Marina Picciotto, PhD
Charles B. G. Murphy Professor of Psychiatry and Professor in the Child Study Center, of Neuroscience and of PharmacologyCards
About
Research
Overview
Our goal is to understand the role of single molecules in both typical behaviors and those relevant to psychiatric illness. We use molecular genetic, pharmacological and in vivo imaging approaches to link the biochemical, cellular, and anatomical levels of investigation to behavior. A primary focus is the role of acetylcholine signaling in brain development and function.
We also use proteomic approaches to discover signaling molecules downstream of nicotinic receptors that may mediate long-term changes in behavior following receptor activation. Ultimately, integration of studies at the molecular, cellular, and systems levels will be necessary to understand the neurobiological basis for expression and plasticity of complex behaviors.
Current projects include:
- Sex differences in molecules and circuits underlying behaviors relevant to alcohol or nicotine addiction
- Long-range circuits involved in reward enhancement relevant to addiction
- Intracellular signaling pathways involved in the transition to behaviors related to nicotine addiction
- Cholinergic compounds as novel anxiolytics or antidepressants
- Interactions between acetylcholine and GABA signaling in BLA involved in stress-induced alcohol intake: sex differences and role of microglial signaling
- Effects of acetylcholine on brain-body interactions related to contextual tolerance to opiates
Medical Research Interests
Acetylcholine; Alcohol Drinking; Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms; Mental Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Neurobiology; Neurosciences; Nicotine; Opiate Alkaloids; Pharmacology; Stress, Psychological
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
News & Links
Media
- (A) Heatmap of calcium-dependent fluorescence signals in VTA-to-VP GABA neurons across 5 CRT sessions on consecutive days. Signals were aligned to the time of magazine entry (0 sec). (B) The area under the curve (AUC) of fluorescence signals measured from (A). Upper panel shows the fluorescence change across 5 sessions. Lower panel shows the AUCs calculated from the upper panel curves from 0 – 5 sec (grey area). Each dot represents the averaged AUC of the fluorescence signals measured in one mouse in one session. One-way ANOVA of the signal AUC across 5 sessions: F(4, 30) = 0.034; p = 0.998. N = 7 mice. (C) Heatmap of fluorescence signals in terminals of VTA-to-VP GABA neurons during FR1 responding to different sizes of reward (reward delivery for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 sec). (D) The AUC of fluorescence signals measured from (C). Upper panel shows the fluorescence change in response to different sizes of reward. Lower panel shows the AUCs calculated from the upper panel curves.
- Heatmap of BLA ACh signaling in a mouse across training phases of a reward learning task, aligned to tone onset (Tone), correct nose poke (NP), and receptacle entry (Rec). Each row is the average of rewarded trials across a training session. White dashed horizontal line: first Training day earning 10 rewards. Horizontal white line: acquisition threshold, when a mouse began to earn 20 rewards consistently in Training. Black horizontal lines: divisions between training phases. Black vertical lines: divisions between breaks in time to allow for variable latencies in tone onset, correct nose poke, and receptacle entry (reward retrieval).
- Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) measured by nicotinic binding in wild type (left), knockout and inducible transgenic mice. Localized expression of high affinity nAChRs in ventral tegmental neurons (right) is important for normal nicotine-induced locomotor activation.
- Localized expression of high affinity nAChRs in layer 6 corticothalamic neurons (right) is important for normal passive avoidance learning.
News
- December 15, 2024
Kavli Institute at Yale: 20 Years of Innovation
- August 30, 2024
Kavli Institute for Neuroscience Celebrates 20 Years with Symposium on Sept. 20
- April 25, 2024
3 From Yale School of Medicine Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- April 24, 2024
Picciotto Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences