Neurobiology of Addiction and Behavioral Neuroscience Lab

Lab Description

Our main focus is on the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that underlie addiction, with specific emphasis on alcoholism.

Addiction is thought to be a pathological usurpation of the mechanisms underlying learning and memory. Therefore, we study the learning and memory processes that participate in the development of addiction. We also look for neuroadaptations in the brain that occur in addiction, such as changes in gene expression, in proteins and in signaling pathways, and in neurotransmission.

We believe that the understanding of brain mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders can be best achieved using a multidisciplinary approach. Therefore, we combine behavioral, molecular and biochemical approaches.

• In vivo intra-cerebral manipulation and psychopharmacology: Systemic and intra-cerebral pharmacology; Stereotaxic brain surgeries; Viral-mediated gene delivery; In vivo optogenetic stimulation; Histology.
• Behavior: Animal models of moderate and excessive drug/alcohol self-administration, relapse, and drug reward; Assessment of motivational and emotional factors in drug consumption; Animal models of learning and memory.
• Biochemistry and molecular biology: DNA, RNA and protein assays, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and microscopy.

Main Research Topics

• Erasure of drug-related memories to prevent relapse to drug seeking and consumption or if fearful memories
• Role of epigenetic processes in the development of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, addiction, and stress-related disorders.
• Role of growth factors in learning and memory processes and in addiction
• Molecular mechanisms in memory consolidation and reconsolidation

Available Research Services

• Consultation in learning, memory and addiction-related topics in animal research
• Behavioral animal models of addiction, including:
  1.Conditioned place preference (CPP) and conditioned place aversion (CPA)
  2. Behavioral sensitization
  3. Locomotor activity, open field
  4. Operant self-administration of alcohol (or other liquids)
  5.Behavioral models of relapse (including reinstatement, reacquisition of operant self-administration, alcohol deprivation effect)
  6.Withdrawal syndrome, including anhedonia, social withdrawal, anxiety-like behavior and more
  7. Models of motivational aspects in addiction
  8. Learning- and memory-related behaviors in addiction, including memory consolidation and reconsolidation
  9. Home cage alcohol/liquid consumption assays
• Behavioral animal models of learning and memory, including:
  1. Fear conditioning and memory assays
  2. Memory consolidation and reconsolidation
  3. Conditioned taste aversion
  4. Novel object recognition

Lab facilities

• Behavioral Operant Chambers for self-administration and fear conditioning
• Conditioned Place Preference system
• Open Field
• Elevated Plus-Maze
• Wet lab and imaging lab (florescence microscopy)

Potential industries

• Pharmaceuticals
• Bio-tech
• Cognition-related industry

Segev Barak, Ph.D.
School of Psychological Sciences

Sagol school of Neuroscience

Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv 69978 Israel

Phone: +972-3-6408969

Fax: +972-3-6409547

email:barakseg@post.tau.ac.il

Project manager

avi Wener
Research services

Project researchers

Segev Barak
T.A.U Tel Aviv University, Social Sciences
The School oh Psychological Sciences