
“Our work shows that there’s a common vulnerability to substance use disorders, ADHD and antisocial personality disorder,” Finn said in the release. “All are associated with similar problems with impulsive and risky decision-making and a low-working memory capacity.”
Anna Hyzy
