PHARMACOLOGY FACULTY
Selected Publications
  • Koek W, France CP, Javors, MA (2011) Morphine-induced motor stimulation, motor incoordination, and hypothermia in adolescent and adult mice. Psychopharmacology July 27 [Epub ahead of print].
  • Koek W (2011) Drug-induced state-dependent learning: review of an operant procedure in rats. Behav. Pharmacol. June 29 [Epub ahead of print].
  • Koek W, France CP (2008) Cataleptic effects of y-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and baclofen in mice: Mediation by GABAB receptors, but differential enhancement of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. Psychopharmacology 199:191-198.
  • Koek W, Khanal M, France CP (2007) Synergistic interactions between "club drugs": Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and phencyclidine (PCP) enhance each other's discriminative stimulus effects. Behavioural Pharmacology 18:807-810.
  • Advani T, Hensler JG, Koek W (2007) Effect of early rearing conditions on alcohol drinking and 5-HT1A receptor function in C57BL/6 mice. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology 10:595-607.
  • Koek W, Mercer SL, Coop A (2007) Cataleptic effects of GHB, its precursor GBL, and GABAB agonists in mice: Differential antagonism by the GABAB receptor agonist CGP35348. Psychopharmacology 192:407-414.
  • Fernandez E, Koek W, Ran Q, Gerhardt GA, France CP, Strong JR (2006) Monoamine metabolism and ethanol preferences in mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase knockout mice. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 30:1650-1658.
  • Carter LP, Koek W, France CP (2006) Lack of effects of GHB precursors GBL and 1,4-BD following icv administration in rats. European Journal of Neuroscience 24:2595-2600.
  • Koek W, Chen W, Mercer SL, Coop A, France CP. (2006) Discriminative stimulus effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate: role of training dose. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 317:409-17.
Wouter Koek, Ph.D.
 

Wouter Koek, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Division,
UTHCSA Department of Psychiatry
Ph.D., University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

Office: 210-567-5478
Email: koek@uthscsa.edu

 

View video introduction to Dr. Koek's lab

 

Keywords

drug abuse, alcohol, GHB, prescription drugs, drug discovery, antidepressants, behavioral pharmacology, drug discrimination

 

Research Summary

Dr. Koek's laboratory uses animal models aimed at aiding the development of medications for substance abuse. The models involve behavioral effects that range from directly observable (e.g., drug-induced motor impairment) to effects examined by operant conditioning procedures (e.g., discriminative stimulus effects, which are related to subjective drug effects in humans). The models are used mainly to examine the effects of alcohol and drugs of abuse such as the "club drug" gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and prescription opioids. The laboratory examines how genetic factors, developmental factors, and their interaction influence vulnerability to drug abuse. This research, which is supported by NIH, NIAAA, and NARSAD, is aimed at contributing to the development of effective, scientifically based approaches to the prevention and treatment of drug abuse and other psychiatric disorders. In addition to research, Dr. Koek is invested in student education in the Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry. His educational efforts draw on his extensive experience with pharmaceutical drug discovery research.