Justin R. Yates, Council Nominee

Institutional affiliation: Northern Kentucky University (NKU)

Area of specialization: Behavioral Neuropsychopharmacology

Summary of professional interests:

I use animal models to elucidate the neurobehavioral mechanisms of addiction. Currently, I study how the glutamatergic system, specifically the GluN2B subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, mediates drug reinforcement and behaviors associated with addiction such as impulsive decision making and risk decision making. My future goal is to use a chemogenetic approach to determine how the basolateral amygdala-medial prefrontal cortex pathway drives addiction-like behaviors. 

Representative publications:

Yates, J.R. (2022). Determinants of Addiction: Neurobiological, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sociocultural Factors. Academic Press.

Horchar, M.J., *Kappesser, J.L., *Broderick, M.R., *Wright, M.R., & Yates, J.R. (2022). Effects of NMDA receptor antagonists on behavioral economic indices of cocaine self-administration. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 233, 109348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109348.

Yates, J.R., *Campbell, H.L., *Hawley, L.L., Horchar, M.J., *Kappesser, J.L., & *Wright, M.R. (2021). Effects of the GluN2B-selective antagonist Ro 63-1908 on acquisition and expression, of methamphetamine conditioned place preference in male and female rats. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 225, 108785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108785.

Yates, J.R., Horchar, M.J., *Ellis, A.L., *Kappesser, J.L., *Mbambu, P., *Sutphin, T.G., *Dehner, D.S., *Igwe, H.O., & *Wright. M.R. (2021). Differential effects of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists on risky choice as assessed in the risky decision task. Psychopharmacology, 238(1), 133-148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-020-05664-z.

Yates, J.R. (2019). Examining the neurochemical underpinnings of animal models of risky choice: Methodological and analytic considerations. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 27(2), 178-201. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000239.

* Indicates undergraduate student co-authors.

Representative honors or awards (no more than five):

– Early Career Investigator Award, Division 6 of the American Psychological Association (2021)

– NKU Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award (2020)

– National Institutes of Health (NIH) R15 Award DA047610 (2019-current)

– B.F. Skinner Foundation New Basic Researcher Award, Division 25 of the American Psychological Association (2018)

– Young Psychopharmacologist Award, Division 28 of the American Psychological Association (2018)

Involvement in MPA:

I have been an MPA member since 2010 and have attended the conference in person on six occasions and virtually in 2021. I have authored or co-authored 14 MPA oral presentations/posters. I moderated an MPA paper session in 2018 (Addiction and Substance Use session) and served on the MPA Program Committee from 2019 until 2021.

In 2020, I was selected as an MPA Fellow.