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Dr Paula Trotter

School of Psychology

Faculty of Health

After completing her PhD researching neurobiological mechanisms of affective touch and their role in depression at The University of Manchester, Dr Trotter remained at The University of Manchester for her first post-doc, investigating the neurobiology of resilience to depression. She then moved to LJMU, researching the role of serotonin in affective touch responses. Following this, Dr Trotter undertook a maternity cover Psychology Lecturing position at LJMU, before accepting a Psychology Lecturing position at Manchester Metropolitan University. Dr Trotter returned to LJMU in June 2018 as a Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience.

Dr Trotter’s research is focussed on the protective role of C-Tactile (CT) activating interpersonal affective touch throughout our lives, from the early developmental period through to adulthood. Research in adulthood is focussed on understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of affective touch, with a view to understanding the protective effects of affective touch against mental health conditions.

Degrees

2011, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, PhD: Neurobiological mechanisms of affective touch and their role in depression
2006, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, BSc (Hons) Pharmacology & Physiology with Industrial Experience

Academic appointments

Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience, Liverpool John Moores University, 2018 - present
Lecturer in Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2017 - 2018
Lecturer in Psychology (maternity cover), Liverpool John Moores University, 2016 - 2017
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, 2013 - 2016
Research Assistant, Neuroscience & Psychiatry Unit, University of Manchester, 2010 - 2013
Part-time Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, 2007 - 2010

Highlighted publications

Trotter PD, McGlone FP, Reniers R, Deakin B. 2018. Construction and validation of the Touch Experiences and Attitudes Questionnaire (TEAQ): a self-report measure to determine attitudes to and experiences of positive touch Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 42 :379-416 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Trotter PD, McGlone FP, McKie S, McFarquhar M, Elliott R, Walker SC, Deakin JF. 2016. Effects of acute tryptophan depletion on central processing of CT-targeted and discriminatory touch in humans. European Journal of Neuroscience, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Journal article

Friedrich Y, Faresse S, Henning C, Trotter PD, Ackerley R, Croy I. 2025. Measuring differences in social touch: Development and validation of the short Touch Experiences and Attitudes Questionnaire (TEAQ-s) Personality and Individual Differences, 233 :112890-112890 DOI Publisher Url

Bellard A, Trotter PD, McGlone F, Cazzato V. 2023. Role of medial prefrontal cortex and primary somatosensory cortex in self and other-directed vicarious social touch: a TMS study Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 18 :1-14 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Bellard AM, Mathew J, Sun W, Denkow L, Najm A, Michael-Grigoriou D, Trotter P, McGlone F, Fairhurst M, Cazzato V. 2023. Topography and relationship-specific social touching in individuals displaying body image disturbances Scientific Reports, 13 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Tinker VC, Trotter PD, Krahé C. 2023. Depression severity is associated with reduced pleasantness of observed social touch and fewer current intimate touch experiences Hensel DJ. PLOS ONE, 18 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Ali SH, Makdani AD, Cordero MI, Paltoglou AE, Marshall AG, McFarquhar MJ, McGlone FP, Walker SC, Trotter PD. 2023. Hold me or stroke me? Individual differences in static and dynamic affective touch. Scilingo EP. PloS one, 18 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Pereira AR, Antunes J, Trotter PD, McGlone F, González-Villar AJ, Sampaio A. 2023. Translation, validity, and reliability of the European Portuguese version of the Touch Experiences and Attitudes Questionnaire PeerJ, 11 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Bellard A, Trotter P, McGlone F, Cazzato V. 2022. Vicarious ratings of self vs. other-directed social touch in women with and recovered from Anorexia Nervosa Scientific Reports, 12 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Trotter PD, Smith SA, Moore DJ, O'Sullivan N, McFarquhar MM, McGlone FP, Walker SC. 2022. Acute tryptophan depletion alters affective touch perception Psychopharmacology, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Cazzato V, Sacchetti S, Shin S, Makdani A, Trotter PD, McGlone FP. 2021. Affective touch topography and body image. PLoS One, 16 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Haggarty CJ, Moore DJ, Trotter PD, Hagan R, McGlone FP, Walker SC. 2021. Vicarious ratings of social touch the effect of age and autistic traits. Scientific Reports, 11 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Haggarty CJ, Trotter PD, McGlone FP, Walker SC. 2021. Children's vicarious ratings of social touch are tuned to the velocity but not the location of a caress. PLoS One, 16 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Smith S, Trotter PD, McGlone FP, Walker SC. 2020. Effects of Acute Tryptophan Depletion on Human Taste Perception Chemical Senses, 46 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Devine SL, Walker SC, Makdani A, Stockton ER, McFarquhar MJ, McGlone FP, Trotter PD. 2020. Childhood Adversity and Affective Touch Perception: A Comparison of United Kingdom Care Leavers and Non-care Leavers. Frontiers in Psychology, 11 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Trotter PD, Belovol E, McGlone FP, Varlamov A. 2018. Validation and psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Touch Experiences and Attitudes Questionnaire PLoS One, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Trotter PD, McGlone FP, Reniers R, Deakin B. 2018. Construction and validation of the Touch Experiences and Attitudes Questionnaire (TEAQ): a self-report measure to determine attitudes to and experiences of positive touch Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 42 :379-416 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Pawling R, Trotter PD, McGlone FP, Walker SC. 2017. A Positive Touch: C-tactile afferent targeted skin stimulation carries an appetitive motivational value. Biological Psychology, 129 :186-194 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Walker SC, Trotter PD, Woods A, McGlone FP. 2017. Vicarious ratings of social touch reflect the anatomical distribution & velocity tuning of C-tactile afferents: A Hedonic Homunculus? Behavioural Brain Research, 320 :91-96 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Swaney WT, Walker SC, Trotter PD, Marshall A, McGlone FP. 2017. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Kass-Iliyya L, Leung M, Marshall A, Trotter P, Kobylecki C, Walker SC, Gosal D, Jeziorska M, Malik RA, McGlone FP, Silverdale MA. 2016. The perception of affective touch in Parkinson's disease and its relation to small fibre neuropathy. European Journal of Neuroscience, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Trotter PD, McGlone FP, McKie S, McFarquhar M, Elliott R, Walker SC, Deakin JF. 2016. Effects of acute tryptophan depletion on central processing of CT-targeted and discriminatory touch in humans. European Journal of Neuroscience, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Pulcu E, Thomas EJ, Trotter PD, McFarquhar M, Juhasz G, Sahakian BJ, Deakin JFW, Anderson IM, Zahn R, Elliott R. 2015. Social-economical decision making in current and remitted major depression Psychological Medicine, 45 :1301-1313 DOI Author Url Publisher Url

Pulcu E, Zahn R, Moll J, Trotter PD, Thomas EJ, Juhasz G, Deakin JFW, Anderson IM, Sahakian BJ, Elliott R. 2014. Enhanced subgenual cingulate response to altruistic decisions in remitted major depressive disorder NeuroImage: Clinical, 4 :701-710 DOI Author Url Publisher Url

Pulcu E, Trotter PD, Thomas EJ, McFarquhar M, Juhasz G, Sahakian BJ, Deakin JFW, Zahn R, Anderson IM, Elliott R. 2013. Temporal discounting in major depressive disorder Psychological Medicine, 44 :1825-1834 DOI Author Url Publisher Url

Pinteaux E, Trotter PD, Simi A. 2009. Cell-specific and concentration-dependent actions of interleukin-1 in acute brain inflammation Cytokine, 45 :1-7 DOI Author Url Publisher Url

Dataset

Trotter P, Ali SH, Makdani A, Cordero M, Paltoglou A, Marshall A, McFarquhar M, McGlone F, Walker S. 2023. Data for study entitled "Hold me or Stroke me? Individual differences in static and dynamic affective touch" DOI Public Url

Cazzato V, Sacchetti S, Shin S, Makdani A, Trotter P, McGlone F. 2021. Affective touch topography and body image

Haggarty C, Trotter P, McGlone F, Walker S. 2021. Children’s vicarious ratings of social touch are tuned to the velocity but not the location of a caress. DOI Public Url

Conference presentation:

Cazzato, V., Sacchetti, S., Trotter, P. & McGlone, F. (2021, January 20-21). Touch experience of pleasantness across body sites and its link to body awareness and dysmorphic appearance concerns., Eating Disorders International Conference: EDIC 2021, Online, Oral presentation. 2021

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