Chemsex, Brain Function and Mental Health: Building the Evidence
Led Dr Stephen Naulls - how does chemsex impact the brain?
Chemsex, Brain Function and Mental Health: Building the Evidence
Led Dr Stephen Naulls - how does chemsex impact the brain?
Our Mission
Our Mission
We are a new research initiative focussed on gathering high-quality scientific evidence about chemsex and the brain.
We are currently leading the world's first brain imaging study assessing how chemsex impacts the brain. We expect to launch more studies soon.
The aim of chemsex and the brain is to bring neurobiological research into conversation with the rich sexual health, psychological, and harm reduction work already happening.
Our goal is to pursue inclusive research, co-produced by mental health experts and queer people with lived experience, to better understand chemsex and the brain.
Current studies and u
Neuroimaging the chemsex brain - a pilot MRI study
Neuroimaging the chemsex brain - a pilot MRI study
Neuroimaging the chemsex brain - a pilot MRI study
RESULTS COMING IMMINENTLY
Society for Study of Addiction Symposium Nov 2026
Neuroimaging the chemsex brain - a pilot MRI study
Neuroimaging the chemsex brain - a pilot MRI study
We are pleased to be presenting our emerging findings including 1-H-MRS, functional MRI (resting-state and task-based), and NM-MRI at our Chemsex and the Brain SSA Symposium. These are findings from the first multimodal MRI chemsex and the brain research study. We will also be sharing exciting plans about our up,cing research.
Our researchers
Dr Stephen Naulls (He/Him)
Dr Stephen Naulls (He/Him)
Dr Stephen Naulls (He/Him)
Stephen is a psychiatry doctor and researcher exploring how chemsex affects the brain. He’s passionate about mental health and addiction, harm reduction, and research that helps make a difference to our communities.
Professor James Stone
Dr Stephen Naulls (He/Him)
Dr Stephen Naulls (He/Him)
James is a psychiatrist who has been investigating the effects of drugs on the brain – both harms and benefits - for more than 20 years. My aim is to find new and more effective ways of treating common mental health problems.