David K. Pitts

Positions and Employment

1996-Present  Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of     Pharmacy and A.H.P. [NOW: Eugene College of Pharmacy and Health      Sciences], Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
1990-1996  Assistant Professor, Department Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of      Pharmacy and A.H.P., Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
1987-1990  Research Scientist I, Laboratory of Neurophysiology (Dr.Louis A. Chiodo,     Laboratory Chief), Center for Cell Biology, Sinai Hospital, Detroit, MI.
1988-1990  Part-time Faculty, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of      Pharmacy of A.H.P., W.S.U.
1988-1990  Part-time Faculty, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy     and A.H.P., W.S.U.
1985-1987  Postdoctoral Fellow (Dr. Joe Marwah, Supervisor), Neuroscience      Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and       Dentistry of New Jersey-S.O.M., Camden, NJ.
1984-1985  Graduate Research Assistant, Pharmacology, Department of       Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and A.H.P., W.S.U.
1981-1984  Graduate Research Assistant, Biostatistics, Department of Community      Medicine, School of Medicine, W.S.U.
1979-1980  Research Assistant, Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine,      School of Medicine, W.S.U.
1977-1979  Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Pharmacology, College of     Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, Wayne State University.

Michigan State University     B.S.   1975  Psychology & Biology
        
Wayne State University    M.S.   1977  Biology

Wayne State University    Ph.D.           1985  Pharmacology

National Research Service Award from National Institute of Mental Health, 1988

Career Development Chair Award, Wayne State University, 1997

Schoener, E.P. and Pitts, D.K.: Cardiovascular effects of centrally perfused clonidine.  European J. Pharmacology 114: 297-303, 1985.
Pitts, D.K., Beuthin, F.C. and Commissaris, R.L.: Cardiovascular effect of perfusion of the rostral rat hypothalamus with clonidine: differential interactions with prazosin and yohimbine. European J. Pharmacology 124: 67-74, 1986.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Effects of cocaine on the electrical activity of single noradrenergic neurons from the locus coeruleus. Life Sciences 38: 1129-1234, 1986.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Cocaine inhibition of locus coeruleus neurons. In Problems      of Drug Dependence, 48th Annual Scientific Meeting, NIDA Monograph No. 76,   
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J: Electrophysiological effects of cocaine on central       monoaminergic neurons. European J. Pharmacology 131: 95-98, 1986.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Electrophysiological effects of cocaine on noradrenergic      neurons in rat locus ceruleus. J. Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics      240: 345-351, 1987.
Pitts, D.K., Udom, C.E. and Marwah, J.: Cardiovascular effects of cocaine in       anesthetized and conscious rats. Life Sciences 40: 1099-1111, 1987.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Cocaine modulation of central monoaminergic       neurotransmission. Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behavior 26: 453-461, 1987.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Reciprocal pre- and post-synaptic actions of cocaine at      a central noradrenergic synapse. Experimental Neurology, 98: 518-526, 1987.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Neuropharmacology of Cocaine: Role of Monoaminergic      Systems. In Neurobiology of Drug Abuse, Ed. by J. Marwah, pp. 34-54, S.      Karger, Basel, 1987.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Neurobiology of Phencyclidine. In Neurobiology of Drug      Abuse, Ed. by J. Marwah, pp. 82-90, S. Karger, Basel, 1987.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Cocaine and central monoaminergic neurotransmission: A      review of electrophysiological studies and comparison to amphetamine and      antidepressants. Minireview. Life Sciences 42: 949-968, 1988.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Cocaine elicited mydriasis in the rat: pharmacological      comparison with clonidine, D-amphetamine and desipramine. J. Pharmacology &     Experimental Therapeutics 247: 815-823, 1988.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Chronic cocaine reduces alpha-2-adrenoceptor elicited      mydriasis and inhibition of locus coeruleus neurons. European J. Pharmacology     160: 201-209, 1989.
Pitts, D.K., Freeman, A.S., Kelland, M.D. and Chiodo, L.A.: Repeated amphetamine:      reduced dopamine neuronal responsiveness to apomorphine but not to       quinpirole. European J. Pharmacology 162: 167-171, 1989.
Pitts, D.K. and Marwah, J.: Autonomic actions of cocaine, Canadian J. Physiology &      Pharmacology 67: 1168-1176, 1989.
Pitts, D.K., Kelland, M.D., Shen, R., Freeman, A.S. and Chiodo, L.A.: Statistical       analysis of dose-response curves in electrophysiological studies of single      neurons. Synapse 5: 281-293, 1990.
Pitts, D.K., Freeman, A.S. and Chiodo, L.A.: Ontogeny of nigrostriatal dopamine      neurons in the rat: an electrophysiological study. Synapse 6: 309-320, 1990.
Kelland, M.D., Pitts, D.K., Freeman, A.S. and Chiodo, L.A.: Effects of chronic SKF      38393 on nigrostriatal dopamine neuron electrophysiological and        pharmacological responsiveness, Naunyn-Schmiedeberg\'s Arch. Pharmacol.      343: 447-457, 1991.
Pitts, D.K., Kelland, M.D. Freeman, A.S. and Chiodo, L.A.: Repeated administration      of amphetamine: role of forebrain in reduced responsiveness of nigrostriatal      dopamine neurons to dopamine agonists. J. Pharmacology & Experimental      Therapeutics. 264(2): 616-621, 1993.
Wang, L. and Pitts, D.K.: Postnatal development of mesoaccumbens dopamine      neurons in the rat: electrophysiological studies. Developmental Brain Res. 79:     19-28, 1994.
Wang, L. and Pitts, D.K.: Perinatal cocaine exposure decreases the number of       spontaneously active midbrain dopamine neurons in neonatal rats, Synapse 17:     275-277, 1994.
Verbanac, J.S., Commissaris, R.L., Altman, H.J. and Pitts, D.K.: Electrophysiological      characteristics of locus ceruleus neurons in Maudsley Reactive (MR) and Non-     reactive (MNRA) rat strains, Neuroscience Letters 179: 137-140, 1994.
Wang, L. and Pitts, D.K.: Ontogeny of nigrostriatal dopamine neuron autoreceptors:      iontophoretic studies, J. Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics 272: 164-     176, 1995. 
Pitts, D.K., Wang, L., Kelland, M.D., Freeman, A.S. and Chiodo, L.A.: Repeated      stimulation of dopamine D2-like receptors: Reduced responsiveness of       nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbens dopamine neurons to dopamine agonists. J.      Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics 275: 412-421, 1995.
Zhang, J. and Pitts, D.K.: Prenatal haloperidol reduces the number of active       midbrain dopamine neurons in rat offspring. Neurotoxicology and Teratology 18:     49-57, 1996. 
Verbanac, J.S., Commissaris, R.L. and Pitts, D.K.: An electrophysiological evaluation      of serotonergic dorsal raphe neurons in Maudsley rats, Life Sciences 58: 245-     250, 1996.
Commissaris, R.L., Tavakoli-Nezhad, M., Barron, A.J. and Pitts, D.K.: Effects of chronic low-level oral lead exposure on prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle in the rat, Neurotoxicology and Teratology 22:55-60, 2000.
Tavakoli-Nezhad, M., Barron, A.J., Pitts, D.K.: Postnatal inorganic lead exposure decreases the number of spontaneously active midbrain dopamine neurons in the rat. Neurotoxicology 22: 259-269, 2001.
Guity, P., McCabe, M.J., Pitts, D.K. and Pounds, J.G.: PKC does not mediate the actions of lead on the vitamin D3-dependent production of osteocalcin, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 178: 109-116, 2002.
Lewis, M.W. and Pitts, D.K. Inorganic lead (Pb) exposure activates cFOS expression at lower blood levels and inhibits amphetamine-induced cFOS expression at higher blood levels in the rat. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2004.
Tavakoli-Nezhad, M. and Pitts, D.K.: Postnatal inorganic lead exposure reduces midbrain dopaminergic impulse flow and decreases dopamine D1-receptor sensitivity in nucleus accumbens neurons, submitted
Commissaris, R.L., Davis, A., and Pitts, D.K.: The effects of postnatal inorganic lead (Pb) exposure on acoustic startle in the rat: Dependence upon exposure level and duration, submitted

Lead toxicity: Midbrain dopaminergic system

RO1 ES09977 Pitts (PI)  8/13/99 – 7/31/04
 NIH/NIEHS
 Lead toxicity: Midbrain dopaminergic system
 This study examines the impact of postnatal inorganic lead (Pb) on the development of the midbrain  dopaminergic system using electrophysiological, immunohistochemical and behavioral techniques.
 Role: PI

Lead toxicity and midbrain dopamine neurons

P30 ES066394  Novak (PI)  4/1/97 – 9/30/99
 NIH/NIEHS (pilot project)
 Lead toxicity and midbrain dopamine neurons
 This study examined the impact of postnatal inorganic lead (Pb) on the development of the midbrain  dopaminergic system using electrophysiological techniques.
 Role: PI of Pilot Project

Psychopharmacology of dopamine neuron ontogeny

R29 MH47857  Pitts (PI)  4/1/91 – 3/31/97
 NIH/NIMH
 Psychopharmacology of dopamine neuron ontogeny
 This study examined the postnatal development of nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbens dopamine- containing neurons from 1-week-old to adulthood using single-neuron electrophysiological techniques  in vivo.
 Role: PI