Keywords

substance use disorders • personality disorders • mood disorders • impulsivity • PET • MRI • vulnerability

Research Focus

The focus of my research is the neurobiology of addictions and addiction-related psychiatric disorders. By using state-of-the-art brain imaging tools, we have identified individual differences in the brain that predict differential susceptibility to substance use problems and potential targets for treatment.

Selected Publications

Click on to see my current publications list

• Jaworska N, Cox SML, Tippler M, Castellanos-Ryan N, Benkelfat C, Parent S, Dagher A, Vitaro F, Boivin M, Pihl RO, Côté S, Tremblay RE, Séguin JR, Leyton M. Extra-striatal dopamine2/3 receptor availability in youth at-risk for addictions. Neuropsychopharmacology In press.

• Vosberg D, Leyton M, Flores C. The netrin-1/DCC guidance system: dopamine pathway maturation and psychiatric disorders emerging in adolescence. Molecular Psychiatry 2020;25(2):297-307. PMID: 31659271.

• Leyton M, Vezina P. Dopamine ups and downs in vulnerability to addictions: a neurodevelopmental model. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 2014;35(6):268-276. PMID: 24794705.

• Casey KF, Benkelfat C, Cherkasova MV, Baker GB, Dagher A, Leyton M. Reduced dopamine response to amphetamine in subjects at ultra high risk for addiction. Biological Psychiatry 2014;76(1):23-30. PMID: 24138922.

• Milella MS, Marengo L, Larcher K, Fotros A, Dagher A, Rosa-Neto P, Benkelfat C, Leyton M. Limbic system mGluR5 availability in cocaine dependent subjects: a high-resolution PET [11C]ABP688 study. NeuroImage 2014;98:195-202. PMID: 24795154.