Harriet De Wit, PhD

The de Wit laboratory investigates the subjective, behavioral and physiological effects of drugs of abuse in healthy human volunteers. Some studies are designed to identify individual differences and risk factors for excessive use, and others to determine the effects of drugs on mood, psychomotor and cognitive performance, and brain activity. Another major interest is the study of conditioned drug effects, or cues, that influence future drug use.

Concordia University
Montreal Canada
PhD - Experimental Psychology
1981

University of Calgary
Calgary Canada
BA - Psychology
1969

Impact of childhood adversity on acute subjective effects of stimulant and opioid drugs: Evidence from placebo-controlled studies in healthy volunteers.
Impact of childhood adversity on acute subjective effects of stimulant and opioid drugs: Evidence from placebo-controlled studies in healthy volunteers. J Psychopharmacol. 2024 Aug 08; 2698811241268892.
PMID: 39118370

Methamphetamine-induced adaptation of learning rate dynamics depend on baseline performance.
Methamphetamine-induced adaptation of learning rate dynamics depend on baseline performance. bioRxiv. 2024 Jul 08.
PMID: 39026741

Psychedelics in Medicine: Can Evidence Keep Up With Enthusiasm?
Psychedelics in Medicine: Can Evidence Keep Up With Enthusiasm? Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2024 May; 9(5):460-461.
PMID: 38719373

The 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine enhances early visual processing for salient socio-emotional stimuli.
The 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine enhances early visual processing for salient socio-emotional stimuli. Eur J Neurosci. 2024 Jun; 59(12):3224-3235.
PMID: 38637983

Neural complexity is increased after low doses of LSD, but not moderate to high doses of oral THC or methamphetamine.
Neural complexity is increased after low doses of LSD, but not moderate to high doses of oral THC or methamphetamine. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2024 Jun; 49(7):1120-1128.
PMID: 38287172

MDMA enhances positive affective responses to social feedback.
MDMA enhances positive affective responses to social feedback. J Psychopharmacol. 2024 03; 38(3):297-304.
PMID: 38279662

Microdosing Psychedelics: Current Evidence From Controlled Studies.
Microdosing Psychedelics: Current Evidence From Controlled Studies. Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2024 May; 9(5):500-511.
PMID: 38280630

Impulsivity and Psychiatric Diagnoses as Mediators of Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts Among Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury.
Impulsivity and Psychiatric Diagnoses as Mediators of Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts Among Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2024; 36(2):125-133.
PMID: 38192217

Lack of effect of methamphetamine on reward-related brain activity in healthy adults.
Lack of effect of methamphetamine on reward-related brain activity in healthy adults. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2024 Jan; 241(1):181-193.
PMID: 38141075

Unique effects of sedatives, dissociatives, psychedelics, stimulants, and cannabinoids on episodic memory: A review and reanalysis of acute drug effects on recollection, familiarity, and metamemory.
Unique effects of sedatives, dissociatives, psychedelics, stimulants, and cannabinoids on episodic memory: A review and reanalysis of acute drug effects on recollection, familiarity, and metamemory. Psychol Rev. 2024 Mar; 131(2):523-562.
PMID: 38095937

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Lifetime Achievement Award
Research Society on Alcoholism
2020

John F. Lemieux Medal for Distinguished Alumni
Concordia University, Montreal
2020

Distinguished Achievement Award
European Behavioural Pharmacology Society
2019

Distinguished Lecturer, Elizabeth Fitzgerald Sporar Endowment Distinguished Initiatives in Addiction
University of Texas
2016

Marian W. Fischman Memorial Lectureship Award
College of Problems on Drug Dependence
2009

Solvay Award for Outstanding Basic Psychopharmacological Research in Affective Disorders
American Psychological Association
1999