Nii Addy, PhD
Cards
Contact/Administration
About
Contact/Administration
About
Contact/Administration
Contact Info
Administrative Support
Titles
Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion, YSM Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Appointments
Contact Info
Administrative Support
Titles
Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion, YSM Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Appointments
Contact Info
Administrative Support
About
Titles
Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology
Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion, YSM Office of Diversity, Equity and InclusionBiography
Nii Addy is the Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology and the inaugural Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion at Yale School of Medicine. He is also Director of the Faculty Mentoring Program, Minority Organization for Recruitment and Expansion (MORE) and co-chair of the Career Development Subcommittee of the Anti-Racism Task Force in the Yale Department of Psychiatry. He contributes to graduate student and postdoctoral training and to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives through his efforts on campus and in scientific societies.
He received his B.S. in Biology from Duke University and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Yale University. Dr. Addy directs a federally funded research program investigating cholinergic, dopaminergic and L-type calcium channel mechanisms mediating substance use and mood disorders. Dr. Addy’s team also studies the ability of tobacco product flavor additives to alter nicotine use behavior and addiction. He serves on the journal editorial board of Neuropsychopharmacology, Biological Psychiatry, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, and Neuropharmacology, and is a grant reviewer for the Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior (NMB) Study Section of the National Institutes of Health's Center for Scientific Review (CSR).
In addition to his campus work, Dr. Addy hosts the Addy Hour podcast, discussing topics at the intersection of neuroscience, mental health, faith, culture and social justice. Episodes include dynamic conversations based on the lived experience and professional expertise of his guests - which include community leaders, clinicians and mental health experts, scientists, professional athletes and entertainers, faith leaders, and mental health advocates. As the creator and host of town hall community events, Dr. Addy has also built unique partnerships to encourage and equip audiences to embrace the use of holistic, integrated tools to address mental health challenges. He has collaborated with Lecrae (Grammy Award-winning artist and NY Times Best Seller), Doug Middleton (Jacksonville Jaguars/ Dream the Impossible Initiative), Allan Houston (former NBA All-Star, NY Knicks/ FISLL Project), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Veritas Forum, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), the Yale University Chaplain's Office, Yale Well, the Salvation Army, Every Nation Church NYC, the American Bible Society and others. His research and community work have been featured by National Public Radio (NPR), Newsday, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), The Source Magazine, Chuck Norris, BoldTV, Legitimate Matters, and Relevant Magazine. He has presented scientific lectures at universities throughout the United States and Europe, and he serves on the Board of Trustees for The Carver Project, aimed at empowering and connecting individuals across university, church and society.
Appointments
Psychiatry
Associate Professor on TermPrimaryCellular & Molecular Physiology
Associate Professor on TermSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Addy Lab
- Cellular & Molecular Physiology
- Connecticut Mental Health Center
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
- Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology, and Physiology
- MORE
- Neuroscience Research Training Program (NRTP)
- Neuroscience Track
- Psychiatry
- Wu Tsai Institute
- Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)
- Yale Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science
- Yale Ventures
- YSM Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Education & Training
- PhD
- Yale University (2007)
- BS
- Duke University (2000)
Research
Overview
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
ORCID
0000-0002-9321-6067- View Lab Website
Addy Lab at Yale
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Eric Nunes, PhD
Deniz Bagdas, DVM, PhD
Ayana Jordan, MD/PhD
John Krystal, MD
Marina Picciotto, PhD
Yusuf Ransome, MPH, DrPH
Signal Transduction
Substance-Related Disorders
Electrochemistry
Publications
2024
L-type calcium channel regulation of depression, anxiety and anhedonia-related behavioral phenotypes following chronic stress exposure
Nunes E, Kebede N, Rajadhyaksha A, Addy N. L-type calcium channel regulation of depression, anxiety and anhedonia-related behavioral phenotypes following chronic stress exposure. Neuropharmacology 2024, 257: 110031. PMID: 38871116, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110031.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic unpredictable stressHome cage controlsElevated plus mazeForced swim testSucrose preference testCUS-induced decreaseChronic stress exposureImmobility timeStress exposureL-type calcium channelsDays of chronic unpredictable stressAnxiogenic-like behavioral responsesForced swim test immobility timeBehavioral responsesPre-existing mental health challengesAntidepressant-like responseOpen arm timeMood-related disordersRegulation of depressionExposure to chronic stressorsMale ratsL-type calcium channel blocker isradipineArm timePlus mazeSucrose preferenceThe Biological Psychiatry Cover Art Initiative: Addressing the Underrepresentation of Black People on the Journal Cover Through a Series of Commissioned Artworks
Krystal J, Addy N, Imeh I. The Biological Psychiatry Cover Art Initiative: Addressing the Underrepresentation of Black People on the Journal Cover Through a Series of Commissioned Artworks. Biological Psychiatry 2024, 95: s26. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.02.068.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchKiosk 5R-FA-01 Benefits of Ai-assist to Clinical CMR Patient Throughput, Imaging Quality, and Diagnostic Impact. Results FBom Nf4,142 Patients FBom a US Center
Kwong R, Jerosch-Herold M, Trivedi S, Munoz M, Azhir A, Islam S, Qamar I, Waheed A, Lima B, Powell L, Addy N, Santos J, Hu B. Kiosk 5R-FA-01 Benefits of Ai-assist to Clinical CMR Patient Throughput, Imaging Quality, and Diagnostic Impact. Results FBom Nf4,142 Patients FBom a US Center. Journal Of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance 2024, 26: 100654. DOI: 10.1016/j.jocmr.2024.100654.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsThe impact of racism on Black American mental health
Cogburn C, Roberts S, Ransome Y, Addy N, Hansen H, Jordan A. The impact of racism on Black American mental health. The Lancet Psychiatry 2024, 11: 56-64. PMID: 38101873, DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00361-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMental illnessMental healthUnfavorable health outcomesMental health systemMental health issuesDSM-5 classification systemEpidemiological surveyHealth outcomesInadequate treatmentAmerican mental healthHealth systemExperience disparitiesHealth issuesIllnessBlack individualsBlack AmericansBlack populationHealthClassification systemMorbidityMisdiagnosisDisparitiesThe Biological Psychiatry Cover Art Initiative: Addressing the Underrepresentation of Black People on the Journal Cover Through a Series of Commissioned Artworks
Krystal J, Imeh I, Garces R, Addy N. The Biological Psychiatry Cover Art Initiative: Addressing the Underrepresentation of Black People on the Journal Cover Through a Series of Commissioned Artworks. Biological Psychiatry 2024, 95: 2. PMID: 38030306, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.10.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetric
2023
Targeting the Actions of Muscarinic Receptors on Dopamine Systems: New Strategies for Treating Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Nunes E, Addy N, Conn P, Foster D. Targeting the Actions of Muscarinic Receptors on Dopamine Systems: New Strategies for Treating Neuropsychiatric Disorders. The Annual Review Of Pharmacology And Toxicology 2023, 64: 277-289. PMID: 37552895, PMCID: PMC10841102, DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-051921-023858.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsCholinergic neuronsMuscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypesDA neuron activityMidbrain DA neuronsAcetylcholine receptor subtypesMood-related disordersPotential clinical implicationsDA circuitryDA neuronsDA releaseMuscarinic receptorsCholinergic regulationReceptor subtypesDopamine systemNeuron activityClinical implicationsNeuropsychiatric disordersDopamine signalingNumerous disordersSubtypesNumerous receptorsDisordersNeuronsReceptorsPublication dateVentral tegmental area M5 muscarinic receptors mediate effort-choice responding and nucleus accumbens dopamine in a sex-specific manner
Nunes E, Kebede N, Haight J, Foster D, Lindsley C, Conn P, Addy N. Ventral tegmental area M5 muscarinic receptors mediate effort-choice responding and nucleus accumbens dopamine in a sex-specific manner. Journal Of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics 2023, 385: jpet-ar-2022-001438. PMID: 36828630, PMCID: PMC10108441, DOI: 10.1124/jpet.122.001438.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsNucleus accumbens coreVentral tegmental areaM5 receptorsDA releaseMale ratsVTA infusionsDepressive disorderNucleus accumbensMuscarinic M5 receptorsSelective negative allosteric modulatorM5 muscarinic receptorsNegative allosteric modulatorsEffort-related choicePhasic DA releasePotential sex differencesSex-specific mannerACh toneVTA administrationCholinergic effectsMuscarinic receptorsFemale ratsTegmental areaPreclinical modelsDopamine releaseTherapeutic targetChapter 11 Cholinergic modulation of circuits
Addy N, Fowler C, Wickham R. Chapter 11 Cholinergic modulation of circuits. 2023, 409-444. DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-823453-2.00004-7.Chapters
2022
Chronic oral nicotine exposure decreases aversive taste of nicotine, increases nicotine withdrawal and reinstatement, but cherry flavor does not alter nicotine’s effects in adolescent rats
Bagdas D, Harris L, Addy N. Chronic oral nicotine exposure decreases aversive taste of nicotine, increases nicotine withdrawal and reinstatement, but cherry flavor does not alter nicotine’s effects in adolescent rats. Neuroscience Letters 2022, 793: 137008. PMID: 36476758, PMCID: PMC9948648, DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.137008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsTaste responsesNicotine concentrationsNicotine exposureNicotine withdrawalNicotine effectsAdolescent ratsChronic exposureOral nicotine exposureTaste reactivityAversive tasteChronic nicotine exposureDevelopment of toleranceLow nicotine concentrationsE-cigarette useE-cigarette flavoringsHigher nicotine concentrationsNicotine abstinenceNicotine useNaïve animalsChronic effectsNicotineRatsAversive responsesDifferent nicotine concentrationsWithdrawalL-type calcium channel regulation of dopamine activity in the ventral tegmental area to nucleus accumbens pathway: Implications for substance use, mood disorders and co-morbidities
Nunes E, Addy N. L-type calcium channel regulation of dopamine activity in the ventral tegmental area to nucleus accumbens pathway: Implications for substance use, mood disorders and co-morbidities. Neuropharmacology 2022, 224: 109336. PMID: 36414149, PMCID: PMC11215796, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109336.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsL-type calcium channelsVentral tegmental areaPre-clinical modelsTegmental areaSubstance useLTCC blockersMood disordersCalcium channelsCo-morbid psychiatric diagnosesDA neuronal activityVoltage-gated calcium channelsMood-related behaviorsSubstance use disordersCalcium channel regulationStress-induced plasticityAccumbens pathwayCardiac medicationsDopamine neuronsLTCC subtypesNeuronal activityNeuronal firingUse disordersPsychiatric diagnosisCalcium entryDopamine activity
Links & Media
News
- June 24, 2024
“On Leadership”— A look back over the past year
- June 13, 2024
Serving by welcoming all voices
- November 13, 2023
Select speakers announced: Yale Child Study Center Grand Rounds Winter/Spring 2024
- November 13, 2023
Voices of DEI: Nii Addy, PhD