Effect of CB1 Receptor Blockade on Food-Reinforced Responding and Associated Nucleus Accumbens Neuronal Activity in Rats.

Hernandez G, Cheer JF. J Neurosci. 2012 Aug 15;32(33):11467-77.

Selective activation of cholinergic interneurons enhances accumbal phasic dopamine release: setting the tone for reward processing.

Cachope R, Mateo Y, Mathur BN, Irving J, Wang HL, Morales M, Lovinger DM, Cheer JF.
Cell Rep. 2012 Jul 26;2(1):33-41. .

Research in the Cheer Lab is aimed at elucidating fundamental neural mechanisms underlying motivated behaviors, and how these are modulated by the recently described endogenous cannabinoid system.
This signaling network has been involved in natural physiological processes such as pain perception, thermoregulation and motor coordination. The system is also implicated in maladaptive motivated behaviors such as drug addiction and obesity.

Our research seeks to extract neurobiological correlates of certain behaviors, within specifically defined anatomical frameworks to understand how key neural circuits in the brain function.

We use advanced state-of-the-art electrophysiological and neurochemical techniques to examine the activity patterns of individual neurons as well as neuronal populations and how these are regulated via neurotransmitters (dopamine in particular). We have recently implemented the use of a sensor that allows for the simultaneous measurement of neuronal firing and neurotransmitter release.

These techniques are particularly useful for elucidating specific temporal relationships between behavior and brain activity.