David Nutt

Psychopharmacology Unit, Bristol University, United Kingdom

David Nutt

Academic positions:
- Head of the Psychopharmacology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
- Head of Community Based Medicine
- Professor of Psychopharmacology

Any industry positions (last five years):
- Consultancies - Pfizer (W-L), GSK (SKB), MSD, Esteve, Novartis, Asahi, Organon, Cypress, Lilly, Janssen, Takeda, Phamacia, Therasci, Passion for Life, Hythiam, Servier, Roche, Sanofi Aventis, Actelion, Lundbeck, Wyeth,
- Speaking honoraria (in addition to above) Reckitt-Benkiser, Cephalon
- Grants or clinical trial payments – MSD, GSK, Novartis, Servier, Janssen, Yamanouchi, Lundbeck, Pfizer, Wyeth, Organon, AZ, Cephalon, P1vital, MoDefence, NHS
- Dr Nutt holds shares in GSK (ex-Wellcome)
- Worked for the UK Government’s Committee on Safety of Medicines; Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, British National

Research interests:
The Unit integrates basic and clinical research to both study normal brain function, and to determine how it differs in psychiatric disorders such as clinical depression. Experimental approaches range from receptor binding assays to collecting images of the human brain. The techniques in use include CT (Computerised Tomography), PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography). PET is particularly useful in studying the effects of drugs and brain neurochemistry. Using different compounds, PET shows blood flow, oxygen and glucose metabolism, and the concentration of drugs or neurotransmitters. Blood flow and oxygen and glucose metabolism reflect the amount of brain activity in different regions, whilst determining the site and turnover of drugs and neurotransmitters gives insights into how they act in the brains of patients and in normal subjects.

David's particular areas of research focus on brain circuits and receptors in anxiety and addiction, and on the pharmacology of sleep. This involves the study of GABA receptors, using labelled subtypes of GABA 5, and serotonin, or 5-HT, receptors. Type 1 5-HT receptors seem to be especially important in depression and the action of anti-depressants. Other projects underway investigate different aspects of anxiety, addiction and sleep. Through its work, the Unit gains greater understanding of brain biology and how current treatments exert their effects. Based on these studies it is able to develop new drugs and treatment strategies, and the Unit is at the forefront in addressing how to combat conditions such as drug addiction and alcoholism. These and other disorders have major consequences for the individual and across the whole of society.

Any other information:

Any competing interests declared are displayed with individual evaluations.

Section Head: Psychiatry > Substance abuse (since 16 November 2005)

David Nutt is a Section Head for Substance abuse, part of the PSYCHIATRY Faculty. The role of a Section Head is to work with their Co-Section Head(s) to divide the Section (sub-specialty area) into its component areas of research, nominate leaders in those areas as Faculty Members, and offer ongoing oversight of the content within their Section. They are not asked to evaluate articles, although we do, of course, welcome them.

Links

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/neuroscience/research/groups/pidetails/80