The Substance Use and Appetite Research Group investigates the social, biological and cognitive drivers of substance and appetitive behaviours. With a view to improving strategies for promoting successful behaviour change, we examine the psychological and social processes shaping alcohol, consumption of substances and food, as well as studying the consequences of intake across the lifespan.
Our research is facilitated by a state-of-the-art simulation laboratory which enables us to explore the effects of intoxication in a bar-like environment, meaning that our findings better represent the contexts in which people consume alcohol, and subsequent interventions can be effectively designed to work in real world settings.
The Substance Use andAppetite Research Group is a member of the Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, connected to Liverpool Health Partners. The Substance Use and Appetite Research group is a member of the Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, connected to Liverpool Health Partners. We also work across various sectors including public, health, education and charities to influence practice, policy, and public engagement. Our work is regional, national and international in its context and reach. We collaborate with colleagues in the UK, Ghana, US, France, China, Australia, Spain, and Singapore.
Our Facilities
We use a variety of research methods in both laboratory and real-world settings that include:
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS)
Eye-tracking
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)/ Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
Real-time examination of substance use behaviours, and cognitions, using field observation techniques, interviews, questionnaires and specifically-designed Smartphone apps
Alcohol administration
Blood, hair and saliva analyses under the Human Tissue Act (in accordance with Edge Hill University’s Human Tissue Act Committee)
Bar Lab
Our purpose-built bar lab is a simulated environment to help us assess how environmental cues affect how we think and behave around alcohol consumption
Key projects
Mis)intentions and behaviour – how does alcohol affect theory of mind
Dr Adam Qureshi and Professor Rebecca Monk
Theory of mind (ToM), the ability to understand that people have different beliefs and knowledge to oneself, is key to social interaction. This includes being able to detect sarcasm, faux pas and deception within interactions. However, there has been little research on how and if ToM is affected by alcohol consumption (though see Monk et al., 2023), and how being drunk may make individuals susceptible to deception or more likely to misinterpret intentions. It is also not yet understood how contextual cues and social interactions may further impact ToM capacity while intoxicated. Misinterpretation of social cues can be a key factor in confrontations (Sprung et al., 2022), and in light of the concerns and costs associated with violence in the nighttime economy (Philpot et al., 2019). Research in this area is therefore needed and projects in this area could use a range of tasks to measure facets of ToM using different methodologies (cognitive-behavioural tasks (e.g. Monk et al., 2023), video vignettes, eye-tracking, facial electromyography, transcranial magnetic stimulation) to assess if and how alcohol consumption affects ToM, with an overall aim to relate this to real world (mis)behaviours.
Featured projects
Research Group Coordinator, Dr JoAnne Puddephatt outlines the work of the Substance Use and Appetite Research Group and how you can get involved.
Our research is being used to inform community initiatives and support. Specifically this relates to supporting people who may be coming off recreational drugs such as heroin and also about issues relating to alcohol consumption.
How to reduce your substance use
What our research says about alcohol consumption
Our research into alcohol has produced some general insights listed below. However, these are general points. When it comes to you as an individual, always consider the importance of discussing their relevance with those who are supporting you.
Your expectations of the effects of drinking alcohol play an important role in determining whether you start a drinking episode, and how much you actually consume. (see [2, 7, 10])Both the sight and smell of alcohol can lead to an increase in consumption beyond what you initially intended (see [3, 6])
The context in which you consume alcohol can play an important role in how much you actually consume, sometimes leading to consumption beyond what was originally intended (see [2, 5])Pictures of alcohol can influence changes in the amount of food we eat and the amount of non-alcoholic drinks we consume. (see [3])
Heavy social drinking can be related to impairments in memory (see [14])
How alcohol is assessed and treated within community mental healthcare services, and how to tailor these to meet the needs of minority ethnic service users and staff . Read more here.
What our research says about coming off heroin
Wanting to stop because you have legal problems, or cannot afford to use it, does not generally help you come off and stay off heroin. Always discuss your readiness for withdrawal carefully with the professional workers supporting you before making any withdrawal attempt (see [13]).
Confidence that you can come off heroin and stay off can be a good predictor that you may succeed. Always discuss your readiness for withdrawal carefully with the professional workers supporting you before making any withdrawal attempt (see [1, 3, 13]).
Going through a withdrawal programme before you are ready is unlikely to be successful. Always discuss your readiness for withdrawal carefully with the professional workers supporting you before making any withdrawal attempt (see [1, 4]).
It is better to stay on maintenance until you are ready to try to withdraw, with appropriate support. Your feelings of dependence upon your maintenance treatment can be a good indicator of how ready you are for withdrawal. Always discuss your readiness for withdrawal carefully with the professional workers supporting you before making any withdrawal attempt (see [1, 4]).
Coming out of prison is a point of high risk for death by overdose. You will have lost your tolerance to heroin, and may be keen to ‘make up for lost time’. What was previously a normal dose may now kill you. Seek professional help if you do not believe you can stay off heroin in this situation (see [4]).
Bases in the research for our summary points
The reference numbers cited above as providing a research base for each summary point refer to the research publications listed below. Each of these publications appears in a technical scientific publication and provide the scientific basis for the summary points given above. Although you may consult these publications using appropriate library facilities, you can also obtain more information through email. We will respond to your enquiry in a confidential manner.
Further resources
Below are some further resources which you may wish to seek out:
Mackridge, A. K., Krska, J., Stokes, E. C., & Heim, D. (2015). Towards improving service delivery in screening and intervention services in community pharmacies: A case study of an alcohol IBA service. Journal of Public Health, 2015, doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdv010.
Monk, R.L., Heim, D., Qureshi, A., & Price, A. (2015). “I have no clue what I drunk last night” Using Smartphone technology to compare in-vivo and retrospective self-reports of alcohol consumption. PLoS ONE.
Fisk, J.E., Murphy, P.N., Montgomery C., & Hadjiefthyvoulou, F. (2011). Modelling the adverse effects associated with ecstasy use. Addiction, 106, 798-805.
Murphy, P.N., Wareing, M. and Fisk, J.E. (2006). Users’ perceptions of the risks and effects of taking MDMA (Ecstasy). Journal of Psychopharmacology, 20, 447-455
Coverage of work by Professor Rebecca Monk, Professor Derek Heim and Dr Adam Qureshi has featured widely in national and international radio and media, including BBC Breakfast, The Guardian, The Independent, The Daily Star (front page), The Daily Mail, Forbes, The Daily Express GQ.
