Adarsh K. Verma is a research scholar at the University of Hyderabad, pursuing his Ph.D. at the Centre for Psychology, School of Medical Sciences, under the supervision of Dr. C.V. Usha. With a comprehensive academic background in psychology, he has developed a keen interest in understanding the brain-behavior relationship. His curiosity about the underlying mechanisms involved in risky human behavior, particularly alcohol consumption despite individuals’ awareness of its harmful effects, has shaped his research trajectory.

His work addresses critical questions related to behavioral variability among individuals involved in alcohol consumption: What conscious and unconscious factors contribute to these differences in behavior? Why do individuals struggle to withdraw from alcohol consumption despite being aware of its detrimental effects and expressing a willingness to quit? Why do neural responses to similar stimuli vary among individuals? To what extent can these behaviors be modulated by targeting the underlying neural mechanisms?

To investigate these questions, Adarsh collaborates closely with the Sensorimotor Plasticity Lab at IIT Hyderabad, under the co-supervison of Dr. Neeraj Kumar, Assistant Professor, Cognitive Science. By examining underlying automatic alcohol approach tendencies and instrumental responses, he seeks to uncover the neural mechanisms driving alcohol consumption behavior. Through this work, he aims to contribute to the development of evidence-based strategies that promote abstinence and enhance treatment outcomes for individuals recovering from alcohol dependence.