Andrew J. Kesner, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Psychology
Affiliate Faculty, IU Institute for Human Health and Wellbeing
Primary Member, Stark Neuroscience Research Institute
Research
Research areas:
Reward, aversion, cognitive flexibility, addiction, sleep
My lab uses animal models to investigate neural circuits involved in goal-directed behavior through the lens of addiction/substance use disorder, focusing on pathways that aren't typically thought of as part of the canonical reward system.
We also emphasize understanding how sleep and sleep circuits are involved in reward seeking, given that sleep disruption is commonly associated with psychiatric disorders related to aberrant reward-seeking — such as substance use disorders.