Behavioral Neuroscience
Revealing principles of nervous system function in the control of motivated behavior is the goal of this research. Experiments focus on brain reward and aversion mechanisms that translate physiological and environmental signals into behavior such as eating and drug abuse. We find that at selected brain sites self-stimulation is directly related to an animal’s appetite for food or sex. Using microdialysis to measure the levels of dopamine and acetylcholine, research has shown that accumbens acetylcholine does the opposite of dopamine by inhibiting behavior and creating aversions.
Contact:
Bart Hoebel