About the Project

This project seeks to understand the neural substrates involved in implicit associative processes through the imaging of drug-relevant memory associations that have been shown to consistently correlate with and predict levels of drug use. To observe neural activity, the project involves functional imaging (fMRI) of marijuana associations during performance on the Implicit Association Test (IAT) among marijuana dependent individuals and a comparison group of healthy controls. By eliciting activation of associative drug-relevant memories through performance on this indirect test of association, it may be possible to increase our understanding of individual differences in associative structures that influence drug use behavior outside of conscious awareness.