Staff profile

Research

My research is guided by the “big” question of what motivates human behaviour. I am particularly interested in how rewards, temptations, and desires influence our behaviours and our experience, how these processes are implemented in the neural architecture of the human brain, and how they sometime lead to addiction. I am studying both basic reward processes related to food and drugs (alcohol), as well as social rewards, as found, for instance, on social media. I have also worked and published on related concepts, such as reward cue reactivity, reward learning, self-regulation and values. To study motivated behaviour and the “motivated brain”, I am using a multi-method approach, including controlled behavioural experiments, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and real-life behavioural sampling via ecological momentary assessment. 

Current Research Areas

(i) Social Media and Reward

I am using a neuromotivational perspective to examine whether and how the use of social media, such as Instagram or TikTok, is driven by the seeking of (social) reward, and how these mechanisms can elicit compulsive or excessive use behaviours in some individuals. Much of this research has been undertaken in collaboration with my previous PhD student Michael Wadsley whose project “Applying Neurocognitive Reward Models to Explore Excessive Social Media Usage” was funded by the ESRC.

For a critical discussion of the concept “social media addiction”, see my public-facing articles "How our bodies react when we use social media - and when we stop" and "Why a social media detox may not be as good for you as you think – new research" in The Conversation. Our social media research has also been covered by the Time Magazine, Science Magazine and the BBC ‘Instant Genius: Healthy Start’ podcast series.

For recent academic publications related to this research, see:

Wadsley, M., & Ihssen, N. (2025). The Psychophysiology of Instagram–Brief bouts ofInstagram use elicit appetitive arousal and attentional immersion followed by aversivearousal when use is stopped. Computers in Human Behavior, 108597.

Wadsley, M., & Ihssen, N. (2023). A Systematic Review of Structural and Functional MRIStudies Investigating Social Networking Site Use. Brain Sciences, 13(5), 787.

Wadsley, M., & Ihssen, N. (2023). Restricting social networking site use for one week produces varied effects on mood but does not increase explicit or implicit desires to use SNSs: Findings from an ecological momentary assessment study. PLoS ONE, 18(11), e0293467.

Ihssen, N., & Wadsley, M. (2021). A Reward and Incentive-Sensitization Perspective on Compulsive Use of Social Networking Sites - Wanting but not Liking Predicts Checking Frequency and Problematic Use Behavior. Addictive Behaviors, 116, Article 106808. 

(ii) Interactions between Reward/Motivation and Emotions

I am interested in finding out how the experience of positive emotions influences our desires and our engagement with rewards, such as food or alcohol, and vice versa. For instance, in her NINE-DTP (ESRC)-funded project "The Science of Celebration: Why Do Positive Outcomes Lead to More Reward-Seeking?", my PhD student Lucy Edgar is investigating how inducing positive emotions in the laboratory can increase the rate of snacking.

Information for students wanting to pursue a PhD or Master’s by Research (MRes)

I am always looking for new postgraduate research students working with me. If you are interested in any of the above (or related) areas, please email!

Recent Funding

N. Ihssen (PI) & M. Vasiljevic (Co-I), Hetzler-Foundation (2025): Let’s drink on it? The overlooked neuromotivational impact of positive affect on alcohol use and addiction (€47,701)

ESRC (NINE-DTP) studentship to Lucy Edgar (since 2024). The Science of Celebration: Why Do Positive Outcomes Lead to More Reward-Seeking?

ESRC (NINE-DTP) studentship to Mike Wadsley (2019-2023). Applying Neurocognitive Reward Models to Explore Excessive Social Media Usage.

Administrative Roles

2025: Director of MSc Cognitive Neuroscience

2021-2024: Director of Postgraduate Education

2018-2021: Chair of PG Board of Examiners

2018-2021: Director for Research, Durham University Neuroimaging Centre

Journal Article

• The psychophysiology of Instagram – Brief bouts of Instagram use elicit appetitive arousal and attentional immersion followed by aversive arousal when use is stopped
  
  Wadsley, M., & Ihssen, N. (2025). The psychophysiology of Instagram – Brief bouts of Instagram use elicit appetitive arousal and attentional immersion followed by aversive arousal when use is stopped. Computers in Human Behavior, 166, Article 108597. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2025.108597
• The well‐worn route revisited: Striatal and hippocampal system contributions to familiar route navigation
  
  Buckley, M., McGregor, A., Ihssen, N., Austen, J., Thurlbeck, S., Smith, S. P., Heinecke, A., & Lew, A. R. (2024). The well‐worn route revisited: Striatal and hippocampal system contributions to familiar route navigation. Hippocampus, 34(7), 310-326. https://doi.org/10.1002/hipo.23607
• The role of outgroup homogeneity and the neurodynamics of the frontal cortex during beauty comparisons
  
  Zacharopoulos, G., Ohmann, K., Ihssen, N., Kedia, G., Mussweiler, T., & Linden, D. E. (2023). The role of outgroup homogeneity and the neurodynamics of the frontal cortex during beauty comparisons. Social Neuroscience, 18(6), 382-392. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2023.2242098
• A Systematic Review of Structural and Functional MRI Studies Investigating Social Networking Site Use
  
  Wadsley, M., & Ihssen, N. (2023). A Systematic Review of Structural and Functional MRI Studies Investigating Social Networking Site Use. Brain Sciences, 13(5), Article 787. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13050787
• Restricting social networking site use for one week produces varied effects on mood but does not increase explicit or implicit desires to use SNSs: Findings from an ecological momentary assessment study
  
  Wadsley, M., & Ihssen, N. (2023). Restricting social networking site use for one week produces varied effects on mood but does not increase explicit or implicit desires to use SNSs: Findings from an ecological momentary assessment study. PLOS ONE, 18(11), Article e0293467. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293467
• The Predictive Utility of Reward-Based Motives Underlying Excessive and Problematic Social Networking Site Use
  
  Wadsley, M., Covey, J., & Ihssen, N. (2022). The Predictive Utility of Reward-Based Motives Underlying Excessive and Problematic Social Networking Site Use. Psychological Reports, 125(5), 2485-2516. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941211025271
• The roles of implicit approach motivation and explicit reward in excessive and problematic use of social networking sites
  
  Wadsley, M., & Ihssen, N. (2022). The roles of implicit approach motivation and explicit reward in excessive and problematic use of social networking sites. PLoS ONE, 17(3), Article e0264738. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264738
• The effects of spatial stability and cue type on spatial learning: Implications for theories of parallel memory systems
  
  Buckley, M. G., Austen, J. M., Myles, L. A., Smith, S., Ihssen, N., Lew, A. R., & McGregor, A. (2021). The effects of spatial stability and cue type on spatial learning: Implications for theories of parallel memory systems. Cognition, 214, Article 104802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104802
• Neurofeedback Training versus Treatment-as-Usual for Alcohol Dependence: Results of an Early-Phase Randomized Controlled Trial and Neuroimaging Correlates
  
  Subramanian, L., Skottnik, L., Cox, W. M., Luhrs, M., McNamara, R., Hood, K., Watson, G., Whittaker, J. R., Williams, A. N., Sakhuja, R., Ihssen, N., Goebel, R., Playle, R., & Linden, D. E. (2021). Neurofeedback Training versus Treatment-as-Usual for Alcohol Dependence: Results of an Early-Phase Randomized Controlled Trial and Neuroimaging Correlates. European Addiction Research, 27(5), 381-394. https://doi.org/10.1159/000513448
• A Reward and Incentive-Sensitization Perspective on Compulsive Use of Social Networking Sites - Wanting but not Liking Predicts Checking Frequency and Problematic Use Behavior
  
  Ihssen, N., & Wadsley, M. (2021). A Reward and Incentive-Sensitization Perspective on Compulsive Use of Social Networking Sites - Wanting but not Liking Predicts Checking Frequency and Problematic Use Behavior. Addictive Behaviors, 116, Article 106808. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106808
• Neural coding of human values is underpinned by brain areas representing the core self in the cortical midline region
  
  Leszkowicz, E., Maio, G. R., Linden, D. E., & Ihssen, N. (2021). Neural coding of human values is underpinned by brain areas representing the core self in the cortical midline region. Social Neuroscience, 16(5), 486-499. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2021.1953582
• Genetic Variation in the Psychiatric Risk Gene CACNA1C Modulates Reversal Learning Across Species
  
  Sykes, L., Haddon, J., Lancaster, T. M., Sykes, A., Azzouni, K., Ihssen, N., Moon, A. L., Lin, T. E., Linden, D. E., Owen, M. J., O’Donovan, M. C., Humby, T., Wilkinson, L. S., Thomas, K. L., & Hall, J. (2019). Genetic Variation in the Psychiatric Risk Gene CACNA1C Modulates Reversal Learning Across Species. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 45(5), 1024-1032. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sby146
• Structural and Functional Neuroimaging of Polygenic Risk for Schizophrenia: A Recall-by-Genotype–Based Approach
  
  Lancaster, T. M., Dimitriadis, S. L., Tansey, K. E., Perry, G., Ihssen, N., Jones, D. K., Singh, K. D., Holmans, P., Pocklington, A., Davey Smith, G., Zammit, S., Hall, J., O’Donovan, M. C., Owen, M. J., & Linden, D. E. (2019). Structural and Functional Neuroimaging of Polygenic Risk for Schizophrenia: A Recall-by-Genotype–Based Approach. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 45(2), 405-414. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sby037
• So pretty! The neural correlates of self-other vs familiar-other attractiveness comparisons
  
  Kedia, G., Mussweiler, T., Adam, R., Ischebeck, A., Ihssen, N., & Linden, D. E. (2019). So pretty! The neural correlates of self-other vs familiar-other attractiveness comparisons. Social Neuroscience, 14(1), 41-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2017.1397544
• Preliminary evidence for genetic overlap between body mass index and striatal reward response
  
  Lancaster, T. M., Ihssen, N., Brindley, L. M., & Linden, D. E. (2018). Preliminary evidence for genetic overlap between body mass index and striatal reward response. Translational Psychiatry, 8, Article 19. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-017-0068-4
• Nonlinear associations between human values and neuroanatomy
  
  Zacharopoulus, G., Hanel, P., Lancaster, T., Ihssen, N., Drakesmith, M., Foley, S., Maio, G., & Linden, D. (2017). Nonlinear associations between human values and neuroanatomy. Social Neuroscience, 12(6), 673-684. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2016.1229215
• Evidence of absence: no relationship between behaviourally measured prediction error response and schizotypy
  
  Humpston, C. S., Evans, L. H., Teufel, C., Ihssen, N., & Linden, D. E. (2017). Evidence of absence: no relationship between behaviourally measured prediction error response and schizotypy. Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, 22(5), 373-390. https://doi.org/10.1080/13546805.2017.1348289
• Further support for association between GWAS variant for positive emotion and reward systems
  
  Lancaster, T., Ihssen, N., Brindley, L., & Linden, D. (2017). Further support for association between GWAS variant for positive emotion and reward systems. Translational Psychiatry, 7, Article e1018. https://doi.org/10.1038/tp.2016.289
• Neurofeedback training for alcohol dependence versus treatment as usual: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
  
  Cox, W., Subramanian, L., Linden, D., Luehrs, M., McNamara, R., Playle, R., Hood, K., Watson, G., Whittaker, J., Sakhuja, R., & Ihssen, N. (2016). Neurofeedback training for alcohol dependence versus treatment as usual: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 17(1), Article 480. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-016-1607-7
• A Hedonism Hub in the Human Brain
  
  Zacharopoulos, G., Lancaster, T., Bracht, T., Ihssen, N., Maio, G., & Linden, D. (2016). A Hedonism Hub in the Human Brain. Cerebral Cortex, 26(10), 3921-3927. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhw197
• Observing others stay or switch - How social prediction errors are integrated into reward reversal learning
  
  Ihssen, N., Mussweiler, T., & Linden, D. (2016). Observing others stay or switch - How social prediction errors are integrated into reward reversal learning. Cognition, 153, 19-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2016.04.012
• Neurofeedback of visual food cue reactivity: a potential avenue to alter incentive sensitization and craving
  
  Ihssen, N., Sokunbi, M., Lawrence, A., Lawrence, N., & Linden, D. (2016). Neurofeedback of visual food cue reactivity: a potential avenue to alter incentive sensitization and craving. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 11(3), 915-924. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-016-9558-x
• Neural evidence of motivational conflict between social values
  
  Leszkowicz, E., Linden, D., Maio, G., & Ihssen, N. (2016). Neural evidence of motivational conflict between social values. Social Neuroscience, 12(5), 494-505. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2016.1183517
• fMRI neurofeedback of higher visual areas and perceptual biases
  
  Habes, I., Rushton, S., Johnston, S., Sokunbi, M., Barawi, K., Brosnan, M., Daly, T., Ihssen, N., & Linden, D. (2016). fMRI neurofeedback of higher visual areas and perceptual biases. Neuropsychologia, 85, 208-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.03.031
• Associations between polygenic risk for schizophrenia and brain function during probabilistic learning in healthy individuals
  
  Lancaster, T., Ihssen, N., Brindley, L., Tansey, K., Mantripragada, K., O’Donovan, M., Owen, M., & Linden, D. (2016). Associations between polygenic risk for schizophrenia and brain function during probabilistic learning in healthy individuals. Human Brain Mapping, 37(2), 491-500. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.23044
• Neural mechanisms underlying visual short-term memory gain for temporally distinct objects
  
  Ihssen, N., Linden, D., Miller, C., & Shapiro, K. (2015). Neural mechanisms underlying visual short-term memory gain for temporally distinct objects. Cerebral Cortex, 25(8), 2149-2159. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhu021
• Real-time fMRI brain-computer interface: development of a "motivational feedback" subsystem for the regulation of visual cue reactivity
  
  Sokunbi, M., Linden, D., Habes, I., Johnston, S., & Ihssen, N. (2014). Real-time fMRI brain-computer interface: development of a "motivational feedback" subsystem for the regulation of visual cue reactivity. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 8, Article 392. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00392
• Early adolescents show sustained susceptibility to cognitive interference by emotional distractors
  
  Heim, S., Ihssen, N., Hasselhorn, M., & Keil, A. (2013). Early adolescents show sustained susceptibility to cognitive interference by emotional distractors. Cognition and Emotion, 27(4), 696-706. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2012.736366
• Brain networks of social comparison
  
  Kedia, G., Lindner, M., Mussweiler, T., Ihssen, N., & Linden, D. (2013). Brain networks of social comparison. NeuroReport, 24(5), 259-264. https://doi.org/10.1097/wnr.0b013e32835f2069
• Accelerative and decelerative effects of hedonic valence and emotional arousal during visual scene processing
  
  Ihssen, N., & Keil, A. (2013). Accelerative and decelerative effects of hedonic valence and emotional arousal during visual scene processing. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 66(7), 1276-1301. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2012.737003
• On the variability of the McGurk effect: Audiovisual integration depends on prestimulus brain states
  
  Keil, J., Mueller, N., Ihssen, N., & Weisz, N. (2012). On the variability of the McGurk effect: Audiovisual integration depends on prestimulus brain states. Cerebral Cortex, 22(1), 221-231. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhr125
• Differentiating heavy from light drinkers by neural responses to visual alcohol cues and other motivational stimuli
  
  Ihssen, N., Cox, W., Wiggett, A., Fadardi, J., & Linden, D. (2011). Differentiating heavy from light drinkers by neural responses to visual alcohol cues and other motivational stimuli. Cerebral Cortex, 21(6), 1408-1415. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhq220
• Defensive engagement and perceptual enhancement
  
  Keil, A., Bradley, M., Ihssen, N., Heim, S., Vila, J., Guerra, P., & Lang, P. (2010). Defensive engagement and perceptual enhancement. Neuropsychologia, 48(12), 3580-3584. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.08.007
• Improving visual short-term memory by sequencing the stimulus array
  
  Ihssen, N., Linden, D., & Shapiro, K. (2010). Improving visual short-term memory by sequencing the stimulus array. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 17(5). https://doi.org/10.3758/pbr.17.5.680