Tiaan is currently the BPharm programme leader for undergraduate pharmacy students at he School of Pharmacy of the North-West University.
His research explores on neurobehavioural pharmacology, with specific application to the investigation of novel pharmacological targets for antidepressants. The majority of his research projects are performed in appropriate translational animal models of human psychiatric disease. He has also published in the field of animal research ethics and pharmacology education.
Tiaan is an established, NRF rated researcher with several research publications and has delivered multiple postgraduate students. He has also demonstrated expertise in education and enjoys international recognition in this regard.
He is the past chair of the NWU-AnimCareREC animal research ethics committee, has a ministerial appointment on the National Health Research Ethics Council, serves on the editorial boards of international journals, is a past president of the South African Society for Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and served on the executive committees of national and international pharmacology societies.
Building G23, Rm 014A, Potchefstroom Campus, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa
1) Saayman JLB, Harvey BH, Wegener G & Brink CB*. (2023) Sildenafil, alone and in combination with imipramine or escitalopram, display antidepressant-like effects in an adrenocorticotropic-induced (ACTH) rodent model of treatment-resistant depression. European Journal of Pharmacology, 969: 176434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176434.
2) Saayman JLB, Harvey BH, Wegener G & Brink CB*. (2022) Sildenafiel as effektiewe monoterapie en kombinasiestrategie met ʼn anti-depressant in knaagdiermodelle van behandelingsweerstandige depressive.). Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie, 41(1):131-131. https://doi.org/10.36303/SATNT.2022.41.1.954.
3) Brink CB* & Lewis DI. (2023) The 12 Rs Framework as a comprehensive, unifying construct for principles guiding animal research ethics. Animals,13(7):1128. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13071128 or https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/7/1128/pdf. Note! This has been formally adopted by the new version of the South African National Dept of Health’s Health Research Ethics Guidelines 3rd ed. of 2023, of which the update is currently in advanced process. Download the supplementary materials educational Video S1 at: https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/ani13071128/s1.
4) Saayman JLB, Steyn SF, Brink CB*. (2021) The long-term bio-behavioural effects of juvenile sildenafil treatment in Sprague-Dawley versus Flinders Sensitive Line rats. Acta Neuropsychiatrica, 33:200–205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/neu.2021.4. (open access) (Best publication award – see §9)
5) Jansen van Vuren E*, Steyn SF, Brink CB, Möller M, Viljoen FP, Harvey BH. (2021) The neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19: Interactions with psychiatric illness and pharmacological treatment. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 135:111200 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2020.111200.
6) Steyn SF, Harvey BH, Brink CB*. (2020) Pre-pubertal, low-intensity exercise does not require concomitant venlafaxine to induce robust, late-life antidepressant effects in Flinders sensitive line rats. Eur J Neurosci., 52:3979-3994. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejn.14757.
7) Steyn SF, Harvey BH, Brink CB*. (2018) Immediate and long-term antidepressive-like effects of pre-pubertal escitalopram and omega-3 supplementation combination in young adult stress-sensitive rats. Behavioural Brain Research, 351:49-62 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2018.05.021.
8) Brink CB*, Brand L. (2017) Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. (In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, Wenzel AE ed. SAGE Publications, Inc. : CA, USA). pp. 196-197 http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483365817.n77 (ISBN 9781483365831)
9) Brink CB, Brand L*. (2017) Antianxiety medications. (In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, Wenzel AE ed. SAGE Publications, Inc. : CA, USA). pp. 192-196 http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483365817.n76 (ISBN 9781483365831)
10) Brink CB*, Brand L. (2017) Antidepressant medications. (In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Abnormal and Clinical Psychology, Wenzel AE ed. SAGE Publications, Inc. : CA, USA). pp. 198-202 http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781483365817.n78 (ISBN 9781483365831)
11) Schoeman JC, Steyn SF, Harvey BH, Brink CB*. (2017) Long-lasting effects of fluoxetine and/or exercise augmentation on bio-behavioural markers of depression in pre-pubertal stress sensitive rats. Behavioural Brain Research, 323:86–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2017.01.043 (Best publication award – see §9)
12) Badenhorst NJ, Brand L, Harvey BH, Ellis SM, Brink CB*. (2017) The long-term effects of pre-pubertal fluoxetine on stress-related behaviour and acute monoaminergic stress response in stress sensitive rats. Acta Neuropsychiatrica, 53(29):222-235. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/neu.2016.53
13) Mouton M, Harvey BH, Brink CB*. (2016) The long-term effects of methamphetamine exposure during pre-adolescence on depressive-like behaviour in stress-sensitive rats. Metabolic Brain Disease, 31(1):63-74. DOI 10.1007/s11011-015-9765-y.
14) Mokoena ML, Harvey BH, Viljoen F, Ellis SM, Brink CB*. (2015) Ozone exposure of Flinders Sensitive Line rats is a rodent translational model of neurobiological oxidative stress with relevance for depression and antidepressant response. Psychopharmacology, 232(16):2921-2938 (Epub 17 Apr 2015; DOI 10.1007/s00213-015-3928-8). (Best publication award – see §9)
15) Slabbert FN, Harvey BH, Brink CB, Lubbe MS. (2015) The impact of HIV/AIDS on compliance with antidepressant treatment in major depressive disorder: A prospective study in a South African private healthcare cohort. AIDS Research and Therapy, 12:9 . (DOI: 10.1186/s12981-015-0050-2)
16) Slabbert FN, Lubbe MS, Harvey BH, Brink CB. (2015) Prospective analysis of the Medicine Possession Rate (MPR) of antidepressants: Instance of in the private health sector of South Africa. South African Medical Journal, 105(2):139-144.
17) Strauss L, Brink CB, Viljoen FP, du Preez, JL, Harvey BH*. (2014) Late‑life effects of chronic methamphetamine exposure during puberty on behaviour and cortico‑striatal monoamines in social and isolation reared rats. Developmental Neuroscience, 36:18-28. (Epub 24 Jan 2014; DOI 10.1159/000357495). (IF = 2.5 – Jan 2015).
18) Brink CB*. (2012) Learning has many dimensions – a call to revolutionise pharmacology education. (In Dorsey JK & Rangachari PK eds., Students matter: the rewards of university teaching. Southern Illinois School of Medicine : Springfield. 300 p.). (ISBN-13: 978-0-615-62920-9). This was subsequently translated into Japanese (2010) and Chinese (2016).
19) Liebenberg N, Harvey BH, Brand L, Wegener G, Brink CB*. (2012) Chronic treatment with the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors sildenafil and tadalafil display anxiolytic effects in Flinders Sensitive Line rats. Metab Brain Dis, 27:337-340. (Epub 23 Feb 2012; DOI 10.1007/s11011-012-9284-z). (IF = 2.4 – Jan 2015).
20) Liebenberg N, Müller HK, Fischer CW, Harvey BH, Brink CB, Elfving B, Wegener G. (2011) An inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase induces behavioural and neurological antidepressant-like effects in rats. Neuroscience Letters, 498:158-161 (DOI 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.05.004). (IF = 2.1 – Jan 2015).
21) Mokoena ML, Brink CB, Harvey BH & Oliver DW*. (2011) Appraisal of ozone as biologically active molecule and experimental tool in biomedical sciences. Medical Chemistry Research, 20(9):1687-1695 (Epub 11 Nov 2010; DOI 10.1007/s00044-010-9493-0).
22) Harvey BH, Duvenhage I, Viljoen F, Scheepers N, Malan SF, Wegener G, Brink CB & Petzer JP. (2010). Role of monoamine oxidase, nitric oxide synthase and regional brain monoamines in the antidepressant-like effects of methylene blue and selected structural analogues. Biochemical Pharmacology, 80:1580–1591. (Epub 07 Aug 2010). (IF = 4.7 – Jan 2015).
23) Liebenberg N, Brand L, Harvey BH & Brink CB*. (2010) Antidepressant-like properties of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors in a genetic rat model of depression. Behavioural Pharmacology, 21(5-6):540-547. (Epub 15 Jun 2010). (IF = 2.2 – Jan 2015).
24) Mokoena ML, Harvey BH, Oliver DW & Brink CB*. (2010) Ozone modulates the effects of imipramine on immobility in the forced swim test, and nonspecific parameters of hippocampal oxidative stress in the rat. Metabolic Brain Disease, 25(2):125-133. (Epub 09 May 2010) (DOI 10.1007/s11011-010-9189-7). (IF = 2.4 – Jan 2015)
25) Liebenberg N, Wegener G, Harvey BH & Brink CB*. (2010) Investigating the role of protein kinase-G in the antidepressant-like response of sildenafil in combination with muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonism. Best Publication Award. Behavioural Brain Research, 209:137-141. (Epub 29 Jan 2010) (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2010.01.032). (IF = 3.4 – Jan 2015).
26) Brink CB*, Pretorius, A, Van Niekerk BPJ, Oliver, DW & Venter, DP. (2008) Studies on cellular resilience and adaptation following acute and repetitive exposure to ozone in cultured human epithelial (HeLa) cells. Redox Report, 13(2):87-100. (IF = 1.7 – Jan 2015).
27) Brink CB*, Clapton HC, Eagar, BE & Harvey, BH. (2008) Appearance of antidepressant-like effect by sildenafil in rats after central muscarinic receptor blockade. Evidence from behavioural and neuro-receptor studies. Journal of Neural Transmission, 115(1):117-125 (Epub 07 Sep 2007). (Best publication award – see §9). (IF = 2.8 – Jan 2015).
28) Brink CB*, Harvey BH, Brand L. (2006) Tianeptine: a novel atypical antidepressant that may provide new insights into the biomolecular basis of depression. Recent Patents on CNS Drug Discovery, 1:29-41.
29) Harvey BH, Brink CB & Stein DJ. (2005) Relevance of myo-inositol to the neurobiology and treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. In: Ling, B (ed). Progress in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Research. Nova Science Publishers : New York. p. 67 – 91. (link); ISBN: 1-59454-313-5.
30) Bodenstein J, Venter DP, Brink CB*. (2005) Phenoxybenzamine and benextramine, but not 4-DAMP mustard, display irreversible non-competitive antagonism at G protein-coupled receptors. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 314(2):891-905. (Best publication award – see §9)
31) Brink CB*, Viljoen SL, de Kock SE, Stein DJ, Harvey BH. (2004) Modulating effects of myo-inositol versus fluoxetine and imipramine pretreatment on serotonin 5HT2A and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor function and number in human neuroblastoma cells. Metab Brain Dis, 19(1-2):51-70. (Best publication award – see §9)
32) Brink CB*, Harvey BH, Bodenstein J, Venter DP, Oliver DW. (2004) Recent advances in drug action and therapeutics: Relevance of novel concepts in G-protein-coupled receptor and signal transduction pharmacology. Br J Clin Pharmacol, 57:373-387.
33) Brink CB*. (2002) Protean behavior by agonists: Role of “agonist-directed trafficking of receptor signaling”. Trends Pharmacol Sci, 23:454-455.
34) Harvey BH, Brink CB, Seedat S, Stein DJ. (2002) Defining the neuro-molecular action of myo-inositol: application to obsessive compulsive disorder. Progress in Neuropsycho-pharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 26(1):21-32.
35) Brink CB, Wade SM, Neubig RR. (2000) Agonist-directed trafficking of porcine a2A-adrenergic receptor signaling in CHO cells. l-Isoproterenol selectively activates Gs. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 294:539-547. (Best publication award – see §9)
36) Venter, D.P. & Brink, C.B. 1998. A new method for determining affinity constants on isolated organs when a threshold value and spare receptors are present. Eur J Pharmacol, 350:109-120.
