Laboratory of Developmental Neuropharmacology

In a news release this week, The Jackson Laboratory commented on our recent paper investigating dopaminergic circuitry in Angelman syndrome model mice published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation (122(12): 4544-54, 2012 Dec 3). A link to the news piece, including a podcast of an interview with the PI, can be found on the JAX Notes webpage, here.

Our Laboratory Manager, Michael Krouse, presented a poster titled “Neuropharmacology of Motivation and Reward in a Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome” at the 2012 annual SfN meeting in New Orleans, LA.  A copy of the poster can be found here:  Fragile X – SfN 2012

A paper entitled “Pathway-specific dopaminergic deficits in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome” from the Malanga Lab was recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (Impact Factor = 13.1). This work was the result of a collaboration between the Malanga Lab, the Philpot Lab in the Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, and the Wightman Lab in the Department of Chemistry. Thorfinn Riday (Philpot Lab) and Elyse Dankoski (Wightman Lab), graduate students in the UNC Neurobiology Curriculum, were first and second authors, respectively. Eric Fish and Michael Krouse (Malanga Lab) also contributed.

Our recent publication in Behavioural Brain Research comparing the behavioral effects of the “bath salt” mephedrone to those of cocaine was featured on the UNC School of Medicine Vital Signs webpage and received national and international attention. See the links below for press coverage.

UNC School of Medicine: http://www.med.unc.edu/neurology/news/synthetic-stimulants-called-2018bath-salts2019-act-in-the-brain-like-cocaine

In the United States: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/07/26/illegal-bath-salts-mimic-cocaine-in-the-brain-study

In the United Kingdom: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2178325/Meow-meow-Banned-bath-salts-effect-brain-way-cocaine.html

Eric and Elliott showed some exciting data from their projects investigating the effects of the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam on cocaine- and alcohol-related behaviors at the 2012 annual RSA meeting, June 23-27 in San Francisco. Check out the posters below (and look out for these findings in press in the near future).

Elliott’s Poster:  Levetiracetam and ICSS – RSA 2012

Eric’s Poster:  Levetiracetam and Drinking – RSA 2012