Graduate student Ally Scott was awarded a MnDRIVE Neuromodulation Research Fellowship to study the role of “Ventral Pallidal GABAergic Projections to Lateral Hypothalamus in Cue-Elicited Reward Seeking and Eating Behavior.” Her project uses chemogenetic neuromodulation with designer receptors to examine if GABAergic ventral pallidal neurons and their projections to the lateral hypothalamus stimulate or inhibit food intake. More information can be found on the MnDRIVE website.

Congratulations Ally!!!

The lab was recently awarded an NIH Research Project Grant Program (R01) to study the neural mechanisms of compulsive alcohol use. The project is entitled "Glutamatergic basal forebrain neurons in aversion-resistant drinking.” Aversion-resistant drinking is a model of compulsive alcohol use, in which alcohol exposure makes rodents less sensitive to the addition of bitter quinine to their alcohol solutions (they keep drinking even when you make the alcohol really bitter!). Our proposal focused on glutamate neurons in the ventral pallidum, lateral hypothalamus, and the lateral preoptic area, which are known to respond to aversive stimuli. Our experiments will examine how alcohol exposure changes the activity patterns of these neurons, and whether these alcohol-induced changes contribute to aversion-resistant drinking.

We are looking for new team members to help us with this and other projects! We currently have job postings listed for new research technicians (“Researcher 1"s at UMN) and a new postdoctoral fellow. To apply for the research technician opening go to https://humanresources.umn.edu/content/find-job…… -- click external and then enter job code 339305. To apply for the postdoc position please enter code 339306. Please see our “Join the Lab” page for more information.

Erica presented her UROP project at the recent Undergraduate Research Showcase at the UMN Duluth campus. Erica is examining the effects of alcohol vapor exposure on the expression of c-Fos in the ventral pallidum (VP) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) after exposure to alcohol cues. Thanks to everyone who came by the poster!

Christelle presented the lab’s first ever SFN poster at the 2019 meeting in Chicago. The objective of her project is to investigate the contributions of distinct ventral pallidum output pathways in cue-elicited reward seeking, reinforcement and choice. She is using a dual virus approach to optogenetically manipulate activity in projections to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the mediodorsal thalamus. Christelle has found that while projections to the VTA support positive reinforcement (via intracranial self-stimulation), projections to the mediodorsal thalamus. Additionally, activate of either pathways may alter the vigor of cue-elicited behavior, depending on the specific pattern and length of stimulation. Thanks to everyone who came by the poster!