Nicole Lewellyn Schramm-Sapyta

Nicole Lewellyn Schramm-Sapyta
Associate Professor of the Practice in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

Drug Addiction is a complex disease with genetic, psychological, and societal causes and consequences. We know that some people can take drugs recreationally for years, while others quickly fall victim to addiction. What causes this distinction? And, how can we help those who suffer from addiction? I have worked in rodent models for many years, examining the neurobiological bases of vulnerability. I have shown that adolescence is one factor in determining vulnerability: adolescent drug takers are less susceptible to the negative (use-limiting) effects of drugs of abuse, such as hangover. Furthermore, adolescents are, in some cases, more susceptible to the rewarding effects (such as the “high”). However, the most vulnerable adolescents are those who have underlying psychopathology, such as anxiety and depression. More recently, I have become interested in the goal of eliminating the stigma attached to addiction. Through education and outreach, everyone can understand that no one takes drugs with the intention of becoming addicted, and that the currently available treatments can go a long way to improving the lives of people with addiction. I also examine these issues in the context of the criminal justice system and other available resources.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Professor of the Practice in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, University Institutes and Centers 2020
Associate Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, University Institutes and Centers 2019
Associate Professor of the Practice of Psychology and Neuroscience, Psychology & Neuroscience, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2020
Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine & Neurosciences, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences 2021
Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society, Duke Science & Society, Initiatives 2021

Contact Information

308 Research Dr Room M055, Box 91003, Durham, NC 27708
308 Research Dr Room M055, Box 91003, Durham, NC 27708
nicole.schrammsapyta@duke.edu (919) 684-5187

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Vanderbilt University 2000
Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Science Departments 2015 - 2021
- Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, University Institutes and Centers 2016 - 2019
- Chief Operating Officer in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, University Institutes and Centers 2017 - 2019
- Visiting Assistant Professor in the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, University Institutes and Centers 2015 - 2016
- Assistant Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Science Departments 2013 - 2015
- Assistant Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Clinical Science Departments 2008 - 2013
- Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Psychology & Neuroscience, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2013
Recognition
In the News
- MAY 14, 2018
  
  NC's Opioid Problems Growing, Moving Underground
- JUL 11, 2017 Bass Connections
  
  These Kits Will Save Lives, But There Is Much More Work Ahead to Stem the Opiate Epidemic
- APR 5, 2016 The Hill
  
  Nicole Schramm-Sapyta: Want to fix immigration? Fix addiction
Awards & Honors
- Faculty Advancement Seed Grant. Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement. April 3, 2020
Research
Selected Grants
- Role of HPA Axis in Adolescent Vulnerability to Drug Addiction awarded by National Institutes of Health 2006 - 2011
Fellowships, Supported Research, & Other Grants
- Seed Grant: Inclusion and Power Dynamics: Year 3 awarded by Duke Office of Faculty Advancement 2020
- Seed Grant: Navigating Power Dynamics in a Diverse and Inclusive Academic Community awarded by Duke Office of Faculty Advancement 2019
- Seed Grant: Inclusion and Power Dynamics in Academia awarded by Duke Office of Faculty Advancement 2018
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Matthew Ralph, Luong Huynh, Becky Tang, Maria Tackett, Michele Easter, and Isabella Larsen. “Relationships between substance use disorders, 'severe mental illness' and re-arrest in a county detention facility: A 4-year follow-up cohort study.” Crim Behav Ment Health, January 30, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/cbm.2277.
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  - Funke, Mary, Marcus C. Kaplan, Holly Glover, Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, Andrew Muzyk, Jennifer Mando-Vandrick, Alexander Gordee, Maragatha Kuchibhatla, Emily Sterrett, and Stephanie A. Eucker. “Increasing Naloxone Prescribing in the Emergency Department Through Education and Electronic Medical Record Work-Aids.” Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 47, no. 6 (June 2021): 364–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2021.03.002.
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  - Gunn, Alexander H., Zachary P. W. Smothers, Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, Caroline E. Freiermuth, Mark MacEachern, and Andrew J. Muzyk. “The Emergency Department as an Opportunity for Naloxone Distribution.” The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine 19, no. 6 (November 2018): 1036–42. https://doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2018.8.38829.
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  - Gunn, Alexander H., Bryce Bartlett, Grace Feng, Matthew Gayed, Katie Kanter, Erica Onuoha, Madeline Thornton, Andrew Muzyk, and Nicole Schramm-Sapyta. “Running the Numbers: County Level Dynamics of Heroin Mortality in North Carolina.” North Carolina Medical Journal 79, no. 3 (May 2018): 195–200. https://doi.org/10.18043/ncm.79.3.195.
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  - Muzyk, Andrew J., Chris Tew, Allie Thomas-Fannin, Sanjai Dayal, Reina Maeda, Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, Kathryn Andolsek, and Shelley Holmer. “Utilizing Bloom's taxonomy to design a substance use disorders course for health professions students.” Subst Abus 39, no. 3 (2018): 348–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2018.1436634.
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  - Muzyk, Andrew J., Chris Tew, Allie Thomas-Fannin, Sanjai Dayal, Reina Maeda, Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, Kathryn M. Andolsek, and Shelley Holmer. “An Interprofessional Course on Substance Use Disorders for Health Professions Students.” Acad Med 92, no. 12 (December 2017): 1704–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001766.
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  - Miller, Kelsey M., Mary-Louise Risher, Shawn K. Acheson, Matthew Darlow, Hannah G. Sexton, Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, and H. S. Swartzwelder. “Behavioral Inefficiency on a Risky Decision-Making Task in Adulthood after Adolescent Intermittent Ethanol Exposure in Rats.” Sci Rep 7, no. 1 (July 5, 2017): 4680. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-04704-7.
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  - Marasco, Christina C., Cody R. Goodwin, Danny G. Winder, Nicole L. Schramm-Sapyta, John A. McLean, and John P. Wikswo. “Systems-level view of cocaine addiction: the interconnection of the immune and nervous systems.” Experimental Biology and Medicine (Maywood, N.J.) 239, no. 11 (November 2014): 1433–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/1535370214537747.
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  - Goodwin, Cody R., Stacy D. Sherrod, Christina C. Marasco, Brian O. Bachmann, Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, John P. Wikswo, and John A. McLean. “Phenotypic mapping of metabolic profiles using self-organizing maps of high-dimensional mass spectrometry data.” Analytical Chemistry 86, no. 13 (July 2014): 6563–71. https://doi.org/10.1021/ac5010794.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Reynold Francis, Andrea MacDonald, Colby Keistler, Lauren O’Neill, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Effect of sex on ethanol consumption and conditioned taste aversion in adolescent and adult rats.” Psychopharmacology (Berl) 231, no. 8 (April 2014): 1831–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-013-3319-y.
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  - Suarez, Edward C., and Nicole L. Schramm-Sapyta. “Race differences in the relation of vitamins A, C, E, and β-carotene to metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers.” Nutr Res 34, no. 1 (January 2014): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2013.10.001.
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  - Arrant, Andrew E., Nicole L. Schramm-Sapyta, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Use of the light/dark test for anxiety in adult and adolescent male rats.” Behav Brain Res 256 (November 1, 2013): 119–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2013.05.035.
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  - Suarez, Edward C., Nicole L. Schramm-Sapyta, Tracey Vann Hawkins, and Alaattin Erkanli. “Depression inhibits the anti-inflammatory effects of leisure time physical activity and light to moderate alcohol consumption.” Brain Behav Immun 32 (August 2013): 144–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2013.03.009.
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  - Foscue, Ethan P., Kathryne N. Wood, and Nicole L. Schramm-Sapyta. “Characterization of a semi-rapid method for assessing delay discounting in rodents.” Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior 101, no. 2 (April 2012): 187–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2012.01.006.
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  - Drescher, Caitlin, Ethan P. Foscue, Cynthia M. Kuhn, and Nicole L. Schramm-Sapyta. “Individual differences in cocaine conditioned taste aversion are developmentally stable and independent of locomotor effects of cocaine.” Dev Cogn Neurosci 1, no. 4 (October 2011): 600–605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2011.05.004.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Marty C. Cauley, Dalene K. Stangl, Susan Glowacz, K Amy Stepp, Edward D. Levin, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Role of individual and developmental differences in voluntary cocaine intake in rats.” Psychopharmacology (Berl) 215, no. 3 (June 2011): 493–504. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2216-5.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Alexandra G. DiFeliceantonio, Ethan Foscue, Susan Glowacz, Naadeyah Haseeb, Nancy Wang, Cathy Zhou, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Aversive effects of ethanol in adolescent versus adult rats: potential causes and implication for future drinking.” Alcohol Clin Exp Res 34, no. 12 (December 2010): 2061–69. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01302.x.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Q David Walker, Joseph M. Caster, Edward D. Levin, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Are adolescents more vulnerable to drug addiction than adults? Evidence from animal models.” Psychopharmacology (Berl) 206, no. 1 (September 2009): 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-009-1585-5.
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  - Walker, Q David, Nicole L. Schramm-Sapyta, Joseph M. Caster, Samuel T. Waller, Matthew P. Brooks, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Novelty-induced locomotion is positively associated with cocaine ingestion in adolescent rats; anxiety is correlated in adults.” Pharmacol Biochem Behav 91, no. 3 (January 2009): 398–408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2008.08.019.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Megan A. Kingsley, Amir H. Rezvani, Kiayia Propst, H Scott Swartzwelder, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Early ethanol consumption predicts relapse-like behavior in adolescent male rats.” Alcohol Clin Exp Res 32, no. 5 (May 2008): 754–62. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2008.00631.x.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Young May Cha, Saba Chaudhry, Wilkie A. Wilson, H Scott Swartzwelder, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Differential anxiogenic, aversive, and locomotor effects of THC in adolescent and adult rats.” Psychopharmacology (Berl) 191, no. 4 (May 2007): 867–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0676-9.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Christopher M. Olsen, and Danny G. Winder. “Cocaine self-administration reduces excitatory responses in the mouse nucleus accumbens shell.” Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology 31, no. 7 (July 2006): 1444–51. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.npp.1300918.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Richard W. Morris, and Cynthia M. Kuhn. “Adolescent rats are protected from the conditioned aversive properties of cocaine and lithium chloride.” Pharmacol Biochem Behav 84, no. 2 (June 2006): 344–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2006.05.026.
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  - Grueter, Brad A., Heather B. Gosnell, Christopher M. Olsen, Nicole L. Schramm-Sapyta, Tanya Nekrasova, Gary E. Landreth, and Danny G. Winder. “Extracellular-signal regulated kinase 1-dependent metabotropic glutamate receptor 5-induced long-term depression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis is disrupted by cocaine administration.” The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience 26, no. 12 (March 2006): 3210–19. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.0170-06.2006.
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  - Schramm-Sapyta, Nicole L., Adeola R. Pratt, and Danny G. Winder. “Effects of periadolescent versus adult cocaine exposure on cocaine conditioned place preference and motor sensitization in mice.” Psychopharmacology 173, no. 1–2 (April 2004): 41–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1696-3.
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  - Winder, Danny G., Regula E. Egli, Nicole L. Schramm, and Robert T. Matthews. “Synaptic plasticity in drug reward circuitry.” Current Molecular Medicine 2, no. 7 (November 2002): 667–76. https://doi.org/10.2174/1566524023361961.
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  - Schramm, Nicole L., Regula E. Egli, and Danny G. Winder. “LTP in the mouse nucleus accumbens is developmentally regulated.” Synapse (New York, N.Y.) 45, no. 4 (September 2002): 213–19. https://doi.org/10.1002/syn.10104.
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  - Winder, D. G., and N. L. Schramm. “Plasticity and behavior: new genetic techniques to address multiple forms and functions.” Physiology & Behavior 73, no. 5 (August 2001): 763–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0031-9384(01)00514-5.
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  - Schramm, N. L., M. P. McDonald, and L. E. Limbird. “The alpha(2a)-adrenergic receptor plays a protective role in mouse behavioral models of depression and anxiety.” The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience 21, no. 13 (July 2001): 4875–82. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.21-13-04875.2001.
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  - Schramm, N. L., M. P. McDonald, and L. E. Limbird. “The α_2A-adrenergic receptor plays a protective role in mouse behavioral models of depression and anxiety.” Journal of Neuroscience 21, no. 13 (2001): 4875–82.
  - Wozniak, M., C. Saunders, N. Schramm, J. R. Keefer, and L. E. Limbird. “Morphological and biochemical strategies for monitoring trafficking of epitope-tagged G protein-coupled receptors in agonist-naive and agonist-occupied states.” Methods in Enzymology 343 (2001): 530–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0076-6879(02)43156-4.
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  - Schramm, N. L., and L. E. Limbird. “Stimulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase by G protein-coupled alpha(2)-adrenergic receptors does not require agonist-elicited endocytosis.” The Journal of Biological Chemistry 274, no. 35 (August 1999): 24935–40. https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.274.35.24935.
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Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses
Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
Service to Duke
- Bass Connections Theme Leader (Brain & Society). 2022 2022

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Previous Appointments & Affiliations

In the News

Awards & Honors

Selected Grants

Fellowships, Supported Research, & Other Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Recent Courses

Outreach & Engaged Scholarship

Service to Duke