| |
| In
research with animals, my students and
I use rats to study the role played by
various neurotransmitters, especially dopamine,
in reward-related incentive learning. Results
suggest that dopamine alters the ability
of environmental stimuli associated with
reward to elicit approach and other responses
in the future. The underlying mechanism
involves D1-like receptors and a number
of kinases and phosphatases possibly changing
glutamate synaptic effectiveness in the
striatum.
Techniques include: behavioural tests of
unconditioned and conditioned locomotor
activity, place conditioning, lever press
and maze learning and memory tasks; systemic
or central injections of pharmacological
compounds; and histology. In research with
human participants diagnosed with Parkinson's
disease or schizophrenia we study the role
of dopamine and the effects of antipsychotic
drugs on cognitive abilities including
non-declarative memory. These studies with
humans complement those with animals in
revealing the role played by various neurotransmitters
in the control of behaviour. |
