We employ anatomical, pharmacological, and chemogenetic strategies to observe and control neuronal populations and circuits in rodents, with the aim of understanding how these circuits control behavior. Currently we are investigating: 1) how ventral pallidum influences motivated behavior and decision making, 2) how early life stress, and adolescent drug use alters reward circuit development, and 3) brain mechanisms of cannabis and opiate reward.

Addiction, reward circuits, cannabinoids, Pavlovian conditioning, motivation, executive function