May 14, 2013 Speaker: Dr. Larry Parsons speaking on drug addiction research at the Scripps Research Institute

Larry Parsons, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Committee On The Neurobiology Of Addictive Disorders
California Campus
Laboratory Website
lparsons@scripps.edu
(858) 784-7413

Scripps Research Joint Appointments

Faculty, Kellogg School of Science and Technology

Research Focus

Our research is focused on the neurochemical mechanisms contributing to drug reward, dependence and relapse with a goal of identifying novel pharmacotherapeutic targets for addiction. Current projects seek to characterize alterations in motivation, affective state and cognitive function resulting from long-term drug exposure with a particular focus on dependence-related disruptions in the function and influence of the endogenous cannabinoid system.

Education

Ph.D., Emory University, 1992

Professional Experience

1988                B.A. in Chemistry, Whitman College
1992                Ph.D. in Chemistry, Emory University
1992 – 1995    Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Neuropharmacology, The Scripps Research Institute
1995 – 1998    Senior Research Associate, Department of Neuropharmacology, The Scripps Research Institute
1998 – 2003    Assistant Professor, Department of Neuropharmacology, The Scripps Research Institute
2003 – 2009    Associate Professor, Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Behavior, The Scripps Research Institute
2010 –             Associate Professor with Tenure, Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Behavior, The Scripps Research Institute

Awards & Professional Activities

1992    Charles T. Lester Award for excellence in chemistry research
1994    IUPHAR Young Investigator Award
1996   American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) Young Investigator Award
2006   Editorial board member, Alcohol
2005   Membership on the NIH-CSR Neurotoxicology and Alcohol panel
2008   Elected to full membership of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP)
2008   Keynote Lecture, Neuropsychopharmacology Symposium, Vrije University, Amsterdam
2009   Plenary Lecture, annual meeting of the International Cannabinoid Research Society
2011   Editorial board member, Neuropharmacology

Selected References

Frantz, K.J., Hansson, K.J., Stouffer, D.G., Parsons, L.H. 5-HT6 receptor antagonism potentiates the behavioral and neurochemical effects of amphetamine but not cocaine. Neuropharmacology 42:170-180, 2002.

Parsons, L.H., Kerr, T.M., Tecott, L.H. 5-HT1A receptor mutant mice exhibit enhanced tonic, stress-induced and fluoxetine-induced serotonergic neurotransmission. J. Neurochem. 77:607-617, 2001.

Parsons, L.H., Weiss, F. Koob, G.F. Serotonin1B receptor stimulation enhances cocaine reinforcement. J. Neurosci. 18:10078-10089, 1998.

Giuffrida, A., Parsons, L.H., Kerr, T.M., Rodriguez de Fonseca, F., Navarro, M., Piomelli D. Dopamine activation of endogenous cannabinoid signalling in dorsal striatum. Nature Neurosci. 2:358-363, 1999.

Links

Team Reveals Major Role for Novel Neurotransmitter System in Regulating Drug Intake