Science

I am a neuroscientist currently conducting research in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University. My work primarily addresses the etiological processes of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Specifically, I use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the brain activity and connectivity underlying the pain response and cognitive control in those with AUD. These are the two critical components of avoidance learning, the dysfunction of which likely plays a significant role in the maintenance and relapse of the disorder. I am particularly interested in the pain circuit and its involvement in this dysfunction.

In Feb 2022, my work received funding from the NIH through the Pathway to Independence Award (K99) mechanism. With this support, I have been investigating avoidance learning in both dependent and social drinkers. My goal is to identify the neural and psychophysiological markers that can (1) be used for accurate diagnosis and subtyping of AUD, and (2) predict changes in drinking behavior during the post-treatment period. 

During my doctoral training at Stony Brook University (Leung lab), I studied the disruptions of working memory processing in major depressive disorder, both at the sensory (visual) and executive control (prefrontal) levels. Affective dysregulation continues to be a part of my research.

I actively look for collaborators from different backgrounds including clinical neuroscience, pain, reinforcement learning, quantitative modeling, and machine learning. Please feel free to get in touch with me if you would like to learn more about my work. 

My CV (updated Sep, 2022).

Publications

  1. Le T. M., Malone T., Li CSR (2022). Positive Alcohol Expectancy and Resting-state Functional Connectivity of the Insula in Problem Drinking. Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
  1. Le T. M., Chen Y., Chaudhary, S., Li CSR (2021). Problem drinking and the interaction of reward, negative emotion, and cognitive control circuits during cue-elicited craving. Addiction Neuroscience, (1), 100004, 1-11. DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2021.100004
  1. Le T. M., Potvin S., Zhornitsky S., Li CSR (2021). Distinct patterns of prefrontal cortical disengagement during inhibitory control in addiction: A meta-analysis based on population characteristics. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 127, 255-69. DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.04.028
  1. Zhornitsky S., Chaudhary S., Le T. M., Chen Y., Potvin S., Chao H., van Dyck C., Li CSR (2021). Cognitive dysfunction and cerebral volumetric deficits in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, alcohol use disorder, and dual diagnosis. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging. DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2021.111380
  1. Li, G., Le T. M., Wang W., Zhornitsky S., Chen Y., Chaudhary S., Zhu T., Bi J., Tang X., Li CSR (2021). Perceived stress, self-efficacy, and the cerebral morphometric markers in binge-drinking young adults. NeuroImage – Clinical, 32, 102866. DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102866
  1. Li G., Chen Y., Le T. M., Wang W., Tang X., Li CSR (2021). Neural correlates of individual variation in two-back working memory and the relationship with fluid intelligence. Scientific reports, 11 (1), 1-13. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89433-8
  1. Li G., Chen Y., Le T. M., Zhornitsky S., Dhingra I., Wang W., Tang X., Li CSR (2021). Perceived friendship and binge drinking in young adults: a study of the Human Connectome Project data. Drug and Alcohol Dependence (224). DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108731 
  1. Le T. M., Wang W., Zhornitsky S., Dhingra I., Chen Y., Zhang S., Li CSR (2021). The neural processes interlinking social isolation, social support, and problem alcohol use. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyaa086 
  1. Zhornitsky S., Le T. M., Wang W., Dhingra I., Chen Y., Li CSR (2021). Midcingulate cortical activations inter-relate chronic craving and physiological responses to negative emotions in cocaine addiction. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science. DOI: 0.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.03.003 
  1. Zhornitsky S., Dhingra I., Le T. M., Wang W., Li SCR (2021). Reward-related responses and tonic craving in cocaine addiction: an imaging study of the monetary incentive delay task. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, pyab016, DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyab016
  1. Dhingra I., Zhang S., Zhornitsky S., Wang W., Le T. M., Li SCR (2021). Sex differences in neural responses to reward and the influences of individual reward and punishment sensitivity. BMC Neuroscience, 22 (1), 1-14. DOI: 10.1186/s12868-021-00618-3
  1. Zhang S., Zhornitsky S., Wang W., Le T. M., Dhingra I., Chen Y., Li CSR (2020). Resting state hypothalamic and dorsomedial prefrontal cortical connectivity of the periaqueductal gray in cocaine addiction. Addiction Biology, e12989, DOI: 10.1111/adb.12989 
  1. Le T. M., Huang A. S., O’Rawe J., Leung, H-C. (2020). Functional neural network configuration in late childhood varies by age and cognitive state. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 45, DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100862 
  1. Le T. M., Zhornitsky S., Wang, W., Li CSR (2020). Perceived Burdensomeness and Neural Responses to Ostracism in the Cyberball Task. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 130, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.06.015
  1. Zhang S., Zhornitsky S., Wang W., Dhingra I., Le T. M., Li CSR (2020). Cue-elicited functional connectivity of the periaqueductal gray and tonic cocaine craving. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 216. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108240 
  1. Li G., Zhang S., Le T. M., Tang X., Li CSR (2020). Neural responses to negative facial emotions: sex differences in the correlates of individual anger and fear traits. NeuroImage, 117171. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117171
  1. Li G., Zhang S., Le T. M., Tang X., Li CSR (2020). Neural Responses to Reward in a Gambling Task: Sex Differences and Individual Variation in Reward-Driven Impulsivity. Cerebral Cortex Communications. DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa025
  1. Le T. M., Zhornitsky S., Zhang S., Li CSR (2020). Pain and reward circuits antagonistically modulate alcohol expectancy to regulate drinking. Translational Psychiatry. 10(220). DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00909-z
  1. Ide J., Li H-T., Chen Y., Le T. M., Li C., Zhornitsky S., Li, CSR (2020). Gray Matter Volumetric Correlates of Behavioral Activation and Inhibition System Traits in Children: An Exploratory Voxel-Based Morphometry Study of the ABCD Project Data. NeuroImage, 117085. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117085 
  1. Wang W., Zhornitsky S., Le T. M., Zhang S., Li CSR (2020). Heart Rate Variability, Cue-Evoked Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortical Response, and Problem Alcohol Use in Adult Drinkers, Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 5(6), 619-628. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.12.013 
  1. Le T. M., Chao H., Levy I., Li CSR (2020), Age-Related Changes in the Neural Processes of Reward-Directed Action and Inhibition of Action. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1121
  1. Yang K., Tan Y., Yang Q., Niu Y., Fan F., Chen S., Luo X., Tan S., Wang Z., Tong J., Yang F., Le T. M., Li CSR (2020). Cortical thickness and apathy in patients with alcohol dependence, Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 364 
  1. Zhornitsky S., Le T. M., Dhingra I., Adkinson B., Potvin S., Li CSR (2020). Interpersonal risk factors of suicide in cocaine dependence: association with self-esteem, personality traits, and childhood abuse. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12621 
  1. Le T. M., Ding-Lieh L., Ide J., Zhang S., Zhornitsky S., Wang W., Li CSR. (2020). The interrelationship of body mass index with gray matter volume and resting-state functional connectivity of the hypothalamus. International Journal of Obesity. DOI: 10.1038/s41366-019-0496-8
  1. Le T. M., Wang W., Zhornitsky S., Dhingra I., Zhang S., Li CSR. (2020). Interdependent neural correlates of reward and punishment sensitivity during rewarded action and inhibition of action. Cerebral Cortex, 30(3) 1662–1676. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz194
  1. Le T. M., Zhang S., Zhornitsky S., Wang W., Li CSR. (2020). Neural correlates of reward-directed action and inhibition of action. Cortex. 123, 42-56, DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.10.007
  1. Dhingra I., Zhang S., Zhornitsky, S., Le T. M., Wang, W., Chao H., Levy I., Li. CSR. (2020). The effects of age on reward magnitude processing in the monetary incentive delay task. NeuroImage, 116368, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116368 
  1. Le T. M., Zhornitsky S., Wang W., Ide J. S., Li CSR. (2019). Posterior cingulate cortical activity during active avoidance mediates the relationship between punishment sensitivity and problem drinking. Journal of Neuroscience, 39 (32) 6354-6364, DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0508-19.2019 
  1. Le T. M., Zhornitsky S., Wang W., Zhang S., Li CSR. (2019). Problem drinking alters gray matter volume and food cue responses of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex. Addiction Biology. DOI: 10.1111/adb.12857 
  1. Le T. M., Wang W., Zhornitsky S., Dhingra I., Zhang S., Li CSR. (2019). Reward sensitivity and electrodermal responses to actions and outcomes in a go/no-go task. PLOS One, 14(7): e0219147. DOI: 1371/journal.pone.0219147
  1. Zhang S., Zhornitsky S., Le T. M., Li. CSR. (2019). Hypothalamic Responses to Cocaine and Food Cues in Individuals with Cocaine Dependence. The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2(12), 754–764. DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyz044
  1. Wang W., Zhornitsky S., Le T. M., Dhingra I., Zhang S., Krystal J., Li. CSR. (2019). Cue-elicited craving, thalamic activity, and physiological arousal in adult non-dependent drinkers. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 116, 74-82. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.06.005
  1. Wang W., Li. C., Joormann J., Zhornitsky S., Le T. M., Li SCR., (2019). Social anxiety, posterior insula activation, and autonomic response during self-initiated action in a Cyberball game. Journal of Affective Disorders, 225, 158-167. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.05.046
  1. Zhornitsky S., Zhang S. Ide J. S., Chao H. H., Wang W., Le T. M., Leeman R. F., Bi J., Krystal J. H., Li CSR. (2018). Alcohol Expectancy and Cerebral Responses to Cue-Elicited Craving in Adult Nondependent Drinkers, Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, 4(5), 493-504. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2018.11.012
  1. Wang W., Worhunsky P. D., Zhang S., Le T. M., Potenza M., Li CSR. (2018). Response inhibition and fronto-striatal-thalamic circuit dysfunction in cocaine addiction, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 192 (1), 137-145. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.07.037
  1. Le T. M., Borghi A. J., Kujawa A. J., Klein D. N., Leung, H-C., (2017). Alterations in visual cortical activation and connectivity with prefrontal cortex during working memory updating in major depressive disorder, NeuroImage: Clinical, 14, 43-53. DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.01.004