Dr. Gillinder Bedi is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, and a Research Scientist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She completed undergraduate and graduate training at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Her graduate research investigated relationships between ecstasy and cannabis use and cognitive function. Following graduate school, Dr. Bedi moved from Australia to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Harriet de Wit at the University of Chicago. In Chicago, she received training in the design and conduct of acute drug challenge studies investigating the effects of drugs of abuse in humans. Her postdoctoral research focused on characterizing the unusual emotional and social effects of acute MDMA (ecstasy) intoxication in humans. This research program used pharmaco-MRI, behavioral, and phenomenological research methods. During her fellowship, Dr. Bedi developed an abiding interest in the use of techniques from social psychology and social neuroscience to better understand the effects of commonly abused drugs. Dr. Bedi joined the Division of Substance Abuse at Columbia University in 2009. In her current position, she is working with Dr. Margaret Haney on projects investigating the behavioral and reinforcing effects of cocaine and marijuana in chronic drug users. She aims to expand her use of fMRI and phMRI methods, in combination with behavioral approaches, to investigate chronic and acute effects of drugs of abuse. Current research interests include:
Effects of Drugs on Social Processing and Behavior. Most drugs are used in a social context, yet very little is understood about relationships between drug use and social processing and behavior. Research in animals indicates that social contexts can alter the effects of some drugs, and that some abused substances alter social behavior, both acutely and in the longer term. Recent developments in social neuroscience allow the examination of neural mechanisms underlying social behavior in humans. However, these approaches have not been commonly employed in the addictions field. Dr. Bedi is currently designing studies that will investigate interactions between drug use and social processing and behavior in humans. Initial studies will include:
Social Processing in Aging Cocaine Users. Very little is understood about the functional status or treatment needs of aging substance users in general, and cocaine smokers in particular. This study will employ behavioral, cognitive, and fMRI methods to assess social functioning in this understudied population.
Acute Effects of MDMA and THC on Social Processing. Dr. Bedi’s postdoctoral research indicated that MDMA alters social processing in humans. A small body of literature suggests that cannabinoids also change responses to social material. This is consistent with the apparent involvement of the endocannabinoid system in processing emotionally-relevant stimuli. This research will build on earlier findings to better characterize acute effects of MDMA and THC on social processing.
email
GB2326@columbia.edu
