Robert Kohler
Associate Research Scientist of PsychiatryCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Legal blood alcohol concentration limits and alcohol-attributable traffic mortality rates: an analysis across 165 countries
Jimenez Chavez C, Peltier M, Mokwuah A, Bin-Mahfouz A, Verplaetse T, Zakiniaeiz Y, Kohler R, Garcia-Rivas V, Banini B, Raval N, Pittman B, McKee S. Legal blood alcohol concentration limits and alcohol-attributable traffic mortality rates: an analysis across 165 countries. EClinicalMedicine 2026, 93: 103794. PMID: 41768275, PMCID: PMC12945517, DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.103794.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchGender inequalityTraffic mortality ratesNational incomeWorld Health OrganizationAge-standardized death ratesAlcohol consumptionPer capita alcohol consumptionCountry-level indicatorsHigh alcohol consumptionHealthcare system infrastructureAssistant SecretaryMortality rateStructural factorsAlcohol-impaired drivingRoad traffic deathsMortality burdenPopulation riskGlobal burdenMultilevel analysisStructural conditionsPrimary outcomeBlood alcohol concentration limitBlood alcohol concentrationDeath rateHealth OrganizationIdentifying clinical correlates of drinking clusters during treatment for alcohol use disorder
Kohler R, Zhou H, Zakiniaeiz Y, Verplaetse T, Garcia‐Rivas V, Peltier M, Banini B, McKee S, Roberts W. Identifying clinical correlates of drinking clusters during treatment for alcohol use disorder. American Journal On Addictions 2026 PMID: 41601244, DOI: 10.1111/ajad.70132.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAlcohol use disorderUse disorderTreatment maintenanceAlcohol consumptionMeasures of depressionThree-cluster solutionBetween-cluster differencesSelf-reported drinkingEnd-of-treatmentDrinking consequencesPhase of treatmentDiscovery of novel treatmentsClinical trialsPhase 2 randomized clinical trialTreatment outcomesClinical correlatesAvailability of treatmentPhase 3 trialDisordersAlcoholNovel treatmentCore demographicsClinical featuresDrinkingLiver function
2025
Clinical and preclinical evidence of sex differences in nicotine-induced enhancement of alcohol self-administration
Garcia-Rivas V, Zakiniaeiz Y, Jimenez Chavez C, Kohler R, Peltier M, Raval N, Verplaetse T, Zhou H, McKee S. Clinical and preclinical evidence of sex differences in nicotine-induced enhancement of alcohol self-administration. Psychopharmacology 2025, 1-14. PMID: 41240074, DOI: 10.1007/s00213-025-06965-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNicotine-induced enhancementAlcohol self-administrationSelf-AdministrationSex differencesRates of alcohol use disordersEvidence of sex differencesAlcohol use disorderAlcohol-related behaviorsPreclinical evidencePotential sex differencesNicotine useUse disorderFemale subjectsCo-usePreclinical studiesNicotineTranslation paradigmIntersection of alcoholAlcoholPotential intersectionsClinical studiesTherapeutic strategiesReinforcementInclusion criteriaRationaleAlcoholGenotype‐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, Muralidhar S, Moser J, Deen J, Tsao P, Muralidhar S, Gaziano J, Hauser E, Kilbourne A, Matheny M, Oslin D, Voora D, Gaziano J, Tsao P, Brewer J, Brophy M, Brophy M, Churby L, DuVall S, Pyarajan S, Ringer R, Selva L, Shayan S, Stephens B, Whitbourne S, Assimes T, Hung A, Kranzler H. Genotype‐by‐sex interaction analyses for alcohol use disorder across biobanks. Alcohol Clinical And Experimental Research 2025, 49: 2485-2493. PMID: 41017299, PMCID: PMC12638285, DOI: 10.1111/acer.70173.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchExpression 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 ResearchConceptsAlcohol 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 needsAlcohol 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 ResearchConceptsSocial 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 exposureLinking Brain to Other Biological Variables in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study: One Size Doesn’t Always Fit All
Yip S, Jelen M, Aksen D, Cheng A, Moles L, Babaeianjelodar M, Serio B, Riley S, Kohler R, Zhao Y, Fan C, Constable R, Lichenstein S. Linking Brain to Other Biological Variables in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study: One Size Doesn’t Always Fit All. Biological Psychiatry 2025, 97: s38. DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.02.106.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPreclinical and clinical sex differences in the effects of alcohol on measures of brain dopamine: a systematic review
Barrios N, Riordan W, Garcia-Rivas V, Peltier M, Roberts W, Verplaetse T, Kohler R, Zhou H, Banini B, McKee S, Cosgrove K, Zakiniaeiz Y. Preclinical and clinical sex differences in the effects of alcohol on measures of brain dopamine: a systematic review. Biology Of Sex Differences 2025, 16: 24. PMID: 40200334, PMCID: PMC11980350, DOI: 10.1186/s13293-025-00706-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlcohol use disorderAlcohol-induced dopamine releaseEffects of alcoholSex differencesAlcohol exposureDopamine measurementsMu-opioid receptorsDopamine releaseEffects of sexProgression of alcohol use disorderDopamine D1 receptor availabilityAlcohol use disorder developmentEffects of prenatal alcohol exposureD1 receptor availabilityStriatal dopamine concentrationsAir-exposed controlsAlcohol-exposed animalsMu-opioid receptor activationPrenatal alcohol exposureDuration of alcohol exposureVentral striatumBrain dopamineReward processingNeurobiological mechanismsReceptor availabilitySex-based Influences on White Matter Tract Integrity in Alcohol Use Disorder: a Systematic Review
Barrios N, Nartey N, Yue J, Riordan W, Kohler R, Verplaetse T, Roberts W, Carretta R, Banini B, Zhou H, Garcia-Rivas V, Blackford J, Zakiniaeiz Y. Sex-based Influences on White Matter Tract Integrity in Alcohol Use Disorder: a Systematic Review. Current Addiction Reports 2025, 12: 10. PMID: 40343159, PMCID: PMC12058214, DOI: 10.1007/s40429-025-00624-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWhite matter tract integrityAlcohol use disorderTract integritySex differencesUse disorderNeurotoxic effects of alcoholAlcohol-related health consequencesExamined sex differencesEffects of alcoholAlcohol use historyWell-characterized sampleDiffusion magnetic resonance imagingEvidence of sex-related differencesNeurobiological mechanismsPsychiatric comorbiditiesSubstance useSystematic reviewSex-related differencesNeurotoxic effectsIndividualized treatment optionsMagnetic resonance imagingDisordersAlcoholGoogle Scholar databasesTreatment options
2024
COCAINE SELF-ADMINISTRATION BEHAVIOR IS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCORTICAL AND CORTICAL GRAY MATTER IN INDIVIDUALS WITH COCAINE USE DISORDER
Kohler R, Zhornitsky S, Potenza M, Yip S, Worhunsky P, Angarita G. COCAINE SELF-ADMINISTRATION BEHAVIOR IS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCORTICAL AND CORTICAL GRAY MATTER IN INDIVIDUALS WITH COCAINE USE DISORDER. Drug And Alcohol Dependence 2024, 260: 110081. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110081.Peer-Reviewed Original Research