Ashley Acheson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor while at the The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA)

Center for Addiction Research,

Psychiatric Research Institute,

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Acheson contributed as an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Psychiatry and the Research Imaging Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). During his time with UTHSCSA he completed the KL2 scholar program investigating behavioral and neural mechanism underlying risk for substance use disorders in adolescents.

Throughout his career Dr. Acheson's primary interest has been the examination of the neural substrates of decision-making and impulse control. His foundational work contributed to understanding how these substrates function differentially in drug-abusing and other impulsive populations, either as a result of baseline differences or as consequences of drug use or other influences. This work integrated evidence from both behavioral measures and neuroimaging techniques to better understand risk and vulnerabilities for developing substance use disorders.

Research Interests

Neural Substrates of Decision-Making and Impulse Control
Neural and Cognitive Alterations in Drug Abusers and Vulnerable Populations
Translational Measures of Decision-Making and Impulse Control
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Education

Year	Degree	Major	Institution
2007	Fellowship	Behavioral Neuroscience/Neuroimaging	UTHSCSA
2006	Fellowship	Behavioral Pharmacology	University of Chicago
2004	Ph.D.	Behavioral Neuroscience	University at Buffalo, SUNY

Period of Service

September 2008 - September 2016

Research Projects

Impulsivity and Information Processing in Adolescent Cannabis Abuse (R21-DA020993)
Consequences of Adolescent Substance Use on the Development of Impulse Control (R01-DA026868)

After the NRLC

After concluding his work at UTHSCSA, Dr. Acheson was recruited as an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Presentations/Publications with the NRLC

Reproducibility of tract-based white matter microstructural measures using the ENIGMA-DTI protocol
Acheson, A., Witjtenburg, S. A., Rowland, L. R., Winkler, A., Mathias, C. W., Hong, L. E., Jahanshad, N., Patel, B., Thompson, P.M., McGuire, S.A., Sherman, P. M., Kochunov, P., and Dougherty, D. M. (2017).

Brain and Behavior, 7, 1-10.
Preadolescent sensation seeking and early adolescent stress relate to at-risk adolescents’ substance use by age 15
Charles, N. E., Mathias, C. W., Acheson, A., and Dougherty, D. M. (2017).

Addictive Behaviors, 69, 1-7.
Early adolescent trajectories of impulsiveness and sensation seeking in children of fathers with histories of alcohol and other substance use disorders
Acheson, A., Lake, S. L., Bray, B. C., Liang, Y., Mathias, C. W., Ryan, S. R., Charles, N. E., and Dougherty, D. M. (2016).

Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research,. 40, 2,622-2,630
Acute effects of methylphenidate on impulsivity and attentional behavior in Comorbid ADHD and Conduct Disorder
Dougherty, D. M., Olvera, R. L., Acheson, A., Hill-Kapturczak, N., Ryan, S. R., and Mathias, C. W. (2016).

Journal of Adolescence, 53, 222-230.
Child problems as a moderator of relations between maternal impulsivity and family environment in a high-risk sample.
Friedman, C. K., Ryan, S. R., Charles, N. E., Mathias, C. W., Acheson, A.,and Dougherty, D. M. (2016).

Substance Use & Misuse, 51, 1264-1273.
Pubertal maturation compression and behavioral impulsivity among boys at increased risk for substance use
Mathias, C. W., Charles, N. E., Liang, Y., Acheson, A., Lake, S. L., Ryan, S. R., Olvera, R. L., and Dougherty, D. M. (2016).

Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment, 15, 61-73.
Clinical and social/environmental characteristics in a community sample of children with and without family histories of Substance Use Disorder in the San Antonio area: A descriptive study
Ryan, S. R., Acheson, A., Charles, N. E., Lake, S. L., Hernandez, D. L., Mathias, C. W., and Dougherty, D. M. (2016).

Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, 25, 327-339.
Family functioning as a mediator of relations between family history of Substance Use Disorder and impulsivity
Ryan, S. R., Friedman, C. K., Lake, S. L., Mathias, C. W., Charles, N. E., Liang, Y., Acheson, A., and Dougherty, D. M. (2016).

Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment, 15, 17-24.
Functional activation and effective connectivity differences in adolescent marijuana users performing a simulated gambling task
Acheson, A., Ray, K., Hines, C., Li K., Dawes, M. A., Mathias, C. W., Dougherty, D. M., and Laird, A. (2015).

Journal of Addiction, 2015 (783106), 1-11.
Striatal activity and reduced white matter increase frontal activity in youths with family histories of alcohol and other substance use disorders performing a go/no go task
Acheson, A., Tagamets, M. A., Winkler, A., Rowland, L. M., Mathias, C. W., Wright, S. N., Hong, L. E., Kochunov. P., and Dougherty, D. M. (2015).

Brain and Behavior, e00352, doi: 10.1002/brb3.352
Increased Pre- and Early-Adolescent Stress in Youth with a Family History of Substance Use Disorder and Early Substance Use Initiation
Charles, N. E., Mathias, C. W., Acheson, A., Bray, B. C., Ryan, S. R., Lake, S. L., Liang, Y, and Dougherty DM. (2015).

Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 44, 1954-1967.
Childhood stress exposure among preadolescents with and without family histories of substance use disorders
Charles, N. E., Ryan, S. R., Acheson, A., Mathias, C. W., Liang, Y., and Dougherty, D. M. (2015).

Psychology of Addictive Behavior, 29, 192-200.
Behavioral impulsivity and risk-taking trajectories across early adolescence in youths with and without family histories of alcohol and other drug use disorders
Dougherty, D. M., Lake, S. L., Mathias, C. W., Ryan, S. R., Bray, B. C., Charles, N. E., and Acheson, A. (2015).

Virtual Issue on Risk Factors for Adolescent Drinking
Cortisol stress response in men and women modulated differentially by the mu-opioid receptor gene polymorphism OPRM1 A118G
Lovallo, W. R., Enoch, M. A., Acheson, A., Cohoon, A. J., Sorocco, K. H., Hodgkinson, C. A., Vincent, A. S., Glahn, D. C., and Goldman, D. (2015).

Neuropsychopharmacology.
Aggression as a Predictor of Early Substance Use Initiation among Youth with Family Histories of Substance Use Disorders
Mathias, C. W., Duffing, T. M., Acheson, A., Charles, N. E., Lake, S. L., Ryan, S. R., Liang, Y., and Dougherty, D. M. (2015).

Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment, 14, 230-240.
Combining diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study reduced frontal white matter integrity in youths with family histories of substance use disorders
Acheson, A., Wijtenburg, S. A., Rowland, L. M., Bray, B. C., Gaston, F., Mathias, C. W., Fox, P.T., Lovallo, W. R., Wright, S. N., Hong, L. E., McGuire, S., Kochunov, P., and Dougherty, D. M. (2014).

Human Brain Mapping, 35, 5877-5887.
Assessment of whole brain white matter integrity in youths and young adults with a family history of substance-use disorders
Acheson, A., Wijtenburg, A. S., Rowland, L. M., Winkler, A. M., Gaston, F., Mathias, C. W., Fox, P. T., Lavollo, W. R., Wright, S. N., Hong, L. E., Dougherty, D. M., and Kochunov, P. (2014).

Human Brain Mapping, 35, 5401-5413.
Anomalous temporoparietal activity in individuals with a family history of alcoholism: Studies from the Oklahoma Family Health Patterns Project
Acheson, A., Franklin, C., Cohoon, A. J., Glahn, D. C., Fox, P. T., and Lovallo, W. R. (2014).

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 38, 1639-1645
Increased forebrain activations in youths with family histories of alcohol and other Substance Use Disorders performing a Go/No Go Task
Acheson, A., Tagaments, M., Winkler, A., Rowland, L. M., Mathias, C. W., Write, S. N., Hong, L. E., Kochunov, P., and Dougherty, D. M. (2014).

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 38, 2944-2951.
Delay discounting differentiates pre-adolescents at high and low risk for substance use disorders based on family history
Dougherty, D. M., Charles, N. E., Mathias, C. W., Ryan, S. R., Olvera, R. L., Liang, Y., and Acheson, A. (2014).

Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 143, 105-111.
Ethical considerations in adolescent drug research, a response to “Conflicting ethics of confidentiality in adolescent drug research”
Dougherty, D. M., Hill-Kapturczak, N., Ryan, S. R., Mathias, C. W., Dawes, M. A., Acheson, A., Charles, N. E., Furr, M. A., and Liguori, A. (2014).

Psychopharmacology, 231(8), 1433-1435. DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3183-9
Impulsivity, attention, memory, and decision-making among adolescent marijuana users
Dougherty, D. M., Mathias, C. W., Dawes, M. A., Furr, R. M., Charles, N. E., Liguori, A., Shannon, E. E., and Acheson, A. (2013).

Psychopharmacology, 226, 307-319.
Early life adversity contributes to impaired cognition and impulsive behavior: Studies from the Oklahoma Family Health Patterns Project.
Lovallo, W. R., Farag, N. H., Sorocco, K. H., Acheson, A., Cohoon, A. J., and Vincent, A. S. (2013).

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 37, 616-623.
A coordinate-based meta-analytic model of trauma processing in posttraumatic stress disorder.
Ramage, A. E., Laird, A. R., Eickhoff, S. B., Acheson, A., Peterson, A. L., Williamson, D. E., Telch, M. J., and Fox, P. T. (2012).

Human Brain Mapping, 34, 3392-3399.
Psychopathic traits and their association with adjustment problems in girls.
Charles, N. E., Acheson, A., Mathias, C. W., Furr, R. M., and Dougherty, D. M. (2012).

Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 30, 631-642.
Comparing the detection of transdermal and breath alcohol concentrations during periods of alcohol consumption ranging from moderate drinking to binge drinking.
Dougherty, D. M., Charles, N. E., Acheson, A., John, S., Furr, R.M., and Hill-Kapturczak, N. (2012).

Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 20, 373-381.
Intolerance to delayed reward in girls with multiple suicide attempts.
Mathias, C. W., Dougherty, D. M., James, L. M., Richard, D. M., Dawes, M. A., Acheson, A., and Hill-Kapturczak, N. (2011).

Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 41, 277-286.
Greater discounting of delayed rewards in young adults with family histories of alcohol and drug use disorders: studies from the Oklahoma Family Health Patterns Project.
Acheson, A., Vincent, A. S., Sorocco, K. H., and Lovallo, W. R. (2011).

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 35, 1607-1613
Adults with a family history of alcohol related problems are more impulsive on measures of response initiation and response inhibition.
Acheson, A., Richard, D. M., Mathias, C. W., and Dougherty, D. M. (2011).

Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 117, 198-203.
Sample Size.
Acheson, A. (2010). In N. J. Salkind (Ed.),

Encyclopedia of Research Design (pp. 3:1299-1301). Sage Publications, Inc: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Sequence Effects.
Acheson, A. (2010). In N. J. Salkind (Ed.),

Encyclopedia of Research Design (pp. 3:1340-1341). Sage Publications, Inc: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Sphericity.
Acheson, A. (2010). In N. J. Salkind (Ed.),

Encyclopedia of Research Design (pp. 3:1408-1410). Sage Publications, Inc: Thousand Oaks, CA.
L-tryptophan: Basic metabolic functions, behavioral research, and therapeutic indications.
Marsh-Richard, D. M., Dawes, M. A.., Mathias, C. W., Acheson, A., Hill-Kapturczak, N., and Dougherty, D. M. (2009).

International Journal of Tryptophan Research, 2, 45-60.
Differential activation of the anterior cingulate cortex and caudate nucleus in persons with a family history of alcoholism during a gambling simulation: Studies from the Oklahoma Family Health Patterns Project..
Acheson, A., Robinson, J. L., Glahn, D. C., Lovallo, W. R., and Fox, P. T. (2009).

Drug and Alcohol Dependence 100, 17-23.
Bupropion improves attention but does not affect impulsive behavior in healthy young adults
Acheson, A., and de Wit, H. (2008)

Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology 16(2), 113-123
IQ and Nonplanning Impulsivity are independently associated with delay discounting in middle-aged adults.
de Wit, H., Flory, J. D., Acheson, A., McCloskey, M., and Manuck, S. B. (2007)

Personality and Individual Differences, 42, 111-121.
Effects of sleep deprivation on impulsive behaviors in men and women.
Acheson, A., Richards, J. B., and de Wit, H. (2007)

Physiology and Behavior, 91, 579-587
Diazepam impairs behavioral inhibition but not delay discounting or risk taking in healthy adults.
Acheson, A., Reynolds, B., Richards, J. B., and de Wit, H. (2006).

Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 14(2), 190-198.
A test of the psychometric characteristics of the BIS-Brief among three groups of youth
Mathias, C. W., Stanford, M. S., Liang, Y., Goros, M., Charles, N. E., Sheftall, A. H., Mullen, J., Hill-Kapturczak, N., Acheson, A., Olvera, R. L., and Dougherty, D. M. (2018).

Psychological Assessment, 30, 847-865.