Our research focuses on studying how exposure to antidepressants,
stimulants, and other psychotropic drugs, as well as physical and
emotional stress, leads to neurobiological adaptations of brain pathways
involved in regulating reward, mood, and motivation in developmentally
immature and adult animal models. We use a multilevel approach that
involves behavioral, biochemical, and psychopharmacological analyses.
In addition, we use in vivo gene transfer, using viral vectors, to
regulate the expression of specific genes in discrete brain regions.
The overall goal is to better understand ways in which the developing
and adult brain responds to environmental, pharmacological and genetic
manipulations resulting in pathological conditions.
Publications
Selected Publications
Bolaños, C.A., Clair, M.A., Garmsen, G.M., and McDougall,
S.A. (1996). Effects of the kappa opioid agonist U-50,488 on morphine-induced
place preference conditioning in the preweanling and periadolescent
rat. European Journal of Pharmacology, 317, 1-8.
Bolaños, C.A., Glatt, S.J., and Jackson, D. (1998). Subsensitivity
to dopaminergic drugs in periadolescent rats: a behavioral and neurochemical
analysis. Developmental Brain Research, 111, 25-33.
Eisch, A.J., Bolaños, C.A., de Wit, J., Simonak, R.D., Pudiak,
C.M., Barrot, M., Verhaagen, J., and Nestler, E.J. (2003). BDNF in
the ventral midbrain-nucleus accumbens pathway: a role in depression.
Biological Psychiatry, 54, 994-1005.
Bolaños, C.A., Perrotti, L.P., Edwards, S., Eisch, A.J., Barrot,
M., Olson, V.G., Russell, D.S., Neve, R.L., and Nestler, E.J. (2003).
Viral-mediated gene transfer of phospholipase C- in distinct regions
of the ventral tegmental area differentially modulates mood-related
behaviors. The Journal of Neuroscience, 23, 7569-7576.
Bolaños, C.A., Barrot, M., Berton, O., Wallace-Black, D.,
and Nestler, E.J. (2003). Methylphenidate treatment during juvenile
period changes behavioral responses to emotional stimuli at adulthood.
Biological Psychiatry, 54, 2317-1329.
Bolaños, C.A. and Nestler, E.J. (2004). Neurotrophic Mechanisms
in Drug Addiction. (Review) NeuroMolecular Medicine, 5, 69-84.
