Research Interests

My broad question is how do neuropeptides contribute to the neural regulation of behavior? Specifically, I am interested in the neuropeptides oxytocin and vasopressin.  I primarily use knockout mouse models coupled with molecular techniques and behavioral studies to test my central hypotheses.  The laboratory currently has two focus areas:

1. The neuroendocrine regulation of social behavior

Oxytocin and vasopressin have been consistently implicated in the regulation of social behavior (e.g. aggression, social memory, affiliative behaviors) across species, and changes in either of these hormones, or their receptors, results in profound alterations in social behaviors.  We are currently using vasopressin 1b receptor knockout mice to ascertain where in the brain this receptor is acting to affect aggressive behavior and social memory.  We are also using oxytocin receptor knockout mice to determine the contribution of this gene to social behavior.  These studies will allow us to better understand how oxytocin and vasopressin contribute to the regulation or modulation of social behavior.

2. How do neuropeptides contribute to neuropsychiatric diseases?

While mice are not “little humans”, they can be used to model aspects of neuropsychiatric disorders.  Currently, we are exploring the contributions of the oxytocin and vasopressin systems to sensorimotor gating; which involves the inhibition of a motor response by the presence of a sensory event. Across animal species, including humans, sensorimotor gating can be assessed using measures of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex. In PPI, a weak sensory event (prepulse) inhibits the reflexive motor response to an intense, quickly following, sensory stimulus. From these studies we hope to characterize some of the contributions of oxytocin and vasopressin to human psychiatric and neurological disorders.