Research interests span the areas of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychopharmacology. The scientific projects focuses on experimental animal models and their translational application to complex human disorders such as drug abuse, anxiety and depression. Experimental approaches include behavioral and cognitive testing in rodents, to model the different phases of the pathology under study. Intra-cerebral and systemic pharmacology, immunohistochemistry and pre-clinical MRI are utilized to go deeper in the biochemical and molecular mechanisms involved.
Effects of recreational drug use in adolescent
Effects of recreational drug use in adolescent. This pattern of drug use is growing in number and is becoming an international problem, even without leading to drug addiction and dependence.
Drug abuse: mechanism of action
Behavioral and pharmacological characterization of the so called “New Psychoactive Substances” to establish how they work to produce changes in brain chemistry and how these changes may reinforce behavior to induce drug taking and possibly abuse.
Psychoactive drugs: behavioral and pharmacological characterization
The transition from initial recreational drug use to addiction, in adolescents and adults may occur through the progressive engagement of different pavlovian and instrumental learning systems in the brain.
Drug abuse: efficacy of pharmacological treatment
Investigation of the neural basis of these learning mechanisms underlying addiction as well as the molecular and neurochemical basis of drug conditioned cues inducing seeking behavior. Preclinical efficacy of pharmacological agents in controlling drug seeking and relapse.
International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
