Hayley Kleitz Nelson, Ph.D.

Dr. Nelson has expertise in motivation and reward as well as in factors that can influence the rate and efficiency of learning strategies and sensory integration (e.g., visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile information). Specifically, her training has an emphasis on motivation and reward and their influences on behavior. Currently, Dr. Nelson addresses the role of human perception, performance, and behavior in accident scenarios and product design and has analyzed large-scale injury databases to identify accident and injury modes across a variety of consumer products. She identifies patterns of safety related behaviors and accident patterns, taking into account specific demographic information (e.g., age, sex) and behavioral components (e.g., motivation, risk-taking). At Exponent, Dr. Nelson applies her expertise in motivation and reward, addiction, neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and behavior to assess various contributors to a person’s actions, perceptions, and cognition. Of particular interest to Dr. Nelson is identifying patterns of risk-taking behaviors relating to age, gender, and the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Dr. Nelson earned her Ph.D. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from Johns Hopkins University. For her dissertation work, Dr. Nelson investigated the role of the neuromodulator, dopamine, in motivational and performance aspects of male sexual behavior. She has experience conducting research with human participants as well as a variety of animal models and various biological, chemical, behavioral, and imaging methodologies. Further, Dr. Nelson taught courses in experimental design and statistical analysis. Prior to graduate school, Dr. Nelson was a Post-baccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Fellow with the National Institutes of Health where she gained experience with psychiatric diagnoses and drug addiction research.

Cizza G, Ronsaville DS, Kleitz H, Eskandari F, Mistry S, Torvik S, Sonbolian N, Reynolds JC, Blackman MR, Gold PW, Martinez PE. Clinical subtypes of depression are associated with specific metabolic parameters and circadian endocrine profiles in women: The Power Study. PLoS ONE 2012; 7(1): e28912.

Kleitz-Nelson HK, Dominguez JM, Ball GF. A comparative approach to the study of dopamine and male sexual behavior: What can Japanese quail teach us? Behavioral Neuroscience 2010; 124(6):881–883.

Kleitz-Nelson HK, Dominguez JM, Ball GF. Dopamine release in the medial preoptic area is related to hormonal action and sexual motivation. Behavioral Neuroscience 2010; 124(6):773–779.

Kleitz-Nelson, HK, Cornil CA, Balthazart J, Ball GF. Differential effects of central injections of D1 and D2 receptor agonists and antagonists on male sexual behavior in Japanese quail. European Journal of Neuroscience 2010; 32(1):118–129.

Kleitz-Nelson HK, Dominguez JM, Cornil CA, Ball GF. Is sexual motivational state linked to dopamine release in the medial preoptic area? Behavioral Neuroscience 2010; 124(2):300–304.

Kleitz HK, Cornil CA, Balthazart J, Ball GF. Species differences in the relative densities of D1- and D2-Like dopamine receptor subtypes in the Japanese quail and rats: An in vitro quantitative receptor autoradiography study. Brain Behavior and Evolution 2009; 9(73):81–90.

Xi ZX., Kleitz HK, Deng X, Ladenheim B, Peng XQ, Li X, Gilbert J, Gardner EL, Stein EA, Cadet JL. A single high dose of methamphetamine increases cocaine self-administration by depletion of striatal dopamine in rats. Neuroscience 2009; 161(2):392–402.

Presentations

Kleitz Nelson, HK. Comparative approaches to the study of dopamine and male sexual motivation. Invited Lecturer with Honorarium for a “Special Seminar” at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, January 2011.

Kleitz Nelson, HK, Dominguez, JM, and Ball, GF. Dopamine release in the medial preoptic area is linked to sexual motivation. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, November 2010.

Kleitz Nelson, HK. Comparative approaches to the study of dopamine and male sexual motivation. Presentation at the annual research seminar of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, February 2010.

Kleitz HK, Ball GF. Differential effects of microinjections of D1 and D2 receptor agonists and antagonists into the medial preoptic area on appetitive and consummatory male sexual behavior in Japanese Quail. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, October 2009.

Kleitz HK. The role of dopamine in male Japanese Quail sexual behavior. Presentation at the annual research seminar of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, February 2009.

Kleitz HK, Cornil CA, Balthazart J, Ball GF. Effects of central injections of a D2- like receptor agonist and antagonist on male sexual behavior in Japanese Quail. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC, November 2008.

Kleitz HK, Dominguez JM, Ball GF. Extracellular dopamine release in the medial preoptic area of male Japanese Quail as measured by in vivo microdialysis during sexual behavior. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Groningen, Netherlands, July 2008.

Kleitz HK, Dominguez JM, Ball GF. Extracellular dopamine release in the medial preoptic area of male Japanese Quail as measured by in vivo microdialysis during sexual behavior. Poster presented at the Johns Hopkins Brain Science Institute 2008 Spring Symposium, Baltimore, MD, June 2008.

Kleitz HK. The role of dopamine in male Japanese Quail sexual behavior. Presentation at the annual research seminar of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, February 2008.

Kleitz HK, Cornil CA, Balthazart J, Ball GF. Differences in the relative density of D1 and D2 receptor subtypes in the Japanese Quail and Rats as shown by in vitro quantitative receptor autoradiography. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, November 2007.

Kleitz HK, Cornil CA, Balthazart J, Ball GF. Effects of central injections of D1 receptor agonist and antagonist on male sexual behavior in Japanese Quail. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Asilomar, CA, June 2007.

Kleitz HK. Dopamine and the control of male sexual behavior: What can Japanese Quail teach us? Presentation at the annual research seminar of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, May 2007.

Kleitz HK. The role of dopamine in male Japanese Quail sexual behavior. Presentation at the annual research seminar of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, May 2006.

Kleitz H, Xi ZX, Deng X, Peng XQ, Pak A, Gardner EL, Cadet JL, Stein EA. Attenuation of cocaine’s behavioral and neurochemical actions by a single injection of methamphetamine. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, D.C., November 2005.

Peng XQ, Xi ZX, Gilbert J, Kleitz H, Pak AC, Dewey SL, Schiffer WK, Brodie JD, Ashby C, Gardner EL. Gamma-vinyl GABA, but not gabapentin, inhibits cocaine-triggered reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior in rats. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, October 2004.

Xi ZX, Gilbert J, Peng XQ, Kleitz H, Pak AC, Gardner EL. Blockade of mGluR5 by MPEP inhibits cocaine reward and relapse in rats by a glutamate-dependent mechanism. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, San Diego, CA, October 2004.

Xi ZX, Gilbert J, Peng XQ, Kleitz H, Pak AC, Ashby C, Thomas AG, Wozniak KM, Slusher BS, Gardner EL. Effects of the NAALADase inhibitors 2-PMPA, GPI 16476, GPI 16477 on cocaine self-administration and reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior. Poster presented at the NIDA Convention Frontiers in Addiction Research, San Diego, CA, October 2004.

Martinez PE, Ronsaville D, Kleitz H, Haim A, Torvik S, Eskandari F, Mistry S, Reynolds J, Blackman MR, Gold P, Cizza G. Atypical depression is associated with higher ACTH levels and delayed nadir suggesting a distinctive pattern of HPA axis function across depressive subtypes: A closer look at the circadian rhythms of neuroendocrine hormones in premenopausal women. Poster presented at the annual meeting of The Endocrine Society, New Orleans, LA, June 2004.

Dobreva M, Banks J, Raimer K, Kleitz H, DeHart G. The social context of children’s conflicts and averted conflicts with siblings and friends. Poster session presented at SUNY Geneseo Student Faculty Research Poster Session, Geneseo, NY, November 2002.

• J.B. Johnston Club
• Psi Chi National Psychology Honor Society
• Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
• Society for Neuroscience
• The Endocrine Society