Staff profile

Research Interests

My research is guided by the questions what motivates human behaviour and how motivation and reward are implemented in the neural architecture of the human brain. To study the “motivated brain”, I am using fMRI, real-time fMRI-based neurofeedback as well as behavioural techniques and computational modelling. Currently, my research focuses on:

(i) Neural processes and behavioural dynamics elicited by salient visual reward cues, for instance, pictures showing appetitive food or drugs.

See an example of this research in:

Ihssen, N., Cox, W.M., Wiggett, A., Fadardi, J.S. & Linden, D.E.J. (2011). Differentiating heavy from light drinkers by neural responses to visual alcohol cues and other motivational stimuli. Cerebral Cortex 21(6): 1408-1415.

(ii) The question whether and how visual cue reactivity, ‘wanting’ and craving can be altered by neurofeedback-guided self-regulation

Example:

Ihssen, N., Sokunbi, M. O., Lawrence, A. D., Lawrence, N. S. & Linden, D. E. J. (2017). Neurofeedback of visual food cue reactivity: a potential avenue to alter incentive sensitization and craving. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 11(3), 915-924.

(iii) Social factors affecting reward and reward learning

Example:

Ihssen, N., Mussweiler, T. & Linden, D. E. J. (2016). Observing others stay or switch - How social prediction errors are integrated into reward reversal learning. Cognition 153: 19-32.

• Quantitative Social Psychology

• 2016: Flexible and habitual mechanisms of human navigation(£338813.44 from ESRC)

Journal Article

• Wadsley, Michael & Ihssen, Niklas (2023). A Systematic Review of Structural and Functional MRI Studies Investigating Social Networking Site Use. Brain Sciences 13(5): 787.
• Wadsley, Michael & Ihssen, Niklas (2022). The roles of implicit approach motivation and explicit reward in excessive and problematic use of social networking sites. PLOS ONE 17(3): e0264738.
• Wadsley, Michael, Covey, Judith & Ihssen, Niklas (2022). The Predictive Utility of Reward-Based Motives Underlying Excessive and Problematic Social Networking Site Use. Psychological Reports 125(5): 2485–2516.
• Leszkowicz, Emilia, Maio, Gregory R., Linden, David E. J. & Ihssen, Niklas (2021). Neural coding of human values is underpinned by brain areas representing the core self in the cortical midline region. Social Neuroscience 16(5): 486-499.
• Buckley, Matthew G., Austen, Joe M., Myles, Liam A.M., Smith, Shamus, Ihssen, Niklas, Lew, Adina R. & McGregor, Anthony (2021). The effects of spatial stability and cue type on spatial learning: Implications for theories of parallel memory systems. Cognition 214: 104802.
• Subramanian, Leena, Skottnik, Leon, Cox, W. Miles, Luhrs, Michael, McNamara, Rachel, Hood, Kerry, Watson, Gareth, Whittaker, Joseph R., Williams, Angharad N., Sakhuja, Raman, Ihssen, Niklas Goebel, Rainer, Playle, Rebecca & Linden, David E.J. (2021). Neurofeedback Training versus Treatment-as-Usual for Alcohol Dependence: Results of an Early-Phase Randomized Controlled Trial and Neuroimaging Correlates. European Addiction Research 27(5): 381-394.
• Ihssen, Niklas & Wadsley, Michael (2021). A Reward and Incentive-Sensitization Perspective on Compulsive Use of Social Networking Sites - Wanting but not Liking Predicts Checking Frequency and Problematic Use Behavior. Addictive Behaviors 116: 106808.
• Lancaster, Thomas M., Dimitriadis, Stavros L., Tansey, Katherine E., Perry, Gavin, Ihssen, Niklas, Jones, Derek K., Singh, Krish D., Holmans, Peter, Pocklington, Andrew, Davey Smith, George, Zammit, Stan, Hall, Jeremy, O’Donovan, Michael C., Owen, Michael J. & Linden, David E. (2019). Structural and Functional Neuroimaging of Polygenic Risk for Schizophrenia: A Recall-by-Genotype–Based Approach. Schizophrenia Bulletin 45(2): 405-414.
• Sykes, Lucy, Haddon, Josephine, Lancaster, Thomas M., Sykes, Arabella, Azzouni, Karima, Ihssen, Niklas, Moon, Anna L., Lin, Tzu-Ching E., Linden, David E., Owen, Michael J., O'Donovan, Michael C., Humby, Trevor, Wilkinson, Lawrence S., Thomas, Kerrie L. & Hall, Jeremy (2019). Genetic Variation in the Psychiatric Risk Gene CACNA1C Modulates Reversal Learning Across Species. Schizophrenia Bulletin 45(5): 1024-1032.
• Kedia, Gayannee, Mussweiler, Thomas, Adam, Ruth, Ischebeck, Anja, Ihssen, Niklas & Linden, David E. J. (2019). So pretty! The neural correlates of self-other vs familiar-other attractiveness comparisons. Social Neuroscience 14(1): 41-52.
• Lancaster, Thomas M., Ihssen, Niklas, Brindley, Lisa M. & Linden, David E. J. (2018). Preliminary evidence for genetic overlap between body mass index and striatal reward response. Translational Psychiatry 8: 19.
• Humpston, Clara S., Evans, Lisa H., Teufel, Christoph, Ihssen, Niklas & Linden, David E. J. (2017). Evidence of absence: no relationship between behaviourally measured prediction error response and schizotypy. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry 22(5): 373-390.
• Lancaster, T. M., Ihssen, N., Brindley, L. M. & Linden, D. E. J. (2017). Further support for association between GWAS variant for positive emotion and reward systems. Translational Psychiatry 7(1): e1018.
• Ihssen, N., Sokunbi, M. O., Lawrence, A. D., Lawrence, N. S. & Linden, D. E. J. (2017). Neurofeedback of visual food cue reactivity: a potential avenue to alter incentive sensitization and craving. Brain Imaging and Behavior 11(3): 915-924.
• Leszkowicz, E., Linden, D. E. J., Maio, G. R. & Ihssen, N. (2017). Neural evidence of motivational conflict between social values. Social Neuroscience 12(5): 494-505.
• Zacharopoulus, G., Hanel, P. H. P., Lancaster, T. M., Ihssen, N., Drakesmith, M., Foley, S., Maio, G. R. & Linden, D. E. J. (2017). Nonlinear associations between human values and neuroanatomy. Social Neuroscience 12(6): 673-684.
• Cox, W. M., Subramanian, L., Linden, D. E. J., Luehrs, M., McNamara, R., Playle, R., Hood, K., Watson, G., Whittaker, J. R., Sakhuja, R. & Ihssen, N. (2016). Neurofeedback training for alcohol dependence versus treatment as usual: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 17(1): 480.
• Zacharopoulos, G, Lancaster, T M, Bracht, T, Ihssen, N, Maio, G R & Linden, D E J (2016). A Hedonism Hub in the Human Brain. Cerebral Cortex 26(10): 3921-3927.
• Ihssen, N., Mussweiler, T. & Linden, D. E. J. (2016). Observing others stay or switch - How social prediction errors are integrated into reward reversal learning. Cognition 153: 19-32.
• Habes, I., Rushton, S., Johnston, S. J., Sokunbi, M. O., Barawi, K., Brosnan, M., Daly, T., Ihssen, N. & Linden, D. E. J. (2016). fMRI neurofeedback of higher visual areas and perceptual biases. Neuropsychologia 85: 208-215.
• Lancaster, T.M., Ihssen, N., Brindley, L.M., Tansey, K.E., Mantripragada, K., O'Donovan, M.C., Owen, M.J. & Linden, D.E.J. (2016). Associations between polygenic risk for schizophrenia and brain function during probabilistic learning in healthy individuals. Human Brain Mapping 37(2): 491-500.
• Ihssen, N., Linden, D.E.J., Miller, C.E. & Shapiro, K.L. (2015). Neural mechanisms underlying visual short-term memory gain for temporally distinct objects. Cerebral Cortex 25(8): 2149-2159.
• Sokunbi, M.O., Linden, D.E.J., Habes, I., Johnston, S. & Ihssen, N. (2014). Real-time fMRI brain-computer interface: development of a "motivational feedback" subsystem for the regulation of visual cue reactivity. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 8: 392.
• Kedia, G., Lindner, M., Mussweiler, T., Ihssen, N. & Linden, D.E.J. (2013). Brain networks of social comparison. NeuroReport 24(5): 259-264.
• Heim, S., Ihssen, N., Hasselhorn, M. & Keil, A. (2013). Early adolescents show sustained susceptibility to cognitive interference by emotional distractors. Cognition & Emotion 27(4): 696-706.
• Ihssen, N. & Keil, A. (2013). Accelerative and decelerative effects of hedonic valence and emotional arousal during visual scene processing. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 66(7): 1276-1301.
• Keil, J., Mueller, N., Ihssen, N. & Weisz, N. (2012). On the variability of the McGurk effect: Audiovisual integration depends on prestimulus brain states. Cerebral Cortex 22(1): 221-231.
• Ihssen, N., Cox, W.M., Wiggett, A., Fadardi, J.S. & Linden, D.E.J. (2011). Differentiating heavy from light drinkers by neural responses to visual alcohol cues and other motivational stimuli. Cerebral Cortex 21(6): 1408-1415.
• Keil, A. Bradley, M. M., Ihssen, N. Heim, S. Vila, J. Guerra, P. & Lang, P. J. (2010). Defensive engagement and perceptual enhancement. Neuropsychologia 48(12): 3580-3584.
• Ihssen, N., Linden, D. E. J. & Shapiro, K. L. (2010). Improving visual short-term memory by sequencing the stimulus array. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 17(5): 680.