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Collaborators:
Dr. Craig Ferris.
University of Massachusetts
Dr. Toni Shippenberg
NIDA
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Dr. Annabell C. Segarra
The
research in our laboratory focuses on the interactions between
sex steroids, glucocorticoids and
the opioid system in modulating motivated behaviors such as
sexual behavior and drug abuse. Our long term goal is to elucidate
the mechanisms by which alterations in brain neurochemistry
and/or synaptic connectivity result in dysfunctional motivational
and reward circuiuts. Many of these motivated behaviors are sexually
dimorphic, and thus we are also interested in investigating
the developmental window when this dimorphism is established
and the factors involved. Our current research efforts are concentrated
in studying the interactions between estrogen and the opioid
system in modulating behavioral sensitization to cocaine.
By studying the interactions between limbic brain neurochemistry
and plasma steroids in normal and aberrant motivated behaviors
we are able to obtain physiologically relevant disorders, and
to identify gender bias. A better understanding of the factors
that lead to differential sensitivity to drugs of abuse is crucial
for the development of pharmacotherapy that is equally effective
in males and females.
HONORS:
During the 122nd meeting of the American Physiological
Society the poster, “Social isolation during perinatal development
alters the behavioral response to cocaine in juvenile rats”
by Natasha Lugo Escobar, Nicole Carreras and Annabell C Segarra,
was selected for Press Release. The meeting was held in the
Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana from April 18-22,
2009.
Funding-
Active
Protection against organophosphates neurotoxins by tobacco cembranoids
PI at UPR; Annabell C Segarra; Program Director: Pedro A Ferchmin
Period 10/08 - 09/11; (U01-NS063555-01) Granting agency: NIH-NINDS
CounterAct Program
Estrogenic regulation of cocaine sensitization
PI: Annabell C Segarra, Program Director: Walter Frontera
Period: 12/01/04 - 11/30/09
Granting agency: NIH-NINDS SNRP Program.
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