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Profile

Biography

• London Guildhall University
  BSc (1987)
  PhD (1990)

Graduated from the London Guildhall University in 1987, and stayed on to conduct research on the psychopharmacology of brain reward systems (PhD 1990). Moved to the University of Cambridge in 1990 to carry out postdoctoral research before arriving at York in 1994. Current research interests include the neural systems involved in learning and memory, brain reward systems and addiction. Teaches Psychopathology, and gives advanced course on the psychobiology of drug addiction.

Career

• University of Cambridge
  Postdoctoral researcher
• University of York
  Lecturer (1994 - )

Teaching

Undergraduate

BSc Psychology

• Social, Personality & Abnormal Psychology
• Research Methods I
• The Psychobiology of Drug Addiction

Research

Overview

Behavioural neuroscience, learning and memory, neural systems underpinning motivated behaviour, psychobiology of addiction.

Research group(s)

• Behavioural Neuroscience

Grants

• Phillips G.D., 1999-2003, 3-year Development Grant Effects of sensitisation on Pavlovian and instrumental conditioned appetitive behaviours, Medical Research Council, £212,343
• Phillips G.D., 1998-2002, 3-year Project Grant Mesoamygdaloid-mesoaccumbens dopamine interactions in a novel animal model of drug-seeking behaviour The Wellcome Trust, £191,023
• Phillips G.D., 1995-1998, 3-year Project Grant Role of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system in vulnerability to drug addiction, The Wellcome Trust, £148,109
• Phillips G.D., 1995-1998, 3-year Project Grant: Limbic-striatal control over the reinforcing properties of psychomotor stimulant drugs , Medical Research Council, £121,173
• Phillips G.D., 1994, University of York IPRFC award: £9,980

Available PhD research projects

Keen to hear from potential graduate students who share my interests in human information processing.

Supervision

• Catherine Harmer
• Sara Morutto
• Paul Hitchcott
• Erika Setzu
• Anthony Vugler
• Emily Salusollia

Publications

Selected publications

• Phillips GD, Setzu E, Hitchcott PK (2003) Post-session d-amphetamine within the shell, but not core of the nucleus accumbens facilitates the acquisition of a Pavlovian conditioned approach response. Behavioral Neuroscience in press
• Phillips GD, Hitchcott PK (2003) Blockade of the acquisition, but not expression of associative learning by pre-session intra-amygdala R(+) 7-OH-DPAT. Psychopharmacology in press
• Phillips GD, Setzu E, Vugler A, Hitchcott PK (2003) An immunohistochemical examination of the effects of sensitisation on mesotelencephalic dopaminergic response to d-amphetamine. Neuroscience 117: 755-767.
• Phillips GD, Setzu E, Vugler A, Hitchcott PK (2003) Immunohistochemical assessment of mesocorticolimbic dopamine activity during the acquisition and expression of Pavlovian vs. Instrumental behaviours. Neuroscience 117, 741-753.
• Phillips GD, Harmer CJ, Hitchcott PK (2002) Blockade of sensitisation-induced facilitation of appetitive conditioning by post-session intra-amygdala nafadotride. Behav Brain Res 134: 249-257

Full publications list

• Phillips GD, Harmer CJ, Hitchcott PK (2002) Isolation rearing-induced facilitation of Pavlovian learning. Abolition by post-session intra-amygdala nafadotride. Physiol Behav 76: 677-84
• Harmer CJ, Phillips GD (1999) Enhanced dopamine efflux in the amygdala by a predictive, but not a non-predictive, stimulus: Facilitation by prior repeated d-amphetamine. Neuroscience 90: 119-130
• Harmer CJ, Phillips GD (1999) Enhanced conditioned inhibition following repeated pretreatment with d-amphetamine. Psychopharmacology 142: 120-131
• Morutto SL, Phillips GD (1999) Post-session intra-perifornical region quinpirole infusions retard the consolidation of an appetitive differential conditioning task. Behav Pharmacol 10: 113-8
• Harmer CJ, Phillips GD (1998) Isolation rearing enhances the rate of acquisition of a discriminative approach task but does not affect the efficacy of a conditioned reward. Physiology & Behavior 63: 177-184
• Harmer CJ, Phillips GD (1998) Enhanced appetitive conditioning following repeated pretreatment with d-amphetamine. Behavioural Pharmacology 9: 299-308
• Harmer CJ, Phillips GD (1998) Isolation rearing enhances acquisition in a conditioned inhibition paradigm. Physiology & Behavior 65: 525-533
• Hitchcott PK, Phillips GD (1998) Double dissociation of the behavioural effects of R(+) 7-OH-DPAT infusions in the central and basolateral amygdala nuclei upon Pavlovian and instrumental conditioned appetitive behaviours. Psychopharmacology 140: 458-469
• Hitchcott PK, Phillips GD (1998) Effects of intra-amygdala R(+) 7-OH-DPAT on intra-accumbens d-amphetamine-associated learning - II. Instrumental conditioning. Psychopharmacology 140: 310-318
• Hitchcott PK, Phillips GD (1998) Effects of intra amygdala R(+) 7-OH-DPAT on intraaccumbens d-amphetamine-associated learning - I. Pavlovian conditioning. Psychopharmacology 140: 300-309
• Morutto SL, Phillips GD (1998) Interactions between intra-perifornical region sulpiride and intra-ventral tegmental area AP5 on measures of locomotor activity and conditioned place preference. Psychopharmacology 136: 105-113
• Morutto SL, Phillips GD (1998) Interactions between sulpiride infusions within the perifornical region of the lateral hypothalamus and the nucleus accumbens on measures of locomotor activity and conditioned place preference. Behavioural Pharmacology 9: 345-355
• Morutto SL, Phillips GD (1998) Cross-sensitisation with d-amphetamine following repeated intra- perifornical sulpiride infusions (vol 133, pg 179, 1997). Psychopharmacology 135: 318
• Phillips GD, Morutto SL (1998) Post-session sulpiride infusions within the perifornical region of the lateral hypothalamus enhance consolidation of associative learning. Psychopharmacology 140: 354-364
• Phillips GD, Hitchcott PK (1998) Double dissociation of 7-OH-DPAT effects in central or basolateral amygdala nuclei on Pavlovian or instrumental conditioned appetitive behaviours. European Journal Of Neuroscience 10: 7903
• Harmer CJ, Hitchcott PK, Morutto SL, Phillips GD (1997) Repeated d-amphetamine enhances stimulated mesoamygdaloid dopamine transmission. Psychopharmacology 132: 247-254
• Hitchcott PK, Harmer CJ, Phillips GD (1997) Enhanced acquisition of discriminative approach following intra-amygdala d-amphetamine. Psychopharmacology 132: 237-246
• Hitchcott PK, Bonardi CMT, Phillips GD (1997) Enhanced stimulus-reward learning by intra-amygdala administration of a D-3 dopamine receptor agonist. Psychopharmacology 133: 240-248
• Hitchcott PK, Phillips GD (1997) Amygdala and hippocampus control dissociable aspects of drug-associated conditioned rewards. Psychopharmacology 131: 187-195
• Morutto SL, Phillips GD (1997) Cross-sensitisation with d-amphetamine following repeated intra-perifornical sulpiride infusions. Psychopharmacology 133: 179-187
• Morutto SL, Phillips GD (1997) Isolation rearing enhances the locomotor stimulant properties of intra-perifornical sulpiride, but impairs the acquisition of a conditioned place preference. Psychopharmacology 133: 224-232
• Altman J, Everitt BJ, Glautier S, Markou A, Nutt D, Oretti R, Phillips GD, Robbins TW (1996) The biological, social and clinical bases of drug addiction: Commentary and debate. Psychopharmacology 125: 285-345
• Phillips GD, Howes SR, Whitelaw RB, Robbins TW, Everitt BJ (1995) Analysis of the effects of intra-accumbens SKF-38393 and LY-171555 upon the behavioural satiety sequence. Psychopharmacology 117: 82-90
• Phillips GD, Robbins TW, Everitt BJ (1994) Mesoaccumbens dopamine-opiate interactions in the control over behavior by a conditioned reinforcer. Psychopharmacology 114: 345-359
• Phillips GD, Robbins TW, Everitt BJ (1994) Bilateral intra-accumbens self-administration of d-amphetamine: Antagonism with intra-accumbens SCH-23390 and sulpiride. Psychopharmacology 114: 477-485
• Phillips GD, Howes SR, Whitelaw RB, Robbins TW, Everitt BJ (1994) Isolation-rearing impairs the reinforcing efficacy of intravenous cocaine or intra-accumbens d-amphetamine: Impaired response to intra-accumbens D1 and D2/D3 dopamine-receptor antagonists. Psychopharmacology 115: 419-429
• Phillips GD, Howes SR, Whitelaw RB, Wilkinson LS, Robbins TW, Everitt BJ (1994) Isolation rearing enhances the locomotor response to cocaine and a novel environment, but impairs the intravenous self-sdministration of cocaine. Psychopharmacology 115: 407-418
• Phillips GD, Le Noury J, Wolterink G, Donselaar-Wolterink I, Robbins TW, Everitt BJ (1993) Cholecystokinin-dopamine interactions within the nucleus accumbens in the control over behaviour by conditioned reinforcement. Behavioural Brain Research 55: 223-231
• Wolterink G, Phillips G, Cador M, Donselaarwolterink I, Robbins TW, Everitt BJ (1993) Relative roles of ventral striatal D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in responding with conditioned reinforcement. Psychopharmacology 110: 355-364
• Willner P, Phillips G, Muscat R, Hood P (1992) Behavioural tests of the dopamine depletion hypothesis of neuroleptic-induced response decrement. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 106: 543-9
• Sampson D, Muscat R, Phillips G, Willner P (1992) Decreased reactivity to sweetness following chronic exposure to mild unpredictable stress or acute administration of pimozide. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 16: 519-24
• Phillips GD, Willner P, Muscat R (1991) Anatomical substrates for neuroleptic-induced reward attenuation and neuroleptic-induced response decrement. Behav.Pharm. 2: 129-141
• Phillips GD, Willner P, Sampson D, Nunn J, Muscat R (1991) Time-, schedule-, and reinforcer-dependent effects of pimozide and amphetamine. Psychopharmacology 105: 239-246
• Phillips GD, Willner P, Muscat R (1991) Reward-dependent suppression or facilitation of consummatory behaviour by raclopride. Psychopharmacology 105: 355-360
• Phillips GD, Willner P, Muscat R (1991) Suppression or facilitation of operant behaviour by raclopride dependent on concentration of sucrose reward. Psychopharmacology 105: 239-246
• Willner P, Muscat R, Phillips G (1991) The role of dopamine in rewarded behavior: ability, insight, drive or incentive? Pol J Pharmacol Pharm 43: 291-300
• Muscat R, Kyprianou T, Osman M, Phillips G, Willner P (1991) Sweetness-dependent facilitation of sucrose drinking by raclopride is unrelated to calorie content. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 40: 209-13
• Willner P, Sampson D, Phillips G, Muscat R (1990) A matching law analysis of the effects of dopamine receptor antagonists. Psychopharmacology 101: 560-567
• Willner P, McGuirk J, Phillips G, Muscat R (1990) Behavioural analysis of the anorectic effects of fluoxetine and fenfluramine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 102: 273-7
• Willner P, Papp M, Phillips G, Maleeh M, Muscat R (1990) Pimozide does not impair sweetness discrimination. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 102: 278-82
• Willner P, Sampson D, Papp M, Phillips GD, Muscat R (1990) Animal Models of Anhedonia. In: Simon P, Widlocher D (eds) Animal Models of Psychiatric Discorders. Karger, Basel, pp 71-99
• Willner P, Muscat R, Sampson D, Phillips GD (1990) Dopaminergic and nondopaminergic mechanisms of antidepressant drug action. In: Gessa GL, Serra G (eds) Advances in the Biosciences: Dopamine and Mental Depression. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 77-89
• Willner P, Phillips GD, Muscat R (1990) Suppression of rewarded behaviour by neuroleptic drugs: Can't or won't or why? In: Willner P, Scheel-Krüger J (eds) The Mesolimbic Dopamine System: From Motivation to Action. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, pp 251-271
• Willner P, Sampson D, Phillips G, Fichera R, Foxlow P, Muscat R (1989) Effects of isolated housing and chronic antidepressant treatment on cooperative social behaviour in rats. Behav Pharmacol 1: 85-90
• Willner P, Phillips G, Sampson D, Muscat R (1989) Time-dependent and schedule-dependent effects of dopamine receptor blockade. Behav Pharmacol 1: 169-176

External activities

Memberships

• American Society for Neuroscience
  Member
• New York Academy of Sciences
  Member
• European Brain and Behaviour Society
  Member
• European Behavioural Pharmacology Society
  Member
• British Association for Psychopharmacology
  Member
• British Neuroscience Association
  Member

Editorial duties

• Physiology & Behavior
  Contributing editor
• Behavioural Brain Research
  Contributing editor