Experimental Psychopathology and Neuro-Development (ExPAND) Group

Led by Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke, the lab focuses on understanding neuro-developmental disorders and mental health conditions across the lifespan. To this end, they employ basic developmental science approaches to study the pathogenesis of such conditions, their underlying genetic and environmental risk and resilience sources and their mediating brain mechanisms. The lab also has a translational aspect, working with clinician colleagues in using research findings to inform clinical approaches, social care and public health policies directed at this population and their families.

Our research is based primarily in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at King’s College London, but we work closely with a number of key collaborators on our projects. These include: the University of East London, the University of Nottingham, the University of Southampton, SLaM and King’s ADHD Providers Group.

News and events

NEW: Attention and its Disorders in Digital Context

Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke at MAD//Fest London, discussing attention and its disorders in the digital context 

Understanding ADHD: Current Research and Practice

Online course from Dr Mark Kennedy where you can learn about ADHD symptoms, the latest research and treatments.

'Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder as Delay Aversion: The Curious Evolution of an Unlikely Idea'

Professor Sonuga-Barke’s inaugural lecture at King’s College London, February 2018.

PhD student Tao Coll Martin, Prof Edmund Sonuga-Barke and Dr Le Zhao enjoy an ice cream in the sun!
(July 2022)

Alcohol misuse as a self-medication for ADHD

We are looking for participants with no current neurological or psychiatric disorders or participants with ADHD, residing in the UK, aged 18 and over to fill in an anonymous survey, investigating substance use motives and patterns in people with and without Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

People with ADHD are more likely to use substances, become addicted and have worse treatment outcomes, instinctively looking to make up for the lack of dopamine or seeking relief from their ADHD symptoms (restlessness, insomnia, poor concentration).

This survey aims at understanding the correlations between the intensity of ADHD symptoms and substance misuse severity as well as different motives and patterns in people with treated, untreated ADHD and healthy controls to offer effective prevention and alternative adaptive copings. The survey should take you approximately 12 minutes to complete. For any additional information and to participate please follow the link: https://qualtrics.kcl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_6D1UWiqrcrtptHw or contact maria.sergeeva@kcl.ac.uk

Ongoing research project: RE-STAR

RE-STAR is a four-year, interdisciplinary programme being led by Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke of the Experimental Psychopathology and Neurodevelopment (ExPAND) Research Group at King’s College London.

Many young people with neuroatypicalities such as ADHD and ASD traits develop depression during adolescence – but we currently don’t know which individuals are at risk, what underlying processes increase that risk or, perhaps most importantly, the best way to intervene to increase resilience to reduce that risk.

RE-STAR will address these gaps by testing the specific role of emotion regulation (ER) difficulties, commonly observed in young people with neuroatypicalities (YPN), in driving developmental pathways to depression.