Research in this laboratory focuses on the neurochemical mechanisms of learning and memory, substance abuse and neurotoxic effects of prenatal exposures (e.g., drugs, toxins). Within the area of drug abuse we are interested in how drug abuse is set up and the neural pathways associated with reward and impulse control. We are interested in evaluating the role that the HPA axis plays in many of these phenomenon. Clinically our research interest is in the areas of stress responding, depression, Post traumatic stress disorder, drug abuse, ADHD and autism. Our recent work investigates the role of developmental insults on epigenetic machinery and how these changes relate to behavior and biochemistry in the adult animal Techniques employed are basic and behavioral pharmacology, biochemistry, receptor measurements, second messenger singling pathways, enzymatic measurements, measurements of neurogenesis and inflammatory mediators, immunological techniques, molecular and Mendelian genetics.