Professor, Department of Psychology
Director, Program in Neural Science
Ph.D. University of Colorado 1975
| C E N T E R F O R T H E I N T E G R A T I V E S T U D Y O F A N I M A L B E H A V I O R |
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George V. Rebec Professor, Department of Psychology Director, Program in Neural Science Ph.D. University of Colorado 1975 |
| R E S E A R C H I N T E R E S T S | |
| Research in my laboratory focuses on the neuronal mechanisms by which dopamine modulates the action of other neurotransmitters to influence patterns of movement and motivation. Although dopamine has long been implicated in these behaviors, only recently has it been possible to assess how dopamine functions at the neuronal level in an intact, fully functioning organism. Using electrophysiological (single-unit recording and iontophoresis) and electrochemical (slow- and fast-scan voltammetry) techniques in behaving animals, we have shown that dopamine plays a critical role in adjusting the response strength of neurons to excitatory glutamate signals. These glutamate signals, which arise from all areas of cerebral cortex, convey cognitive, emotional, motivational, and motor information to subcortical systems (basal ganglia and limbic nuclei) for behavioral processing. By adjusting the glutamate signal-to-noise ratio, dopamine appears to regulate the flow of information through behaviorally relevant neuronal circuits. These results have implications for understanding the mechanisms of action of drugs of abuse, all of which have been shown to enhance dopamine transmission, and for developing better treatments for psychiatric (schizophrenia) and neurological conditions (Parkinson's disease) known to reflect various degrees of dopamine dysfunction.
Current projects include: detailed assessment of how dopamine influences the neuronal and behavioral effects of alcohol, amphetamine, cocaine, and other abused substances; identification of the neuronal systems and mechanisms regulating dopamine release in goal-directed behavioral tasks; an analysis of the neuroplastic changes that accompany the loss of dopamine innervation in an animal model of Parkinson's disease; and regulation of motor control by ascorbate, a water-soluble vitamin known to influence dopamine and glutamate function in the basal ganglia. |
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| R E P R E S E N T A T I V E P U B L I C A T I O N S |
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Rebec, G.V., J.R.C. Christensen, C. Guerra, and M.T. Bardo. 1997. Regional and temporal differences in dopamine efflux in the nucleus accumbens during free-choice novelty. Brain Research 776:61-67. (Abstract) Kiyatkin, E.A. and G.V. Rebec. 1999. Striatal neuronal activity and their responsiveness to dopamine and glutamate after selective blockade of D1 and D2 dopamine receptors in freely moving rats. Journal of Neuroscience 19:3594-3609. (Abstract) Gulley, J.M., M. Kuwajima, E. Mayhill, and G.V. Rebec. 1999. Behavior-related changes in the activity of substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons in freely moving rats. Brain Research 845:68-76. (Abstract) Rebec, G.V. 1999. Stimulants and motor-related striatal neuronal activity. In: R. Miller & J.R. Wickens (eds). Brain dynamics and the striatal complex. (Reading, PA: Gordon and Breach), pages 51-63. Kiyatkin, E.A. and G.V. Rebec. 2000. Dopamine-independent action of cocaine on striatal and accumbal neurons. European Journal of Neuroscience 12:1789-1800. (Abstract) Kiyatkin, E.A., D.E. Kiyatkin, and G.V. Rebec. 2000. Phasic inhibition of dopamine uptake in nucleus accumbens induced by intravenous cocaine in freely behaving rats. Neuroscience 98:729-741. (Abstract) Rebec, G.V. and Z. Wang. 2001. Behavioral activation in rats requires endogenous ascorbate release in striatum. Journal of Neuroscience 21(2):668-675. (Abstract) |
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J O U R N A L E D I T O R S H I P Editorial Board, Behavioural Brain Research Editorial Board, Frontiers in Bioscience
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C O N T A C T Program in Neural Science Department of Psychology Psychology Building 1101 E. 10th Street Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405 USA FAX: 812.855.4520 Office: 812.855.7756 e-mail: rebec@indiana.edu |
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