Department of Psychology

Brief CV

I graduated from the Department of Biology at the University of Patras (1976-1980). Then, I received my Ph.D. degree [as a scholar of the (Greek) State Foundation of Scholarships (IKY) and the Department of Biology at the University of Patras] from the same Department at the University of Patras (1987). Since 2006, I am Associate Professor of Physiological Psychology. My research interests are focused on the study of dopaminergic interactions with other neuroactive and /or psychotropic substances (thyroid hormones, somatostatin, opioids, psychostimulants), involving the anatomical, neurochemical, pharmacological and behavioural aspects of brain function.

Career Development

• University of the Patras, Dept. Biology (1989)
  
  • As postgraduate researcher in the Lab. of Human & Animal Physiology
• University of Crete, Dept. Psychology (1989 – Today)
  
  • As adjunct instructor initially (1989-1992) and as a Faculty Member (1992-today)

Research Interests

My research interests are focusing on the study of dopaminergic interactions with other neuroactive and /or psychotropic substances (thyroid hormones, somatostatin, opioids, psychostimulants), involving the anatomical, neurochemical, pharmacological and behavioural aspects of brain function.

Research and Other Grants

• Greek Ministry of Education (Thales Program): Mechanisms of pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (Grant Code 70/3/11679) [Participation in Research Funding Program: Development and study of transgenic expression of the wild-type hGDH2 (wt-hGDH2) and the Ala445-hGDH2 variant (Ala445-hGDH2).] [2012-2015].
• University of Crete, Research Committee – The role of iodothyronines on aminergic systems in rat brain [2000-01]
• Regional Office of Crete- Funding for laboratory [1999]
• Regional Office of Crete- Funding for laboratory (participation in Departmental program) [1996]
• University of Crete, Research Committee – The role of somatostatin on the dopamine system in the basal ganglia [1994-95]

Selected Publications

• Katsidoni, V., Kastellakis A., & Panagis, G. (2013). Biphasic effects of Δ9- tetrahydrocannabinol on brain stimulation reward and motor activity. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 16(10), 2273-2284.
  • https://doi.org/10.1017/S1461145713000709
• Santis, S., Kastellakis, A., Kotzamani, D., Pitarokoili, K., Kokona, D., & Thermos, K. (2009). Somatostatin increases rat locomotor activity by activating sst2 and sst4 receptors in the striatum and via glutamatergic involvement. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Archives of Pharmacology, 379(2), 181-189.
  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-008-0346-z
• Marazioti, A., Kastellakis, A., Antoniou, K., Papasava, D., & Thermos, K. (2005). Somatostatin receptors in the ventral pallidum/substantia innominata modulate rat locomotor activity. Psychopharmacology, 181(2), 319-326.
  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-005-2237-z
• Panagis, G. & Kastellakis, A. (2002). The effects of ventral tegmental administration of GABAA, GABAB, NMDA and AMPA receptor agonists on ventral pallidum self-stimulation. Behavioural Brain Research, 131, 115-123.
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4328(01)00353-9
• Panagis, G., Kastellakis, A., & Spyraki, C. (1998). Involvement of the ventral tegmental area opiate receptors in self-stimulation elicited from the ventral pallidum. Psychopharmacology, 139, 222-229.
  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130050708
• Thermos, K., Radke, J., Kastellakis, A., Anagnostakis, Y., & Spyraki, C. (1995). Dopamine-somatostatin interactions in the rat striatum: An in vivo microdialysis study. Synapse, 22, 209-216.
  • https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2396(199603)22:3<209::AID-SYN2>3.0.CO;2-G
• Kastellakis, A., & Valcana, T. (1989). Characterization of thyroid hormone transport in synaptosomes from rat brain. Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, 67(2-3), 231-241.
  • https://doi.org/10.1016/0303-7207(89)90213-X

Courses offered at the Undergraduate Level

• Introduction to Neurobiology – Genetics (Ψ-1401, instructor)
• Physiological Psychology II: Motor & Regulatory Systems (Ψ-2402, instructor)
• Comparative Psychology (Ψ-1402, instructor)
• Stress: Neuro-endocrine-immune Interactions (Seminar: Ψ-3408, instructor)

Courses offered at the Postgraduate Level

• The neurobiological and psychopharmacological basis of drug abuse and addiction (in collaboration with other colleagues, ΚΠΕ-01)
• Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences (instructor of course NEURO-101, Graduate Program in Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Crete)