Dr Natalia Albein-Urios
Position: Lecturer
Discipline: Psychology
Location: Berwick Campus, Building 901, Level 2
Phone: +61387805770
Email: n.albeinurios@federation.edu.au
Qualifications
Doctor of Philosophy – University of Granada (Spain) – 2012
International Master in Clinical Psychology – 2009
Master in Health Psychology – University Miguel Hernandez (Spain) – 2007
Bachelor of Sciences (Hons), Psychology – University of Miguel Hernandez (Spain) – 2007
Teaching
Courses
- Bachelor of Science (Psychology)
Units
- Psychological Research Methods (PSYCP6014)
- Social Psychology (PSYCB2104) [FedOnline]
Biography
Natalia’s PhD (Nov 2012) focused on Neuropsychology & Neurocognition including training at the Department of Behavioural & Clinical Neuroscience Institute at the University of Cambridge, and the Department of Psychiatry in University of California San Diego. She was awarded the Special Prize to the Best Thesis on Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Granada (Spain).
After her PhD, she moved to Australia where she first worked at the Melbourne Children’s Hospital (University of Melbourne) and was then awarded a Health Doctoral Fellowship at Deakin University, where she led a clinical trial on non-invasive brain stimulation and neurodevelopmental disorders.
During these years, my research program has been focused on the development of novel brain stimulation approaches targeting the prefrontal cortex to reduce perseveration and emotion regulation problems in autism. She has also continued her work on addiction using multimodal neuroscience techniques to uncover its neurocognitive underpinnings.
She is currently working at Federation University (Lecturer). She describes herself as a highly motivated and adaptable academic, with a passion for teaching and research in psychology.
Areas of expertise
(1) Mental health, cognitive neuroscience, emotional regulation, executive functions, non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, fMRI, EEG, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), substance use disorder (SUD).
Research interests
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Non-invasive brain stimulation interventions
- Executive functions and emotion regulation
- Cognitive neuroscience
Supervision
Currently supervising honours students
Publications
Book chapters
Albein-Urios, N., & Enticott, P. G. (2016). New technologies in clinical neuroscience. In Developmental Disorders of the Brain: Second Edition (pp. 45-62).
Parmar, D., Stockman, F., Bekkali, S., Albein-Urios., N., Donaldson, P & Enticott (2019). Research and treatment applications of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in autism spectrum disorders. Autism Spectrum Disorder: Neuromodulation, Neurofeedback and Sensory Integration Approaches.
Refereed journal articles
1. Zühlsdorff , K., Verdejo-Román, J., Clark, L., Albein-Urios, N., Soriano-Mas, C., Cardinal,
RN., Robbins, T.W., Dalley, J.W., Verdejo-García, A., Kanen, J.W. Computational modelling
of reinforcement learning and functional neuroimaging of probabilistic reversal for dissociating
compulsive behaviours in gambling and cocaine use disorders. BJPsych Open. 2023 Dec
11;10(1):e8. doi: 10.1192/bjo.2023.611.
2. Albein-Urios, N., Fernandez, L., Hill, A., Kirkovski, M., & Enticott, P. G. (2023). Prefrontal
anodal High Definition-tDCS has limited effects on emotion regulation. Brain Stimulation,
16(1), 17-19.
3. Corp, D. T., Bereznicki, H. G. K., Clark, G. M., Youssef, G. J., Fried, P. J., Jannati, A., . . .
Albein-Urios, N…., Enticott, P. G. (2021). Large-scale analysis of interindividual variability in
single and paired-pulse TMS data. Clinical Neurophysiology, 132(10), 2639-2653.
4. Enticott, P. G., Barlow, K., Guastella, A. J., Licari, M. K., Rogasch, N. C., Middeldorp, C. M., .
. .Albein-Urios, N… Fitzgerald, P. B. (2021). Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
(rTMS) in autism spectrum disorder: Protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled clinical
trial. BMJ Open, 11(7).
5. Kirkovski, M., Donaldson, P. H., Do, M., Speranza, B. E., Albein-Urios, N., Oberman, L. M.,
& Enticott, P. G. (2023). A systematic review of the neurobiological effects of theta-burst
stimulation (TBS) as measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Brain
Structure and Function, 228(3-4), 717-749.
6. Kirkovski, M., Hill, A. T., Rogasch, N. C., Saeki, T., Fitzgibbon, B. M., Yang, J., . .AlbeinUrios, N... Enticott, P. G. (2022). A single- and paired-pulse TMS-EEG investigation of the
N100 and long interval cortical inhibition in autism spectrum disorder. Brain Stimulation, 15(1),
229-232.
7. Fithall, K., Gray, I. E., Linardon, J., Phillipou, A., Donaldson, P. H., Albein-Urios, N., . . .
Kirkovski, M. (2023). Exploring the role of autistic traits and eating disorder psychopathology
on mentalising ability in the general population. BMC Psychology, 11(1).
8. Kirkovski, M., Singh, M., Dhollander, T., Fuelscher, I., Hyde, C., Albein-Urios, N., . . .
Enticott, P. G. (2023). An Investigation of Age-related Neuropathophysiology in Autism
Spectrum Disorder Using Fixel-based Analysis of Corpus Callosum White Matter Micro- and
Macrostructure. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
9. Parmar, D., Enticott, P. G., & Albein-Urios, N. (2021). Anodal HD-tDCS for cognitive
inflexibility in autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study. Brain Stimulation, 14(5), 1298-1300.
doi:10.1016/j.brs.2021.08.020
10. Picó-Pérez, M., Costumero, V., Verdejo-Román, J., Albein-Urios, N., Martínez-González, J.
M., Soriano-Mas, C., . . . Verdejo-Garcia, A. (2022). Brain networks alterations in cocaine use
and gambling disorders during emotion regulation. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 11(2),
373-385. doi:10.1556/2006.2022.00018
11. Bekkali, S., Youssef, G.J., Donaldson, P.H., Albein-Urios., N., Hyde, C., Enticott, P.G. Is the
Putative Mirror Neuron System Associated with Empathy? A Systematic Review and MetaAnalysis. Neuropsychology Review, 2021, 31(1), pp. 14–57.
12. Lum, J.A.G., Shandley, K., Albein-Urios, N., ...Enticott, P.G., Rinehart, N.J. Meta-Analysis
Reveals Gait Anomalies in Autism. Autism Research, 2021, 14(4), pp. 733–747.
13. Roberts, C.A., Lorenzetti, V., Albein-Urios, N., ...Martinez-Gonzalez, J.M., Verdejo-Garcia,
A.Do comorbid personality disorders in cocaine dependence exacerbate neuroanatomical
alterations? A structural neuroimaging study. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and
Biological Psychiatry, 2021, 110, 110298.
14. Verdejo-García, A. & Albein-Urios, N. (2021). Special issue on vulnerabilities to substance
abuse impulsivity traits and neurocognitive mechanisms conferring vulnerability to substance
use disorders. Neuropharmacology. 183,108402.
15. Albein-Urios, N., Youssef, G. J., Klas, A., & Enticott, P. G. (2020). Inner Speech Moderates
the Relationship Between Autism Spectrum Traits and Emotion Regulation. J Autism Dev
Disord, 10.1007/s10803-020-04750-7.
16. Plumridge, J.M.A., Barham, M.P., Foley, D.L, Ware, A.T., Clark, G.M., Albein-Urios, N.,
Hayden, M.J., Lum, J.A.G (2020). The Effect of Visual Articulatory Information on the Neural
Correlates of Non-native Speech Sound Discrimination. Front Hum Neurosci. 14:25. doi:
10.3389/fnhum.2020.00025.
17. Irizar, P., Albein-Urios, N., Martínez-González, J.M., Verdejo-Garcia, A., Lorenzetti, V.
Unpacking common and distinct neuroanatomical alterations in cocaine dependent versus
pathological gambling. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2020 Apr;33:81-88. doi:
10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.01.019.
18. Contreras-Rodríguez, O., Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-Gonzalez, J.M., Menchón, J.M., SorianoMas,C., Verdejo-García, A. (2020). The neural interface between negative emotion regulation and motivation for change in cocaine dependent individuals under treatment. Drug Alcohol Depend, 208:107854. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107854.
19. Albein-Urios, N., Chase, H., Clark, L., Kirkovski, M., Davies, C., & Enticott, P.G. (2019).
Increased perseverative errors following high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation
over the ventrolateral cortex during probabilistic reversal learning. Brain Stimul, 12(4):959-966.
doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2019.02.013.
20. Do, M., Clark, G.M., Fuelscher, I., Kirkovski, M., Cerins, A., Corp, D.T., Bereznicki,
H.G.K., Albein-Urios, N., Enticott PG (2019). Magstim 2002 and Bistim Mode maximum
stimulus output values are not equivalent: Configuration selection is critical. Brain Stimul, pii:
S1935-861X(19)30480-2. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2019.12.009.
21. Cole, E.J., Enticott, P.G., Oberman, L.M., Gwynette, M.F., Casanova, M.F., Jackson, S.L.J.,
Jannati, A., McPartland, J.C., Naples, A.J., Puts, N.A.J., Albein-Urios, N., Barnett, C., Croarkin,
P., Elliot, G., Feinstein, C., Francis, S., Lai, M.-C., Levitt, J., McCracken, J., Mostofsky, S.,
Pascual-Leone, A., Rashtchy, S., Rotenberg, A., Schultz, B., Taylor, B., Taylor, K.H., Burgt, J.V.,
Veenstra-VanderWeele, J., Wu, W. (2019). The Potential of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic
Stimulation for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Consensus Statement. Biol Psychiatry, 85(4), e21-
e22. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.06.003.
22. Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-Gonzalez, J. M., Lozano-Rojas, O., Verdejo-García, A. (2019).
Dysfunctional personality beliefs linked to emotion recognition deficits in individuals with
addiction and personality disorders. Frontiers Psychiatry, 10:431. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00431.
23. Albein-Urios, N., Youssef, G. J., Kirkovski, M., & Enticott, P. G. (2018). Autism Spectrum Traits
Linked with Reduced Performance on Self-Report Behavioural Measures of Cognitive
Flexibility. J Autism Dev Disord, 48(7), 2506-2515. doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3503-3.
24. Castine, B. R., Albein-Urios, N., Lozano-Rojas, O., Martinez-Gonzalez, J. M., Hohwy, J., &
Verdejo-Garcia, A. (2019). Self-awareness deficits associated with lower treatment motivation in
cocaine addiction. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse, 1-7. doi:10.1080/00952990.2018.1511725
25. Verdejo-García, A., Alcázar-Córcoles, M. A., & Albein-Urios, N. (2019). Neuropsychological
Interventions for Decision-Making in Addiction: a Systematic Review. Neuropsychol Rev.
doi:10.1007/s11065-018-9384-6
26. Verdejo-Garcia, A., Verdejo-Román, J., Albein-Urios, N., Martínez-González, J. M., & SorianoMas, C. (2017). Brain substrates of social decision-making in dual diagnosis: cocaine dependence
and personality disorders. Addict Biol, 22(2), 457-467. doi:10.1111/adb.12318
27. Navas, J. F., Contreras-Rodríguez, O., Verdejo-Román, J., Perandrés-Gómez, A., Albein-Urios,
N., Verdejo-García, A., & Perales, J. C. (2017). Trait and neurobiological underpinnings of
negative emotion regulation in gambling disorder. Addiction, 112(6), 1086-1094.
doi:10.1111/add.13751
28. Moreno-López, L., Albein-Urios, N., Martínez-González, J. M., Soriano-Mas, C., & VerdejoGarcía, A. (2017). Neural correlates of impaired self-awareness of apathy, disinhibition and
dysexecutive deficits in cocaine-dependent individuals. Addict Biol, 22(5), 1438-1448.
doi:10.1111/adb.12422
29. López-Torrecillas, F., López-Quirantes, E. M., Maldonado, A., Albein-Urios, N., Rueda, M. D.
M., & Verdejo-Garcia, A. (2017). Decisional balance and processes of change in communityrecruited with moderate-high versus mild severity of cannabis dependence. PLoS One, 12(12).
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0188476
30. Goodwill, A. M., Lum, J. A. G., Hendy, A. M., Muthalib, M., Johnson, L., Albein-Urios, N., &
Teo, W. P. (2017). Using non-invasive transcranial stimulation to improve motor and cognitive
function in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep, 7(1).
doi:10.1038/s41598-017-13260-z
31. Fernandez, L., Albein-Urios, N., Kirkovski, M., McGinley, J. L., Murphy, A. T., Hyde, C., . . .
Enticott, P. G. (2017). Cathodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to the Right
Cerebellar Hemisphere Affects Motor Adaptation During Gait. Cerebellum, 16(1), 168-177.
doi:10.1007/s12311-016-0788-7
32. Brignell, A., Albein-Urios, N., Woolfenden, S., Hayen, A., Iorio, A., & Williams, K. (2017).
Overall prognosis of preschool autism spectrum disorder diagnoses. Cochrane Database of
Systematic Reviews, 2017(8). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012749
33. Randall, M., Albein-Urios, N., [Co-First authorship] Brignell, A., Gulenc, A., Hennel, S.,
Coates, C., . . . Williams, K. (2016). Diagnosing autism: Australian paediatric research network
surveys. J Paediatr Child Health, 52(1), 11-17. doi:10.1111/jpc.13029
34. Contreras-Rodríguez, O., Albein-Urios, N., Vilar-López, R., Perales, J. C., Martínez-Gonzalez,
J. M., Fernández-Serrano, M. J., . . . Verdejo-García, A. (2016). Increased corticolimbic
connectivity in cocaine dependence versus pathological gambling is associated with drug severity
and emotion-related impulsivity. Addict Biol, 21(3), 709-718. doi:10.1111/adb.12242
35. Verdejo-Garcia, A., Clark, L., Verdejo-Román, J., Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-Gonzalez, J. M.,
Gutierrez, B., & Soriano-Mas, C. (2015). Neural substrates of cognitive flexibility in cocaine and
gambling addictions. British Journal of Psychiatry, 207(2), 158-164.
doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.114.152223
36. Moreno-Lõpez, L., Perales, J. C., Van Son, D., Albein-Urios, N., Soriano-Mas, C., MartinezGonzalez, J. M., . . . Verdejo-García, A. (2015). Cocaine use severity and cerebellar gray matter are associated with reversal learning deficits in cocaine-dependent individuals. Addict Biol, 20(3), 546-556. doi:10.1111/adb.12143
37. Martínez-González, J. M., Albein-Urios, N., Lozano-Rojas, O., & Verdejo-García, A. (2015).
Variables of clinical interest in the cognitive behavioral treatment of cocaine addiction: The
specificity of personality disorders. Revista de Psicopatologia y Psicologia Clinica, 20(2), 115-
123. doi:10.5944/rppc.vol.20.num.2.2015.15166
38. Contreras-Rodríguez, O., Albein-Urios, N., Perales, J. C., Martínez-Gonzalez, J. M., VilarLópez, R., Fernández-Serrano, M. J., . . . Verdejo-García, A. (2015). Cocaine-specific
neuroplasticity in the ventral striatum network is linked to delay discounting and drug relapse.
Addiction, 110(12), 1953-1962. doi:10.1111/add.13076
39. Verdejo-Garcia, A., Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-Gonzalez, J. M., Civit, E., De La Torre, R., &
Lozano, O. (2014). Decision-making impairment predicts 3-month hair-indexed cocaine relapse.
Psychopharmacology (Berl), 231(21), 4179-4187. doi:10.1007/s00213-014-3563-9
40. Moreno-López, L., Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-Gonzalez, J. M., Soriano-Mas, C., & VerdejoGarcía, A. (2014). Prefrontal gray matter and motivation for treatment in cocaine-dependent
individuals with and without personality disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 5(MAY).
doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00052
41. Martínez-González, J. M., Albein-Urios, N., Lozano-Rojas, O., & Verdejo-García, A. (2014).
Differential aspects of treatment dropout risk in cocaine dependent patients with and without
personality disorders. Adicciones, 26(2), 116-125.
42. Albein-Urios, N., Verdejo-Román, J., Asensio, S., Soriano-Mas, C., Martínez-González, J. M.,
& Verdejo-García, A. (2014). Re-appraisal of negative emotions in cocaine dependence:
Dysfunctional corticolimbic activation and connectivity. Addict Biol, 19(3), 415-426.
doi:10.1111/j.1369-1600.2012.00497.x
43. Albein-Urios, N., Pilatti, A., Lozano, O., Martínez-González, J. M., & Verdejo-García, A.
(2014). The value of impulsivity to define subgroups of addicted individuals differing in
personality dysfunction, craving, psychosocial adjustment, and wellbeing: A latent class analysis.
Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 29(1), 38-46. doi:10.1093/arclin/act072
44. Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-González, J. M., Lozano, T., & Verdejo-Garcia, A. (2014). Monetary
delay discounting in gambling and cocaine dependence with personality comorbidities. Addictive
Behaviors, 39(11), 1658-1662. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.06.001
45. Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-Gonzalez, J. M., Lozano-Rojas, O., & Verdejo-García, A. (2014).
Executive functions in cocaine-dependent patients with cluster B and cluster C personality
disorders. Neuropsychology, 28(1), 84-90. doi:10.1037/neu0000007
46. Verdejo-García, A., Albein-Urios, N., Molina, E., Ching-López, A., Martínez-González, J. M.,
& Gutiérrez, B. (2013). A MAOA gene*cocaine severity interaction on impulsivity and
neuropsychological measures of orbitofrontal dysfunction: Preliminary results. Drug Alcohol
Depend, 133(1), 287-290. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.04.031
47. Albein-Urios, N., Verdejo-Román, J., Soriano-Mas, C., Asensio, S., Martínez-González, J. M.,
& Verdejo-García, A. (2013). Cocaine users with comorbid Cluster B personality disorders show
dysfunctional brain activation and connectivity in the emotional regulation networks during
negative emotion maintenance and reappraisal. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 23(12),
1698-1707. doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2013.04.012
48. Albein-Urios, N., Martínez-González, J. M., Lozano, O., & Verdejo-Garcia, A. (2013). Frontal
systems related symptoms in cocaine dependent patients with comorbid personality disorders.
Psychopharmacology (Berl), 228(3), 367-373. doi:10.1007/s00213-013-3040-x
49. Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-Gonzalez, J. M., Lozano, Ó., Moreno-López, L., Soriano-Mas, C., &
Verdejo-Garcia, A. (2013). Negative urgency, disinhibition and reduced temporal pole gray
matter characterize the comorbidity of cocaine dependence and personality disorders. Drug
Alcohol Depend, 132(1-2), 231-237. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.02.008
50. Martínez-González, J. M., Albein-Urios, N., Munera, P., & Verdejo-García, A. (2012).
Psychoeducation as a strategy to improve family support perceived from patient with alcohol
dependence and personality disorder. International Journal of Psychological Research, 5(1), 18-
24
51. Delgado-Rico, E., Río-Valle, J. S., Albein-Urios, N., Caracuel, A., González-Jiménez, E.,
Piqueras, M. J.,. . .Verdejo-García, A. (2012). Effects of a multicomponent behavioral
intervention on impulsivity and cognitive deficits in adolescents with excess weight. Behavioural
Pharmacology, 23(5-6), 609-615. doi:10.1097/FBP.0b013e328356c3ac
52. Albein-Urios, N., Martinez-González, J. M., Lozano, T., Clark, L., & Verdejo-García, A. (2012).
Comparison of impulsivity and working memory in cocaine addiction and pathological gambling:
Implications for cocaine-induced neurotoxicity. Drug Alcohol Depend, 126(1-2), 1-6.
doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.03.008
53. Albein-Urios, N., Martínez-González, J. M., Lozano-Rojas, Ó., & Verdejo-García, A. (2011).
Preliminary study for the validation of the Spanish version of the personality belief Questionnaire.
Trastornos Adictivos, 13(4), 144-150. doi:10.1016/S1575-0973(11)70030-7
Refereed conference proceedings
1. Albein-Urios, N. Electrophysiology and Brain Stimulation in Paediatric Groups. Workshop
focused on Practical Issues in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Australasian Cognitive
Neuroscience Society, Melbourne, November, 2018.
2. Albein-Urios, N. Modulation of Emotion Regulation Skills using High-definition tDCS.
Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona (Spain), October 2018.
3. Albein-Urios, N. Emotion Regulation and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Invited presentation to
Aspergers Victoria, Melbourne, September, 2017.
4. Albein-Urios, N. The effects of tDCS in Autism Spectrum Disorders. International Transcranial
Magnetic Stimulation Consensus meeting, San Francisco (US), March 2017.
5. Albein-Urios, N. Neuroscientific Basis of the Overlap between Cocaine Use and Comorbid
Personality Disorder, SET (Sociedad Española de Toxicomanías), Madrid and Valencia (Spain),
November, 2011.
6. Albein-Urios, N. Pathological Gambling as a behavioral addiction, XXI Congreso Andaluz de
Jugadores de Azar Rehabilitados, Granada (Spain), October, 2011.
7. Albein-Urios, N. Psychopathology and Addiction Disorders, “Diseases of XXI Century”,
University of Granada (Spain), November, 2011.
8. Albein-Urios, N. Understanding Disruptive Behaviour in Children. Hospital of Alicante,
Alicante (Spain), September, 2009.