College of Medicine College of Medicine

News/Events/Seminars
50th Anniversary Celebration
Faculty
History
Pharmacology Graduate Program
Interdisciplinary Toxicology Graduate Program
Available Courses
Postdoctoral Training
SURF Program
Meet Our Students
Contact Us
Faculty Positions
UAMS College of Medicine
UAMS Graduate School
UAMS Home
Department Homepage

Update Alumni

William D. Wessinger, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Director, Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

William D. Wessinger, Ph.D.
Research Interests
My research employs in vivo pharmacology and behavioral analysis to study the effects of drugs of abuse. A variety of techniques and models are used including drug discrimination, drug self-administration, locomotor activity, receptor binding and pharmacokinetics, to gain a better understanding of the psychopharmacology of drug abuse, drug tolerance and drug dependence. New, integrated behavioral models are under development to examine the complexities of drug abuse as a process. In collaboration with Dr. Owens' research group, we are evaluating the behavioral effects and effectiveness of antibody-based medications for treating methamphetamine abuse and its medical consequences. Other research focuses the stimulus properties of drugs of abuse, with an emphasis on the interactions that occur when multiple drugs are taken in combination.

E-mail
wdwessinger@uams.edu

Selected Publications
McMillan, D.E., W. D. Wessinger and M. Li: Effects of drugs and drug combinations in pigeons trained to discriminate among pentobarbital, dizocilpine, a combination of these drugs and saline. Accepted for publication in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior July 2009.

Daniels, J. R., W. D. Wessinger, W. C. Hardwick, M. Li, M. G. Gunnell, S. M. Owens and D. E. McMillan: Effects of anti-phencyclidine and anti-(+)-methamphetamine monoclonal antibodies alone and in combination on the discrimination of phencyclidine and (+)-methamphetamine by pigeons. Psychopharmacology 185:36-44, 2006.

Li, M., W. D. Wessinger and D. E. McMillan: Effects of amphetamine-CNS depressant combinations and of other CNS stimulants in four-choice drug discriminations. J. Exp. Anal. Behav., 84:77-97, 2005.

Sun, W. L. and W. D. Wessinger: Characterization of the non-competitive antagonist binding site of the NMDA receptor in dark Agouti rats. Life Sciences 75:1405-1415, 2004.

Gentry, W. B., A. U. Ghafoor, W. D. Wessinger, E. M. Laurenzana, H. P. Hendrickson and S. M. Owens: (+)Methamphetamine-induced spontaneous behavior in rats depends on route of (+)METH administration. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 79:751-760, 2004.

View Dr. Wessinger's PubMed publication list.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
4301 West Markham Street, Slot 611
Little Rock, AR 72205
(501) 686-5510
Contact: Webmaster.