Meenakshi Alreja, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and of NeuroscienceCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director, Minority Recruitment, Psychiatry Department
Director, Postdoctoral Affairs, Psychiatry Department
Contact Info
Psychiatry
Ribicoff Research Facilities, 34 Park St
New Haven, CT 06508
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director, Minority Recruitment, Psychiatry Department
Director, Postdoctoral Affairs, Psychiatry Department
Contact Info
Psychiatry
Ribicoff Research Facilities, 34 Park St
New Haven, CT 06508
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Director, Minority Recruitment, Psychiatry Department
Director, Postdoctoral Affairs, Psychiatry Department
Contact Info
Psychiatry
Ribicoff Research Facilities, 34 Park St
New Haven, CT 06508
United States
About
Titles
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and of Neuroscience
Director, Minority Recruitment, Psychiatry Department; Director, Postdoctoral Affairs, Psychiatry Department
Appointments
Psychiatry
Associate Professor TenurePrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- PhD
- Delhi University (1987)
- Postdoctoral Fellow
- Yale University
Research
Overview
The two lines of research are intended to provide novel insights into mechanisms underlying developmental disorders such as schizophrenia that often have an onset around puberty. The lab uses various lines of transgenic mice to prepare brain slices for electrophysiological and neuropharmacological studies that are used in conjunction with anatomical and molecular approaches.
Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Min Wu, PhD
Acetylcholine
Electrophysiology
Kisspeptins
Publications
2009
Melanin-concentrating hormone directly inhibits GnRH neurons and blocks kisspeptin activation, linking energy balance to reproduction
Wu M, Dumalska I, Morozova E, van den Pol A, Alreja M. Melanin-concentrating hormone directly inhibits GnRH neurons and blocks kisspeptin activation, linking energy balance to reproduction. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2009, 106: 17217-17222. PMID: 19805188, PMCID: PMC2761345, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0908200106.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBrainEnergy MetabolismFemaleGonadotropin-Releasing HormoneGreen Fluorescent ProteinsHypothalamic HormonesImmunohistochemistryKisspeptinsMaleMelaninsMembrane PotentialsMiceMice, TransgenicMicroscopy, FluorescenceNeuronsPatch-Clamp TechniquesPeptide FragmentsPituitary HormonesReceptors, SomatostatinReproductionTime FactorsTumor Suppressor ProteinsVesicular Glutamate Transport Protein 2ConceptsInhibitory effectDirect postsynaptic effectGnRH-GFP neuronsMCH knockout miceMCH-immunoreactive fibersRole of MCHMelanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) systemMCH receptor antagonistsPatch-clamp recordingsMelanin-concentrating hormoneNegative energy balanceKisspeptin activationDrug abuse behaviorGnRH neuronsPostsynaptic effectsExcitatory effectsGABAergic neuronsTransgenic GFP miceImmunoreactive fibersReceptor antagonistCNS neuronsAntidepressant drugsBrain slicesFood restrictionKnockout miceGonadotropin inhibitory hormone inhibits basal forebrain vGluT2‐gonadotropin‐releasing hormone neurons via a direct postsynaptic mechanism
Wu M, Dumalska I, Morozova E, Van Den Pol AN, Alreja M. Gonadotropin inhibitory hormone inhibits basal forebrain vGluT2‐gonadotropin‐releasing hormone neurons via a direct postsynaptic mechanism. The Journal Of Physiology 2009, 587: 1401-1411. PMID: 19204051, PMCID: PMC2678216, DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2008.166447.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAcetylcholineAnimalsFemaleGamma-Aminobutyric AcidGlutamate DecarboxylaseGlutamic AcidGlycoproteinsGonadotropin-Releasing HormoneGreen Fluorescent ProteinsImmunohistochemistryMaleMiceMice, TransgenicNeural InhibitionNeuronsNeuropeptidesPatch-Clamp TechniquesPotassiumProsencephalonRecombinant Fusion ProteinsSynaptic PotentialsSynaptic TransmissionTime FactorsVesicular Glutamate Transport Protein 2ConceptsGnIH/RFRPGonadotropin-inhibitory hormoneHormone neuronsGnRH neuronsGonadotropin releaseRFRP-3Inhibitory hormoneGonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronsAvian gonadotropin-inhibitory hormoneDirect postsynaptic mechanismGAD67-GFP miceVesicular glutamate transportersTarget brain regionsGABAergic neuronsGlutamate releasePostsynaptic mechanismsAnterior pituitaryBrain slicesMedian eminenceGlutamate transportersReproductive functionBrain regionsInhibitory actionElectrophysiological recordingsNeurons
2008
Excitatory Effects of the Puberty-Initiating Peptide Kisspeptin and Group I Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Agonists Differentiate Two Distinct Subpopulations of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons
Dumalska I, Wu M, Morozova E, Liu R, van den Pol A, Alreja M. Excitatory Effects of the Puberty-Initiating Peptide Kisspeptin and Group I Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Agonists Differentiate Two Distinct Subpopulations of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons. Journal Of Neuroscience 2008, 28: 8003-8013. PMID: 18685025, PMCID: PMC2597556, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1225-08.2008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBarium CompoundsCapillariesChloridesDiagonal Band of BrocaDrug ResistanceElectrophysiologyFemaleGonadotropin-Releasing HormoneGreen Fluorescent ProteinsIn Vitro TechniquesMaleMedian EminenceMethoxyhydroxyphenylglycolMiceMice, TransgenicNeuronsPotassium ChannelsRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyReceptors, Metabotropic GlutamateRNA, MessengerSynapsesTumor Suppressor ProteinsVesicular Glutamate Transport Protein 2ConceptsMetabotropic glutamate receptor agonistGlutamate receptor agonistsGroup I metabotropic glutamate receptor agonistReceptor agonistGnRH neuronsGonadotropin-Releasing Hormone NeuronsG protein-coupled receptor GPR54Vesicular glutamate transporter 2GnRH-GFP miceRetrograde labeling techniqueGlutamate transporter 2Gonadotropin-releasing hormoneDistinct subpopulationsOnset of pubertyPostpubertal miceHormone neuronsGnRH cellsExcitatory effectsCentral releaseHypogonadotropic hypogonadismPeptide kisspeptinReceptor GPR54Brain slicesNormal pubertyKisspeptin
2007
Neurokinins robustly activate the majority of septohippocampal cholinergic neurons
Morozova E, Wu M, Dumalska I, Alreja M. Neurokinins robustly activate the majority of septohippocampal cholinergic neurons. European Journal Of Neuroscience 2007, 27: 114-122. PMID: 18184316, DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05993.x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsSeptohippocampal cholinergic neuronsHippocampal acetylcholine releaseCholinergic neuronsNK3 receptorsHemokinin-1Acetylcholine releaseNK2 receptorsElectrophysiological effectsRat brain slice preparationWhole-cell patch-clamp recordingsMedial septum/diagonal bandDiagonal band neuronsNK3 receptor agonistPost-synaptic mechanismsStress-related affective disordersBrain slice preparationPatch-clamp recordingsEffect of NKCholinergic cellsNK receptorsReceptor agonistSlice preparationDiagonal bandNeurokinin receptorsBrain neurons
2006
Muscarine activates the sodium–calcium exchanger via M3 receptors in basal forebrain neurons
Xu C, Wu M, Morozova E, Alreja M. Muscarine activates the sodium–calcium exchanger via M3 receptors in basal forebrain neurons. European Journal Of Neuroscience 2006, 24: 2309-2313. PMID: 17074051, DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.05118.x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBasal GangliaBiotransformationDiagonal Band of BrocaDiphenylacetic AcidsElectrophysiologyIn Vitro TechniquesIon ChannelsIonsLithium ChlorideMaleMuscarineMuscarinic AgonistsPatch-Clamp TechniquesPiperidinesProsencephalonRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyReceptor, Muscarinic M3Sodium-Calcium ExchangerThioureaConceptsMuscarinic activationWhole-cell patch-clamp recording techniqueMedial septum/diagonal bandPatch-clamp recording techniquesSeptohippocampal GABAergic neuronsBasal forebrain neuronsMuscarinic cholinergic mechanismsRat brain slicesHippocampus-dependent learningHippocampal theta rhythmSodium-calcium exchangerIntraseptal carbacholMSDB neuronsCholinergic neuronsExcitatory actionGABAergic neuronsCholinergic mechanismsKB-R7943M3 receptorsForebrain neuronsDiagonal bandPrimary involvementBrain slicesHippocampal functionPotent modulator
2004
Histamine innervation and activation of septohippocampal GABAergic neurones: involvement of local ACh release
Xu C, Michelsen KA, Wu M, Morozova E, Panula P, Alreja M. Histamine innervation and activation of septohippocampal GABAergic neurones: involvement of local ACh release. The Journal Of Physiology 2004, 561: 657-670. PMID: 15486020, PMCID: PMC1665378, DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.071712.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsLocal ACh releaseACh releaseGABAergic neuronesCholinergic neuronesSeptohippocampal cholinergicMedial septum/diagonal bandHistamine-induced activationGABAergic cell typesReceptor-selective antagonistHippocampal theta rhythmIndirect mechanismsConcentration-dependent mannerAtropine methylbromideHippocampal arousalGABAergic functionHistaminergic systemTuberomammillary nucleusCholinergic systemReceptor subtypesDiagonal bandHistamine effectSelective antagonistAlzheimer's diseaseGABAergic nucleusNeurodegenerative disorders
Links & Media
News
- January 15, 2010
How hunger blocks fertility
- January 15, 2002
19 faculty members receive awards for research on brain disorders
- September 19, 2001
Five Yale Scientists Receive 2001 NARSAD Awards for Brain Research
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Psychiatry
Ribicoff Research Facilities, 34 Park St
New Haven, CT 06508
United States