2016 Young investigator grant program: Basic research-Mental illness-Multiple

notes that dopamine neurons are important for the control of motivated behavior and are involved in the pathophysiology of several major neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and drug abuse. Recent studies have shown that some ventral midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons are capable of glutamate (Glu) cotransmission. She will perform experiments to reveal fundamental regulatory mechanisms for the proper function of the Glu-DA neurons. This might facilitate future experiments in which she would genetically manipulate specifically the Glu-DA neurons of the VTA to see if this affects DA transmission.