Kelli Koltyn
Professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies
(608) 262-4234
201 Service Medical Institute
2000 Observatory Dr
Madison, WI 53706-1121
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I am a professor in the Department of Kinesiology. I have a broad background in Kinesiology majoring in exercise physiology for my Master’s degree and exercise psychology for my Ph.D. degree. My research program focuses on the psychobiological effects of physical activity with a primary emphasis on health promotion. I have extensive experience conducting studies involving physical activity with healthy adults (e.g., young, old, pregnant women), as well as with clinical samples including adults with substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic pain conditions (e.g., chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, diabetic neuropathy, arthritis pain). Results have indicated numerous benefits associated with participation in physical activity programs (e.g., psychological improvements, reductions in pain), and we are now examining potential mechanisms underlying the benefits of physical activity with a focus on opioid and endocannabinoid systems. I also have conducted community-based research in order to be able to translate our findings to those who may benefit the most from the results. Our current work involves translating a “Stand Up and Move More” intervention by State Aging Units to older adults in underserved communities. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, we examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a four-week “Stand Up and Move More” workshop to reduce sedentary behavior (i.e., prolonged sitting) in older adults from communities in four counties in Wisconsin (i.e., Dane, Iowa, Rock & Vilas counties). Results indicated that individuals who participated in the workshop significantly reduced their sitting time by 68 minutes/day after the workshop, and had significant improvements in balance, mobility, and getting up from a chair. Further, participants reported higher vitality levels, as well as fewer limitations due to their physical health following participation in the workshop. In comparison, there were no significant changes in the older adults who did not participate in the “Stand Up and Move More” workshop. We are now collaborating with the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging (WIHA) and State Aging Units to disseminate the workshop throughout Wisconsin and then nationwide.
Education
- PhD Exercise Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1990
- MA Exercise Physiology, Texas Woman's University, 1980
- BS Physical Education, John F. Kennedy College, 1974
Select Publications
- Bruehl, S., Burns, J. W., Koltyn, K. F., Gupta, R., Buvanendran, A., Edwards, D., Chont, M., Wu, Y. H., & Stone, A. (2021). Does aerobic exercise training alter responses to opiod analgesics in individuals with chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial. Pain, 162, 2204-2213.
- Crombie, K. M., Cisler, J. M., Hillard, C. J., & Koltyn, K. F. (2021). Aerobic exercise reduces anxiety and fear ratings to threat and increases circulating endocannabinoids in women with and without PTSD. Ment Health Phys Act
- Leizelar, B. N., & Koltyn, K. F. (2021). Exercise and neuropathic pain: A general overview of preclinical and clinical research. Sports Med Open
- Crombie, K. M., Leitzelar, B. N., Almassi, N. E., Mahoney, J. E., & Koltyn, K. F. (2021). Feasibility and effectiveness of a community-based intervention to reduce sedentary behavior in older adults. J Appl Gerontol
- Rice, D., Nijs, J., Kosek, E., Wideman, T., Hasbring, M., Koltyn, K. F., Graven-Nielsen, T., & Polli, A. (2019). Exercise-induced hypoalgesia in pain-free and chronic pain populations: state of the art and future directions. J Pain, 20, 1249-1266.
- Koltyn, K. F., Crombie, K. M., Brellenthin, A. G., Leitzelar, B., Ellingson, L., Renken, J., & Mahoney, J. E. (2019). Intervening to reduce sedentary behavior in older adults – pilot results. Health Promotion Perspectives, 9, 71-76.
- Crombie, K. M., Leitzelar, B. N., Brellenthin, A. G., Hillard, C. J., & Koltyn, K. F. (2019). Loss of exercise- and stress-induced increases in circulating 2-arachidonoylgylcerol concentrations in adults with chronic PTSD. Biological Psychology, 145, 1-7.
- Bruehl, S., Burns, J. W., Morgan, A., Koltyn, K. F., Gupta, R., Buvanendran, A., Farrar-Edwards, D., Chont, M., Kingsley, P. J., Marnett, L., Stone, A., & Patel, S. (2019). The association between endogenous opioid function and morphine responsiveness: a moderating role for endocannabinoids. Pain, 160, 676-687.
- Crombie, K. M., Leitzelar, B. N., Almassi, N. E., Mahoney, J. E., & Koltyn, K. (2019). Translating a “Stand Up and Move More” intervention by state aging units to older adults in underserved communities: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Medicine, 98(27), e 16272.
Select Presentations
- Crombie, K. M., Leitzelar, B. N., Almassi, N. E., & Koltyn, K. F. (2020). Sedentary behavior and physical function in older adults following a randomized controlled sedentary behavior intervention. Presentation presented at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
- Almassi, N. E., Leitzelar, B. N., Crombie, K. M., & Koltyn, K. F. (2020). Changes in psychosocial outcomes in community-dwelling older adults following a “Stand Up and Move More” intervention. Presentation presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
- Litzelar, B. N., Almassi, N. E., Crombie, K. M., & Kotlyn, K. F. (2020). The effect of a sedentary behavior intervention on physical function and quality of life in African American older adults. Presentation presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Francisco, CA.
- Crombie, K. M., Koltyn, K. F., & Hillard, C. J. (2018). Voluntary exercise enhances the extinction of fear and reduces anxiety-like behaviors in wild-type but not CB1 receptor knock-out mice. Oral Presentation presented at the Annual Symposium of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, Leiden, Netherlands.
- Brellenthin, A. G., Crombie, K. M., Hillard, C. J., & Koltyn, K. F. (2017). Psychological responses to standard care and exercise in individuals with substance use disorder. Oral Presentation presented at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, Denver, CO.
- Crombie, K. M., Brellenthin, A. G., Tinklenberg, J. A., Lange, R., Beatka, M., Koltyn, K. F., & Hillard, C. J. (2017). Voluntary exercise in mice enhances the extinction of fear and increases endocannabinoid concentration in the amygdala. Oral Presentation presented at the Annual Symposium of the International Cannabinoid Research Society, Montreal, Quebec.
- Koltyn, K. F. (2016). The paradoxical relationship between exercise and pain. Oral Presentation presented at the The Mind and Pain in Motion Symposium, Bochum, Germany.
- Koltyn, K. F., Brellenthin, A. G., Crombie, K. M., & Hillard, C. J. (2015). Endocannabinoid and psychological changes following exercise in men and women. Oral Presentation presented at the Cannabinoid Function in the Central Nervous System: From Molecules to Disease Mechanisms, Lucca, Italy.