THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
FACULTY OF MEDICINE, DENTISTRY AND HEALTH SCIENCES

DRUGS OF DEPENDENCE AND CLINICAL PHARMACOTHERAPIES RESEARCH GROUP

The Clinical Pharmacotherapies Research Group consists of academic staff, research and clinical staff from Next Step (WA Department of Health), students and support personnel. The general aim of this research group is to improve knowledge of the actions, effects and treatment of drugs of dependence through a synthesis of clinical and experimental psychological and pharmacological research. The focus of the research incorporates clinical trials, as well as the integration of the study of drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics with the study of treatment delivery and outcome.
Current research areas relate to the use of saliva for drug screening and therapeutic drug monitoring; pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models of opioid maintenance pharmacotherapies; the diagnosis and management of mood disorders among drug dependent individuals; the application of Social Identity Theory to predict treatment outcome; and the management of methamphetamine withdrawal.
The Research Group also conducts a Neuropsychological Assessment Clinic at the Next Step clinic (see below).

Staff & Students

Dr Kyle R. Dyer (Grad. Dip. Psych. Pract., PhD)
Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine & Pharmacology
Manager of Clinical Research, Next Step Specialist Drug & Alcohol Services
Email: Kyle.Dyer@uwa.edu.au
Personal Web Page @ School of Medicine & Pharmacology

Emeritus Prof Ken Ilett (PhD)
School of Medicine & Pharmacology
Email: Ken.Ilett@uwa.edu.au
Personal Web Page @ School of Medicine & Pharmacology

Ms Catherine Wilkinson (BSc(Hons))
Research Officer
Next Step Specialist Drug & Alcohol Services
Email:

Ms Kim Newcombe (Bpsych)
Next Step Specialist Drug & Alcohol Services
Email: Kim.Newcombe@health.wa.gov.au

Dr Allan Quigley (MBBS)
Clinical Consultant
Director of Clinical Services
Next Step Specialist Drug & Alcohol Services
Email: Allan.Quigley@health.wa.gov.au

Dr Ali Marsh (M.Psych, PhD)
Senior Lecturer
School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology
Email: a.marsh@psychology.curtin.edu.au

Current Students

Christopher Cruickshank BSc(Hons)
PhD Candidate, School of Medicine & Pharmacology
Thesis: ‘Methamphetamine withdrawal in humans – clinical assessment and treatment
Email:

Ruth Luther
Honours, School of Medicine & Pharmacology
Thesis: Relationship between (S)- and (R)-methadone enantiomers in saliva and plasma
Email: luther01@tartarus.uwa.edu.au

Vivian Lam
Honours, School of Medicine & Pharmacology
Thesis: Relationship between methamphetamine concentrations in saliva and plasma
Email: vivian@tartarus.uwa.edu.au

Matt Sumner
Clinical Master of Psychology, School of Psychology, Curtin Uni. of Technology.
(Co-supervision with Dr A Marsh)
Thesis: ‘PTSD and drug preference’
Email: matt.ADIS@health.wa.gov.au

Christine Paine
Postgraduate Degree of Psychology, Edith Cowan University. (Co-supervised with Dr J Dandy)
Thesis: ‘Social Identity and illicit drug use within a treatment population’.

Louise Manger
Postgraduate Degree of Psychology, Edith Cowan University. (Co-supervised with Dr J Dandy)
Thesis: ‘Social Identity and illicit drug use within a treatment population’.

Recent Students

Hayley Taylor (2003), University of Western Australia. ‘Saliva, a novel biological matrix for identifying methamphetamine and cannabis use among dependent patients’.

Catherine Wilkinson (2003), University of Western Australia ‘The use of saliva for therapeutic drug monitoring among methadone maintenance patients’.

Megan Meadows (2003), ‘Social identity and outcome from inpatient drug withdrawal’. Clinical Masters, Dept. of Psychology, Murdoch Uni. (Co-supervision with A/Prof M. Rapley)

Chris Hayes (2003), ‘Expectancies of drug use among individuals with both drug dependence and ongoing distress from traumatic stress’. Clinical Master of Psychology, School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology (Co-supervised with Dr A Marsh)

Leanne Wheat (2002), ‘Craving for heroin: the validity of the neuromotivational threshold model of craving’ School of Psychology, University of Western Australia (Co-supervised with Dr W Stritzke)

Belinda Wright (2001), ‘The effect of a divided methadone dose regimen upon opioid withdrawal’.School of Medicine & Pharmacology, University of Western Australia. (Co-supervised with A/Prof K. Ilett)

Peta Prindiville (2001), ‘The relationship between plasma methadone concentration-time profile and state and trait measures of mood’. Clinical Master of Psychology, Dept. of Psychology, Murdoch Uni. (Co-supervision with Dr N Donoghue)

Current Collaborations

A/Prof Mark Rapley, School of Psychology, Murdoch University
Dr Timothy Mitchell, National Addiction Centre, Kings College London UK
Dr Mark Montebello, Langton Centre NSW
Dr Justine Dandy, School of Psychology, Edith Cowan University
Dr Sophie LaVincente, Dept. of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology, Uni. of Adelaide
Dr Alison Fox, School of Psychology, Uni. of WA
Dr Marjorie Collins, School of Psychology, Murdoch Uni.

Current Projects

The use of saliva for therapeutic drug monitoring in methadone maintenance.
Kyle R. Dyer1,2, Catherine Wilkinson1, Kenneth F. Ilett1,3, Hayley Taylor1, Sean O’Halloran3, Leon J. Dusci3, Michelle Lewer3, Michelle Duncan2
1. School of Medicine & Pharmacology, The University of WA
2. Next Step Drug & Alcohol Services WA
3. Division of Clinical Pathology, PathCentre WA

Saliva, a novel matrix for identifying methamphetamine and cannabis use among dependent patients.
Kyle R. Dyer1,2, Hayley Taylor1, Kenneth F. Ilett1,3, Catherine WIlkinson1, Sean O’Halloran3, Leon J. Dusci3, Michelle Lewer3
1. School of Medicine & Pharmacology, The University of WA
2. Next Step Drug & Alcohol Services, WA
3. Division of Clinical Pathology, PathCentre, WA

The transfer of high dose methadone maintenance patients to buprenorphine maintenance.
Dyer, K.1, O’Regan, R.2, Quigley, A2.
1.School of Medicine & Pharmacology, University of Western Australia
2. Next Step

The effect of a divided methadone dose upon opioid withdrawal and mood disturbance among methadone maintenance patients
Kyle Dyer1,2, Ken Ilett1, Belinda Wright1, Chris Cruickshank2
1. School of Medicine & Pharmacology, Uni. of WA
2. Next Step

Naltrexone pharmacochemistry and sustained-release preparations: A systematic literature review
Kyle Dyer1,2 , Chris Cruikshank2, Mike Tressler 3
1. School of Medicine & Pharmacology, Uni. of WA
2. Next Step
3. Kalamazoo College, Michigan, USA

Predictors of outcome from inpatient detoxification: Opioid, methamphetamine and alcohol withdrawal.
Kyle Dyer1,2, Chris Cruickshank1,2 Peter Nelson2, Kim Newcombe2
1. School of Medicine & Pharmacology, Uni. of WA
2. Next Step

Psychometric evaluation of the Beck Depression Inventory-II among drug dependent patients.
Kyle Dyer1,2, Alison Marsh3, Sophie LaVincente4
1. School of Medicine & Pharmacology, University of WA
2. Next Step
3. School of Psychology, Curtin Uni.
4. Dept. of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology, University of Adelaide.

More to view:

Recent Publications
Conference Papers

THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT CLINIC

A Joint initiative between the School of Medicine & Pharmacology and the School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, the School of Psychology, Murdoch University and Next Step Specialist Drug Services

The harmful and hazardous use of drugs may be associated with significant neuropsychological sequelae. Acute alcohol intoxication has been shown to impair working memory and pattern recognition (Weissenborn & Duka 2003), while the neurological dysfunction associated with chronic alcohol (Wernicke’s Encephalopathy, Korsakoff Syndrome) and cannabis (impaired cognitive functioning) dependence have been well documented. There is a growing body of data available to suggest that chronic methamphetamine dependence is associated with psychomotor deficits and impaired working memory (Ornstein et al., 2000, Volkow et al 2001). Preliminary research suggests that neuropsychological assessment may optimise treatment outcome. For example, the Matrix Institute on Addictions in Los Angeles (UCLA) uses a brief neuropsychological screen to inform individualised cognitive-behavioural treatment (Shoptaw et al, 1994). As the impact of a cognitive deficit may improve during periods of treatment and abstinence (Harrison et al 2002; Pope et al 2001; Volkow et al 2001), neuropsychological assessment may be a useful indicator of treatment effectiveness (Teichner et al 2002). As such, the assessment and treatment of neurological dysfunction is an important aspect of best-practice treatment for drug-related harm.

The Neuropsychological Assessment Clinic at Next Step (East Perth) is a collaborative arrangement among the Clinical Pharmacotherapies Research Group (School of Medicine & Pharmacology) and the Schools of Psychology at Murdoch University and the University of Western Australia. All patients receiving treatment for alcohol or methamphetamine dependence are assessed at treatment entry, while patients dependent on a variety of drugs who display signs of cognitive impairment are referred to the Clinic. The Clinic provides significant benefits for clinical management at Next Step, student placement and research opportunities.

Staff

Dr Kyle R. Dyer
Senior Research Fellow, School of Medicine & Pharmacology
Manager of Clinical Research, Next Step Specialist Drug & Alcohol Services
Email: kdyer@receptor.pharm.uwa.edu.au

Dr Alison Fox
Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology
University of Western Australia

Dr Marjorie Collins
Lecturer, School of Psychology
Murdoch University

Ms Sally Thomas
Senior Clinical Psychologist
Next Step Specialist Drug & Alcohol Services

Ms Kim Newcombe
Research Assistant
Next Step Specialist Drug & Alcohol Services
Email: Kim.Newcombe@health.wa.gov.au