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RESEARCH

Anchor 6
Adolescent substance use
Substance use during adolescence has the potential to alter the developing prefrontal cortex and the behaviors that rely on mature prefrontal signaling. We study how opioids, cannabinoids, alcohol, and psychostimulant use during adolescence affects prefrontal activity and choices about probabilistic and delayed rewards in adulthood. 

 

Food insecurity
Lack of predictable access to healthy food is a risk factor for overweight/obesity and impulsivity. We model the effects of food insecurity across the lifespan on physiology and behavior.
Modulation of reward
​We compare sensitivities to different modalities of reward - e.g. palatable food, brain stimulation - and examine how these sensitivities are modified by physiological and pharmacological signals.

 

Techniques

Behavior

Progressive ratio

Delay discounting

Probabilistic discounting

Reversal learning

Go/NoGo

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Neural measurements

Fiber photometry

Single unit recordings 

 

Commonly Used Substances

Voluntary consumption of alcohol 

Adolescent treatment with opioids, cannabinoids, stimulants

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Brain stimulation reward

Rate-frequency sensitivity

Reward for behavioral tasks

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Chemogenetics

Excitatory and inhibitory DREADDS

 

Immunohistochemistry

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Science through art

Baking Bad: Good gingerbread gone wrong

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