Current Research | Psychology | SIU

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Current Research

Student research subject surrounded by lab workersMost of Gilbert’s research has focused on an integrative perspective that involves the characterization of individual differences in genetic and temperamental characteristics to the effects of nicotine and marijuana on mood, attention, task performance, and brain activity.

Professor Gilbert is studying how nicotine and smoking cessation influence activity in different parts of the brain.

Current Projects Include Assessing:

  • Older Smoker quit smoking study using nutritional supplements that may help with concentration, craving and withdrawal
  • Treatment sampling study (try out four quit strategies for a brief period then quit with your preferred method) for older and younger smokers
  • How individual differences in brain activity and volume, genetics, personality, reward sensitivity, and response to nicotine predict changes in smoking patterns across 18 months in young light smokers.
  • Effects of quitting smoking and genetic polymorphism associated with Alzheimer’s diseases (APOE 4) on task-related brain activity.
  • Changes in regional brain activity and connectivity associated with the ability of nicotine to reduce responses to stress.
  • Acute effects of quitting smoking on moment-to-moment changes among regional brain structure communication network activity.

David G. Gilbert continues his research and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students.  Across his career at SIUC Gilbert has generated some $13,649,820 in combined direct and indirect costs ($3,324,487 indirect).  He has also provided training in psychophysiological research methods, psychopharmacology, and rigorous research methods to undergraduates and faculty.  Approximately 20 undergraduates from his lab have gone on to receive their MD, another 20 their PhD, and many others to other graduate and professional programs.

Dr. Gilbert collaborates with researchers at Harvard University (Diego Pizzagalli, PhD), the University of Pittsburgh (Saul Shiffman, PhD), Kansas State University (Michaele Young, PhD), the Medical University of South Carolina (Brett Froeliger, PhD), and St. Louis University Medical School (Michele Pergadia, PhD).