Research Projects

A primary interest of the laboratory over the past 20 years has been the brain imaging of rodent behaviors as they occur in the nontethered, nonrestrained animal. A primary tool has been perfusion based mapping using the auto-radiographic methods. Unique about the methods is that it allows us to evaluate changes in functional brain activation at the circuit level across the entire brain of the awake animal (rats, mice). These methods fill a gap in the current armamentarium of imaging tools in that it can deliver a 3-D, whole-brain assessment of functional activation of behaving animals, with a temporal resolution of ~10 sec. and spatial resolution of 100 microns. This distinguishes it from other brain mapping methods such as c-fos or electrophysiological recordings, which typically target only very limited regions of the brain, or fMRI, which typically requires sedation, or microPET whose spatial resolution for perfusion or metabolic mapping remains at ~1-1.4 mm. The laboratory has broad experience evaluating behavioral function in rat and mouse models. Extensive experience is available for vascular surgical procedures in rodents, as well as expertise in physiologic monitoring (locomotor activity, telemetric monitoring of EMG, EEG, and ECG).

Investigating Exercising-Induced Neuroplasticity and its Mechanisms in Parkinson’s Disease: Targeting Executive Function and Brain Circuity

(Role: Principal Invesitgator)

This study will use the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat model of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) to investigate mechanisms of exercise-induced neuroplasticity, including exercise-induced circuit-specific effects in regional cerebral blood flow, cognitive behavior, and molecular analysis of neurotransmission and synaptic function. Project will address (i) parameters of exercise (e.g. skill level), as well as predictors of exercise benefit (e.g. fitness level) to help delineate a personalized approach to exercise prescription in PD. This preclinical study will inform a linked, ongoing longitudinal observational study in PD patients that tests the hypothesis that exercise dose and fitness level are associated with executive function performance.

Major Goal
Behavioral, molecular, electrophysiologic and brain mapping studies evaluating functional reorganization of frontostriatal circuits in response to skilled exercise training.

Control of feeding behavior by melanin-concentrating hormone
(Role: Co-Investigator)
Major Goal
Evaluation of neural circuits underlying feeding behavior.

The Role of Astrocytes and Microglia in Exercise-Induced Neuroplasticity in Parkinson’s Disease
(Role: Co-Investogator)
Major Goal
To investigate the role of the immune system in regulating exercise induced synaptogenesis and behavioral recovery in rodent models of PD using imagining and molecular biology approaches.