Dr WONG, Man Lok Nichol    黃聞洛 博士
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology
Member
Centre for Psychosocial Health
Contact
ORCiD
0000-0003-0050-7736
Phone
(852) 2948 7431
Email
nmlwong@eduhk.hk
Address
10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong
Website
https://pappl.eduhk.hk/rich/web/person.xhtml?pid=300609&name=WONG, Man Lok Nichol
Scopus ID
56039025800
Research Interests
Dr Wong is interested in social and affective neuroscience and explores emotional processing through a transdiagnostic perspective across the adult lifespan. His research examines how affective circuits are reshaped by loneliness and depression, altered in autistic individuals, and adapted in older adults, aiming to develop targeted interventions for emotional well-being. Dr Wong mostly employs neuroimaging and behavioural studies in his research.


Personal Profile

Dr Nichol Wong received his PhD in Psychology from The University of Hong Kong and had his postdoctoral training at King’s College London. He then returned to The University of Hong Kong and worked as a Research Assistant Professor. Dr Wong is currently an Assistant Professor at The Education University of Hong Kong. 

Research Interests
Dr Wong is interested in social and affective neuroscience and explores emotional processing through a transdiagnostic perspective across the adult lifespan. His research examines how affective circuits are reshaped by loneliness and depression, altered in autistic individuals, and adapted in older adults, aiming to develop targeted interventions for emotional well-being. Dr Wong mostly employs neuroimaging and behavioural studies in his research.


Research Outputs
Journal Publications
Huang, Q., Chen, D., Pereira, A. C., Leonard, A., Ellis, C. L., Velthuis, H., Dimitrov, M., Ponteduro, F. M., Wong, N. M. L., Kowalewski, L., Pretzsch, C. M., Daly, E., Murphy, D. G. M., & McAlonan, G. M. (2026). Differential GABA dynamics across brain functional networks in autism. Communications Biology, 9, Article 283. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-026-09563-5
Dimitrov, M., Wong, N. M. L., Leaman, S., França, L. G. S., Valasakis, I., He, J., Lythgoe, D. J., Findon, J. L., Wichers, R. H., Stoencheva, V., Robertson, D. M., Blainey, S., Ivin, G., Holiga, S., Tricklebank, M. D., Batalle, D., Murphy, D. G. M., McAlonan, G. M., & Daly, E. (2025). μ opioid modulation of sensorimotor functional connectivity in autism: insights from a pharmacological neuroimaging investigation using tianeptine. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science, 6(2), Article 100663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpsgos.2025.100663
Leung, M.-K., Poon, K., Wong, N. M. L., Cheung, L.-H., & Lau, K.-W. (2025). From lonely to addicted: Exploring sex differences in the effect of online social support among university students in Hong Kong. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, Article 1654908. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1654908
Li, J., & Wong, N. M. L. (2025). The mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between pet ownership and human well-being. Scientific Reports, 15, Article 35899. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-19692-2
Jin, R. R., Wong, N. M. L., Ma, J., Fang, J.-T., Lin, C.-M., Toh, C. H., Wu, K.-Y., Hsu, J. L., Huang, C.-M., Lee, S. H., & Lee, T. M. C. (2025). A psychoneuroimmunological underpinnings of the relationship between childhood trauma, loneliness, and depression in older adults. Translational Psychiatry, 15, Article 328. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03547-5
Wong, N. M. L., & Lee, T. M. C. (2025). Evaluating the effects of a conditioning training paradigm on loneliness, socio-affective processing, and brain connectivity: A study protocol of a two-arm randomised controlled trial. BMC Psychology, 13, Article 975. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-03342-3
Gu, Y., Wong, N.M.L., Chan, C.C.H., Wu, J., & Lee, T.M.C. (2025). The negative relationship between brain-age gap and psychological resilience defines the age-related neurocognitive status in older people. GeroScience. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-025-01515-x
Luo, J., Wong, N.M.L., Zhang, R., Wu, J., Shao, R., Chan, C.C.H., & Lee, T.M.C. (2025). A network analysis of rumination on loneliness and the relationship with depression. Nature Mental Health, 3, 46-57. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00350-x
Pereira, A. C., Leonard, A., Velthuis, H., Wong, N. M. L., Ponteduro, F. M., Dimitrov, M., Ellis, C. L., Kowalewski, L., Lythgoe, D. J., Rotaru, D.-G., Edden, R. A. E., Ivin, Glynis, Pretzsch, C. M., Daly, E., Murphy, D. G. M., & McAlonan, G. M. (2024). Frontal and occipital brain glutathione levels are unchanged in autistic adults. PLoS One, 19(8), Article e0308792. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0308792
Zheng, E. Z., Wong, N. M. L., Yang, A. S. Y., & Lee, T. M. C. (2024). Evaluating the effects of tDCS on depressive and anxiety symptoms from a transdiagnostic perspective: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Translational Psychiatry, 14(1), 295. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-024-03003-w
Liu, J. M., Gao, M., Zhang, R., Wong, N. M. L., Wu, J., Chan, C. C. H., & Lee, T. M. C. (2024). A machine-learning approach to model risk and protective factors of vulnerability to depression. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 175, 374-380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.048
Huang, Q., Ellis, C. L., Leo, S. M., Velthuis, H., Pereira, A. C., Dimitrov, M., Ponteduro, F. M., Wong, N. M. L., Daly, E., Murphy, D. G. M., Mahroo, O. A., & McAlonan, G. M. (2024). Retinal GABAergic alterations in adults with autism spectrum disorder. The Journal of Neuroscience, 44(14), e1218232024. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1218-23.2024
Huang, Q., Velthuis, H., Pereira, A. C., Ahmad, J., Cooke, S. F., Ellis, C. L., Ponteduro, F. M., Puts, N. A. J., Dimitrov, M., Batalle, D., Wong, N. M. L., Kowalewski, L., Ivin, G., Daly, E., Murphy, D. G. M., & McAlonan, G. M. (2023). Exploratory evidence for differences in GABAergic regulation of auditory processing in autism spectrum disorder. Translational Psychiatry, 13, 320. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02619-8
Wu, J., Song, J., He, Y., Li, Z., Deng, H., Huang, Z., Xie, X., Wong, N. M. L., Tao, J., Lee, T. M. C., & Chan, C. C. H. (2023). Effect of Tai Chi on young adults with subthreshold depression via a stress-reward comlex: A randomized controlled trial. Sports Medicine - Open, 9(1), 90-13, Article 90. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00637-w
Gao, M., Wong, N. M. L., Lin, C., Huang, C.-M., Liu, H.-L., Toh, C.-H., Wu, C., Tsai, Y.-F., Lee, S.-H., & Lee, T. M. C. (2023). Multimodal brain connectome-based prediction of suicide risk in people with late-life depression. Nature Mental Health, 1, 100-113. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-022-00007-7
Hou, L., Lam, B. Y. H., Wong, N. M. L., Lu, W., Zhang, R., Ning, Y., & Lin, K. (2022). Integrity of cerebellar tracts associated with the risk of bipolar disorder. Translational Psychiatry, 12, Article 335. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02097-4
Liu, Z., Wong, N. M. L., Shao, R., Lee, S.-H., Huang, C.-M., Liu, H.-L., Lin, C., & Lee, T. M. C. (2022). Classification of Major Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning on brain structure and functional connectivity. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports, 10, Article 100428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2022.100428
Wong, N. M. L., Mabel-Kenzie, S. T. S. T., Lin, C., Huang, C.-M., Liu, H.-L., Lee, S.-H., & Lee, T. M. C. (2022). Meta-analytic evidence for the cognitive control model of loneliness in emotion processing. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 138, Article 104686. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104686
Wong, J. J., Wong, N. M. L., Chang, D. H. F., Qi, D., Chen, L., & Lee, T. M. C. (2022). Amygdala–pons connectivity is hyperactive and associated with symptom severity in depression. Communications Biology, 5 (1), Article 574. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03463-0
Wong, N. M. L., Dipasquale, O., Turkheimer, F., Findon, J. L., Wichers, R. H., Dimitrov, M., Murphy, C. M., Stoencheva, V., Robertson D. M., Murphy, D. G., Daly, E., & McAlonan, G. M. (2022). Differences in social brain function in autism spectrum disorder are linked to the serotonin transporter: A randomised placebo-controlled single-dose crossover trial. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 36(6), 723-731. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811221092509
Huang, Q., Pereira, A. C., Velthuis, H., Wong, N. M. L., Ellis, C. L., Ponteduro, F. M., Dimitrov, M., Kowalewski, L., Lythgoe, D. J., Rotaru, D., Edden, R. A. E., Leonard, A., Ivin, G., Ahmad, J., Pretzsch, C. M., Daly, E., Murphy, D. G. M., & McAlonan, G. M. (2022). GABAB receptor modulation of visual sensory processing in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder. Science Translational Medicine, 14(626), Article eabg7859. https://doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abg7859
Zhang, R., Tam, S.-K. T. S., Wong, N. M. L., Wu, J., Tao, J., Chen, L., Lin, K., & Lee T. M. C. (2022). Aberrant functional metastability and structural connectivity are associated with rumination in individuals with major depressive disorder. NeuroImage: Clinical, 33, Article 102916. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102916
Qi, D., Wong, N. M. L., Shao, R., Man, I. S. C., Wong, C. H. Y., Yuen, L. P., Chan, C. C. H., & Lee, T. M. C. (2021). Qigong exercise enhances cognitive functions in the elderly via an interleukin-6-hippocampus pathway: a randomized active-controlled trial. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 95, 381-390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2021.04.011
Wong, N. M. L., Findon, J. L., Wichers, R. H., Giampietro, V., Stoencheva, V., Murphy, C. M., Blainey, S., Ecker, C., Murphy, D. G., McAlonan, G. M., & Daly, E. (2020). Serotonin differentially modulates the temporal dynamics of the limbic response to facial emotions in male adults with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD): A randomised placebo-controlled single-dose crossover trial. Neuropsychopharmacology, 45, 2248-2256. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-020-0693-0


Projects
A multimodal investigation for the causal neurobehavioural evidence of socio-affective attention modulating the relationship between loneliness and depressed mood
Depression is a very common form of mental health condition, leading to long-term functional impairments, suicidal behaviours and premature death. Loneliness has reached epidemic levels and is a leading cause of depression. By understanding the causal neuropsychological mechanisms of loneliness on depressed mood, there is an opportunity to shed light on their theoretical framework that is critical for potential translational applications. Study 1 will use a longitudinal design and investigate: (Q1) How the attention to socio-affective information is related to loneliness, depressed mood, and their longitudinal changes. Clarification of these processes will improve understanding of how loneliness may lead to depressed mood across time. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that facilitates the excitation or inhibition of the local neural activity. It can provide causal neurobehavioral evidence between the neural target and the psychosocial processes and behaviours. Furthermore, electroencephalography (EEG) can directly measure neuronal activity and dynamics at high temporal resolution. Therefore, to further understand the role of socio-affective attention in the association between loneliness and depressed mood, in study 2, we will perform a tDCS-EEG study with lonely individuals to evaluate: (Q2) Whether anodal tDCS of the left dlPFC has an effect on the attention to socio-affective information, loneliness, and depressed mood in relation to the brain connectivity in lonely people. Findings will provide casual neuropsychological evidence for left dlPFC and its connectivity underpinning the relations between them.
Project Start Year: 2026, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Man Lok, Nichol

 
Acute isolation in older adults: implications on the affective regulatory system
Social isolation and loneliness are detrimental to our affective well-being, especially affecting older adults. Previous work has investigated their neuropsychological mechanisms but are mostly limited by observational correlations. Here, we propose to adopt an experimental approach and investigate how isolating older adults affect their affective regulatory brain circuits and socio-affective processing. We will use fMRI to measure brain activations and connectivity and address the following research questions: How do the functional neural correlates of older adults after isolation differ. And to what extent loneliness will be related to the neural correlates after isolation. We hyopthesise that isolation will be related to stronger limbic and default mode network (DMN) connectivity in older adults. The causal evidence generated from this project will deepen our understanding of an integrated neuro-psycho-social model of well-being, creating evidence-based contents for future development of interventions targeting both the behavioural and neural perspectives.
Project Start Year: 2025, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Man Lok, Nichol

 
Personalised transcranial direct current stimulation to reduce daily loneliness in people with subthreshold depression
Objectives: To evaluate the effects of multi-session personalised tDCS on real-life loneliness, mood and depressiveness in people with subthreshold depression.
Hypothesis to be tested: We test whether people would rate more positive for social stimuli immediately after and after 3 months of tDCS interventions; whether the tDCS interventions would reduce loneliness, negative mood, depression symptoms, bringing positive change to neural correlates; whether changes induced by personalised tDCS would be greater than the conventional tDCS; and whether the more positive ratings for social stimuli after tDCS interventions would be associated with the change in loneliness, mood, depression symptoms, and neural correlates.
Design and subjects: A randomised controlled trial is proposed and subjects are individuals with subthreshold depression.
Instruments: Validated tests and questionnaires will be used. Brain activations and connectivity will be acquired using a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner.
Interventions: Participants will be randomly allocated to either the personlised tDCS group (individualised stimulation site), the conventional tDCS group (F3 as stimulation site), or the sham control group to receive 10 sessions of tDCS.
Main outcome measures: Loneliness, mood, depression symptoms, brain activations and connectivity are the main outcome measures.
Data analysis: Linear mixed models will be setup with groups, days, timepoints (pre-, immediately after, and 3 months after intervention), and their interaction as fixed factors, subjects as random intercepts.
Expected results: It is expected that both personalised and conventional tDCS will bring positive effects on people’s loneliness and depressiveness, with the effects larger in personalised tDCS.
Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Man Lok, Nichol

 
A novel conditioning approach to counter loneliness in adults
Loneliness is a significant threat to people's health because it predisposes depression and increases mortality. Conventional belief is that loneliness can be measured by the number of social connections and can be treated by opportunities for social activities. We argue that loneliness is subjective, and existing interventions for loneliness have failed to hit the root of the problem – the altered socio-affective processing. Therefore, we will apply a novel paradigm of intervention grounded in the principles of conditioning in lonely adults, and investigate the change in their socio-affective processing, loneliness, depressive symptoms, and neural correlates. The outcome of this project will benefit the general population in promoting betterment of mental health and quality of life, bringing positive change to well-being. It will also generate in-depth understanding of how loneliness is tied to socio-affective processing and how loneliness can be reduced by applying principles of conditioning.
Project Start Year: 2024, Principal Investigator(s): WONG, Man Lok, Nichol