Anthony Liguori, Ph.D.

Human Behavioral Pharmacology

The Human Performance Laboratory (HPL) studies the acute effects of psychoactive compounds on mood, body sway, attention, memory, simulated driving, and psychomotor task performance. Our focus has been on such frequently-used compounds as alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and marijuana, alone and in paired combinations. By comparing the results on these tasks, we learn both the psychomotor complexity at which performance is drug-impaired and differences among dose-response curves of various compounds. The HPL also investigates neuropsychological impairment during drug dependence and withdrawal, as well as direct effects of drug use and withdrawal on sleep architecture.