PHARMACOLOGY FACULTY
Selected Publications
  • Koek, W., and France, C.P. (2008) Cataleptic effects of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and baclofen in mice: mediation by GABAB receptors, but differential enhancement by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. Psychopharmacology, 199, 191-198.
  • Li, J.X-., McMahon, L.R., Gerak, L.R., Becker, G.L., and France, C.P. (2008) Interactions between Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and µ opioid receptor agonists in rhesus monkeys: discrimination and antinociception. Psychopharmacology, 199, 199-208.
  • Li, J.-X., Rice, K.C., & France, C.P. (2008) Discriminative stimulus effects of 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-2-aminopropane in rhesus monkeys. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 324, 827-833.
  • Sevak, R.J., Koek, W., Daws, L.C., Owens, W.A., Galli, A., and France, C.P. (2008) Behavioral effects of amphetamine in streptozotocin-treated rats. European Journal of Pharmacology, 581, 105-112.
  • Sevak, R.J., Koek, W., Galli, A., and France, C.P. (2007) Insulin replacement restores the behavioral effects of quinpirole and raclopride in streptozotocin-treated rats. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 320, 1216-1223.
  • Li, J.-X., Becker, G.L., Traynor, J.R., Gong, Z.-H., and France, C.P. (2007) Thienorphine: receptor binding and behavioral effects in rhesus monkeys. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 321, 227-236.
  • Sevak, R.J., Owens, W.A., Koek, W., Galli, A., Daws, L.C., and France, C.P. (2007) Evidence for D2 receptor mediation of amphetamine-induced normalization of locomotion and dopamine transporter function in hypoinsulinemic rats. Journal of Neurochemistry, 101, 151-159.
  • Gerak, L.R., and France, C.P. (2007) Time-dependent decreases in apparent pA2 values for naltrexone studied in combination with morphine in rhesus monkeys. Psychopharmacology, 193, 315-321.
  • Williams, J.M., Owens, W.A., Turner, G.H., Saunders, C., Dipace, C., Blakely, R.D., France, C.P., Gore, J.C., Daws, L.C., Avison, M.J., and Galli, A. (2007) Hypoinsulinemia regulates amphetamine-induced reverse transport of dopamine. PLoS Biology, 16, 2369-2378.
Charles France
 

Charles France

Professor of Pharmacology and Psychiatry
Ph.D., University of Michigan

Office: 210-567-6969
Email: france@uthscsa.edu

 

 

Keywords

drug abuse, opioids, benzodiazepines, GHB, drug discrimination, self administration, dependence, withdrawal, neuropharmacology

 

Research Summary

Research in the France laboratory focuses on interactions between behavior and pharmacology and how those interactions impact the abuse liability of drugs. One major goal is to understand how the subjective and other abuse-related effects of drugs change as a consequence of particular behavioral and pharmacologic histories. Behavioral procedures developed in this laboratory permit systemic investigation of drug dependence and withdrawal and ongoing studies examine how these phenomena can be modified by behavioral and pharmacologic interventions.

 

A unifying theme of research in the France laboratory is the application of receptor theory to the planning, execution, and interpretation of behavioral pharmacological studies. Thus, many of our studies examine differences in efficacy and selectivity among potential drugs of abuse and potential treatment compounds, thereby identifying the pharmacologic characteristics of drugs that are most important for specific behavioral effects (e.g., reinforcing effects).

 

Current areas of research include the following: the role of different monoamine systems in modifying the abuse and therapeutic effects of opioids; the impact of different diets on the abuse and therapeutic effects of drug acting on serotonin or dopamine systems; interactions between GHB and other "club drugs"; the role of insulin receptor pathways in regulating dopamine transporter activity and sensitivity to stimulants; GABA receptor heterogeneity and the dependence liability of sedative/hypnotics; and the influence of physical dependence on the reinforcing effects of opioids.