
Faculty
Our faculty and staff are in the forefront of the exploration of the causes and treatments of mental illness.
F. Gerard Moeller, M.D.
Biography:
F. Gerard Moeller, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry is the director of the UT Houston Substance Abuse Research Center. Dr. Moeller has been funded by The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) since 1996 and is a recipient of a NIDA Independent Scientist Award (K02). Dr. Moeller has international leadership roles as a past president of the International Society for Research on Impulsivity and Chair of the Scientific Section on Impulsivity and Impulse Control Disorders of the World Psychiatric Association. He is Principal Investigator for the Substance Abuse Medication Development Research Center, (P50 DA009262).
Dr. Moeller is author of over 80 peer-reviewed publications. Since completing a two-year fellowship in Clinical Psychopharmcological Research at the University of California San Diego, he has over 15 years experience in research and teaching in Psychiatry, neuroscience, and Psychopharmacology. Dr. Moeller has mentored Psychiatry residents, and fellows, as well as predoctoral students in the area of clinical research.
Dr. Moeller is a member of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences of UT Houston and a past member of the Psychiatry Department Residency Training Committee. Dr. Moeller has dedicated his career to clinical research and education in the field of neurobiology of impulsivity, especially as it relates to substance abuse.
Education:
University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX, B.A., Liberal Arts, 1981
University of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, M.D.,1985
University of California-San Diego, Post Doc, Clinical Psychopharmacology, 1988
Clinical and Research Interests:
Publications (selected):
- Moeller, F.G., Dougherty, D.M., Rustin, T., Swann, A.C., Allen T., Shah, N., and Cherek, D.R. Antisocial personality disorder and aggression in recently abstinent cocaine dependent subjects. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 44:175-182, 1997
- Allen, T.J., Moeller, F.G., Rhoades, H.M., Cherek, D.R. Subjects with a history of drug dependence are more aggressive that subjects with no drug use history. Drug and Alcohol Dependence Jun 6;46(1-2):95-103, 1997
- Allen, T.J., Moeller, F.G., Rhoades, H.M., Cherek, D.R. Impulsivity and history of drug dependence. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 50:137-145, 1998
- Moeller, F.G., Dougherty, D.M., Lane, S.D., Steinberg, J.L., Cherek, D.M. Antisocial Personality and Alcohol Induced Aggression. Alcohol Clinical and Experimental Research 22:1898-902, 1998
- Bjork, J.M., Dougherty, D.M., Moeller, F.G., Swann, A.C. Differential behavioral effects of plasma tryptophan depletion and loading in aggressive and non-aggressive men. Neuropsychopharmacology 22: 357-69, 2000
- Grabowski, J., Rhoades, H., Schmitz, J., Stotts, A., Daruzska, L.A., Creson, D., Moeller, F.G. dextro-Amphetamine for cocaine dependence treatment: a double blind randomized clinical trial. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 21:522-6, 2001.
- Moeller, F.G., Barratt, E.S., Dougherty, D.M., Schmitz, J.M., Swann, A.C. Psychiatric aspects of impulsivity. American Journal of Psychiatry 158:1783-1793, 2001
- Moeller, F.G., Dougherty, D.M., Barratt, E.S., Schmitz, J.M., Swann, A.C., Grabowski, J. The impact of impulsivity on cocaine use and retention in treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 21:193-198, 2001.
- Bjork, J.M., Moeller, F.G., Dougherty, D.M., Swann, A.C., Machado, M.A., Hanis, C.L. The serotonin 2a receptor T102C polymorphism and impaired impulse control. American Journal of Medical Genetics (Neuropsychiatric Genetics) 114:336-339, 2002.
- Marsh, D.M., Dougherty, D.M., Moeller, F.G., Swann, A.C., Spiga, R. Laboratory-measured Aggressive Behavior of Women: Acute Tryptophan Depletion and Augmentation. Neuropsychopharmacology 226:660-71, 2002.
- Moeller, F.G., Dougherty, D.M., Barratt, E.S., Oderinde, V. Mathias, C.W., Harper, R.A., Swann, A.C. Increased impulsivity in cocaine dependent subjects independent of antisocial personality disorder and aggression. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 68:105-111, 2002.
- Grabowski, J., Rhoades, H., Stotts, A., Cowan, K., Kopecky, C., Dougherty, A., Moeller, F.G., Hassan, S., Schmitz, J. Agonist-like or Antagonist-like Treatment for Cocaine Dependence with Methadone for Heroin Dependence: Two Double Blind Randomized Clinical Trials. Neuropsychopharmacology 29: 969-81, 2004.
- Mooney, M.E., Schmitz, J.M., Moeller, F.G., Grabowski, J. Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of Levodopa-Carbidopa for cocaine dependence: Two double-blind randomized clinical trials. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2007; 88:214-223.
- Moeller, F.G., Hasan, K.M., Steinberg, J.L., Kramer, L.A., Valdes, I., Lai, L.Y., Swann, A.C., Naryana, P.A. Diffusion Tensor Imaging Eigenvalues: Preliminary Evidence for Altered Myelin in Cocaine Dependence. Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging 154(3):253-8, 2007. 80.
- Moeller, F.G., Schmitz, J.M., Steinberg, J.L., Green, C.M., Reist, C., Lai, L.Y., Swann, A.C., Grabowski, J. Citalopram combined with behavioral therapy reduces cocaine use: A double-blind placebo controlled trial. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 2007;33(3):367-78.
- Lane S.D., Moeller, F.G., Steinberg, J.L., Buzby, M., Kosten, T.R. Performance of cocaine dependent individuals and controls on a response inhibition task with varying levels of difficulty. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2007;33(5):717-26.
- Moeller, F.G., Steinberg, J.L., Hasan, K.M., Lane, S.D., Kramer, L.A., Buzby, M., Swann, A.C., Narayana, P.A. Diffusion Tensor Imaging in MDMA Users and Controls: Association with Decision Making. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 2007; 33(6):777-89.
- Schmitz, J.M., Mooney, M.E., Moeller, F.G., Stotts, A.L., Green, C., Grabowski, J.: Levodopa Pharmacotherapy for Cocaine Dependence: Choosing the Optimal Behavioral Therapy Platform. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 2008 Apr 1;94(1-3):142-50.
- Narayana, P.A., Ahobila-Vajjula, P., Ramu, J., Herrera, J., Steinberg, J.L., Moeller, F.G. Diffusion tensor imaging of cocaine treated rodents. Psychiatry Research Neuroimaging (in press).
- Moeller, F.G., Schmitz, J.M., Herin, D., Kjome, K.L. Use of stimulants to treat cocaine and methamphetamine abuse. Current Psychiatry Reports (In Press)
Location & Contact
Mental Sciences Institute
1300 Moursund
Houston, Texas 77030
713.500.2500 Primary
713.500.2530 Fax
713.500.2525 Intake and Referral
Our Affiliations
Our affiliates include the following:
The University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center
The Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County


