Areas of Expertise
My expertise lies in psychopharmacology and addiction research, with a focus on how drugs influence cognition, emotion, and behaviour, and the underlying neural mechanisms.
A central theme in my work has been the role of stress – from childhood adversity and acute stress to loneliness and trauma – in shaping vulnerability to substance use and mental health problems.
- Psychopharmacology: Effects of opioids, stimulants, alcohol, cannabis, and MDMA on cognition, emotion, and behaviour.
- Addiction research: Substance use disorders, adolescent and young adult use, treatment outcomes, and polysubstance use.
- Trauma and stress: Impact of childhood adversity, trauma, and social stress on substance use and mental health.
- Trauma-informed interventions: Development and evaluation of clinical approaches for youth and adults in substance use treatment.
- Mental health and psychosocial processes: Links between loneliness, social identity, emotion regulation, and empathy.
- Experimental and translational methods: Laboratory, clinical, longitudinal, and qualitative research designs.
I completed a PhD at the University of Exeter (UK) on social risk factors and trauma in opioid use disorders, before moving to the University of Queensland (Australia) in a role developing trauma-informed addiction treatments for young people.
At the University of Oslo (Norway), my work examined how trauma and acute stress shape drug reward and experience through acute administration studies and social support procedures.
Together, my work bridges experimental and translational research, spanning a wide range of methodological approaches and with the goal of informing novel interventions and preventions for substance use disorders and mental health.
Projects
- 2020-2034 PATHWAYS – Children’s PATHWAYS After Trauma for Health and Well-being through Adolescence and Young Adulthood (PATHWAYS)
- 2011-2029 The terror attack: Experience and reactions among Utøya survivorsThe project manager for this project is Dr. Grete Dyb (PI) and Dr. Synne Stensland is the co- Principle Investigator (PI).
- 2024-2026 The terror attack on June 25th
- 2023-2026 Stepped-care Health Interventions after Exposure to Life-stress and Disaster
Academic Articles
Eikemo, M., Løseth, G. E., Carlyle, M., Trøstheim, M. O., Ernst, G. W., Pazmandi, C., Thompson, M., Vezzani, C., Meier, I. M., Roland, M. N., Johnstone, T., Heilig, M., Biele, G., Leknes, S. G., (2026). Effects of psychosocial stress on opioid self-administration in healthy participants: a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trialNature Mental Health. doi:10.1038/s44220-026-00700-x Summary
Trøstheim, M. O., Berey, B. L., Aston, E. R., Gullo, M. J., Hogarth, L., Simpson, G., Broomby, R., Morgan, C. J., Carlyle, M., (2025). Assessing behavioural economic demand for morphine after an acute dose in individuals with- and without childhood trauma: a double-blind, randomised, controlled trialPsychopharmacology. doi:10.1007/s00213-025-06977-7
Walter, Z., Carlyle, M., Mefodeva, V., Glasgow, S., Newland, G., Nixon, R., Cobham, V., Hides, L., (2025). Feasibility and outcomes of a trauma-informed model of care in residential treatment for substance useJournal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment. doi:10.1016/j.josat.2024.209571 Summary
Carlyle, M., de Wit, H., Leknes, S., (2024). Impact of childhood adversity on acute subjective effects of stimulant and opioid drugs: Evidence from placebo-controlled studies in healthy volunteersSage Publications. doi:10.1177/02698811241268892
Carlyle, M., Kvande, M., Meier, I. M., Trøstheim, M. O., Buen, K., Jensen, E. N., Ernst, G. W., Leknes, S., Eikemo, M., (2023). Does childhood adversity alter opioid drug reward? A conceptual replication in outpatients before surgeryRoutledge. doi:10.1080/16066359.2023.2211348
Carlyle, M., Newland, G., Morris, L., Ellem, R., Tisdale, C., Quinn, C. A., Hides, L., (2023). A Longitudinal Assessment of Substance Use Treatment during the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Staff and Service DataBioMed. doi:10.3390/biomed3020019 Summary
Walter, Z. C., Carlyle, M., Kerswell, N., Mefodeva, V., Nixon, R. D. V., Cobham, V. E., Hides, L., (2023). Study protocol: implementing and evaluating a trauma-informed model of care in residential youth treatment for substance use disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1169794 Summary
Hayes, S., Carlyle, M., Haslam, S. A., Haslam, C., Dingle, G., (2022). Exploring links between social identity, emotion regulation, and loneliness in those with and without a history of mental illnessBritish Journal of Clinical Psychology. doi:10.1111/bjc.12358 Summary
Mollaahmetoglu, O. M., Palmer, E., Maschauer, E., Nolan, M. C., Stevens, T., Carlyle, M., Hardy, L., Watkins, E. R., Morgan, C. J. A., (2021). The acute effects of alcohol on state rumination in the laboratoryPsychopharmacology. doi:10.1007/s00213-021-05802-1 Summary
Carlyle, M., Broomby, R., Simpson, G., Hannon, R., Fawaz, L., Mollaahmetoglu, O. M., Drain, J., Mostazir, M., Morgan, C. J. A., (2021). A randomised, double‐blind study investigating the relationship between early childhood trauma and the rewarding effects of morphineAddiction Biology. doi:10.1111/adb.13047 Summary
Carlyle, M., Constable, T., Walter, Z. C., Wilson, J., Newland, G., Hides, L., (2021). Cannabis-induced dysphoria/paranoia mediates the link between childhood trauma and psychotic-like experiences in young cannabis usersSchizophrenia Research. doi:10.1016/j.schres.2021.10.011 Summary
Carlyle, M., Leung, J., Walter, Z. C., Juckel, J., Salom, C., Quinn, C. A., Davidson, L., Ellem, R., Newland, G., Hides, L., (2021). Changes in Substance Use Among People Seeking Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluating Mental Health Outcomes and ResilienceSubstance Abuse: Research and Treatment. doi:10.1177/11782218211061746 Summary
Allan, J., Thompson, A., Carlyle, M., Thomas, M., Medalia, A., (2021). Feasibility and pilot efficacy of cognitive remediation for people in residential substance use treatmentDrug and Alcohol Review. doi:10.1111/dar.13288 Summary
Carlyle, M., Stevens, T., Fawaz, L., Marsh, B., Kosmider, S., Morgan, C. J., (2019). Greater empathy in MDMA usersJournal of Psychopharmacology. doi:10.1177/0269881119826594 Summary
Marsh, B., Carlyle, M., Carter, E., Hughes, P., McGahey, S., Lawn, W., Stevens, T., McAndrew, A., Morgan, C. J., (2019). Shyness, alcohol use disorders and ‘hangxiety’: A naturalistic study of social drinkersPersonality and Individual Differences. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2018.10.034 Summary
Carlyle, M., Rockliff, H., Edwards, R., Ene, C., Karl, A., Marsh, B., Hartley, L., Morgan, C. J., (2019). Investigating the Feasibility of Brief Compassion Focused Therapy in Individuals in Treatment for Opioid Use DisorderSubstance Abuse: Research and Treatment. doi:10.1177/1178221819836726 Summary
Carlyle, M., Rowley, M., Stevens, T., Karl, A., Morgan, C. J. A., (2019). Impaired empathy and increased anger following social exclusion in non-intoxicated opioid usersPsychopharmacology. doi:10.1007/s00213-019-05378-x Summary
Carlyle, M., Dumay, N., Roberts, K., McAndrew, A., Stevens, T., Lawn, W., Morgan, C. J. A., (2017). Improved memory for information learnt before alcohol use in social drinkers tested in a naturalistic settingScientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-06305-w Summary
Reports
Stensland, S. Ø. B., Glad, K. A., Carlyle, M., Andreassen, A. L., Undset, A. B., Lægreid, E. I., Stene, L. E., Laugerud, S., Nilsen, L. G., Wentzel-Larsen, T., (2025). 25. juni-studien: Opplevelser og reaksjoner hos de direkte rammede etter terrorangrepet i Oslo 25. juni 2022.
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