Research is conducted from the level of behavior to the level of gene expression. I am particularly interested in opioid-receptor dependent LTP, which is best characterized in the mossy fiber projection to area CA3 of hippocampus. Secondary genes associated with LTP induction have been isolated using cDNA subtraction hybridization. Some of these are novel.
Animals learn to self-administer amphetamine into their nucleus accumbens via a microdialysis probe.
As this is a kind of learning, we have identified genes associated with this self administration paradigm using cDNA subtraction hybridization. As was the case for LTP, some of the identified genes are novel. An overall goal of this research is to find common secondary target genes associated with these various forms and models of learning. Member, Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1998-2001. Principal Investigator, Enkephalins and Learning, National Institute of Drug Abuse, RO1 DA 04195, 1987-2000.