Research

My field of research is neurobehaviour and cognition. I am particularly interested in the cognitive changes accompanying drug addiction since brain areas and processes that underlie drug addiction overlap extensively with those that underlie cognition. Cognitive functions such as learning, memory and attention following drug addiction are evaluated using various behavioural paradigms in animal models. The underlying changes in neural mechanisms can be further determined by looking at the neurochemical release in specific brain regions using brain microdialysis in freely moving animals. I am also interested in investigating new plant-based medications for addiction/cognition in different age populations by looking at their effects on physical, physiological and psychological development.

Current research project:

• Assessment of the cognitive functions following mitragynine substitution in morphine-addicted rats.
• Role of the cholinergic and glutamatergic systems in the cognitive functions following mitragynine substitution in morphine-addicted rats.

People

Publications

 SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (FROM 2010)

1. Suhaimi, F.W., Yusoff, N.H., Hassan, R., Mansor, S.M., Navaratnam, V., Müller, C.P., Hassan, Z. (2016) Neurobiology of Kratom and its main alkaloid mitragynine. Brain Res Bull. 126, 29.
2. Yusoff, N.H., Suhaimi, F.W., Vadivelu, R.K., Hassan, Z., Rümler, A., Rotter, A., Amato, D., Dringenberg, H.C., Mansor, S.M., Navaratnam, V., Müller, C.P. (2016) Abuse potential and adverse cognitive effects of mitragynine (kratom). Addict Biol. 21, 98.
3. Hassan, Z., Muzaimi, M., Navaratnam, V., Yusoff, N.H., Suhaimi, F.W., Vadivelu, R., Vicknasingam, B.K., Amato, D., von Hörsten, S., Ismail, N.I., Jayabalan, N., Hazim, A.I., Mansor, S.M., Müller, C.P. (2013) From Kratom to mitragynine and its derivatives: physiological and behavioural effects related to use, abuse, and addiction. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 37, 138.
4. Hassan, Z., Sattar, M.Z., Suhaimi, F.W., Yusoff, N.H., Abdulla, M.H., Yusof, A.P., Johns, E.J. (2013) Blunted endogenous GABA-mediated inhibition in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Acta Neurol Belg. 113, 319.
5. Suhaimi, F.W., Yusoff, N.H., Dewa, A., Yusof, A.P. (2010) Role of excitatory amino acid input in rostral ventrolateral medulla neurons in rats with obesity-induced hypertension. Acta Neurol Belg. 110, 57.

Published Abstracts

1. Suhaimi, F., Hassan, Z., Navaratnam, V., Muller, C.P., Mansor, S.M. (2016) Effects of naloxone and bicuculline on acquisition of passive avoidance task in mitragynine-treated rats. Front. Cell. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: 14th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry. doi: 10.3389/conf.fncel.2016.36.00118.
2. Hassan, Z., Suhaimi, F., Dringenberg, H.C., Muller, C.P. (2016) Impaired water maze learning and hippocampal long-term potentiation after mitragynine (Kratom) treatment in rats. Front. Cell. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: 14th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry. doi: 10.3389/conf.fncel.2016.36.00058.
3. Suhaimi, F., Hassan, Z., Navaratnam, V., Müller C.P. (2012) Impairment of memory formation, consolidation and retrieval of inhibitory avoidance task in acute mitragynine-treated rats. Front. Hum. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: ACNS-2012 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Conference. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2012.208.00176.