Publications

Levitt lab trainees are underlined

Bateman JT and Levitt ES (2023) Opioid Suppression of an Excitatory Pontomedullary Respiratory Circuit by Convergent Mechanisms. eLife 12:e81119. PMID: 37314062

Saunders SE, Baekey DM and Levitt ES (2022) Fentanyl effects on respiratory neuron activity in the dorsolateral pons. J Neurophysiol 128:1117-1132. PMID: 36197016

Maletz SN*, Reid BT*, Varga AG and Levitt ES (2022) Nucleus tractus solitarius neurons activated by hypercapnia and hypoxia lack mu opioid receptor expression. Front Mol Neurosci 15:932189. PMID: 35898697

Varga AG, Whitaker-Fornek JR, Maletz SN and Levitt ES (2022) Activation of Orexin-2 Receptors in the Kölliker-Fuse nucleus of anesthetized mice leads to transient slowing of respiratory rate. Front Physiol 13:977569. PMID: 36406987

Bateman JT and Levitt ES (2021) Evaluation of G protein bias and β-arrestin 2 signaling in opioid-induced respiratory depression. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 321:C681-C683. PMID: 34469203

Bateman JT*, Saunders SE* and Levitt ES (2021) Understanding and countering opioid-induced respiratory depression. Brit J Pharmacol PMID:34089181

Ramirez JM, Burgraff NJ, Wei AD, Baertsch NA, Varga AG, Baghdoyan HA, Lydic R, Morris KF, Bolser DC, Levitt ES (2021) Neuronal mechanisms underlying opioid induced respiratory depression: Our current understanding. J Neurophysiol 125:1899-1919. PMID:33826874

Varga AG, Maletz SN, Bateman JT, Reid BT and Levitt ES (2021) Neurochemistry of the Kölliker-Fuse nucleus from a respiratory perspective. J Neurochem 156:16-37. PMID:32396650

Tadjalli A, Seven YB, Sharma A, McCurdy CR, Bolser DC, Levitt ES and Mitchell GS (2021) Acute morphine blocks spinal respiratory motor plasticity via long-latency mechanisms that require toll-like receptor 4 signaling J Physiol 599:3771-3797. PMID: 34142718

  [Selected as Editor’s Choice]

[Commented in: OMurchu SC and Slyne AD (2021) Opioids, Plasticity and phrenic motor performance: investigating the off-target effects of acute morphine administration.]

Varga AG, Reid BT, Kieffer BL and Levitt ES (2020) Differential impact of two critical respiratory centers in opioid-induced respiratory depression in awake mice. J Physiol 598:189-205. PMID:31589332

[Selected as Editor’s Choice and published in a special issue “Experimental Biology 2020” which showcases best papers the journal has published over the last year.]

[Highlighted by a Perspectives article: Garcia AJ and Szujewski CC (2020) Finding inspiration in opioid-induced respiratory depression. J Physiol 598:3.]

[Awards: (1) Journal of Physiology Early Investigator Prize and (2) Department of Pharmacology Walter Oppelt Distinguished Trainee Publication.]

Saunders SE and Levitt ES (2020) Kölliker-Fuse/Parabrachial complex mu opioid receptors contribute to fentanyl-induced apnea and respiratory rate depression. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 275:103388. PMID:3195324

Kliewer A, Schmiedel F, Sianati S, Bailey A, Bateman JT, Levitt ES, Williams JT, Christie MJ and Schulz S (2019) Enhanced opioid analgesia and loss of tolerance but exacerbation of side effects in mice expressing phosphorylation-deficient, G protein-biased mu receptors. Nat Commun 10:367. PMID:30664663

Levitt ES and Williams JT (2018) Desensitization and tolerance of mu opioid receptors on pontine Kölliker-Fuse neurons. Mol Pharmacol 93:8-13. PMID:29097440

Levitt ES, Abdala AP, Paton JFR, Bissonnette JM and Williams JT (2015) Mu opioid receptor activation hyperpolarizes respiratory-controlling Kölliker-Fuse neurons and suppresses post-inspiratory drive. J Physiol 593:4453-4469. PMID:26175072

[Recommended by Faculty of 1000.]

Gantz SC, Levitt ES, Llamosas N, Neve KA and Williams JT (2015) Depression of serotonin synaptic transmission by the dopamine precursor L-DOPA. Cell Reports 12:944-954. PMID:26235617

 Levitt ES, Hunnicut BJ, Knopp SJ, Williams JT and Bissonnette JM (2013) A selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist improves respiration in a mouse model of Rett syndrome. J Applied Physiol 115:1626-1633. PMID:24092697

 Levitt ES and Williams JT (2012) Morphine desensitization and cellular tolerance are distinguished in rat locus coeruleus neurons. Mol Pharmacol 82:983-992. PMID:22914548