Ruth I. Wood, PhD

Title(s)Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
SchoolKeck School of Medicine of Usc
AddressBMT 410 1333 San Pablo Street
Health Sciences Campus
Los Angeles CA 90089
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    Other Positions
    Title(s)Director, Neuroscience Graduate Program

    Title(s)Professor of Integrative Anatomical Sciences


    Collapse Biography 
    Collapse Education and Training
    University of California, Davis, Davis, CABS03/1986Animal Science
    University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MIPhD01/1991Physiology
    University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MIPost-doc05/1994Anatomy & Cell Biology

    Collapse Overview 
    Collapse Overview
    My research investigates neural circuits for behavior, including social behavior, addiction and mood. In particular, we are interested in how gonadal steroid hormones act in the brain, both during development and in the adult, to effect sex differences and modify behavior.

    One line of research investigates the neurobiology of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse. AAS are drugs of abuse, but the potential for dependence and addiction remains unclear. Studies from our laboratory have shown that male and female rodents will voluntarily self-administer testosterone and other AAS. This suggests that AAS are potentially addictive, independent of their effects on muscle mass or athletic performance. We are currently exploring how AAS alter decision-making and response to risk.

    We are also interested in the behavioral endocrinology of cooperation: how hormones modulate cooperative behavior. We have developed operant models to test cooperation in rats working for food reward. Our studies investigate the effects of oxytocin and prolactin to promote cooperation, and the effects of AAS to inhibit cooperative behavior.

    Collapse Research 
    Collapse Research Activities and Funding
    Ethanol-induced conditioned partner preference in mice
    NIH R21AA020575Sep 1, 2012 - Aug 31, 2015
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Anabolic-androgenic steroids promote risky decision making
    NIH R01DA029613Jul 1, 2010 - Mar 31, 2021
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Anxiety, depression, and serotonergic dysregulation in Parkinson's Disease
    NIH K18DC009125Jul 16, 2007 - May 31, 2009
    Role: Principal Investigator
    Integration of Chemosensory and Hormonal Stimuli
    NIH R01MH055034Jun 15, 1997 - Dec 31, 2007
    Role: Principal Investigator
    NEUROBIOLOGY OF ANDROGEN REWARD
    NIH R01DA012843Jul 1, 1994 - Feb 28, 2006
    Role: Principal Investigator
    NEURAL ANDROGEN RECEPTORS FACILITATING COPULATION
    NIH R29HD032669Jul 1, 1994 - Jun 30, 2000
    Role: Principal Investigator
    OLFACTORY PATHWAYS CONTROLLING REPRODUCTION
    NIH F32HD007514Sep 30, 1991
    Role: Principal Investigator

    Collapse Bibliographic 
    Collapse Publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Researchers can login to make corrections and additions, or contact us for help. to make corrections and additions.
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    Altmetrics Details PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Effort-based decision making in response to high-dose androgens: role of dopamine receptors. Behav Pharmacol. 2022 10 01; 33(7):435-441. Donovan A, Wood RI. PMID: 36148834; PMCID: PMC9512319.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    2. Developmental exposure to the synthetic progestin, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate, disrupts the mesocortical serotonin pathway and alters impulsive decision-making in rats. Dev Neurobiol. 2021 09; 81(6):763-773. Fahrenkopf A, Li G, Wood RI, Wagner CK. PMID: 34318625; PMCID: PMC8440456.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    3. Performance on a modified signal detection task of attention is impaired in male and female rats following developmental exposure to the synthetic progestin, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate. Horm Behav. 2021 09; 135:105039. Lolier M, Miller RO, Wood RI, Wagner CK. PMID: 34303952; PMCID: PMC8988016.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    4. Cooperative responses in rats playing a 2 × 2 game: Effects of opponent strategy, payoff, and oxytocin. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020 11; 121:104803. Donovan A, Ryan E, Wood RI. PMID: 32755813; PMCID: PMC7572755.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    5. Developmental exposure to 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate impairs adult delayed reinforcement and reversal learning in male and female rats. J Neuroendocrinol. 2020 06; 32(6):e12862. Serpa RO, Wagner CK, Wood RI. PMID: 32485009; PMCID: PMC8130846.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    6. Sex Differences and Estrous Influences on Oxytocin Control of Food Intake. Neuroscience. 2020 11 01; 447:63-73. Liu CM, Davis EA, Suarez AN, Wood RI, Noble EE, Kanoski SE. PMID: 31738883; PMCID: PMC7225050.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 14     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    7. Anabolic-androgenic steroid abuse and cognitive impairment: Testosterone IMPAIRS biconditional task performance in male rats. Behav Brain Res. 2020 02 03; 379:112339. Wood RI, Serpa RO. PMID: 31697985; PMCID: PMC6917857.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    8. Anabolic-androgenic steroids and cognitive effort discounting in male rats. Horm Behav. 2019 07; 113:13-20. Dokovna LB, Li G, Wood RI. PMID: 31054274; PMCID: PMC6589107.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:Animals
    9. Androgen Regulation of the Mesocorticolimbic System and Executive Function. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2018; 9:279. Tobiansky DJ, Wallin-Miller KG, Floresco SB, Wood RI, Soma KK. PMID: 29922228; PMCID: PMC5996102.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 20     Fields:    
    10. Anabolic-androgenic steroids alter decision making in a balanced rodent model of the Iowa gambling task. Behav Neurosci. 2018 Jun; 132(3):152-160. Wallin-Miller K, Li G, Kelishani D, Wood RI. PMID: 29809043; PMCID: PMC5978757.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    11. Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) increase sensitivity to uncertainty by inhibition of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2018 04; 235(4):959-969. Wallin-Miller KG, Kreutz F, Li G, Wood RI. PMID: 29242988; PMCID: PMC5871556.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    12. Prosocial effects of prolactin in male rats: Social recognition, social approach and social learning. Horm Behav. 2017 11; 96:122-129. Donhoffner ME, Al Saleh S, Schink O, Wood RI. PMID: 28935447; PMCID: PMC5722671.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    13. Male rats play a repeated donation game. Physiol Behav. 2017 05 15; 174:95-103. Li G, Wood RI. PMID: 28302575; PMCID: PMC5420340.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    14. Sex differences and hormonal modulation of ethanol-enhanced risk taking in rats. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017 05 01; 174:137-144. Wallin-Miller KG, Chesley J, Castrillon J, Wood RI. PMID: 28324816; PMCID: PMC5400719.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    15. Anabolic-androgenic steroids decrease dendritic spine density in the nucleus accumbens of male rats. Neuroscience. 2016 08 25; 330:72-8. Wallin-Miller K, Li G, Kelishani D, Wood RI. PMID: 27238893; PMCID: PMC4927385.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 14     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    16. Cooperation in rats playing the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game. Anim Behav. 2016 Apr 01; 114:27-35. Wood RI, Kim JY, Li GR. PMID: 27019513; PMCID: PMC4802975.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 18     Fields:    
    17. Social housing conditions and oxytocin and vasopressin receptors contribute to ethanol conditioned social preference in female mice. Physiol Behav. 2015 Nov 01; 151:469-77. Wood RI, Knoll AT, Levitt P. PMID: 26282397; PMCID: PMC4587335.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    18. Anabolic-androgenic steroids and decision making: Probability and effort discounting in male rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2015 Jul; 57:84-92. Wallin KG, Alves JM, Wood RI. PMID: 25900595; PMCID: PMC4437834.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    19. Anabolic-androgenic steroids impair set-shifting and reversal learning in male rats. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2015 Apr; 25(4):583-90. Wallin KG, Wood RI. PMID: 25638026; PMCID: PMC4405434.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 20     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    20. mRNA regulation of cardiac iron transporters and ferritin subunits in a mouse model of iron overload. Exp Hematol. 2014 Dec; 42(12):1059-67. Brewer CJ, Wood RI, Wood JC. PMID: 25220979; PMCID: PMC4266478.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    21. Anabolic-androgenic steroids and appetitive sexual behavior in male rats. Horm Behav. 2014 Sep; 66(4):585-90. Kim JY, Wood RI. PMID: 25200201; PMCID: PMC4253570.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 4     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    22. Androgens and opiates: testosterone interaction with morphine self-administration in male rats. Neuroreport. 2014 May 07; 25(7):521-6. Cooper SE, Wood RI. PMID: 24488032; PMCID: PMC4894851.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    23. Ethanol induces conditioned social preference in male mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2014 Apr; 38(4):1184-92. Kent K, Butler K, Wood RI. PMID: 24460901; PMCID: PMC3984360.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    24. Adverse health consequences of performance-enhancing drugs: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocr Rev. 2014 Jun; 35(3):341-75. Pope HG, Wood RI, Rogol A, Nyberg F, Bowers L, Bhasin S. PMID: 24423981; PMCID: PMC4026349.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 144     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    25. Testosterone enhances risk tolerance without altering motor impulsivity in male rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2014 Feb; 40:201-12. Cooper SE, Goings SP, Kim JY, Wood RI. PMID: 24485492; PMCID: PMC3919461.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 27     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    26. Sex differences and steroid modulation of cardiac iron in a mouse model of iron overload. Transl Res. 2014 Feb; 163(2):151-9. Brewer C, Otto-Duessel M, Wood RI, Wood JC. PMID: 24018182; PMCID: PMC3946637.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 6     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    27. Ethanol-induced conditioned partner preference in female mice. Behav Brain Res. 2013 Apr 15; 243:273-7. Wood RI, Rice R. PMID: 23369716; PMCID: PMC3593977.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    28. 'Roid rage in rats? Testosterone effects on aggressive motivation, impulsivity and tyrosine hydroxylase. Physiol Behav. 2013 Feb 17; 110-111:6-12. Wood RI, Armstrong A, Fridkin V, Shah V, Najafi A, Jakowec M. PMID: 23266798; PMCID: PMC3615053.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 21     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    29. Testosterone and sport: current perspectives. Horm Behav. 2012 Jan; 61(1):147-55. Wood RI, Stanton SJ. PMID: 21983229; PMCID: PMC3264812.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 43     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    30. Testosterone as a discriminative stimulus in male rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2011 Nov; 100(1):185-90. Wood RI, Vertelkina NV, Antzoulatos E. PMID: 21893083; PMCID: PMC3183107.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 1     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    31. MPTP Neurotoxicity and Testosterone Induce Dendritic Remodeling of Striatal Medium Spiny Neurons in the C57Bl/6 Mouse. Parkinsons Dis. 2011; 2011:138471. Antzoulatos E, Jakowec MW, Petzinger GM, Wood RI. PMID: 21765998; PMCID: PMC3134993.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 12  
    32. Exercise effects on motor and affective behavior and catecholamine neurochemistry in the MPTP-lesioned mouse. Behav Brain Res. 2010 Dec 01; 213(2):253-62. Gorton LM, Vuckovic MG, Vertelkina N, Petzinger GM, Jakowec MW, Wood RI. PMID: 20472000; PMCID: PMC2902645.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 39     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    33. Sex differences in motor behavior in the MPTP mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2010 Jun; 95(4):466-72. Antzoulatos E, Jakowec MW, Petzinger GM, Wood RI. PMID: 20347863; PMCID: PMC2866026.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 38     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    34. The many facets of sex and drugs. Horm Behav. 2010 Jun; 58(1):1. Wood RI. PMID: 20303970.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    35. Treatment of anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence: Emerging evidence and its implications. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010 Jun 01; 109(1-3):6-13. Kanayama G, Brower KJ, Wood RI, Hudson JI, Pope HG. PMID: 20188494; PMCID: PMC2875348.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 32     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    36. Membrane androgen receptors may mediate androgen reinforcement. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2010 Aug; 35(7):1063-73. Sato SM, Johansen JA, Jordan CL, Wood RI. PMID: 20137860; PMCID: PMC2891198.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 22     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    37. Anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence: an emerging disorder. Addiction. 2009 Dec; 104(12):1966-78. Kanayama G, Brower KJ, Wood RI, Hudson JI, Pope HG. PMID: 19922565; PMCID: PMC2780436.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 76     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    38. Issues for DSM-V: clarifying the diagnostic criteria for anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence. Am J Psychiatry. 2009 Jun; 166(6):642-5. Kanayama G, Brower KJ, Wood RI, Hudson JI, Pope HG. PMID: 19487399; PMCID: PMC2696068.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 30     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    39. Neuroprotection against excitotoxic brain injury in mice after ovarian steroid depletion. Brain Res. 2009 Apr 10; 1265:37-46. Schauwecker PE, Wood RI, Lorenzana A. PMID: 19236850; PMCID: PMC2673965.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    40. Estrogen receptor immunoreactivity in late-gestation fetal lambs. Biol Reprod. 2009 Jun; 80(6):1152-9. Gorton LM, Mahoney MM, Magorien JE, Lee TM, Wood RI. PMID: 19164175; PMCID: PMC2804801.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 2     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    41. Cell proliferation and survival in the mating circuit of adult male hamsters: effects of testosterone and sexual behavior. Horm Behav. 2008 Nov; 54(5):735-40. Antzoulatos E, Magorien JE, Wood RI. PMID: 18775431; PMCID: PMC2588138.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    42. Memory, mood, dopamine, and serotonin in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-lesioned mouse model of basal ganglia injury. Neurobiol Dis. 2008 Nov; 32(2):319-27. Vuckovic MG, Wood RI, Holschneider DP, Abernathy A, Togasaki DM, Smith A, Petzinger GM, Jakowec MW. PMID: 18718537; PMCID: PMC3280725.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 41     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    43. Adolescents and androgens, receptors and rewards. Horm Behav. 2008 May; 53(5):647-58. Sato SM, Schulz KM, Sisk CL, Wood RI. PMID: 18343381; PMCID: PMC2435368.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 45     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    44. Testosterone and nucleus accumbens dopamine in the male Syrian hamster. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2008 Apr; 33(3):386-94. Triemstra JL, Sato SM, Wood RI. PMID: 18249072; PMCID: PMC2275113.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 16     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    45. Anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence? Insights from animals and humans. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2008 Oct; 29(4):490-506. Wood RI. PMID: 18275992; PMCID: PMC2585375.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 51     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    46. Sex and drugs: comment on "Evidence for involvement of erbeta and rgs9-2 in 17-beta estradiol enhancement of amphetamine-induced place preference behavior" by Silverman and Koenig. Horm Behav. 2007 Aug; 52(2):143-5. Wood RI. PMID: 17553500; PMCID: PMC1959339.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions:    Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    47. Partner preference in male hamsters: steroids, sexual experience and chemosensory cues. Physiol Behav. 2007 May 16; 91(1):1-8. Ballard CL, Wood RI. PMID: 17316716; PMCID: PMC1924919.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    48. Region-specific mechanisms for testosterone-induced Fos in hamster brain. Brain Res. 2007 Apr 13; 1141:197-204. Nagypál A, Wood RI. PMID: 17276422; PMCID: PMC1857344.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    49. Anabolic steroids: a fatal attraction? J Neuroendocrinol. 2006 Mar; 18(3):227-8. Wood RI. PMID: 16454806.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    50. Self-administration of estrogen and dihydrotestosterone in male hamsters. Horm Behav. 2006 Apr; 49(4):519-26. DiMeo AN, Wood RI. PMID: 16388806.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 13     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    51. ICV testosterone induces Fos in male Syrian hamster brain. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2006 Feb; 31(2):237-49. Dimeo AN, Wood RI. PMID: 16157456.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 16     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    52. Chemosensory cues are essential for mating-induced dopamine release in MPOA of male Syrian hamsters. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2005 Aug; 30(8):1436-42. Triemstra JL, Nagatani S, Wood RI. PMID: 15702137.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 9     Fields:    Translation:AnimalsCells
    53. Intracerebroventricular self-administration of commonly abused anabolic-androgenic steroids in male hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus): nandrolone, drostanolone, oxymetholone, and stanozolol. Behav Neurosci. 2005 Jun; 119(3):752-8. Ballard CL, Wood RI. PMID: 15998196.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    54. Reinforcing aspects of androgens. Physiol Behav. 2004 Nov 15; 83(2):279-89. Wood RI. PMID: 15488545.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 39     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    55. Circulating androgens enhance sensitivity to testosterone self-administration in male hamsters. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 Oct; 79(2):383-9. DiMeo AN, Wood RI. PMID: 15501316.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 7     Fields:    Translation:HumansAnimals
    56. Testosterone self-administration in female hamsters. Behav Brain Res. 2004 Sep 23; 154(1):221-9. Triemstra JL, Wood RI. PMID: 15302128.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 8     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    57. Testosterone and chemosensory detection in male Syrian hamster. Horm Behav. 2004 Sep; 46(3):341-8. Peters KD, Hom SM, Wood RI. PMID: 15325234.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 3     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    58. Testosterone reinforcement: intravenous and intracerebroventricular self-administration in male rats and hamsters. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004 Jan; 171(3):298-305. Wood RI, Johnson LR, Chu L, Schad C, Self DW. PMID: 14557917.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 27     Fields:    Translation:Animals
    59. Steroidal control of male hamster sexual behavior in Me and MPOA: effects of androgen dose and tamoxifen. Physiol Behav. 2001 Apr; 72(5):727-33. Wood RI, Williams SJ. PMID: 11337005.
      View in: PubMed   Mentions: 5     Fields:    Translation:Animals
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