Contact
Biomedical Research Center251 Bayview Boulevard
Suite 200
Baltimore, MD 21224
Email: rwise@mail.nih.gov
Education
Ph.D. - McGill University (thesis advisor: Dalbir Bindra)
B.A., M.A., - California State University
Research Interests
My interest is in the brain mechanisms of motivation and addiction. Our current studies focus on the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine systems, systems that appear to stamp in or “reinforce” stimulus-stimulus, stimulus-response, and response-outcome learning involved in habit formation. These systems are activated by addictive drugs, unexpected rewards, and reward predictors, and they are modified by experience with drugs of abuse. We are interested in the neuronal inputs that carry reward-predictive signals and we are interested in drug-induced modifications that, for example, change the sensitivity of the system to stress. Our current studies are based on microdialysis studies of intravenous drug self-administration and involve interdisciplinary collaborations involving histochemistry, electrophysiology, in vivo voltammetry, and cell biology. Of particular interest are manipulations of the glutamatergic, cholinergic, and CRF inputs to the ventral tegmental area using receptor-specific neurotoxins, small interfering RNA, and viral overexpression of the glutamate-1 transporter.
Publications
Selected Publications
Roles for nigrostriatal--not just mesocorticolimbic--dopamine in reward and addiction. Journal Article In: Trends Neurosci, vol. 32, no. 10, pp. 517–524, 2009, ISSN: 1878-108X (Electronic); 0166-2236 (Linking). In: J Neurosci, vol. 28, no. 36, pp. 9021–9029, 2008, ISSN: 1529-2401 (Electronic); 0270-6474 (Linking). Functional implications of glutamatergic projections to the ventral tegmental area. Journal Article In: Rev Neurosci, vol. 19, no. 4-5, pp. 227–244, 2008, ISSN: 0334-1763 (Print); 0334-1763 (Linking). Cocaine serves as a peripheral interoceptive conditioned stimulus for central glutamate and dopamine release. Journal Article In: PLoS One, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. e2846, 2008, ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic); 1932-6203 (Linking). A role for conditioned ventral tegmental glutamate release in cocaine seeking. Journal Article In: J Neurosci, vol. 27, no. 39, pp. 10546–10555, 2007, ISSN: 1529-2401 (Electronic); 0270-6474 (Linking). In: J Neurosci, vol. 25, no. 22, pp. 5389–5396, 2006, ISSN: 1529-2401 (Electronic); 0270-6474 (Linking). Dopamine, learning and motivation. Journal Article In: Nat Rev Neurosci, vol. 5, no. 6, pp. 483–494, 2004, ISSN: 1471-003X (Print); 1471-003X (Linking). Drive, incentive, and reinforcement: the antecedents and consequences of motivation. Journal Article In: Nebr Symp Motiv, vol. 50, pp. 159–195, 2004, ISSN: 0146-7875 (Print); 0146-7875 (Linking). Neuropharmacological Basis of Reward. Book Chapter In: Liebman, J M; Cooper, S J (Ed.): Chapter The brain and reward, pp. 377-424, Oxford University Press, 1989.2009
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1989