Research in Dr. Curtin's laboratory focuses on the motivational processes that underlie both social and addicted alcohol and other drug use.  He is particularly intersted in neuroadaptive changes in these motivational processes that result from chronic drug use in "at-risk" individuals.  His laboratory uses psychophysiological techniques (e.g., startle reflex, event-related brain potentials, facial electromyography) to assess neurocognitive and emotional response during drug intoxication and withdrawal states in both social and drug dependent users.

Representative Publications (Full Publication List) 
NOTE: * indicates student co-author

Hogle*, J. M., Kaye*, J. T., & Curtin, J. J., (in press). Nicotine withdrawal increases threat-induced anxiety but not fear: Neuroadaptation in human addiction. Biological Psychiatry.

Newman, J. P., Curtin, J. J., Bertsch*, J. D., &Baskin-Sommers*, A. R. (2010). Attention moderates the fearlessness of psychopathic offenders. Biological Psychiatry, 67, 66-70.

Gloria*, R., Angelos, L., Schaefer, H. S., Davis, J. M., Majeskie, M., Richmond, B. S., Curtin, J. J., Davidson, R. J., & Baker, T. B. (2009). An fMRI investigation of the impact of withdrawal on regional brain activity during nicotine anticipation. Psychophysiology, 46, 681-693.  

Dvorak-Bertsch*, J. D., Curtin, J. J., Rubinstein*, T. J., & Newman, J. P. (2009). Psychopathic traits moderate the interaction between cognitive and affective processing. Psychophysiology. 46, 913–921.  

Moberg*, C. A., & Curtin, J. J. (2009). Alcohol selectively reduces anxiety but not fear: Startle response during unpredictable vs. predictable threat. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 118, 335-347.  

Dvorak-Bertsch*, J. D., Curtin, J. J., Rubinstein*, T. J., & Newman, J. P. (2007). Anxiety moderates the interplay between cognitive and affective processing. Psychological Science, 18, 699-705.  

Hogle*, J. M. & Curtin, J. J. (2006) Tobacco withdrawal and negative affect: Sex differences in psychophysiological measures of affective response. Psychophysiology, 43, 244-256. 

Piper*, M. E. & Curtin, J. J. (2006) Tobacco withdrawal and negative affect: An analysis of initial emotional response intensity and voluntary emotion regulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 115, 96-102.  

Casbon, T. S., Curtin, J. J., Lang, A. R., & Patrick, C. J. (2003). Deleterious effects of alcohol intoxication: Diminished cognitive control and its behavioral consequences. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 476-487.  

Curtin, J. J. & Fairchild*, B. A. (2003). Alcohol and cognitive control: Implications for regulation of behavior during response conflict. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 424-436.  

Curtin, J. J., Patrick, C. J., Lang, A. R., Cacioppo, J. T., &. Birbaumer, N. (2001). Alcohol affects emotion through cognition. Psychological Science, 12, 527-531.  

Curtin, J., Lang, A., Patrick, C., & Stritzke, W. (1998). Alcohol and fear-potentiated startle: The role of competing cognitive demands in the stress-reducing effects of intoxication. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 107, 547-557.