Morten Pilgaard Kristensen, Ph.D.

Address:

Universitetsparken 2

2100 Copenhagen

Tel: +45 35 33 60 07

e-mail: mpk(at)farma.ku.dk

Professional Interests:

CNS control of stress and sleep, including their interaction and their effect on psychiatric disorders. Peptide (CRH, Orexin, Urotensin) regulation of arousal. Neuronal pathways and signal processing mediating effects of stressors, sleep, and circadian rhythms on HPA-axis activity. PVH and Amygdala physiology. Learning and memory. Central registration and processing of noxious stimuli. Modulation of sensory transmission across behavioral/arousal states.

Post Graduate Appointments  

New York Medical College

New York University

University of British Columbia

Graduate Degrees:   Ph.D. in Neuroscience, UCLA

                                  M.Sc. in Biology, University of Copenhagen

Selected Bibliography:

Kohlmeier, K.A., Soja, P.J. and Kristensen, M.P.: Disparate cholinergic currents in rat principal trigeminal sensory nucleus neurons mediated by M1 and M2 receptors: a possible mechanism for state-dependent, modality-specific sensory gating. European Journal of Neuroscience, 23(12):3245-58, 2006.

Huitron-Resendiz, S.*, Kristensen, M.P.*, Sánchez-Alavez, M., Clark, S.D., Grupke, S.L., Tyler, C., Suzuki, C., Nothacker, H.-P., Civelli, O., Criado, J.R., Henriksen, S.J., Leonard, C.S., and de Lecea, L.: Urotensin II modulates REM sleep through activation of brainstem cholinergic nuclei. J. Neuroscience, 25(23):5465-5474, 2005. * equal contribution

Kristensen, M.P., Rector, D.M., Poe G.R. and Harper, R.M.: Activity changes of the paraventricular hypothalamus during stressor exposure. NeuroReport, 15(1):43-48, 2004.

Kristensen, M.P., Poe, G.R., Rector, D.M. and Harper, R.M.: Activity changes of the cat paraventricular hypothalamus during phasic respiratory events. Neuroscience, 80(3):811-819, 1997.

Kristensen, M.P., Poe, G.R., Rector, D.M. and Harper, R.M.: State dependent cellular activity patterns of the cat paraventricular hypothalamus measured by reflectance imaging. Brain Research, 727:107-117, 1996.

Teaching:

B-25 General Pharmacology

B-26 Organ-Related Pharmacology (Course Chair)

Principles of Pharmacology

Pharmacology: From Physiology to Therapy

Comittee and other Obligations:

Occupational Health and Safety