Professor Lawrence Wilkinson
Overview
Research Group:
Behavioural Neuroscience
Location: Tower Building, Park Place
Email: WilkinsonL@cardiff.ac.uk
Telephone: +44(0)29 208 70357
Research Summary
My research focus is on the rapidly evolving field of behavioural genetics/epigenetics, with an emphasis on cognition. Current main research interests include work on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias; gene variants influencing attention and impulsive responding; novel X-linked effects on behaviour; and genomic imprinting effects on cognition and behaviour. Recent key findings includes evidence that tau irregularities in AD may be linked to abnormal processing of APP C-terminal fragments via specific effects on MAPK activation, evidence for tauopathy effects on frontal functioning mediated by changes in serotonin neurochemistry, new autosomal and X-linked genetic mechanisms influencing fear, attention and impulsive behaviour and the discovery of X-linked imprinted gene effects on cognitive function.
Selected Publications (2008 onwards)
2013
Schmechtig, A., Lees, J., Grayson, L. E., Craig, K. J., Dadhiwala, R., Dawson, G. R., Deakin, J. F. W., Dourish, C. T., Koychev, I., McMullen, K., Migo, E. M., Perry, C., Wilkinson, L. S., Morris, R., Williams, S. R. and Ettinger, U. (2013). Effects of risperidone, amisulpride and nicotine on eye movement control and their modulation by schizotypy. Psychopharmacology, 227(2), 331-345. (10.1007/s00213-013-2973-4)
2012
Koychev, I., McMullen, K., Lees, J., Dadhiwala, R., Grayson, L. E., Perry, C. L., Schmechtig, A., Walters, J. T. R., Craig, K. J., Dawson, G. R., Dourish, C. T., Ettinger, U., Wilkinson, L. S., Williams, S., Deakin, J. F. W. and Barkus, E. (2012). A validation of cognitive biomarkers for the early identification of cognitive enhancing agents in schizotypy: A three-center double-blind placebo-controlled study. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 22(7), 469-481. (10.1016/j.euroneuro.2011.10.005)
Relkovic, D., Humby, T., Hagan, J. J., Wilkinson, L. S. and Isles, A. R. (2012). Enhanced appetitive learning and reversal learning in a mouse model for Prader-Willi syndrome. Behavioral Neuroscience, 126(3), 488-492. (10.1037/a0028155)
2011
Garfield, A. S., Cowley, M., Smith, F. M., Moorwood, K., Stewart-Cox, J. E., Gilroy, K. E., Baker, S., Xia, J., Dalley, J. W., Hurst, L. D., Wilkinson, L. S., Isles, A. R. and Ward, A. (2011). Distinct physiological and behavioural functions for parental alleles of imprinted Grb10. Nature, 469(7331), 534-538. (10.1038/nature09651)
Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2011). Assaying dissociable elements of behavioural inhibition and impulsivity: translational utility of animal models. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 11(5), 534-539. (10.1016/j.coph.2011.06.006)
Koychev, I., Barkus, E., Ettinger, U., Killcross, A. S., Roiser, J. P., Wilkinson, L. S. and Deakin, B. (2011). Evaluation of state and trait biomarkers in healthy volunteers for the development of novel drug treatments in schizophrenia. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 25(9), 1207-1225. (10.1177/0269881111414450)
Stergiakouli, E., Langley, K., Williams, H. J., Walters, J. T. R., Williams, N. M., Suren, S., Giegling, I., Wilkinson, L. S., Owen, M. J., O'Donovan, M. C., Rujescu, D., Thapar, A. and Davies, W. (2011). Steroid sulfatase is a potential modifier of cognition in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 10(3), 334-344. (10.1111/j.1601-183X.2010.00672.x)
2010
Burne, T. H. .., Johnston, A. N. B., Wilkinson, L. S. and Kendrick, K. M. (2010). Effects of anesthetic agents on socially transmitted olfactory memories in mice. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 93(2), 268-274. (10.1016/j.nlm.2009.10.007)
Relkovic, D., Doe, C. M., Humby, T., Johnstone, K. A., Resnick, J. L., Holland, A. J., Hagan, J. J., Wilkinson, L. S. and Isles, A. R. (2010). Behavioural and cognitive abnormalities in an imprinting centre deletion mouse model for Prader–Willi syndrome. European Journal of Neuroscience, 31(1), 156-164. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.07048.x)
Wilkinson, L. S. (2010). Which Parental Gene Gets the Upper Hand?. Science, 329(5992), 636-637. (10.1126/science.1194692)
2009
Davies, W., Humby, T., Kong, W., Otter, T. L., Burgoyne, P. S. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2009). Converging pharmacological and genetic evidence indicates a role for steroid sulfatase in attention. Biological psychiatry, 66(4), 360-367. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.01.001)
Doe, C. M., Relkovic, D., Garfield, A. S., Dalley, J. W., Theobald, D. E., Humby, T., Wilkinson, L. S. and Isles, A. R. (2009). Loss of the imprinted snoRNA mbii-52 leads to increased 5htr2c pre-RNA editing and altered 5HT2CR-mediated behaviour. Human Molecular Genetics, 18(12), 2140-2148. (10.1093/hmg/ddp137)
Fowler, T. A., Langley, K., Rice, F. J., Van Den Bree, M. B., Ross, K., Wilkinson, L. S., Owen, M. J., O'Donovan, M. C. and Thapar, A. (2009). Psychopathy trait scores in adolescents with childhood ADHD: the contribution of genotypes affecting MAOA, 5HTT and COMT activity. Psychiatric Genetics, 19(6), 312-319. (10.1097/YPG.0b013e3283328df4)
Kopsida, E., Stergiakouli, E., Lynn, P. M., Wilkinson, L. S. and Davies, W. (2009). The Role of the Y Chromosome in Brain Function. Open Neuroendocrinology Journal, 2(1), 20-30. (10.2174/1876528900902010020)
2008
Davies, W., Lynn, P. M. Y., Relkovic, D. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2008). Imprinted genes and neuroendocrine function. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 29(3), 413-427. (10.1016/j.yfrne.2007.12.001 )
Davies, W., Isles, A. R., Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2008). What are imprinted genes doing in the brain?. In: Wilkins, J. ed. Genomic Imprinting. Berlin: Springer, pp. 62-70. (10.1007/978-0-387-77576-0_5)
Doe, C., Garfield, A., Humby, T., Relkovic, D., Wilkinson, L. S. and Isles, A. R. (2008). 5-HT2CR pre-RNA editing, alternate splicing and function in a mouse model of Prader-Willi syndrome. Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology, 22(s2), 125. (10.1111/j.1472-8206.2008.00601.x)
Donald, S., Humby, T., Fyfe, I., Segonds-Pichon, A., Walker, S. A., Andrews, S. R., Coadwell, W. J., Emson, P., Wilkinson, L. S. and Welch, H. C. E. (2008). P-Rex2 regulates Purkinje cell dendrite morphology and motor coordination. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105(11), 4483-4488. (10.1073/pnas.0712324105)
Isles, A. R. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2008). Epigenetics: what is it and why is it important to mental disease?. British Medical Bulletin, 85(1), 35-45. (10.1093/bmb/ldn004)
Publications
Full List of Publications
2013
Schmechtig, A., Lees, J., Grayson, L. E., Craig, K. J., Dadhiwala, R., Dawson, G. R., Deakin, J. F. W., Dourish, C. T., Koychev, I., McMullen, K., Migo, E. M., Perry, C., Wilkinson, L. S., Morris, R., Williams, S. R. and Ettinger, U. (2013). Effects of risperidone, amisulpride and nicotine on eye movement control and their modulation by schizotypy. Psychopharmacology, 227(2), 331-345. (10.1007/s00213-013-2973-4)
2012
Koychev, I., McMullen, K., Lees, J., Dadhiwala, R., Grayson, L. E., Perry, C. L., Schmechtig, A., Walters, J. T. R., Craig, K. J., Dawson, G. R., Dourish, C. T., Ettinger, U., Wilkinson, L. S., Williams, S., Deakin, J. F. W. and Barkus, E. (2012). A validation of cognitive biomarkers for the early identification of cognitive enhancing agents in schizotypy: A three-center double-blind placebo-controlled study. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 22(7), 469-481. (10.1016/j.euroneuro.2011.10.005)
Relkovic, D., Humby, T., Hagan, J. J., Wilkinson, L. S. and Isles, A. R. (2012). Enhanced appetitive learning and reversal learning in a mouse model for Prader-Willi syndrome. Behavioral Neuroscience, 126(3), 488-492. (10.1037/a0028155)
2011
Garfield, A. S., Cowley, M., Smith, F. M., Moorwood, K., Stewart-Cox, J. E., Gilroy, K. E., Baker, S., Xia, J., Dalley, J. W., Hurst, L. D., Wilkinson, L. S., Isles, A. R. and Ward, A. (2011). Distinct physiological and behavioural functions for parental alleles of imprinted Grb10. Nature, 469(7331), 534-538. (10.1038/nature09651)
Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2011). Assaying dissociable elements of behavioural inhibition and impulsivity: translational utility of animal models. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 11(5), 534-539. (10.1016/j.coph.2011.06.006)
Koychev, I., Barkus, E., Ettinger, U., Killcross, A. S., Roiser, J. P., Wilkinson, L. S. and Deakin, B. (2011). Evaluation of state and trait biomarkers in healthy volunteers for the development of novel drug treatments in schizophrenia. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 25(9), 1207-1225. (10.1177/0269881111414450)
Stergiakouli, E., Langley, K., Williams, H. J., Walters, J. T. R., Williams, N. M., Suren, S., Giegling, I., Wilkinson, L. S., Owen, M. J., O'Donovan, M. C., Rujescu, D., Thapar, A. and Davies, W. (2011). Steroid sulfatase is a potential modifier of cognition in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 10(3), 334-344. (10.1111/j.1601-183X.2010.00672.x)
2010
Burne, T. H. .., Johnston, A. N. B., Wilkinson, L. S. and Kendrick, K. M. (2010). Effects of anesthetic agents on socially transmitted olfactory memories in mice. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 93(2), 268-274. (10.1016/j.nlm.2009.10.007)
Relkovic, D., Doe, C. M., Humby, T., Johnstone, K. A., Resnick, J. L., Holland, A. J., Hagan, J. J., Wilkinson, L. S. and Isles, A. R. (2010). Behavioural and cognitive abnormalities in an imprinting centre deletion mouse model for Prader–Willi syndrome. European Journal of Neuroscience, 31(1), 156-164. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.07048.x)
Wilkinson, L. S. (2010). Which Parental Gene Gets the Upper Hand?. Science, 329(5992), 636-637. (10.1126/science.1194692)
2009
Davies, W., Humby, T., Kong, W., Otter, T. L., Burgoyne, P. S. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2009). Converging pharmacological and genetic evidence indicates a role for steroid sulfatase in attention. Biological psychiatry, 66(4), 360-367. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.01.001)
Doe, C. M., Relkovic, D., Garfield, A. S., Dalley, J. W., Theobald, D. E., Humby, T., Wilkinson, L. S. and Isles, A. R. (2009). Loss of the imprinted snoRNA mbii-52 leads to increased 5htr2c pre-RNA editing and altered 5HT2CR-mediated behaviour. Human Molecular Genetics, 18(12), 2140-2148. (10.1093/hmg/ddp137)
Fowler, T. A., Langley, K., Rice, F. J., Van Den Bree, M. B., Ross, K., Wilkinson, L. S., Owen, M. J., O'Donovan, M. C. and Thapar, A. (2009). Psychopathy trait scores in adolescents with childhood ADHD: the contribution of genotypes affecting MAOA, 5HTT and COMT activity. Psychiatric Genetics, 19(6), 312-319. (10.1097/YPG.0b013e3283328df4)
Kopsida, E., Stergiakouli, E., Lynn, P. M., Wilkinson, L. S. and Davies, W. (2009). The Role of the Y Chromosome in Brain Function. Open Neuroendocrinology Journal, 2(1), 20-30. (10.2174/1876528900902010020)
2008
Davies, W., Lynn, P. M. Y., Relkovic, D. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2008). Imprinted genes and neuroendocrine function. Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, 29(3), 413-427. (10.1016/j.yfrne.2007.12.001 )
Davies, W., Isles, A. R., Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2008). What are imprinted genes doing in the brain?. In: Wilkins, J. ed. Genomic Imprinting. Berlin: Springer, pp. 62-70. (10.1007/978-0-387-77576-0_5)
Doe, C., Garfield, A., Humby, T., Relkovic, D., Wilkinson, L. S. and Isles, A. R. (2008). 5-HT2CR pre-RNA editing, alternate splicing and function in a mouse model of Prader-Willi syndrome. Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology, 22(s2), 125. (10.1111/j.1472-8206.2008.00601.x)
Donald, S., Humby, T., Fyfe, I., Segonds-Pichon, A., Walker, S. A., Andrews, S. R., Coadwell, W. J., Emson, P., Wilkinson, L. S. and Welch, H. C. E. (2008). P-Rex2 regulates Purkinje cell dendrite morphology and motor coordination. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105(11), 4483-4488. (10.1073/pnas.0712324105)
Isles, A. R. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2008). Epigenetics: what is it and why is it important to mental disease?. British Medical Bulletin, 85(1), 35-45. (10.1093/bmb/ldn004)
2007
Davies, W., Humby, T., Isles, A. R., Burgoyne, P. S. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2007). X-monosomy effects on visuospatial attention in mice: a candidate gene and implications for Turner syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Biological psychiatry, 61(12), 1351-1360. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2006.08.011)
Lambourne, S. L., Humby, T., Isles, A. R., Emson, P. C., Spillantini, M. G. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2007). Impairments in impulse control in animal models transgenic for the human FTPD-17 tauV337M mutation are exacerbated by age. Human Molecular Genetics, 16(14), 1708-1719. (10.1093/hmg/ddm119)
Wilkinson, L. S., Davies, W. and Isles, A. R. (2007). Genomic imprinting effects on brain development and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 8(11), 832-843. (10.1038/nrn2235)
2006
Davies, W. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2006). It is not all hormones: Alternative explanations for sexual differentiation of the brain. Brain Research, 1126(1), 36-45. (10.1016/j.brainres.2006.09.105)
Davies, W., Isles, A. R., Burgoyne, P. S. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2006). X-linked imprinting: effects on brain and behaviour. Bioessays, 28(1), 35-44. (10.1002/bies.20341)
Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2006). If only they could talk - genetic mouse models for psychiatric disorders. In: Fish, G. and Flint, J. eds. Transgenic and Knockout Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press , pp. 69-83. (10.1007/978-1-59745-058-4_4)
Isles, A. R., Davies, W. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2006). Genomic imprinting and the social brain. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B - Biological Sciences, 361(1476), 2229-2237. (10.1098/rstb.2006.1942)
Tofaris, G. K., Reitbock, P. G., Humby, T., Lambourne, S. L., O'Connell, M., Ghetti, B., Gossage, H., Emson, P. C., Wilkinson, L. S., Goedert, M. and Spillantini, M. G.
(2006).
Pathological changes in dopaminergic nerve cells of the substantia nigra and olfactory bulb in mice transgenic for truncated human alpha-synuclein(1-120): implications for Lewy body disorders. Journal of Neuroscience, 26(15), 3942-3950.
(10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4965-05.2006)

2005
Davies, W., Isles, A. R. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2005). Imprinted gene expression in the brain. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 29(3), 421-430. (10.1016/j.neubiorev.2004.11.007)
Davies, W., Isles, A. R., Smith, R., Karunadasa, D., Burrmann, D., Humby, T., Ojarikre, O., Biggin, C., Skuse, D., Burgoyne, P. S. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2005). Xlr3b is a new imprinted candidate for X-linked parent-of-origin effects on cognitive function in mice. Nature Genetics, 37(6), 625-629. (10.1038/ng1577)
Humby, T., Wilkinson, L. S. and Dawson, G. (2005). UNIT 8.5H Assaying Aspects of Attention and Impulse Control in Mice Using the 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task. In: Current Protocols in Neuroscience. Chichester: Wiley, (10.1002/0471142301.ns0805hs31)
Isles, A. R., Hathway, G. J., Humby, T., de la Riva, C., Kendrick, K. M. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2005). An mTph2 SNP gives rise to alterations in extracellular 5-HT levels, but not in performance on a delayed-reinforcement task. European Journal of Neuroscience, 22(4), 997-1000. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04265.x)
Plagge, A., Isles, A. R., Gordon, E., Humby, T., Dean, W., Gritsch, S., Fischer-Colbrie, R., Wilkinson, L. S. and Kelsey, G. (2005). Imprinted Nesp55 influences behavioral reactivity to novel environments. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 25(8), 3019-3026. (10.1128/MCB.25.8.3019-3026.2005)
2004
Davies, W., Smith, R. J., Kelsey, G. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2004). Expression patterns of the novel imprinted genes Nap1l5 and Peg13 and their non-imprinted host genes in the adult mouse brain. Gene Expression Patterns, 4(6), 741-747. (10.1016/j.modgep.2004.03.008)
Isles, A. R., Humby, T., Walters, E. and Wilkinson, L. S.
(2004).
Common genetic effects on variation in impulsivity and activity in mice. Journal of Neuroscience, 24(30), 6733-6740.
(10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1650-04.2004)

Isles, A. R., Davies, W., Burrmann, D., Burgoyne, P. S. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2004). Effects on fear reactivity in XO mice are due to haploinsufficiency of a non-PAR X gene: implications for emotional function in Turner's syndrome. Human Molecular Genetics, 13(17), 1849-1855. (10.1093/hmg/ddh203)
2003
Davies, W., Isles, A. R., Burgoyne, P. S., Ward, B. O., Humby, T., de la Riva, C. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2003). Evidence for X-linked imprinted gene functioning on cognition in mice; a possible neurochemical basis, and implications for cognitive sexual dimorphism [Abstract]. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 17(S), A70.
Isles, A. R., Humby, T. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2003). Measuring impulsivity in mice using a novel operant delayed reinforcement task: effects of behavioural manipulations and d-amphetamine. Psychopharmacology, 170(4), 376-382. (10.1007/s00213-003-1551-6)
2001
Davies, W., Isles, A. R. and Wilkinson, L. S. (2001). Imprinted genes and mental dysfunction. Annals of Medicine, 33(6), 428-436. (10.3109/07853890108995956)
Mooslehner, K. A., Chan, P. M., Xu, W. M., Liu, L. Z., Smadja, C., Humby, T., Allen, N. D., Wilkinson, L. S. and Emson, P. C. (2001). Mice with Very Low Expression of the Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 Gene Survive into Adulthood: Potential Mouse Model for Parkinsonism. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 21(16), 5321-5331. (10.1128/MCB.21.16.5321-5331.2001)
1999
Hall, F. S., Wilkinson, L. S., Humby, T. and Robbins, T. W. (1999). Maternal deprivation of neonatal rats produces enduring changes in dopamine function. Synapse, 32(1), 37-43. (10.1002/(SICI)1098-2396(199904)32:1<37::AID-SYN5>3.0.CO;2-4)
Humby, T., Laird, F. M., Davies, W. and Wilkinson, L. S. (1999). Visuospatial attentional functioning in mice: interactions between cholinergic manipulations and genotype. European Journal of Neuroscience, 11(8), 2813-2823. (10.1046/j.1460-9568.1999.00701.x)
1998
Hall, F. S., Wilkinson, L. S., Humby, T., Inglis, W., Kendall, D. A., Marsden, C. A. and Robbins, T. W. (1998). Isolation rearing in rats: Pre- and postsynaptic changes in striatal dopaminergic systems. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 59(4), 859-872. (10.1016/S0091-3057(97)00510-8)
Wilkinson, L. S., Humby, T., Killcross, A. S., Torres, E., Everitt, B. J. and Robbins, T. W. (1998). Dissociations in dopamine release in medial prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum during the acquisition and extinction of classical aversive conditioning in the rat. European Journal of Neuroscience, 10(3), 1019-1026. (10.1046/j.1460-9568.1998.00119.x)
1997
Hall, F. S., Humby, T., Wilkinson, L. S. and Robbins, T. W. (1997). The effects of isolation-rearing of rats on behavioural responses to food and environmental novelty. Physiology & Behavior, 62(2), 281-290. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00115-7)
Hall, F. S., Humby, T., Wilkinson, L. S. and Robbins, T. W. (1997). The effects of isolation-rearing on preference by rats for a novel environment. Physiology & Behavior, 62(2), 299-303. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00117-0)
Hall, F. S., Humby, T., Wilkinson, L. S. and Robbins, T. W. (1997). The effects of isolation-rearing on sucrose consumption in rats. Physiology & Behavior, 62(2), 291-297. (10.1016/S0031-9384(97)00116-9)
1995
Geyer, M. A., Wilkinson, L. S., Humby, T. and Robbins, T. W. (1995). Prepulse inhibition of startle-induced reductions of accumbens dopamine [Abstract]. Biological Psychiatry, 37(9), 634. (10.1016/0006-3223(95)94560-J)
Wilkinson, L. S., Humby, T., Robbins, T. W. and Everitt, B. J. (1995). Differential Effects of Forebrain 5-Hydroxytryptamine Depletions on Pavlovian Aversive Conditioning to Discrete and Contextual Stimuli in the Rat. European Journal of Neuroscience, 7(10), 2042-2052. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.1995.tb00627.x)
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Postgraduate Students
Postgraduate Research Interests
If you are interested in applying for a PhD, or for further information regarding my postgraduate research, please contact me directly (contact details available on the 'Overview' page), or submit a formal application here.
