A5090256216- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Axon Guidance and Neuronal Signaling
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Traumatic Brain Injury Research
- Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular Disturbances
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation
- Hedgehog Signaling Pathway Studies
- Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Diabetes Management and Research
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Image Processing Techniques and Applications
University of Washington
2018-2024
University of Maryland, Baltimore
2012-2024
University of Baltimore
2023
Washington Center
2023
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
2012-2022
Seattle University
2021-2022
Allen Institute for Brain Science
2015-2020
Indiana University School of Medicine
2012
Mary Kay (United States)
2012
Florida International University
2010
Typical therapies try to reverse pathogenic mechanisms. Here, we describe treatment effects achieved by enhancing depression-causing mechanisms in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons. In a social defeat stress model of depression, depressed (susceptible) mice display hyperactivity VTA DA neurons, caused an up-regulated hyperpolarization-activated current (I(h)). Mice resilient stress, however, exhibit stable normal firing these Unexpectedly, had even larger I(h), which was...
Abstract Although both males and females become addicted to cocaine, transition addiction faster experience greater difficulties remaining abstinent. We demonstrate an oestrous cycle-dependent mechanism controlling increased cocaine reward in females. During oestrus, ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neuron activity is enhanced drives post translational modifications at the transporter (DAT) increase ability of inhibit its function, effect mediated by estradiol. Female mice conditioned...
Abstract Anxiety disorders are complex diseases, and often co-occur with depression. It is as yet unclear if a common neural circuit controls anxiety-related behaviors in both anxiety-alone comorbid conditions. Here, utilizing the chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) paradigm that induces singular or combined anxiety- depressive-like phenotypes mice, we show ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine projecting to basolateral amygdala (BLA) selectively but not depression-like behaviors. Using...
Regulating Opioid Responses Different drugs of abuse are thought to highjack similar reward systems in the brain using common mechanisms. However, Koo et al. (p. 124 ) now observe that some neural mechanisms regulate opiate can be both different and even opposite those by stimulant drugs. While knockdown brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) ventral tegmental area mice antagonized response cocaine, same manipulation strengthened potential opiates increase dopamine neuron excitability....
Abstract Less than half of patients suffering from major depressive disorder, a leading cause disability worldwide, achieve remission with current antidepressants, making it imperative to develop more effective treatment. A new therapeutic direction is emerging the increased understanding natural resilience as an active stress-coping process. It known that potassium (K + ) channels in ventral tegmental area (VTA) are mediator resilience. However, no druggable targets have been identified...
Alcohol-use disorder (AUD) is the most prevalent substance-use worldwide. There substantial individual variability in alcohol drinking behaviors population, neural circuit mechanisms of which remain elusive. Utilizing vivo electrophysiological techniques, we find that low (LAD) mice have dramatically higher ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neuron firing and burst activity. Unexpectedly, VTA activity high (HAD) does not differ from naive mice. Optogenetically enhancing HAD decreases...
Abstract Increasing evidence suggests that the mesolimbic reward system plays critical roles in regulation of depression and nociception; however, its circuitry cellular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated output-specific regulatory dopaminergic (DA) neurons within ventral tegmental area (VTA) depressive-like nociceptive behaviors mice subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS), using projection-specific electrophysiological recording, pharmacological...
The role of somatostatin interneurons in nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain reward region, remains poorly understood due to the fact that these cells account for < 1% NAc neurons. Here, we use optogenetics, electrophysiology, and RNA-sequencing characterize transcriptome functioning after repeated exposure cocaine. We find activity regulates behavioral responses cocaine, with cocaine reducing excitability Repeated also induces transcriptome-wide changes gene expression within interneurons....
This study examined parental involvement in terms of communication and support these variables relationship to diabetes management responsibility metabolic control from the perspective adolescents. The sample consisted 27 adolescents who were 12 19 years age (M=15.0 years, SD=1.9) had type 1 diabetes. Participants completed Independent Functioning, Decision Making, Parent-Adolescent Communication, Parental Support Checklists. Adolescents reported relatively high level with parents low...
Abstract Background Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is common in civilians and highly prevalent among military service members. mTBI can increase health risk behaviors (e.g., sensation seeking, impulsivity) addiction for alcohol use disorder (AUD)), but how substance might interact to promote remains poorly understood. Likewise, potential differences single vs. repetitive relation use/abuse have not been previously examined. Methods Here, we examined a history of (1×) or (3×) blast...
The axonal guidance cue netrin-1 serves a critical role in neural circuit development by promoting growth cone motility, branching, and synaptogenesis. Within the adult mouse brain, expression of gene encoding (Ntn1) is highly enriched ventral midbrain where it expressed both GABAergic dopaminergic neurons, but its function these cell types system remains largely unknown. To address this, we performed viral-mediated, cell-type specific CRISPR-Cas9 mutagenesis Ntn1 tegmental area (VTA) mice....
Dopamine is broadly implicated in reinforcement learning, but how patterns of dopamine activity are generated poorly resolved. Here, we demonstrate that two ion channels, Kv4.3 and BKCa1.1, regulate the pattern neuron firing release on different time scales to influence separate phases reinforced behavior mice. Inactivation VTA neurons increases ex vivo pacemaker excitability associated with increased rate ramping dynamics before lever press a learned instrumental paradigm. Loss enhances...
Arcuate nucleus neuropeptide Y/agouti-related peptide (NPY/AgRP) neurons drive ingestive behavior. The M-current, a subthreshold non-inactivating potassium current, plays critical role in regulating NPY/AgRP neuronal excitability. Fasting decreases while 17β-estradiol increases the M-current by mRNA expression of Kcnq2, 3, and 5 (Kv7.2, 5) channel subunits. Incorporating KCNQ3 into heteromeric channels has been considered essential to generate robust M-current. Therefore, we investigated...
<h3>Abstract</h3> Neuropeptides within the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) potently modulate neuronal excitability and have been shown to regulate conditioned threat discrimination anxiety. Here, we investigated role κ opioid receptor (KOR) its endogenous ligand dynorphin in CeA for regulation anxiety-like behavior mice. We demonstrate that reduced KOR expression through genetic inactivation encoding gene, <i>Oprk1</i>, results increased impaired discrimination. In contrast, reduction...
Significance Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) adversely impacts >1% of children, causing social interaction deficits, repetitive behaviors, and communication disorders. Genetic analysis ASD has advanced dramatically through genome sequencing, which identified >500 genes with mutations in ASD. Mutations the voltage sensor voltage-gated potassium (K V ) channel K 7 are frequently associated We discovered that these cause an ionic leak sensor, termed gating pore current. When were inserted...