Kirsten Thomson

Kirsten Thomson is a Lecturer III in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Mexico. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego. Her work focuses on behavioral psychopharmacology, neuroscience, and schizophrenia research, employing animal models and neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI. She has extensively studied the role of serotonin receptors in the effects of hallucinogens, MDMA, and other drugs on neural and behavioral outcomes.

Research Interests: Kirsten's research bridges behavioral psychopharmacology and neuroscience, with a deep dive into how serotonin receptors modulate drug-induced behaviors. Her studies often involve rat models to explore mechanisms underlying mental health disorders like schizophrenia, emphasizing prepulse inhibition and sensorimotor gating. She also investigates psychedelic drugs and neuroimaging to map brain responses to sensory stimuli and drug administration.

Publications Trends: Her articles consistently examine serotonin receptor interactions, the behavioral effects of hallucinogens and psychostimulants, and the neurobiological underpinnings of schizophrenia symptomatology. The work spans both experimental and review formats, with a focus on translational models between animals and humans.

Scientific Awards: No personal awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided text. She may be affiliated with institutional research groups like the Psychology Clinic or Centers of Research (e.g., PCNC, CASAA, MRN), though direct links to her involvement are not detailed.

Advising & Grants: Kirsten’s advising activities are not listed here. While the department mentions grants and research recruitment, her personal grant involvement is unspecified. Her contributions likely center on teaching and research mentorship within the Psychology Department.

Labs & Teams: No specific lab or team affiliation is mentioned; however, she may collaborate with the department’s research entities, such as the Psychology Subject Pool or Investigator Resources, as part of her research activities.