A5011206891- Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Neurological disorders and treatments
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Mental Health Research Topics
- Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
- Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
- Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Genetic Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
University of Haifa
2018-2025
Weizmann Institute of Science
2012-2017
Tel Aviv University
2007-2010
The ability to distinguish danger from safety is crucial for survival. On the other hand, anxiety disorders can result failures dissociate safe cues those that predict dangerous outcomes. amygdala plays a major role in learning and signaling danger, recently, evidence accumulates it also acquires information signal safety. Traditionally, explored by paradigms change value of previously cue, such as extinction or reversal; showing cue inhibit responses another danger-predicting...
Serotonin 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) mechanism mediating anti-compulsive effects serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Yet it is currently unclear whether activation or blockade these would an effect. The present study tested signal attenuation rat model OCD. In this model, 'compulsive' behaviour induced by attenuating a indicating that lever-press response was effective producing food. Experiments 1–4 revealed...
Functional abnormalities in the dorsal-anterior-cingulate-cortex (dACC) underlie anxiety disorders and specifically post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Promising common behavioral approaches have limited effectiveness many subjects exhibit spontaneous recovery of fear, as also evident animal models following extinction training. Here, we use low-frequency stimulation (LFS), a protocol shown to induce long-term depression, with aim affecting synaptic plasticity induced by fear acquisition...
Abstract Different lines of evidence point to dysfunction basal ganglia‐thalamocortical circuits in obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD). It has been hypothesized that the circuits' OCD may be characterized by a relative under‐activity indirect compared with direct pathway within these circuits. The present study tested whether lesions subthalamic nucleus (STN), major node pathway, would affect compulsive behavior, using signal attenuation rat model OCD. In this model, lever‐pressing is...
Rats undergoing extinction of lever pressing after an external feedback for this behavior was attenuated by extinguishing its Pavlovian association with the reward (signal attenuation) exhibit compulsive pressing. The present study tested effects temporary inactivation orbital cortex in rats that or not preceded signal attenuation (post-training and regular extinction, respectively). Orbital led to a nonspecific decrease post-training emergence compulsive-like extinction. These results...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric that afflicts many individuals. However, its molecular and cellular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, we found PTSD susceptible mice exhibited significant up-regulation of alpha-Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (αCaMKII) in the lateral amygdala (LA). Consistently, increasing αCaMKII LA not only caused PTSD-like behaviors such as impaired fear extinction anxiety-like behaviors, but also attenuated N-methyl-D-aspartate...
Abstract Innate defensive responses, though primarily instinctive, must also be highly adaptive to changes in risk assessment. However, can become maladaptive, following severe stress, as seen posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a series of experiments, we observed long-term innate escape behavior male mice towards previously non-threatening stimulus an adverse shock experience manifested shift the threshold threat response. By recording neural activity superior colliculus (SC) while...
Shifting between goal-directed and habitual behaviors is essential for daily functioning. An inability to do so associated with various clinical conditions, such as obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Here we developed a new behavioral model in mice allowing us produce examine the development of different under or control. By using overtraining instrumental associations two levers rewards, later devaluating one differentiate explore motivational control within task which consequentially...
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) currently is studied for the treatment of therapy refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). DBS may however also serve as an experimental approach in mapping regions implicated OCD pathogenesis. Here, we investigated involvement subthalamic nucleus (STN) manifestation and two rat models OCD: 1. We effects bilateral on compulsive checking behavior rats quinpirole (QNP) model demonstrate that STN-DBS significantly reduced OCD-like behavior. 2. effect...
Abstract Innate defensive responses, while primarily instinctive, must also be flexible and highly adaptive to changes in risk assessment. As such, efficient innate escape behavior requires intricate processing minimize reaction time maximizing the success adaptivity of action. The superior colliculus (SC) is a subcortical sensorimotor integration center linking sensory threat information escape. Adaptive after learning could take maladaptive turn severe stress. Posttraumatic stress disorder...