Amy S. Kohtz, PhD

Amy S. Kohtz, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department:
SOM-Psychiatry

Email:
akohtz@umc.edu

Work Phone:
(601) 815-1017

Education

SUNY at Albany, PhD, Behavioral Neuroscience2014

Current Positions

Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry2022 - Present
The University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi 39216

Sponsored Program Funding

Extramural, Oxytocin as a potential therapeutic for endocrine dysfunction in cocaine use disorder., NIDA04/2026 - 03/2031
Extramural, Sex Differences in Operant Cocaine Memories, NIGMS02/2024 - 06/2026
Extramural, Sex Differences in Addiction, NIDA02/2022 - 02/2026
Extramural, Sex Differences in Addiction, NIDA03/2019 - 02/2022

Publications

Journal Article

Kohtz AS, Davies H, Lin B, Aston-Jones G, Oxytocin attenuates demand for cocaine in female rats. Addiction neuroscience, 2025 Jun;152025
Cockrell CM, Cox AL, Berry M, Kohtz AS, Oxytocin Attenuates the Endocrine Disrupting Effects of Cocaine in the Female Rat. Endocrinology, 2025 May 19;166(7)2025
De Sa Nogueira D, Corwin C, Rakholia Y, Punnuru V, Nampally M, Kohtz AS, Aston-Jones G, Fentanyl demand and seeking in female rats: Role of the orexin system and estrous cycle. Addiction neuroscience, 2024 Dec;132024
Kohtz AS, Zhao J, Aston-Jones G, Serotonin Signaling in Hippocampus during Initial Cocaine Abstinence Drives Persistent Drug Seeking. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2024 Apr 24;44(17)2024
Berry MM, Miller B, Kelsen S, Cockrell C, Kohtz AS, Sex differences in hippocampal β-adrenergic receptor subtypes drive retrieval, retention, and learning of cocaine-associated memories. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 2024;18:13798662024
Kohtz AS, Frye CA, It is all About the Chase: Neurosteroidogenesis in Male Rats is Driven by Control of Mating Pace. Current neuropharmacology, 2023;21(7):1606-16162023
Kohtz AS, Lin B, Davies H, Presker M, Aston-Jones G, Hormonal milieu drives economic demand for cocaine in female rats. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2022 Jul;47(8):1484-14922022
Kohtz AS, Frye CA, Learning and the Lifespan: What's Sex Got to Do With It? Frontiers in neuroscience, 2020;14:2162020
Kohtz AS, Walf AA, Frye CA, Effects of non-contingent cocaine on 3 alpha-androstanediol. II. Disruption of lordosis of proestrous rats. Physiology & behavior, 2019 May 1;203:113-1192019
Kohtz AS, Walf AA, Frye CA, Effects of non-contingent cocaine on 3alpha-androstanediol. I. Disruption of male sexual behavior. Physiology & behavior, 2019 May 1;203:120-1272019
Kohtz AS, Lin B, Smith ME, Aston-Jones G, Attenuated cocaine-seeking after oxytocin administration in male and female rats. Psychopharmacology, 2018 Jul;235(7):2051-20632018
Steinmetz AB, Stern SA, Kohtz AS, Descalzi G, Alberini CM, Insulin-Like Growth Factor II Targets the mTOR Pathway to Reverse Autism-Like Phenotypes in Mice. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2018 Jan 24;38(4):1015-10292018
McRae-Clark AL, Cason AM, Kohtz AS, Moran Santa-Maria M, Aston-Jones G, Brady KT, Impact of gender on corticotropin-releasing factor and noradrenergic sensitivity in cocaine use disorder. Journal of neuroscience research, 2017 Jan 2;95(1-2):320-3272017
Kohtz AS, Aston-Jones G, Cocaine Seeking During Initial Abstinence Is Driven by Noradrenergic and Serotonergic Signaling in Hippocampus in a Sex-Dependent Manner. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2017 Jan;42(2):408-4182017
Cason AM, Kohtz A, Aston-Jones G, Role of Corticotropin Releasing Factor 1 Signaling in Cocaine Seeking during Early Extinction in Female and Male Rats. PloS one, 2016;11(6):e01585772016
Ye X, Kohtz A, Pollonini G, Riccio A, Alberini CM, Insulin Like Growth Factor 2 Expression in the Rat Brain Both in Basal Condition and following Learning Predominantly Derives from the Maternal Allele. PloS one, 2015;10(10):e01410782015
Stern SA, Kohtz AS, Pollonini G, Alberini CM, Enhancement of memories by systemic administration of insulin-like growth factor II. Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 2014 Aug;39(9):2179-902014
Frye CA, Walf AA, Kohtz AS, Zhu Y, Progesterone-facilitated lordosis of estradiol-primed mice is attenuated by knocking down expression of membrane progestin receptors in the midbrain. Steroids, 2014 Mar;81:17-252014
Frye CA, Walf AA, Kohtz AS, Zhu Y, Membrane progestin receptors in the midbrain ventral tegmental area are required for progesterone-facilitated lordosis of rats. Hormones and behavior, 2013 Aug;64(3):539-452013
Kohtz AS, Frye CA, Dissociating behavioral, autonomic, and neuroendocrine effects of androgen steroids in animal models. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2012;829:397-4312012
Kohtz AS, Paris JJ, Frye CA, Low doses of cocaine decrease, and high doses increase, anxiety-like behavior and brain progestogen levels among intact rats. Hormones and behavior, 2010 Apr;57(4-5):474-802010

Editorial

Brown PL, Georgiou P, Kohtz AS, Maldonado-Devincci AM, Editorial: Sex as a biological variable in the neurocircuitry of motivated behavior. Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 2026;20:18023832026

Honors, Awards, and Recognition

Silver OAVCR Excellence Award, University of Mississippi Medical Center2025
Bronze OAVCR Excellence Award, University of Mississippi Medical Center2024

Professional Membership and Service

Society for Neuroscience, Member
International Steroids and Nervous System, Member

Directed Student Learning

Research Advisor, Advised: Megan Stempkovski2026 - Present
Directed Individual/Independent Study, Advised: J. Issac Watts2026 - Present
Dissertation Committee Member, Advised: Garner Fincher2025 - Present
Research Advisor, Advised: Savanna Julian2025 - Present
Research Advisor, Advised: Mary Grace Cochran2024 - 2026
Dissertation Committee Member, Uncertain Reinforcement and Punishment in Rhesus Monkeys and Rats Self-administering Food and Cocaine
Advised: William Doyle
2023 - 2025