Dr Tamzin Ripley

Biography

Sussex University: Psychology Home Page

I did my degree in Pharmacology at the University of Bristol, and stayed on in the department to do my Ph.D. with Prof. Hilary Little, looking at the role of NMDA receptors and voltage-sensitive calcium channels in alcohol withdrawal. After a brief spell working with Prof. David Nutt at the Psychopharmacology unit in Bristol, I moved to the University of Texas for two years, where I worked with Prof. Rueben Gonzales looking at dopamine release following alcohol treatment. I returned to the UK in 1995, to the first of two postdoctoral positions that I have had with Prof. Dai Stephens in Experimental Psychology at the University of Sussex. In 2003, I accepted a lectureship in the newly formed Psychology Department at Sussex.

My research has focused on mechanisms of synaptic plasticity occurring due to chronic administration of drugs of abuse. I have been fortunate enough to study this phenomenon using a broad range of techniques including electrophysiology, microdialysis and sophisticated behavioural techniques. I am currently researching into synaptic processes that are altered by both drugs of abuse and environmental experiences, such as those that provoke anxiety.

Learning (Year 1)

Brain and Behaviour (Year 2)

Neurobiological Mechanisms of Learning and Memory (Year 3 - option)

Psychobiology of Addiction (Year 3 - option)

Nilsson, S R O, Ripley, T L, Somerville, E M and Clifton, P G (2012) Reduced activity at the 5-HT(2C) receptor enhances reversal learning by decreasing the influence of previously non-rewarded associations. Psychopharmacology, 224 (2). pp. 241-254. ISSN 0033-3158

Peña-Oliver, Y, Buchman, V L, Dalley, J W, Robbins, T W, Schumann, G, Ripley, T L, King, S L and Stephens, D N (2012) Deletion of alpha-synuclein decreases impulsivity in mice. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 11 (2). pp. 137-146. ISSN 1601-1848

Nilsson, S R O, Ripley, T L, Somerville, E M and Clifton, P G (2012) Reduced activity at the 5-HT2C receptor enhances reversal learning by decreasing the influence of previously non-rewarded associations. Psychopharmacology, 224 (2). pp. 241-254. ISSN 0033-3158

Ripley, Tamzin L and Stephens, David N (2011) Critical thoughts on current animal models for evaluating potential treatments of alcohol addiction and withdrawal? British Journal of Pharmacology, 164 (4). pp. 1335-1356. ISSN 0007-1188

Yan, Ting Carrie, Dudley, Julia A, Weir, Ruth K, Grabowska, Ewelina M, Peña-Oliver, Yolanda, Ripley, Tamzin L, Hunt, Stephen P, Stephens, David N and Stanford, S Clare (2011) Performance deficits of NK1 receptor knockout mice in the 5 choice serial reaction time task: effects of d Amphetamine, stress and time of day. PLoS ONE, 6 (3). e17586. ISSN 1932-6203

Yan, T C, Dudley, J, Weir, R, Grabowska, E, Oliver, Y P, Ripley, T, Hunt, S P and Stephens, D N (2010) Behaviour Of Nk1r+/+ And Nk1r-/- Mice In The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task. In: Summer Meeting of the British-Association-for-Psychopharmacology, JUL 25-28, 2010, Harrogate, UNITED KINGDOM.

Dudley, J, Yan, T C, Weir, R, Grabowska, E, Oliver, Y P, Ripley, T L, Hunt, S P, Stephens, D N and Stanford, S C (2010) Effects Of D-Amphetamine On The Behaviour Of Nk1r+/+ And Nk1r-/- Mice In The 5 Choice Serial Reaction Time Task. In: Summer Meeting of the British-Association-for-Psychopharmacology JUL 25-28, 2010, Harrogate, UNITED KINGDOM.

Pena-Oliver, Y, Ripley, T, Desrivieres, S and Stephens, D N (2010) Use of recombinant inbred mouse strains to study genetic basis of motor impulsivity and compulsivity in 5-choice serial reaction time task. In: Summer Meeting of the British-Association-for-Psychopharmacology JUL 25-28, 2010.

Peña Oliver, Yolanda, Ripley, Tamzin L and Stephens, David N (2009) Ethanol effects on impulsivity in two mouse strains: similarities to diazepam and ketamine. Psychopharmacology, 204 (4). pp. 679-692. ISSN 0033-3158

Rulten, S L, Hodder, E, Ripley, T L, Stephens, D N and Mayne, L V (2008) Alcohol induces DNA damage and the Fanconi anemia D2 protein implicating FANCD2 in the DNA damage response pathways in brain. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 32 (7). pp. 1186-1196. ISSN 0145-6008

Rulten, S L, Ripley, T L, Hunt, C L, Stephens, D N and Mayne, L V (2006) Sp1 and NFkappaB pathways are regulated in brain in response to acute and chronic ethanol. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 5 (3). pp. 257-273. ISSN 1601-1848

Rulten, S L, Ripley, T L, Hunt, C L, Stephens, D N and Mayne, L V (2006) Sp1 and NFκB pathways are regulated in brain in response to acute and chronic ethanol. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 5 (3). pp. 257-273. ISSN 1601-1848

Allison, C, Pratt, J A, Ripley, T L and Stephens, D N (2005) α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate receptor autoradiography in mouse brain after single and repeated withdrawal from diazepam. European Journal of Neuroscience, 21 (4). pp. 1045-1056. ISSN 0953-816X

Horwood, Jennifer M, Ripley, Tamzin L and Stephens, David N (2004) Evidence for disrupted NMDA-receptor function in tissue plasminogen activator knockout mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 150 (1-2). pp. 127-138. ISSN 0166-4328

Duka, Theodora, Gentry, John, Malcolm, Robert, Ripley, Tamzin L, Borlikova, Gilyana, Stephens, Dai N, Veatch, Lynn M, Becker, Howard C and Crews, Fulton T (2004) Consequences of multiple withdrawal from alcohol. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 28 (2). pp. 233-246. ISSN 0145-6008

Ripley, Tamzin L, Brown, Geraldine, Dunworth, Sarah J and Stephens, David N (2003) Aversive conditioning following repeated withdrawal from ethanol and epileptic kindling. European Journal of Neuroscience, 17 (8). pp. 1664-1670. ISSN 0953-816X

Stephens, Dai, Mead, Andy and Ripley, Tamzin (2003) The contribution of genetically manipulated animals to the study of stimulant and alcohol addiction. In: Disorders of brain and mind 2. Cambridge University Press . ISBN 9780521004565

Ripley, Tamzin L, Dunworth, Sarah J and Stephens, David N (2002) Consequences of amygdala kindling and repeated withdrawal from ethanol on amphetamine-induced behaviours. European Journal of Neuroscience, 16 (6). pp. 1129-1138. ISSN 0953816X

Stephens, D N, Mead, A N and Ripley, T L (2002) Studying the neurobiology of stimulant and alcohol abuse and dependence in genetically manipulated mice. Behavioural Pharmacology, 13 (5-6). pp. 327-345. ISSN 0955-8810

Ripley, Tamzin L, Gadd, Christopher A, De Filipe, Carmen, Hunt, Stephen P and Stephens, David N (2002) Lack of self-administration and behavioural sensitisation to morphine, but not cocaine, in mice lacking NK1 receptors. Neuropharmacology, 43 (8). pp. 1258-1268. ISSN 0028-3908

Stephens, D N, Brown, G, Duka, T and Ripley, T L (2001) Impaired fear conditioning but enhanced seizure sensitivity in rats given repeated experience of withdrawal from alcohol. European Journal of Neuroscience, 14 (12). pp. 2023-2031. ISSN 0953-816X