Area of research
Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience · Cognitive Neuroscience
Research interest
The cerebral cortex, especially the prefrontal cortex, is the most complex brain region in the central nervous system. Elucidating its diverse functions represents a major challenge in neurobiology. We are interested in the neuronal mechanisms underlying the synaptic signaling and monoaminergic regulation in the prefrontal cortical circuitry, as well as the critical issues involving neuropathology of mental disorders and other neurological diseases. Specifically, we are taking the advantages of in vivo and in vitro preparations to examine the neuronal signaling in both normal animals and clinical models of psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and ADHD. Work in the laboratory is currently focused in the following projects:
Integrating Anxiety and Motivation: Prefrontal Mechanisms Arbitrating the Approach-Avoidance Conflict
Transient Inhibition of the Mediodorsal Thalamus During Early Adolescence Induces Hypofrontality and Social Memory Deficits in Young Adulthood.
The locus coeruleus influences behavior by coordinating effective integration of fear memories and sensory input.
Prefrontal Regulation of Social Behavior and Related Deficits: Insights From Rodent Studies.
The role of cell adhesion molecule IgSF9b at the inhibitory synapse and psychiatric disease.
Pharmacogenetic activation of parvalbumin interneurons in the prefrontal cortex rescues cognitive deficits induced by adolescent MK801 administration.
DNA methylation and the opposing NMDAR dysfunction in schizophrenia and major depression disorders: a converging model for the therapeutic effects of psychedelic compounds in the treatment of psychiatric illness.
Prefrontal Cortical Control of Anxiety: Recent Advances.
Aberrant maturation and connectivity of prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia-contribution of NMDA receptor development and hypofunction.
Distinct Roles for Prefrontal Dopamine D1 and D2 Neurons in Social Hierarchy.
NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in prefrontal neurons underlies social memory retrieval in female mice.
A Subpopulation of Prefrontal Cortical Neurons Is Required for Social Memory.
Prefrontal GABAergic Interneurons Gate Long-Range Afferents to Regulate Prefrontal Cortex-Associated Complex Behaviors
Prefrontal GABAergic Interneurons Gate Long-Range Afferents to Regulate Prefrontal Cortex-Associated Complex Behaviors.
From Hyposociability to Hypersociability-The Effects of PSD-95 Deficiency on the Dysfunctional Development of Social Behavior.
Prepubertal Environment Enrichment Prevents Psychosis-Related Dopamine Dysregulation in a Neurodevelopmental Model for Schizophrenia.
The Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus Is an Important Node in the Emotional Processing Network.
NMDA receptor hypofunction for schizophrenia revisited: Perspectives from epigenetic mechanisms.
Genetic susceptibility of hypertension‐induced kidney disease
Deletion of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β in D<sub>2</sub> Receptor-Positive Neurons Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment via NMDA Receptor-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity.
Conditional GSK3β deletion in parvalbumin-expressing interneurons potentiates excitatory synaptic function and learning in adult mice.
PSD-95 deficiency disrupts PFC-associated function and behavior during neurodevelopment.
Sonic hedgehog signaling in astrocytes mediates cell type-specific synaptic organization.
Ultrahigh Surface Area N‐Doped Hierarchically Porous Carbon for Enhanced CO<sub>2</sub> Capture and Electrochemical Energy Storage
Immune Cells in Ischemic Acute Kidney Injury
Neurons in rat orbitofrontal cortex and medial prefrontal cortex exhibit distinct responses in reward and strategy-update in a risk-based decision-making task.
Selective vulnerability of dorsal raphe-medial prefrontal cortex projection neurons to corticosterone-induced hypofunction.
Ordered Macro/Mesoporous TiO<sub>2</sub>Hollow Microspheres with Highly Crystalline Thin Shells for High-Efficiency Photoconversion
Mesoporous TiO<sub>2</sub> Mesocrystals: Remarkable Defects-Induced Crystallite-Interface Reactivity and Their in Situ Conversion to Single Crystals
NARSAD Independent Investigator Award, 2015 (Gao, PI)
— 2015cited by 0position: selected