Psychology
Psychology
Dr. Kevin B. Smith is a recent graduate of the University of Ottawa. His research examines sex differences in the enduring effects of pubertal stress on mood- and fertility-related disorders. Kevin is looking forward to sharing with students the exciting world of evolutionary psychology and the sex differences in brain and behaviour. He enjoys supporting and mentoring undergraduate students in psychology to help them achieve their full potential.
MA/PhD Psychology - Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Ottawa
BA (Hons) Psychology, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Dr. Smith's teaching interests include mood and neurodegenerative disorders, long-term effects of pubertal stress, sex differences in the brain, evolutionary psychology, and statistics. He is passionate about creating a learner-centred and interactive classroom environment to enhance student experience.
Dr. Smith's research focuses on examining the lasting effects of early life stress. The pubertal period is an understudied, yet critical stage of brain development that coincides with sexual maturation. During puberty, the brain undergoes hormone-induced neuronal reorganization, a process that continues to reactivate previously organized neurons throughout the rest of life to support necessary physiological and behavioural functions.
Specifically, Dr. Smith examines the biological changes associated with anxiety, depression, and fertility. He also investigates how environmental factors, both positive and negative, influence the direction of these changes. His published research addresses questions such as: Does pubertal stress increase anxiety, and can this be prevented with probiotic consumption? Does socioeconomic status effect memory and learning? Can stress-induced sexual dysfunction be reversed with kisspeptin administration?
Research Articles:
Smith, K.B., et al. (2024). Modulating effects of environmental enrichment on stress-induced changes in the gut microbiome. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
Smith, K.B., et al (2024). Environmental Enrichment Cage for Laboratory Mice: A Downloadable Alternative. Current Protocols
Smith, K.B., et al. (2023). The sex-dependent and enduring impact of pubertal stress on health and disease. Brain Research Bulletin
Smith, K.B., et al. (2023). Enduring Sex-Dependent Effects of Lipopolysaccharide Treatment on the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Gonadal Axis in Mice. General and Comparative Endocrinology
Smith, K.B*., et al. (2023). Environmental Enrichment Alters LPS-Induced Changes in BDNF and PSD-95 Expression During Puberty. Brain Research
Smith, K.B., et al. (2021). Pubertal Probiotics Mitigate Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Programming of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis in Male Mice only. Brain Research Bulletin
Smith, K.B., et al. (2021). Pubertal Immune Challenge Suppresses the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Male and Female Mice. Brain Research Bulletin
Smith, K.B., et al. (2019). Environmental enrichment protocol for laboratory mice. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
See full list at: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?hl=en&user=cw0RGLUAAAAJ