MacKenzie Peltier, PhD
Assistant Professor of PsychiatryDownloadHi-Res Photo
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Psychiatry
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Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Biography
Dr. Peltier is a scientist-practitioner focused on the study of individual differences and the underlying mechanisms of substance use disorders (SUDs), with specific emphasis in understanding the sex differences at the intersection of SUDs and concurrent psychiatric disorders, most notably Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use. Her research evaluates novel, sex-appropriate treatments for these disorders using human laboratory models of stress-induced substance use and also probes the relationship between SUD and psychiatric comorbidities via epidemiological data. Dr. Peltier is a Staff Psychologist at VA Connecticut Healthcare System, where she provides clinical care for Veterans with concurrent SUDs and PTSD.
Last Updated on July 25, 2024.
Appointments
Psychiatry
Assistant ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Yale School of Medicine (2019)
- PhD
- Louisiana State University, Clinical Psychology (2017)
- Predoctoral Psychology Intern
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven (2017)
- MA
- Louisiana State University, Psychology
- BA
- Emmanuel College, Psychology & English Communications
Research
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Overview
Medical Research Interests
Affect; Alcohol Drinking; Alcohol-Related Disorders; Drug-Seeking Behavior; Hormones; Mental Health; Neurosteroids; Nicotiana; Pregnant People; Psychology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Substance-Related Disorders; Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders; Veterans; Women
ORCID
0000-0002-8211-4815
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Frequent collaborators of MacKenzie Peltier's published research.
Publications Timeline
A big-picture view of MacKenzie Peltier's research output by year.
Research Interests
Research topics MacKenzie Peltier is interested in exploring.
Sherry McKee, PhD
Terril Luce, PhD
Yasmin Zakiniaeiz, PhD
Catherine Burke, PsyD
Ralitza Gueorguieva, PhD
Kelly Cosgrove, PhD
64Publications
1,219Citations
Alcohol Drinking
Substance-Related Disorders
Nicotiana
Affect
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
Veterans
Publications
Featured Publications
The role of neurosteroids in posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder: A review of 10 years of clinical literature and treatment implications
Peltier M, Verplaetse T, Altemus M, Zakiniaeiz Y, Ralevski E, Mineur Y, Gueorguieva R, Picciotto M, Cosgrove K, Petrakis I, McKee S. The role of neurosteroids in posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder: A review of 10 years of clinical literature and treatment implications. Frontiers In Neuroendocrinology 2024, 73: 101119. PMID: 38184208, PMCID: PMC11185997, DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101119.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderAlcohol use disorderStress disorderContext of PTSDPTSD/AUDConcurrent posttraumatic stress disorderUnderlying neurobiological mechanismsUse disordersAlcohol-related variablesNeurobiological mechanismsPTSD diagnosisTreatment developmentTreatment implicationsBody of literatureNovel interventionsClinical literatureRole of neurosteroidsDisordersTreatment outcomesYears of researchAlcohol consumptionExogenous pregnenolonePharmacological treatmentBiological variablesAllopregnanoloneThe role of sex hormones in targeting stress-induced tobacco craving, stress-reactivity, and smoking with guanfacine among women who smoke
Peltier M, McKee S. The role of sex hormones in targeting stress-induced tobacco craving, stress-reactivity, and smoking with guanfacine among women who smoke. Addiction Neuroscience 2023, 7: 100084. PMID: 37396408, PMCID: PMC10311966, DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100084.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsSex hormonesTobacco cravingMedication effectsMedication trialsSmoking behaviorCortisol responsePlacebo-controlled studySmoking cessation trialAd libitum periodGuanfacine's effectsCessation trialSmoking periodDrug effectsSecondary analysisGuanfacineEstradiolHormoneProgesteroneWomenCravingTrialsSex differencesContext of stressPresent studyPost-stress inductionSex Differences across Retrospective Transitions in Posttraumatic Stress and Substance Use Disorders
Peltier MR, Roberts W, Verplaetse TL, Zakiniaeiz Y, Burke C, Moore KE, McKee SA. Sex Differences across Retrospective Transitions in Posttraumatic Stress and Substance Use Disorders. Journal Of Dual Diagnosis 2021, 18: 11-20. PMID: 34965199, PMCID: PMC9086923, DOI: 10.1080/15504263.2021.2016027.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsDrug use disordersOngoing posttraumatic stress disorderSubstance use disordersSUD/PTSDPosttraumatic stress disorderNew PTSD diagnosisImpact of sexUse disordersDiagnosis of SUDPast-year substance use disorderPTSD diagnosisConcurrent substance use disordersDiagnosis of PTSDPoor treatment outcomesNational Epidemiologic SurveyBidirectional relationshipSex-specific analysesPotential sex-specific differencesTreatment outcomesChanges in excessive alcohol use among older women across the menopausal transition: a longitudinal analysis of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation
Peltier MR, Verplaetse TL, Roberts W, Moore K, Burke C, Marotta PL, Phillips S, Smith PH, McKee SA. Changes in excessive alcohol use among older women across the menopausal transition: a longitudinal analysis of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Biology Of Sex Differences 2020, 11: 37. PMID: 32665024, PMCID: PMC7362573, DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00314-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMenopausal transitionExcessive alcohol useExcessive drinkingAlcohol useRandom effects logistic regressionAlcohol-related health consequencesSuch health problemsMethodsThe present studyPresent studyConclusionsThe present studyMenopausal transition stageSex-specific factorsHigher testosterone levelsBackgroundRecent dataEstradiol levelsPostmenopausal stageSex hormonesTestosterone levelsHormonal changesOlder womenAlcoholism criteriaAlcohol abuseAlcohol consumptionWomen's healthStudy of womenSex differences in stress-related alcohol use
Peltier MR, Verplaetse TL, Mineur YS, Petrakis IL, Cosgrove KP, Picciotto MR, McKee SA. Sex differences in stress-related alcohol use. Neurobiology Of Stress 2019, 10: 100149. PMID: 30949562, PMCID: PMC6430711, DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100149.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsCitationsAltmetricConceptsAlcohol use disorderAlcohol useSex differencesAlcohol-induced neurodegenerationStress reactivityPresent narrative reviewAlcohol-related health consequencesEarly life stressBrain stress systemsOvarian hormonesPsychiatric comorbidityStress-related drinkingProblematic alcohol useUse disordersNarrative reviewBrain regionsBehavioral treatmentHealth consequencesStress systemAvailable evidenceRole of stressAlcohol addictionWomenLife stressExamination of sexRole of Exogenous Progesterone in the Treatment of Men and Women with Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review
Peltier MR, Sofuoglu M. Role of Exogenous Progesterone in the Treatment of Men and Women with Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review. CNS Drugs 2018, 32: 421-435. PMID: 29761343, PMCID: PMC6235727, DOI: 10.1007/s40263-018-0525-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSubstance use disordersExogenous progesteroneUse disordersTreatment of SUDsNovel pharmacological treatmentsFemale sex hormonesTreatment of menNovel pharmacological interventionsTobacco/nicotineFemale substance usersDrugs of abuseMetabolite allopregnanolonePharmacological treatmentPreliminary efficacySex hormonesPharmacological interventionsAvailable interventionsNovel treatmentsAllopregnanoloneEuphoric effectsProgesteroneNarrative reviewLiterature searchSubstance useSubstance users
2025
Genotype‐by‐sex interaction analyses for alcohol use disorder across biobanks
Zhou H, Wang L, Mao Z, Deans P, Kember R, Chen Q, Zakiniaeiz Y, Kohler R, Peltier M, Verplaetse T, Program V, Potenza M, Brennand K, Justice A, Kranzler H, Gelernter J, McKee S. Genotype‐by‐sex interaction analyses for alcohol use disorder across biobanks. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2025 PMID: 41017299, DOI: 10.1111/acer.70173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsExpression quantitative trait lociAlcohol use disorderMillion Veteran ProgramGenotype-by-sexSingle-nucleotide polymorphismsAlcohol use disorder casesAncestry samplesGenetic basisCross-ancestry meta-analysisUse disorderQuantitative trait lociAfrican ancestry samplesPhenome-wide association analysisAlcohol use disorder riskHistory of alcohol addictionSelf-reported historyCross-ancestryTrait lociGenetic variationAssociation analysisMultiple genesLociAlcohol addictionExpression changesBiological underpinningsEmpirical Derivation and Prediction of Treatment Trajectories in Harmonized AUD Clinical Trial Datasets
Kohler R, Zakiniaeiz Y, Verplaetse T, Chavez C, Peltier M, Zhou H, McKee S, Roberts W. Empirical Derivation and Prediction of Treatment Trajectories in Harmonized AUD Clinical Trial Datasets. Addiction Biology 2025, 30: e70069. PMID: 40700031, PMCID: PMC12285684, DOI: 10.1111/adb.70069.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsAlcohol use disorderTreatment response phenotypesAlcohol use disorder treatmentTreatment response trajectoriesAUD-related phenotypesFollow-up analysisBaseline drinkingPhase of treatmentUse disorderAlcohol consumption patternsPhase 2 randomized clinical trialDrinking dataResponse trajectoriesAlcohol usePatient responsePhase 3 trialResponse phenotypesExploratory analysisAlcohol consumptionTreatment trajectoryDrinking ratesNIAAANo significant differenceMild drinkersPatient's clinical needsSex differences in the impact of social determinants of health on substance use disorder treatment outcomes
Chavez C, Peltier M, McKee S. Sex differences in the impact of social determinants of health on substance use disorder treatment outcomes. Biology Of Sex Differences 2025, 16: 56. PMID: 40696464, PMCID: PMC12281950, DOI: 10.1186/s13293-025-00734-3.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSubstance use disordersPredictors of substance useSubstance usePoor treatment outcomesSocial determinants of healthDeterminants of healthUse disorderTreatment outcomesHousing instabilityTreatment programsPolysubstance useSubstance use disorder treatment outcomesSeverity of substance useTreatment Episode Data Set-DischargesSocial determinantsSubstance use disorder treatment programsAssociated with poor treatment outcomesTreatment non-completionCriminal justice involvementSubstance use treatmentClinical severity indicatorsSex-specific effectsMental health conditionsClinical severity factorsNon-abstinenceAlcohol use during pregnancy: the impact of social determinants of health on alcohol consumption among pregnant women
Peltier M, Verplaetse T, Bici V, Mokwuah A, Chavez C, Zakiniaeiz Y, Kohler R, Garcia-Rivas V, Banini B, Zhou H, Raval N, Pittman B, McKee S. Alcohol use during pregnancy: the impact of social determinants of health on alcohol consumption among pregnant women. Biology Of Sex Differences 2025, 16: 49. PMID: 40598644, PMCID: PMC12219128, DOI: 10.1186/s13293-025-00731-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSocial determinants of healthDeterminants of healthImpact of SDoHMonthly binge drinkingMonth alcohol useAlcohol useLikelihood of alcohol useSocial determinantsLikelihood of binge drinkingPregnant womenBinge drinkingImpact of social determinants of healthAlcohol consumptionNational Survey of Drug Use and HealthNational surveyMethodsCross-sectional dataDrug Use and HealthRates of prenatal alcohol exposureHigh school educationCriminal justice involvementPast-month alcohol useHealthcare providersSDOHTime of alcohol consumptionPrenatal alcohol exposure
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
The Effect of Acute Stress and Inflammation on Drinking
HIC ID2000028772RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date06/30/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge21 years - 65 yearsCombining Varenicline and Guanfacine for Smoking Cessation
HIC ID2000026630RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date09/30/2020Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18+ yearsMechanistic Evaluation of Guanfacine on Drinking Behavior
HIC ID2000023970RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date09/29/2026Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge21 years - 70 yearsBehavioral and Neurochemical Mechanisms Underlying Stress-Precipitated Drinking
HIC ID2000021685RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date09/30/2022Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge21 years - 55 yearsDoes Propanolol, a Beta Blocker, Attenuate Stress-Induced Drinking?
HIC ID2000022090RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date02/28/2025Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge21 years - 65 years
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