Sergios Charntikov

Sergios Charntikov
Associate Professor
Psychology
Phone: (603) 862-5490
Office: Psychology, McConnell Hall, Durham, NH 03824
Websites: Full profile: FindScholars@UNH, Charntikov Lab
headshot of Sergios Charntikov

Dr. Sergios (Sergey) Charntikov is an Assistant Professor of Psychology. He joined the UNH faculty in 2015 after completing his Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Charntikov teaches undergraduate level classes related to behavioral neuroscience and addiction. His research program focuses on applying a multidisciplinary approach to study behavior and neurobiology associated with substance use disorder. This approach encompasses a) investigation of short- and long-term effects of drugs of abuse, b) investigation and development of treatment relevant strategies, and c) improvement of existing and development of novel relapse prevention strategies. One arm of this research is focusing on understanding individual differences in substance use and in response to treatment. For example, Dr. Charntikov is interested in how individual vulnerability to stress contributes to traumatic stress and heroin use comorbidity or how individual history with nicotine or alcohol relates to various treatment outcomes. The other arm of the research in Dr. Charntikov lab focuses on the understanding of neural mechanisms underlying learning with drugs of abuse. We believe that investigating neural substrates underlying learning mechanisms with pharmacological stimuli is of great importance if the goal is to develop more effective treatment strategies. To achieve these goals, we are using a translationally relevant preclinical drug self-administration model that allows us to model relevant behavioral and neural mechanisms. We also rely on behavioral economics and advanced analytical approaches to assess individual effects and relate them to other markers of interest. Finally, our long-term goal is to able to determine the most suitable individualized treatment options for substance use disorder depending on the previous history of substance use and other behavioral or biological markers.

Education

  • Ph.D., Psychology, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Nebraska
  • M.A., General Experimental Psychology, California State University
  • B.A., Psychology, California State University

Research Interests

  • Behavioral neuroscience
  • Drug addiction
  • Heroin
  • Learning with drug states
  • Methamphetamine
  • Nicotine
  • Pharmacology

Courses Taught

  • BMS 799H: Senior Honors Thesis
  • INCO 590: Student Research Experience
  • INCO 790: Adv Rsrch Exp/Psychology
  • NSB 799H: Honors Senior Thesis
  • PSYC 502: Research Methods in Psychology
  • PSYC 741W: SpcTop/Fund of Substance Abuse
  • PSYC 894: Advanced Research
  • PSYC 933: Adv Sem/Physiological Psych
  • PSYC 991: Pract&Sem/Teaching Psychology

Selected Publications

Robison, C. L., Kazan, T., Miller, R. L. A., Cova, N., & Charntikov, S. (2021). Inactivation of posterior but not anterior dorsomedial caudate-putamen impedes learning with self-administered nicotine stimulus in male rats. BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH, 413. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113438

Charntikov, S., Pittenger, S. T., Swalve, N., Barrett, S. T., & Bevins, R. A. (2021). Conditioned Enhancement of the Nicotine Reinforcer. EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, 29(4), 385-394. doi:10.1037/pha0000370

Hart, E., Hertia, D., Barrett, S. T., & Charntikov, S. (2021). Varenicline rescues nicotine-induced decrease in motivation for sucrose reinforcement. BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH, 397. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112887

Hart, E., Hertia, D., Barrett, S. T., & Charntikov, S. (2020). Varenicline rescues nicotine-induced decrease in motivation for sucrose reinforcement. doi:10.1101/2020.06.03.129791

Kazan, T., Robison, C. L., Cova, N., Madore, V. M., & Charntikov, S. (2020). Assessment of individual differences in response to acute bupropion or varenicline treatment using a long-access nicotine self-administration model and behavioral economics in female rats. BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH, 385. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112558

Varela, F. A., Der-Ghazarian, T., Lee, R. J., Charntikov, S., Crawford, C. A., & McDougall, S. A. (2014). Repeated aripiprazole treatment causes dopamine D2 receptor up-regulation and dopamine supersensitivity in young rats. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, 28(4), 376-386. doi:10.1177/0269881113504016

Chamtikov, S., Swalve, N., Pittenger, S., Fink, K., Schepers, S., Hadlock, G. C., . . . Bevins, R. A. (2013). Iptakalim attenuates self-administration and acquired goal-tracking behavior controlled by nicotine. NEUROPHARMACOLOGY, 75, 138-144. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.07.019

Bevins, R. A., Barrett, S. T., Polewan, R. J., Pittenger, S. T., Swalve, N., & Charntikov, S. (2012). Disentangling the nature of the nicotine stimulus. BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES, 90(1), 28-33. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2011.10.020

Iniguez, S. D., Charntikov, S., Baella, S. A., Herbert, M. S., Bolanos-Guzman, C. A., & Crawford, C. A. (2012). Post-training cocaine exposure facilitates spatial memory consolidation in C57BL/6 mice. HIPPOCAMPUS, 22(4), 802-813. doi:10.1002/hipo.20941

Charntikov, S., Der-Ghazarian, T., Herbert, M. S., Horn, L. R., Widarma, C. B., Gutierrez, A., . . . McDougall, S. A. (2011). IMPORTANCE OF D1 AND D2 RECEPTORS IN THE DORSAL CAUDATE-PUTAMEN FOR THE LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY AND STEREOTYPED BEHAVIORS OF PREWEANLING RATS. NEUROSCIENCE, 183, 121-133. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.03.037

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