A5022245012- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Ion channel regulation and function
- Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Cellular transport and secretion
- Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Epilepsy research and treatment
- Diabetes Treatment and Management
- Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- RNA regulation and disease
- Redox biology and oxidative stress
- Nuclear Receptors and Signaling
- Genomics, phytochemicals, and oxidative stress
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Pharmacological Effects and Toxicity Studies
University of Kentucky
2019-2025
University of South Carolina
2014-2020
University of Florida
2020
University of Pennsylvania
2012-2014
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
2008-2012
Georgetown University
2003-2011
Institut Interdisciplinaire de Neuroscience
2008
Reduced N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor (NMDAR) signaling has been associated with schizophrenia, autism and intellectual disability. NMDAR-hypofunction is thought to contribute social, cognitive gamma (30-80 Hz) oscillatory abnormalities, phenotypes common these disorders. However, circuit-level mechanisms underlying such deficits remain unclear. This study investigated the relationship between synchrony, excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) signaling, behavioral in NMDA-NR1(neo-/-) mice, which have...
Medium spiny neurons (MSNs) provide the principal output for dorsal striatum. Those that express dopamine D 2 receptors (D + ) project to globus pallidus external and are thought inhibit movement, whereas those 1 substantia nigra pars reticulata facilitate movement. Whole-cell outside-out patch recordings in slices from bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mice examined role of GABA A receptor-mediated currents receptor striatonigral striatopallidal MSNs. Although inhibitory synaptic...
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) activation in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is physiologically relevant for control of palatable food intake. Here, we tested whether intake-suppressive effects VTA GLP-1R are mediated by glutamatergic signaling within VTA. Intra-VTA injections agonist exendin-4 (Ex-4) reduced high-fat intake rats primarily reducing meal size; these were part via AMPA/kainate but not NMDA signaling. Additional behavioral data indicated that expressed specifically...
The CRISPR/Cas9 systems have revolutionized the field of genome editing by providing unprecedented control over gene sequences and expression in many species, including humans. Lentiviral vectors (LVs) are one primary delivery platforms for system due to their ability accommodate large DNA payloads sustain robust a wide range dividing non-dividing cells. However, long-term LV-delivered Cas9/guide RNA may lead undesirable off-target effects characterized non-specific RNA-DNA interactions...
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) activation in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core is pharmacologically and physiologically relevant for regulating palatable food intake. Here, we assess whether GLP-1R signaling NAc of rats modulates GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs) through presynaptic-glutamatergic and/or presynaptic-dopaminergic to control feeding. First, ex vivo fast-scan cyclic voltammetry showed that agonist exendin-4 (Ex-4) does not alter dopamine release core. Instead,...
Smoking is the largest preventable cause of death and disease in United States. However, <5% quit attempts are successful, underscoring urgent need for novel therapeutics. Microglia one untapped therapeutic target. While previous studies have shown that microglia mediate both inflammatory responses brain plasticity, little known regarding their role nicotine dependence withdrawal phenotypes. Here, we examined microglial changes striatum-a mesolimbic region implicated rewarding effects drugs...
The discovery that neuroligin is a key protein involved in synapse formation offers the unprecedented opportunity to induce functional synapses between neurons and heterologous cells. We took this recording for first-time synaptic currents human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells transfected with N-methyl-d-aspartate or AMPA receptor subunits co-culture rat cerebellar granule These were similar recorded neurons, their decay kinetics was determined by postsynaptic subunit combination....
Abstract Recent evidence indicates that activation of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) receptors reduces cocaine‐mediated behaviors and cocaine‐evoked dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, no studies have examined role NAc GLP‐1 reinstatement cocaine‐seeking behavior, an animal model relapse. Here, we show systemic infusion a behaviorally relevant dose receptor agonist exendin‐4 penetrated brain localized with neurons astrocytes NAc. Administration directly into core shell...
Distinct alpha subunit subtypes in the molecular assembly of GABA(A) receptors are a critical determinant functional properties inhibitory synapses and their modulation by range pharmacological agents. We investigated contribution these subunits to developmental changes cerebellar granule neurons primary cultures from wild-type alpha1 -/- mice. The decay time miniature postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) halved between 6 days vitro (DIV6) DIV12. This was paralleled decrease alpha2 alpha3...
The fumarate ester dimethyl (DMF) has been introduced recently as a treatment for relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), chronic inflammatory condition that results in neuronal demyelination and axonal loss. DMF is known to act by depleting intracellular glutathione modifying thiols on Keap1 protein, resulting the stabilization of transcription factor Nrf2, which turn induces expression antioxidant response element genes. We have previously shown reacts with wide range protein...
The loss of more than half the number GABA A receptors yet lack pronounced phenotype in mice lacking gene for α1 subunit is somewhat paradoxical. We explored role tonic receptor-mediated current as a target compensatory regulation knock-out (−/−) mice. 62% increase was observed cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) −/− compared with wild-type (+/+) along 67% baseline variance. Examination whole-cell currents evoked by low concentrations and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol suggested...
Abstract GABA A receptor subtypes comprising the α1 and α3 subunits change with development have a specific anatomical localization in adult brain. These been previously demonstrated to greatly differ deactivation kinetics but underlying gating mechanisms not fully elucidated. Therefore, we expressed rat α1β2γ2 α3β2γ2 receptors human embryonic kidney 293 cells recorded current responses ultrafast applications at macroscopic single‐channel levels. We found that slow of α3β2γ2‐mediated...
We previously showed that after repeated exposure to cocaine, D1-like dopamine receptor (D1DR) stimulation reverses plastic changes of AMPA receptor-mediated signaling in the nucleus accumbens shell. However, there is little information on impact cocaine self-administration D1–NMDA interactions this brain region. Here, using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, we assessed whether alters effects D1DR synaptic and extrasynaptic NMDA receptors (NMDARs). In slices from cocaine-naive rats,...
Dopamine is critical for processing of reward and etiology drug addiction. Astrocytes throughout the brain express dopamine receptors, but consequences astrocytic receptor signaling are not well established. We found that extracellular triggered rapid concentration-dependent stellation processes was a result oxidation instead relied on both cAMP-dependent cAMP-independent signaling. This accompanied by reduced duration increased frequency Ca 2+ transients, little effect voltage-gated...