PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

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Satoshi Ikemoto, Ph.D., Senior Investigator

Chief, Neurocircuitry of Motivation Section

Post-doctoral Training - Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine; Pharmacology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine; Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program

M.A., Ph.D. - Behavioral Neuroscience, Bowling Green State University; Advisor: Dr. Jaak Panksepp

B.A. - Psychology, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

RESEARCH INTERESTS

We study neurobiological mechanisms underlying motivation, affect and reinforcement. We are particularly interested in defining brain reward circuitry with respect to neurotransmitters, regions, and connectivity. We also seek to elucidate theoretical (conceptual) issues on the roles that dopamine and related systems play in motivated behaviors. Our behavioral procedures include instrumental and Pavlovian conditioning with optogenetic manipulations, intracranial drug injections and food in mice and rats. We also conduct electrophysiological recordings of neuronal spikes and local field potentials during motivated behavior.

Selected Publications:

1. Ikemoto S. (2010). Brain reward circuitry beyond the mesolimbic dopamine system: A neurobiological theory, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 35: 129-150. PMID: 20149820.
   

2. Shin R, Cao J, Webb, SM, Ikemoto S (2010). Amphetamine administration into the ventral striatum facilitates behavioral interaction with unconditioned visual signals in rats. PLoS ONE, 5:e8741. PMID: 20090902.
   

3. Shin R, Ikemoto S (2010). The GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen administered into the median and dorsal raphe nuclei is rewarding as shown by intracranial self-administration and conditioned place preference in rats. Psychopharmacology, 208:545-554. PMID: 19946196.
   

4. Shin R, Qin M, Liu ZH, Ikemoto S (2008). Intracranial self-administration of MDMA into the ventral striatum of the rat: Differential roles of the nucleus accumbens shell, core and olfactory tubercle. Psychopharmacology, 198:261-270. PMID: 8389222.
   

5. Liu ZH, Shin R, Ikemoto S (2008). Dual role of medial A10 dopamine neurons in affective encoding. Neuropsychopharmacology, 33: 3010-3020. PMID: 18256592.
   

6. Ikemoto S (2007). Dopamine reward circuitry: Two projection systems from the ventral midbrain to the nucleus accumbens-olfactory tubercle complex. Brain Research Reviews, 56: 27-78. (This article received Brain Research Most Cited Award (Elsevier) in 2010 and was featured as a “Fast Breaking Paper” on the web site of Thomson Reuters’ ScienceWatch® in 2008.)
   

7. Liu ZH, Ikemoto S (2007). The midbrain raphe nuclei mediate primary reinforcement via GABAA receptors. European Journal of Neuroscience, 25: 735-743.
   

8. Ikemoto S, Qin M, Liu ZH. (2006). Primary reinforcing effects of nicotine are triggered from multiple regions both inside and outside the ventral tegmental area. The Journal of Neuroscience, 26: 723-730. (This article was featured in “This Week in The Journal”.)
   

9. Ikemoto S, Qin M, Liu ZH (2005). The functional divide for primary reinforcement of d-amphetamine lies between the medial and lateral ventral striatum: Is the division of the accumbens core, shell and olfactory tubercle valid? The Journal of Neuroscience, 25: 5061-5065.
   

10. Ikemoto S (2005). The supramammillary nucleus mediates primary reinforcement via GABAA receptors. Neuropsychopharmacology, 30: 1088-1095.
    

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