Areas of Research
My research is focused on understanding abnormalities in the neural circuits that underlie different psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and anorexia nervosa. My approach involves using behavioral neuroscience to model features of these disorders in rodents and modern molecular tools to identify changes in relevant brain regions. There are currently four main ongoing projects in the lab.
Serotonin and Fear Learning
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a widely used class of antidepressant. We have previously characterized the effects of systemic SSRI treatment on fear learning, as measured by changes in auditory fear conditioning. One focus of the lab is to investigate the role of the extended amygdala in mediating these serotonin-induced changes in fear learning.
The Effects of Chronic Stress on Cognition and Mood
A second focus of the lab involves identifying how chronic stress affects associative learning and information flow in the underlying fear circuit. In addition, we are using chronic stress to investigate whether a diet enriched with curcumin ameliorates symptoms associated with depression and anxiety.
Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Cognitive Flexibility
We have previously established a role for adult-born neurons in the hippocampus in cognitive flexibility, an ability that is impaired in numerous psychiatric disorders. An additional focus of the lab is to characterize the effects of dietary curcumin on adult hippocampal neurogenesis, cognitive flexibility, and other forms of neurogenesis-dependent learning.
Neurobiology of Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a life-threatening psychiatric disorder that is poorly understood and without effective treatments. Another focus of the lab is to identify neural mechanisms mediating risk and resilience to anorexia with a focus on dopamine.