Psychology
Paul J. Currie
Professor of Psychology
Behavioral neuroscience, neuropharmacology, appetitive behavior
Contact Information
Psychology Department
Reed College
3203 SE Woodstock Blvd.
Portland, OR 97202
pcurrie@reed.edu
(503) 777-7267 (voice)
(503) 777-7785 (fax)
Education and Professional Positions
1985, A.B, Psychology, Queen’s University
1988, M.A. Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Manitoba
1992, Ph.D. Psychology/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Manitoba
1992-1995, Postdoctoral Fellow, Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
1995-1998, Research Fellow, Wayne State University
1998-2007, Assistant Professor, Barnard College, Columbia University
2007-2009, Associate Professor, Reed College
2009-present, Professor, Reed College
Teaching
I teach courses in behavioral neuroscience and neuropharmacology. These courses focus on the neural and pharmacological bases of behavior with an emphasis on brain localization and integration of function, particularly with respect to motivation, cognition and emotion. Laboratory research is directed at investigations using animal models. Follow the link below to course descriptions and additional details.
PSY 122 Introduction to Psychology II
PSY 333 Behavioral Neuroscience
PSY 338 Psychopharmacology
PSY 433 Behavioral Neuroscience Research
Research
Work in my lab focuses on the neural bases of appetitive motivation. One line of research is directed at understanding the role of hypothalamic transmitter and peptide systems in relation to energy homeostasis and metabolism. A second line of work focuses on brain reward mechanisms including midbrain dopamine and ghrelin signaling. In a related line of research my lab is investigating the role of limbic structures in stress and anxiety. Key transmitter systems under investigation include ghrelin, the endocannabinoids and monoamine neurotransmitters.
Recent Grant Funded Projects
Principal Investigator, Biologene Pharma Grant: Assessment of the effects of JPJY on energy expenditure in rats.
Co-Investigator, Novo-Nordisk Grant: Mechanisms underlying weight gain inhibition by insulin detemir.
Selected Recent Publications
(Student co-authors in bold)
Currie, P.J., Khelemsky, R., Rigsbee, E.M., Dono,
L.M., Coiro, C.D., Chapman, C.D.,
& Hinchcliff, K. (2012). Ghrelin is an orexigenic peptide with
anxiogenic activity in discrete regions of the hypothalamus. Behavioural Brain Research, 226, 96-105.
Dono, L.M. & Currie, P.J. (2012). The cannabinoid receptor CB1 inverse agonist AM251 potentiates the anxiogenic activity of urocortin I in the basolateral amygdala. Neuropharmacology, 62, 192-199.
Jacoby, S.M. & Currie, P.J. (2011). SKF 83566 attenuates the effects of ghrelin on performance in the object location memory task. Neuroscience Letters, 504, 316-320.
Currie, P.J., Mirza, A., Dono, L.M., John, C.S., & Wall, D.G. (2011). Anorexigenic action of nitric oxide synthase inhibition in the raphe nucleus. NeuroReport, 22, 696-699.
Weinberg, Z.Y. Nicholson, M.L. & Currie, P.J. (2011). 6-Hydroxydopamine lesions of the ventral tegmental area suppress ghrelin’s ability to elicit food-reinforced behavior. Neuroscience Letters, 499, 70-73.
Currie, P.J., Coiro, C.D., Duenas, R., Guss, J.L., Mirza, A., & Tal, N. (2011). Urocortin I inhibits the effects of ghrelin and neuropeptide Y on feeding and energy substrate utilization. Brain Research, 1385, 127-134.
Currie, P.J., John, C.S. Nicholson, M.L., Chapman, C.D., & Loera, K.E. (2010). Hypothalamic paraventricular 5-hydroxytryptamine inhibits the effects of ghrelin on eating and energy substrate utilization. Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 97, 152-155.
Recent Papers Presented to Professional Societies
Kurbanov, D.B., Currie, P.J., & Elman, I. (2011). Opioidergic mechanism of body weight gain in olanzapine-treated rats. Presented at the 50th annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Waikoloa, Hawaii, 4-8 December.
Chapman, C.D., Schuette, L.M., Dono, L.M., Goldberg, S.A., Currie, P.J. (2011). Oxytocin mediates ghrelin-induced eating in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus. Presented at the annual meeting of the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience/Society for Neuroscience, Washington, 14 November.
Dono, L.M., Chapman, C.D., Schuette, L.M., Goldberg, S.A, & Currie, P.J. (2011). The CB1 inverse agonist AM251 attenuates the orexigenic and metabolic effects of paraventricular nucleus anandamide. Presented at the annual meeting of the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience/Society for Neuroscience, Washington, 14 November.
Jacoby, S.M., Weinberg, Z.Y., Davis, M.J., Coston, E.P., Dono, L.M., Fennelly, D.A., Fong, E.L., French, M.C., Gester, W.W, Gray, C.C., Johnson, A.G., Jukar, A.M., Moeller, M.L., Schuette, L.M., Hackenberg, T.P., & P. J. Currie, P.J. (2011). Central nervous system effects of ghrelin on memory acquisition, reward, and anxiety-like behavior. Program No. 266.23. 2011 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, Online. [Presented at the 41st annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington DC, 12-16 November].
Weinberg, Z.Y., Nicholson, M.L., Dono, L.M., & Currie, P.J. (2011). Effects of ghrelin administration into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) on food-reinforced behavior in dopamine intact and depleted rats. Appetite, 57, S46. [Presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, Clearwater, 12-16 July].
Chapman, C.D., French, M.C., Dono, L.M., Gester, W.W., Weinberg, Z., & Currie, P.J. (2010). Endocannabinoid signaling in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) induces alterations in eating and carbohydrate oxidation. Program No. 191.3. Abstract Itinerary Planner. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience, Online. [Presented at the 40th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, 13-17 November].
Chapman, C.D., Coles, R.S., Cooney, H.A., Hagen, M.W., Haimovitz, K., Hilbert, B.M., John, C.S., Krishnakant, K., Kurbanov, D.B., Luehrs, E.H., Realegeno, C.S., Springate-Combs, C.A.A., & Sutherland, T.M., Vasselli, J.R. & Currie, P.J. (2010). Insulin detemir attenuates the effects of ghrelin on food intake and respiratory quotient following direct injections into the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus. Presented at the annual meeting of the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience/Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, 15 November.
Weinberg, Z.Y., Nicholson, M.L., & Currie, P.J. (2010). The ability of ghrelin to elicit motivation when injected into the VTA and its dependence on dopamine. Presented at the annual meeting of the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience/Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, 15 November.
Currie, P.J., Anghel, A., Chapman, C.D., Weinberg, Z.Y., Jacoby, S.M., & Sutherland, T.M. (2010). Urocortin microinjection into the lateral septal area alters appetite and energy substrate utilization. Appetite, 54, 641. [Presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, Pittsburgh, 13-17 July].