Peter W. Kalivas, PhD
Professor and Co-Chair
Contact Information
kalivasp@musc.edu
843.792.4424
843.792.1838 (Lab)
Education
BS, Biology, 1974, Western Washington University
PhD, Pharmacology, 1980, University of Washington, Seattle
Postdoctoral Fellowship, 1980-82, University of North Carolina
Research Interests
The Kalivas lab studies neuroplasticity underlying the development of addiction
to drugs of abuse, as well as the learning and memory deficits associated with
impoverished rearing environments. Research is at the level of protein biochemistry,
neural circuitry and behavioral modeling. The current focus for both addiction
and isolation rearing is in adaptations in excitatory neurotransmission. In
collaboration with electrophysiologists in the department (Drs Lavin, Seamans,
Woodward) we are elucidating the fundamental role of extracellular glutamate
homeostatis in regulating neurotransmission and neuroplasticity. This has led
to preclinical and clinical evaluations of specific proteins as targets in
treating addiction, including metabotropic glutamate receptors and the cystine-glutamate
exchanger.
Brain circuitry underlying addiction: Long-term cellular changes in the glutamate neurons projecting from the prefrontal cortex to the basal ganglia are critical mediators of addictive behaviors. This includes changes in glutamate homeostasis and G-protein signaling, and involves proteins such as Homer, xCT, AGS3 and mGluRs.