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Undergraduate Institution and Major/Degree:
- Univ. of Wisconsin -
Madison, BS, Neurobiology and Psychology, 2004
Major Advisor(s):
Research Description:
The adaptations in brain function that result from drug use and lead to addiction depend on the pattern of drug administration – specifically, whether a drug is administered continuously or intermittently. Because human drug abuse is inherently intermittent, particularly in its early stages, we are interested in understanding the unique effects of intermittent drug exposure in rodents. We have focused on the contribution of events that occur during drug offset (i.e., acute withdrawal), and developed a model of anxiety-like behavior (an increase in the magnitude of the acoustic startle reflex) during acute withdrawal. Our experiments suggest recurrent episodes of acute withdrawal may play a role in the development of psychomotor sensitization, a lasting enhancement of drug sensitivity that is most robust after intermittent drug exposure. We also use brain slice physiology to study cellular adaptations in the nucleus accumbens that may contribute to enhancements of drug sensitivity caused by previous drug exposure or stressful experience.
Lab Rotations:
- Jonathan Gewirtz
- Mark Thomas
- David Redish
Courses Taken Beyond the Core Courses:
- Psychology 8060 - Neural substrates of mental processes
- Psychology 8960 - Graduate seminar in psychology: synaptic plasticity in addiction
- Psychology 5012: Learning & Cognition in Animals
- Statistics 5303: Designing Experiments
- Pharmacology 5462: Neuroscience Principles of Drug Abuse
Graduate Level Minor(s):
Conferences Attended:
- Society for Neuroscience annual meeting - 2004-2008
- Society for Psychophysiological Research annual meeting - 2003,
2004
- Research Society on Alcoholism annual meeting: 2004
- Cellular Biology of Addiction, Cold Spring Harbor: 2007
- Forum of European Neuroscience: 2006
Committee Members:
- Mark Thomas (advisor)
- Paul Mermelstein (chair)
- Jonathan Gewirtz
- William Engeland
Publications and Presentations:
Kourrich, S., Rothwell, P.E., Klug, J.R., & Thomas, M.J. (2007). Cocaine experience controls bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens. Journal of Neuroscience 27, 7921-7928.
Harris, A.C., Rothwell, P.E., & Gewirtz, J.C. (2008). Effects of the NMDA receptor antagonist memantine on the expression and development of acute opiate dependence as assessed by withdrawal-potentiated startle and hyperalgesia. Psychopharmacology 196, 649-660.
Rothwell P.E., Thomas M.J. & Gewirtz J.C. (submitted). Anxiety-like and aversive consequences of spontaneous withdrawal following acute morphine exposure in rats.
Rothwell P.E., Gewirtz J.C. & Thomas M.J. (in preparation). Recurrent withdrawal episodes drive psychomotor sensitization during intermittent morphine exposure in rats.
Awards and Honors:
- Graduate School Fellowship, University of
Minnesota, 2004-2005
- Smithberg Memorial Prize, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, 2005
- Travel Award for the Forum of European Neuroscience, Society for Neuroscience, 2006
- NIDA Training Grant Predoctoral Fellowship, University of Minnesota, 2005-2008
- National Research Service Award (F31), National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2008-2010
- Richard Poppele Award, 2008
- Stark Award, 2007
Professional Memberships:
Home Town:
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