A5028552226- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- Adipose Tissue and Metabolism
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Sleep and related disorders
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
- Parkinson's Disease Mechanisms and Treatments
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Nerve injury and regeneration
- Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Trypanosoma species research and implications
- Infant Health and Development
UNSW Sydney
2010-2024
Neuroscience Research Australia
2017-2023
University of Utah
2015-2022
ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function
2021
Australian Research Council
2021
The University of Sydney
2010-2017
Mind Australia
2015
MIND Research Institute
2014
Robert Bosch (Australia)
2013
Access to highly palatable and calorically dense foods contributes increasing rates of obesity worldwide. Some have made the controversial argument that consumption such can lead "food addiction," yet little is known about how long-term access might alter goal-directed learning decision making. In following experiments, rats were given 5 weeks continuous or restricted daily sweetened condensed milk (SCM) before instrumental training for food reward. Subsequently we examined whether...
Abstract Hypocretin/orexin has a well‐established role in wakefulness and the maintenance of arousal. Because stress is associated with arousal, it been proposed that hypocretin also involved stress. However, not clear if this true for all forms To clarify issue, we compared four conditions combining high arousal no or low (wakefulness exploration) (contextual fear restraint) rat. We looked at Fos expression neurons, hypocretin‐1 levels cerebrospinal fluid cardiovascular behavioural changes...
Abstract Artificial perception technologies capable of sensing and feeling mechanical stimuli like human skins are critical enablers for electronic (E‐Skins) needed to achieve artificial intelligence. However, most the reported skin systems lack capability process interpret sensor data. Herein, a new design perceptual system integrating ZnO‐based synaptic devices with Pt/carbon nanofibers‐based strain sensors detection information processing is presented. Benefiting from controllable ion...
Extinction promotes abstinence from drug seeking. expression is an active process, dependent on infralimbic prefrontal cortex (ilPFC). However, the neurocircuitry mediating extinction unknown. Here we studied neural mechanisms for of alcoholic beer seeking in rats. We first examined pattern activation projections to medial dorsal hypothalamus (MDH) (i.e., perifornical and dorsomedial nuclei) during expression. Double labeling retrograde tracer cholera toxin B subunit (CTb) neuronal activity...
The nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) is required to inhibit drug seeking after extinction training. Conversely, the lateral hypothalamus (LH), which receives projections from AcbSh, mediates reinstatement of previously extinguished seeking. We hypothesized that reversible inactivation AcbSh using GABA agonists (baclofen/muscimol) would reinstate alcohol and increase neuronal activation in LH. Rats underwent self-administration training for 4% (v/v) alcoholic beer followed by extinction....
Addiction is characterized by a persistent loss of behavioral control resulting in insensitivity to negative feedback and abnormal decision-making. Here, we investigated the influence methamphetamine (METH)-paired contextual cues on decision-making rats. Choice between goal-directed actions was sensitive outcome devaluation saline-paired context but impaired METH-paired context, deficit that also found when provided. Reductions c-Fos-related immunoreactivity were dorsomedial striatum (DMS)...
Recognition memory provides the ability to distinguish familiar from novel objects and places, is important for recording updating events guide appropriate behavior. The hippocampus (HPC) medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) have both been implicated in recognition memory, but nature of HPC-mPFC interactions, its impact on local circuits mediating this process not known. Here we show that novelty discrimination accompanied with higher theta activity (4-10 Hz) increased c-Fos expression these...
Abstract Psychological stress evokes increases in sympathetic activity and blood pressure, which are due at least part to an upward resetting of the baroreceptor‐sympathetic reflex. In this study we determined whether premotor neurons rostral ventrolateral medulla ( RVLM ), have a critical role reflex control activity, activated during air puff stress, moderate psychological stressor. Secondly, identified that by also project nucleus tractus solitarius NTS key site for modulation...
Abstract Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by cycles of abuse, withdrawal, and relapse. Neuroadaptations in the basal ganglia are observed AUD; specifically putamen, globus pallidus (GP), ventral pallidum (VP). These regions associated with habit formation, drug‐seeking behaviors, reward processing. While previous studies have shown crucial role glial cells drug seeking, it remains unknown whether altered AUD. Glial GP, VP were examined human post‐mortem tissue AUD alcohol...
Pavlovian fear conditioning depends on prediction error, or the discrepancy between actual and expected outcomes. We used immunohistochemistry, neuronal tract tracing, reversible inactivation to study role of prefrontal cortex thalamocortical pathways in predictive learning. Unexpected, but not expected, conditioned stimulus (CS)-unconditioned (US) presentations caused increased c-Fos expression (PFC), midline thalamus, lateral amygdala, as well retrograde labeled thalamic afferents PFC....
Abstract Goal‐directed actions are controlled by the value of consequences they produce and so increase when what is valuable decrease it not. With continued invariant practice, however, goal‐directed can become habits, not their but antecedent, reward‐related states stimuli. Here, we show that pre‐exposure to methamphetamine (METH) caused abnormally rapid development habitual control. Furthermore, these drug‐induced habits differed strikingly from conventional habits; found were insensitive...
Cortico-striatal neurocircuits mediate goal-directed and habitual actions which are necessary for adaptive behaviour. It has recently been proposed that some of the core symptoms autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS), such as tics other repetitive behaviours, may emerge because imbalances in these neurocircuits. We have developed a model ASD GTS by knocking down Immp2l, mitochondrial gene frequently associated with disorders. The current study sought to...
Mitochondrial dysfunction is strongly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the Inner mitochondrial membrane protein 2-like (IMMP2L) gene linked to inheritance. However, biological basis of this linkage unknown notwithstanding independent reports oxidative stress in association both IMMP2L ASD. To better understand IMMP2L’s behaviour, we developed Immp2lKD knockout (KO) mouse model which devoid Immp2l peptidase activity. −/− KO mice do not display any core behavioural symptoms...
Rats were shocked in a context and then exposed to that the absence of shock. Shorter intervals between these extinction trials produced more long-term freezing than did longer ones, shorter final trial test ones. A short interval with an extinguished conditioned stimulus (CS) one, nonreinforced exposure CS reinstated when was tested 24 hr later. The results suggest recent fear acts favor subsequent retrieval memory formed at conditioning rather render retrieved salient.
Abstract Toluene is a commonly abused inhalant that easily accessible to adolescents. Despite the increasing incidence of use, our understanding its long‐term impact remains limited. Here, we used range techniques examine acute and chronic effects toluene exposure on glutameteric GABA ergic function, indices psychological function in adult rats after adolescent exposure. Metabolomics conducted cortical tissue established produces alterations cellular metabolism indicative glutamatergic...
Ethanol has rewarding and aversive properties, the balance of these properties influences voluntary ethanol consumption. Preclinical clinical evidence show that limit intake. The neural circuits underlying ethanol-induced aversion learning are not fully understood. We have previously shown lateral habenula (LHb), a region critical for conditioning, plays an important role in ethanol-directed behaviors. However, neurocircuitry through which LHb exerts its actions is unknown.In present study,...
The recently developed DJ-1 knockout (KO) rat models the (or PARK7) loss-of-function mutation responsible for one form of early-onset familial Parkinson's disease (PD). Prior studies demonstrate that KO rats present progressive dopamine (DA) cell body degeneration in substantia nigra pars compacta between 4 and 8 months age. Furthermore, as some motor deficits emerge before significant loss DA cells, this may yield a period neuron dysfunction preceding death also contribute to cognitive...
We studied the role of cocaine and amphetamine related transcript (CART) in regulating context induced reinstatement (renewal) reward seeking. Rats were trained to respond for alcoholic beer A before extinction B. tested responding (ABA) B (ABB). Intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusions active fragment CART55-102 but not inactive CART1-27 test prevented ABA renewal extinguished responding. ICV had no effect on also altered profile behavioral responses observed training (ABB) context. These...
Goldberg-Shprintzen syndrome is a poorly understood condition characterized by learning difficulties, facial dysmorphism, microcephaly, and Hirschsprung disease. GOSHS due to recessive mutations in KIAA1279, which encodes kinesin family member 1 binding protein (KIF1BP, also known as KBP). We examined the effects of inactivation Kif1bp mice. Mice lacking died shortly after birth, exhibited smaller brains, olfactory bulbs anterior commissures, defects vagal sympathetic innervation gut. was...