Neural circuits underlying cognitive and motivated behaviors.
Adam Carter
Professor Of Neural Science
Education
- Ph.D. 2002 Harvard University
Our lab studies the properties of neurons and synapses in the prefrontal cortex, Nucleus Accumbens and related brain regions. These diverse circuits contribute to high-level behaviors including working memory and reward processing. Dysfunction of these areas is also linked to diverse disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety and drug addiction. We focus on how different populations of neurons communicate in their local and long-range networks. We also examine how neurons and synapses are regulated by dopamine and other neuromodulators. Finally, we determine how these circuits are impacted by chronic exposure to drugs of abuse and stress. Many of our experiments take advantage of a powerful combination of electrophysiology, two-photon microscopy and optogenetics. We also use many genetic tools, including viruses and transgenics, in order to characterize and manipulate specific neurons and connections.
Our lab studies the properties of neurons and synapses in the prefrontal cortex, Nucleus Accumbens and related brain regions. These diverse circuits contribute to high-level behaviors including working memory and reward processing. Dysfunction of these areas is also linked to diverse disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety and drug addiction. We focus on how different populations of neurons communicate in their local and long-range networks. We also examine how neurons and synapses are regulated by dopamine and other neuromodulators. Finally, we determine how these circuits are impacted by chronic exposure to drugs of abuse and stress. Many of our experiments take advantage of a powerful combination of electrophysiology, two-photon microscopy and optogenetics. We also use many genetic tools, including viruses and transgenics, in order to characterize and manipulate specific neurons and connections.
Our lab studies the properties of neurons and synapses in the prefrontal cortex, Nucleus Accumbens and related brain regions. These diverse circuits contribute to high-level behaviors including working memory and reward processing. Dysfunction of these areas is also linked to diverse disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety and drug addiction. We focus on how different populations of neurons communicate in their local and long-range networks. We also examine how neurons and synapses are regulated by dopamine and other neuromodulators. Finally, we determine how these circuits are impacted by chronic exposure to drugs of abuse and stress. Many of our experiments take advantage of a powerful combination of electrophysiology, two-photon microscopy and optogenetics. We also use many genetic tools, including viruses and transgenics, in order to characterize and manipulate specific neurons and connections.
Our lab studies the properties of neurons and synapses in the prefrontal cortex, Nucleus Accumbens and related brain regions. These diverse circuits contribute to high-level behaviors including working memory and reward processing. Dysfunction of these areas is also linked to diverse disorders such as schizophrenia, anxiety and drug addiction. We focus on how different populations of neurons communicate in their local and long-range networks. We also examine how neurons and synapses are regulated by dopamine and other neuromodulators. Finally, we determine how these circuits are impacted by chronic exposure to drugs of abuse and stress. Many of our experiments take advantage of a powerful combination of electrophysiology, two-photon microscopy and optogenetics. We also use many genetic tools, including viruses and transgenics, in order to characterize and manipulate specific neurons and connections.
Baimel C, McGarry LM and Carter AG, The projection targets of medium spiny neurons govern cocaine-evoked synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens, Cell Reports 28: 2256-2263 (2019).
Anastasiades PG, Boada C and Carter AG, Cell-type specific D1 dopamine receptor modulation of projection neurons and interneurons in the prefrontal cortex, Cerebral Cortex 29(7): 3224-3242 (2019).
Scudder SL, Baimel C, Macdonald EE and Carter AG, Hippocampal-evoked feedforward inhibition in the nucleus accumbens, J. Neurosci. 38(42): 9091-9104 (2018).
Liu X and Carter AG, Ventral hippocampal inputs preferentially drive corticocortical neurons in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex, J. Neurosci. 38(33): 7351-7363 (2018).
Collins DP*, Anastasiades PG*, Marlin JJ and Carter AG, Reciprocal circuits linking the prefrontal cortex with dorsal and ventral thalamic nuclei, Neuron 98(2): 366-379 (2018).
Anastasiades PG, Marlin JJ and Carter AG, Cell-type specificity of callosally evoked excitation and feedforward inhibition in the prefrontal cortex, Cell Reports 22: 679-692 (2018).