Styliani Vlachou
Dr
Dr. Stella Vlachou, B.Sc., Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in Psychology in the School of Psychology, Dublin City University (DCU), and Director of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit of the Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory at DCU. She is also the Associate Dean for External Engagement and Internationalisation at the Faculty of Science and Health since September 2021. She was the Chairperson of the BSc in Psychology Programme at DCU from July 2018 until September 2022.
She received her BSc in Psychology from the Department of Psychology, University of Crete, Greece, in 2001 (graduated 1st in the School of Social Sciences). In 2006, she received her Ph.D. in Neuropsychopharmacology from the Department of Psychology at the University of Crete, Greece, under the supervision of Dr. George Panagis, Associate Professor in Biopsychology. Her Ph.D. dissertation focused on the role of the endogenous cannabinoid system on behaviour and reward mechanisms. During her Ph.D. studies, Dr. Vlachou also investigated the effects of cannabinoid compounds on cocaine- and alcohol-induced reinforcement as an EU Marie-Curie Pre-doctoral Fellow (supervisor Professor David N. Stephens, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, 2003). Towards the end of her Ph.D. studies, she worked as a researcher in a collaborative project with the pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Departments of Pharmacology of the Medical Schools of the Universities of Athens, Ioannina and Heraklion (all three are Universities in Greece) to conduct research on the analgesic, psychomotor and psychotropic effects of novel cannabinoid analogs.
From 2007 until 2011, Dr. Vlachou worked as a Post-doctoral Research Fellow in the laboratory of Professor Athina Markou at the Department of Psychiatry of the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), extensively investigating the role of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission in nicotine dependence through a collaborative grant received from the National Institute of Health (NIH, USA). More specifically, she examined the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid B (GABAB) receptor compounds on the reinforcing effects of nicotine or the depression-like aspects of nicotine withdrawal. Further, in 2009, Dr. Vlachou received a post-doctoral fellowship award from the State of California (Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program) to investigate the effects of GABA in impulsivity and nicotine dependence.
Dr. Vlachou joined the BSc in Psychology Programme (previously in the School of Nursing and Human Sciences; SNHS) at DCU in September 2011.
Since 2011, she has been the Module Co-Ordinator for: NS125 Biological Psychology 1; NS228 Biological Psychology 2; NS144 Philosophy of Psychology;
NS337 Psychopharmacology; NS4539 Behavioural Neuroscience Methods (2011-2018); NS4531 Psychology Individual Research Project.
Other Internal Academic Roles - University Committee Memberships:
Previously-
Ethics Advisory Committee, SNHS, DCU (2014-2016)
Research Committee, SNHS, DCU (2014-2018)
Co-ordinator of the Undergraduate Student Summer Internship Scheme (2015-2018), SNHS, DCU
International Convenor, School of Psychology (2019-2023)
Book Chapter
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Styliani Vlachou (2018) 'Nicotine: neurobiology, pharmacology, effects and therapeutic approaches' In: Crete University Press. Crete, Greece : Crete University Press. [Link] | |
| 2011 | Vlachou S., Markou A. (2011) 'Intracranial self-stimulation * This is a book chapter/invited review for Neuromethods' In: Olmstead M.C(Eds.). Neuromethods. : 0. [DOI] | |
| 2010 | Vlachou S., Markou A. (2010) 'GABA-B receptors in reward processes.*This is a book chapter/invited review for Advances in Pharmacology' In: ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY. San Diego, CA, USA : Academic Press. [DOI] |
Peer Reviewed Journal
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Styliani Vlachou (2022) 'GABAB Receptors and Cognitive Processing in Health and Disease'. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, 52 :291-329. [DOI] | |
| 2020 | Eamon Jones, Styliani Vlachou (2020) 'A Critical Review of the Role of the Cannabinoid Compounds Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) and their Combination in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment'. Molecules, 25 (21). [DOI] | |
| 2015 | O (2015) 'Enhancing glutamatergic transmission during adolescence reverses early-life stress-induced deficits in the rewarding effects of cocaine in rats'. Neuropharmacology, 99 . [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Panagis, G; Mackey, B; Vlachou, S (2014) 'Cannabinoid Regulation of Brain Reward Processing with an Emphasis on the Role of CB1 Receptors: A Step Back into the Future'. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 5 . [DOI] | |
| 2011 | Vlachou S., Guery S., Froestl W., Banerjee D., Benedict J., Finn M.G., Markou A. (2011) 'Repeated administration of the GABA-B receptor positive modulator BHF177 decreased nicotine self-administration, and acute administration decreased cue-induced reinstatement of nicotine seeking in rats'. Psychopharmacology, 215 :117-128. [DOI] | |
| 2011 | Vlachou S., Paterson N.E., Guery S., Kaupmann K., Froestl W., Banerjee D., Finn M.G., Markou A. (2011) 'Both GABA-B receptor activation and blockade exacerbated anhedonic aspects of nicotine withdrawal in rats'. European Journal of Pharmacology, 655 :52-58. [DOI] | |
| 2008 | Panagis, G., Vlachou, S., and Nomikos, G.G. (2008) 'Behavioral pharmacology of cannabinoids with a focus on preclinical models for studying reinforcing and dependence-inducing properties'. Current drug abuse reviews, 1 :350-374. | |
| 2008 | Vlachou S., Stamatopoulou F., Nomikos G.G., Panagis G. (2008) 'Enhancement of endocannabinoid neurotransmission through CB1 cannabinoid receptors counteracts the reinforcing and psychostimulant effects of cocaine'. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 11 :905-923. [DOI] | |
| 2008 | Paterson N.E., Vlachou S., Guery S., Kaupmann K., Froestl W., Markou A. (2008) 'Positive modulation of GABA-B receptors decreased nicotine self-administration and counteracted nicotine-induced enhancement of brain reward function in rats'. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 326 :306-314. [DOI] | |
| 2007 | Vlachou S., Nomikos G.G., Stephens D.N., Panagis G. (2007) 'Lack of evidence for appetitive effects of Ä9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the intracranial self-stimulation and conditioned place preference procedures in rodents'. Behavioural Pharmacology, 18 :311-319. [DOI] | |
| 2006 | Vlachou S., Nomikos G.G., Panagis G. (2006) 'Effects of endocannabinoid neurotransmission enhancers on brain stimulation reward'. Psychopharmacology, 188 :293-305. [DOI] | |
| 2005 | Vlachou S., Nomikos G.G., Panagis G. (2005) 'CB1 cannabinoid receptor agonists increase intracranial self-stimulation thresholds in the rat'. Psychopharmacology, 179 :498-508. [DOI] | |
| 2005 | Antoniou K., Galanopoulos A., Vlachou S., Nahmias V., Thermos K., Panagis G., Daifoti Z., Marselos M., Papahatjis D., Spyraki C. (2005) 'Behavioral pharmacological properties of a novel cannabinoid 1’,1’-dithiolane Ä8-THC analogue, AMG-3'. Behavioural Pharmacology, 16 :499-510. [DOI] | |
| 2003 | Vlachou S., Nomikos G.G., Panagis G. (2003) 'WIN 55,212-2 decreases the reinforcing actions of cocaine through CB1 cannabinoid receptor stimulation'. BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH, 141 :215-222. [DOI] |
Conference Contribution
Editorial
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Ehlers, Cindy L.; Pergadia, Michele L.; Stoker, Astrid K.; Vlachou, Styliani (2018) Contribution to Mentorship and Promoting Women in Science. ED [DOI] |
Other Publication
| Year | Publication | |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Jacobson, L.H.; Vlachou, S.; Slattery, D.A.; Li, X.; Cryan, J.F. (2018) The Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid B Receptor in Depression and Reward. [Link] [DOI] | |
| 2013 | Vlachou, Styliani; Campos, Angelica; Kaczanowska, Katarzyna; Finn, M. G.; Markou, Athina (2013) EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF THE GABA-B RECEPTOR POSITIVE MODULATOR BHF177 ON NICOTINE SELF-ADMINISTRATION IN HIGH AND LOW IMPULSIVE RATS. [DOI] | |
| 2014 | Vlachou, S.; Panagis, G. (2014) Regulation of brain reward by the endocannabinoid system: A critical review of behavioral studies in animals. [Link] [DOI] |
Professional Associations
Honors and Awards
Reviews
Media
Research Interests
Interactions between drugs of abuse and brain reward systems;
The role of the endogenous cannabinoid system in behaviour and reward;
The role of GABAB receptor compounds on the reinforcing effects of nicotine or the depression-like aspects of nicotine withdrawal; The role of GABAB receptors on neuropsychiatric disorders;
Interactions of drugs of abuse, such as nicotine, cocaine, alcohol and cannabinoids, and their effects in impulsivity and drug dependence during adolescence and adulthood;
Effects of alkaloid and flavonoid compounds on behaviour and drug dependence;
Animal models of sensorimotor disorders.
The Neuropsychopharmacology Unit of the Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory at DCU is actively looking for highly motivated, curious, and enthusiastic research assistants and/or graduate students to help us investigate research questions related to the above topics of interest.
Teaching Interests
- Preclinical Behavioural Neuroscience
- Neuropsychopharmacology
- Animal Models of Addiction, Reward and Cognition
- Psychiatric Disorders, Neuropsychopathology
- History and Philosophy of Psychology
- Comparative Evolutionary Psychology
- Nutritional Psychology
- Final Year Project Co-ordination and Supervision