Gabriele Floris
Associate Research ScientistCards
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Research
Publications
2025
Prefrontal 5α-reductase 2 mediates male-specific acute stress response
Cadeddu R, Braccagni G, Floris G, Branca C, Corridori E, Salviati S, Sánchez P, Santovito L, Torres J, Ortega E, Pinna G, Moos P, Scheggi S, Bortolato M. Prefrontal 5α-reductase 2 mediates male-specific acute stress response. Science Advances 2025, 11: eadr0563. PMID: 39841836, PMCID: PMC11753402, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adr0563.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMedial prefrontal cortexStress reactivityAcute stressAcute stress reactivitySexually dimorphic effectsAcute stress responsePrefrontal cortexStress responseNeurosteroid allopregnanoloneReduced stress responseDimorphic effectsBrain synthesisKnockdown ratsKnockout ratsAllopregnanoloneAP synthesisRatsSingle-nucleus transcriptomesCortexNeurosteroidsDown-regulationIncreased levelsMaleStressResponse
2024
Neuroinflammatory history results in overlapping transcriptional signatures with heroin exposure in the nucleus accumbens and alters responsiveness to heroin in male rats
Floris G, Zanda M, Dabrowski K, Daws S. Neuroinflammatory history results in overlapping transcriptional signatures with heroin exposure in the nucleus accumbens and alters responsiveness to heroin in male rats. Translational Psychiatry 2024, 14: 500. PMID: 39702361, PMCID: PMC11659471, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-03203-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsResponse to heroinNucleus accumbensHeroin exposureOpioid use disorderSelf-administrationHeroin self-administrationMesolimbic dopamine systemOpioid-induced behaviorsMolecular neuroadaptationsDopamine systemOpioid rewardHeroin intakeBehavioral effectsUse disorderPsychiatric researchLipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammationPreclinical modelsBehavioral ramificationsSensitivity to opioidsOpioid heroinHeroinMale ratsAccumbensHeightened immune responseNeuroinflammationPsilocybin reduces heroin seeking behavior and modulates inflammatory gene expression in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex of male rats
Floris G, Dabrowski K, Zanda M, Daws S. Psilocybin reduces heroin seeking behavior and modulates inflammatory gene expression in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex of male rats. Molecular Psychiatry 2024, 30: 1801-1816. PMID: 39433903, PMCID: PMC12015112, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02788-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPrefrontal cortexHeroin seekingHeroin relapseDrug seekingSelf-administrationPrefrontal cortex of male ratsPrefrontal cortex of animalsCortex of male ratsHeroin self-administrationHeroin-seeking behaviorDrug-naive ratsOpioid-seeking behaviorSerotonin 2A receptorEfficacy of psilocybinAlcohol seekingHeroin takingForced abstinenceNucleus accumbensRelapse testRelapse behaviorIL-17AMaladaptive behaviorsPsychedelic compoundsAntagonist ketanserinPsilocybin“Weeding out” violence? Translational perspectives on the neuropsychobiological links between cannabis and aggression
Bortolato M, Braccagni G, Pederson C, Floris G, Fite P. “Weeding out” violence? Translational perspectives on the neuropsychobiological links between cannabis and aggression. Aggression And Violent Behavior 2024, 78: 101948. PMID: 38828012, PMCID: PMC11141739, DOI: 10.1016/j.avb.2024.101948.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCannabis use disorderCannabis useReactive aggressionPathological aggressionViolent behaviorSelf-medication strategyCannabis misuseNeurobiological mechanismsUse disorderCannabis consumptionCannabisAggressionAnimal researchSelf-perpetuating cycleBidirectional interplayLegal discussionTranslational perspectiveEnvironmental predispositionSignificant linkSocietal attitudesBiological mechanismsYoung peopleViolent reactionDisordersPolarized understandingsThe sinking platform test: a novel paradigm to measure persistence in animal models
Floris G, Godar S, Braccagni G, Piras I, Ravens A, Zanda M, Huentelman M, Bortolato M. The sinking platform test: a novel paradigm to measure persistence in animal models. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024, 49: 1373-1382. PMID: 38396257, PMCID: PMC11251282, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01827-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic administration of fluoxetinePrefrontal cortex of miceWeeks of social isolationAdministration of fluoxetineMeasure persistenceGoal-directed actionsSocially isolated miceMitigate depression riskCortex of micePlatform testVoluntary wheel runningChronic haloperidolPrefrontal cortexTemperamental traitsImipramine treatmentNeurobiological foundationsBehavioral tasksChronic stressChronic administrationImmediate-early genesFailure TrialWheel runningDepression riskAnimal modelsNovel interventions
2023
Orbitofrontal intronic circular RNA from Nrxn3 mediates reward learning and motivation for reward
Dabrowski K, Floris G, Gillespie A, Daws S. Orbitofrontal intronic circular RNA from Nrxn3 mediates reward learning and motivation for reward. Progress In Neurobiology 2023, 232: 102546. PMID: 38036039, PMCID: PMC10843848, DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102546.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSucrose self-administrationOrbitofrontal cortexSelf-administrationReward behaviorBrain reward circuitryReward-seeking behaviorRegulating reward behaviorReward circuitryReward learningAppetitive rewardRewardSeeking behaviorRegulation of gene expressionMemoryNeurexin 3NRXN3Splicing factor SAM68MotivationRNA sequencingTranscriptome profilingLearningKnock-downCortexGene expressionBehaviorOrbitofrontal cortex microRNAs support long-lasting heroin seeking behavior in male rats
Zanda M, Floris G, Daws S. Orbitofrontal cortex microRNAs support long-lasting heroin seeking behavior in male rats. Translational Psychiatry 2023, 13: 117. PMID: 37031193, PMCID: PMC10082780, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02423-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsOpioid use disorderOrbitofrontal cortexHL animalsHeroin seekingDrug cravingSelf-administer heroinLong-term heroinMaintenance of abstinenceDrug seeking behaviorOpioid useHeroin cravingMale ratsPreclinical studiesUse disordersDrug useExposure paradigmBrain regionsAbstinence periodAbstinenceHeroinDrug cuesSeeking behaviourLow dosageCravingProteomic analysis
2022
The steroidogenic inhibitor finasteride reverses pramipexole-induced alterations in probability discounting
Floris G, Scheggi S, Pes R, Bortolato M. The steroidogenic inhibitor finasteride reverses pramipexole-induced alterations in probability discounting. Brain Research Bulletin 2022, 181: 157-166. PMID: 35122898, PMCID: PMC9012661, DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.01.020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsProbability discountingNucleus accumbensMonoamine-depleting agent reserpinePathological gambling severityImpulse-control disordersEffects of reserpineHighest dose of finasterideRisk of pathological gamblingParkinson's diseaseLever pressPathological gamblingDopamine receptorsGambling severityDoses of finasteridePramipexole treatmentRat's propensityAccumbensPramipexoleRestless legs syndromeImpact of finasterideReceptor upregulationNormalizing effectPD patientsReserpineReceptor expressionHeroin Regulates Orbitofrontal Circular RNAs
Floris G, Gillespie A, Zanda M, Dabrowski K, Sillivan S. Heroin Regulates Orbitofrontal Circular RNAs. International Journal Of Molecular Sciences 2022, 23: 1453. PMID: 35163373, PMCID: PMC8836038, DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031453.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsHeroin self-administrationOrbitofrontal cortexOpioid use disorderNeurobiological adaptationsSelf-administrationSelf-administer sucroseChronic heroin exposureRat orbitofrontal cortexOpioid-seeking behaviorTreat opioid use disorderHeroin exposureUse disorderBrain regionsOpioid heroinBehavioral responsesMale ratsFemale ratsHeroinSeeking behaviorDrug overdose deathsRatsOverdose deathsOpioidRNA splice variantsCortex
2021
Author Correction: Drug-associated cues and drug dosage contribute to increased opioid seeking after abstinence
Zanda M, Floris G, Daws S. Author Correction: Drug-associated cues and drug dosage contribute to increased opioid seeking after abstinence. Scientific Reports 2021, 11: 23910. PMID: 34876654, PMCID: PMC8651718, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03383-9.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
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