Positive allosteric modulator of GLT-1 reduces methamphetamine hyperlocomotion, sensitization and conditioned place preference in mice.
Mokkarala P, Wiah S, Unterwald EM, Shi X, Stern DR, Fontana ACK, Salvino JM, Rawls SM. Positive allosteric modulator of GLT-1 reduces methamphetamine hyperlocomotion, sensitization and conditioned place preference in mice. Neurosci Res. 2025 Apr; 213:156-160. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2025.01.008. Epub 2025 Jan 31. PMID: 39894415. 

A dual-pathway architecture for stress to disrupt agency and promote habit.
Giovanniello JR, Paredes N, Wiener A, Ramírez-Armenta K, Oragwam C, Uwadia HO, Yu AL, Lim K, Pimenta JS, Vilchez GE, Nnamdi G, Wang A, Sehgal M, Reis FM, Sias AC, Silva AJ, Adhikari A, Malvaez M, Wassum KM. A dual-pathway architecture for stress to disrupt agency and promote habit. Nature. 2025 Feb 19. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08580-w. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39972126. 

Deletion of β-arrestin 2 in mice affects kappa opioid receptor-mediated behaviors depending on sex, ovariectomy status, and behavioral endpoints. 
Huang P, Ho CK, Bland K, Liu-Chen LY. Deletion of β-arrestin 2 in mice affects kappa opioid receptor-mediated behaviors depending on sex, ovariectomy status, and behavioral endpoints. Neurosci Lett. 2025 Feb 28; 850:138154. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2025.138154. Epub 2025 Feb 7. PMID: 39923977. 

Exploring the effects of adolescent social isolation stress on the serotonin system and ethanol-motivated behaviors.
McElroy BD, Li C, McCloskey NS, Alberici AR, Kirby LG. Exploring the effects of adolescent social isolation stress on the serotonin system and ethanol-motivated behaviors. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2025 Apr;242(4):763-781. doi: 10.1007/s00213-025-06749-3. Epub 2025 Feb 4. PMID: 39903245; PMCID: PMC11890253. 

Role of serotonin neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus in heroin self-administration and punishment.
Li C, McCloskey NS, Inan S, Kirby LG. Role of serotonin neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus in heroin self-administration and punishment. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2025 Feb;50(3):596-604. doi: 10.1038/s41386-024-01993-1. Epub 2024 Sep 19. PMID: 39300273; PMCID: PMC11735851. 

Neuroinflammatory history results in overlapping transcriptional signatures with heroin exposure in the nucleus accumbens and alters responsiveness to heroin in male rats.
Floris G, Zanda MT, Dabrowski KR, Daws SE. Neuroinflammatory history results in overlapping transcriptional signatures with heroin exposure in the nucleus accumbens and alters responsiveness to heroin in male rats. Transl Psychiatry. 2024 Dec 19;14(1):500. doi: 10.1038/s41398-024-03203-4. PMID: 39702361; PMCID: PMC11659471. 

Elevating levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol blunts opioid reward but not analgesia.
Martínez-Rivera A, Fetcho RN, Birmingham L, Xu J, Yang R, Foord C, Scala-Chávez D, Mekawy N, Pleil K, Pickel VM, Liston C, Castorena CM, Levitz J, Pan YX, Briand LA, Rajadhyaksha AM, Lee FS. Elevating levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol blunts opioid reward but not analgesia. Sci Adv. 2024 Nov 29;10(48): eadq4779. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adq4779. Epub 2024 Nov 29. PMID: 39612328; PMCID: PMC11606496. 

Psilocybin reduces heroin seeking behavior and modulates inflammatory gene expression in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex of male rats.
Floris G, Dabrowski KR, Zanda MT, Daws SE. Psilocybin reduces heroin seeking behavior and modulates inflammatory gene expression in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex of male rats. Mol Psychiatry. 2024 Oct 21. doi: 10.1038/s41380-024-02788-y. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39433903."

KLS-13019, a Novel Structural Analogue of Cannabidiol and GPR55 Receptor Antagonist, Prevents and Reverses Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Rats.
Ippolito M, Hayduk SA, Kinney W, Brenneman DE, Ward SJ. KLS-13019, a Novel Structural Analogue of Cannabidiol and GPR55 Receptor Antagonist, Prevents and Reverses Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2024 Oct 18;391(2):231-240. doi: 10.1124/jpet.124.002190. PMID: 39134424; PMCID: PMC11493436. 

D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens core have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning.
Zachry JE, Kutlu MG, Yoon HJ, Leonard MZ, Chevée M, Patel DD, Gaidici A, Kondev V, Thibeault KC, Bethi R, Tat J, Melugin PR, Isiktas AU, Joffe ME, Cai DJ, Conn PJ, Grueter BA, Calipari ES. D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens core have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning. Neuron. 2024 Mar 6;112(5):835-849.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.023. Epub 2023 Dec 21. PMID: 38134921; PMCID: PMC10939818. 

NCP, a Dual Kappa and Mu Opioid Receptor Agonist, Is a Potent Analgesic Against Inflammatory Pain without Reinforcing or Aversive Properties. 
Huang P, Ho CK, Cao D, Inan S, Rawls SM, Li M, Huang B, Pagare PP, Townsend EA, Poklis JL, Halquist MS, Banks M, Zhang Y, Liu-Chen LY. NCP, a Dual Kappa and Mu Opioid Receptor Agonist, Is a Potent Analgesic Against Inflammatory Pain without Reinforcing or Aversive Properties. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2024 Mar 15;389(1):106-117. doi: 10.1124/jpet.123.001870. Erratum in: J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2024 Jul 18;390(2):276. doi: 10.1124/jpet.123.001870err. PMID: 38409113; PMCID: PMC10949162. 

Knockdown siRNA Targeting GPR55 Reveals Significant Differences Between the Anti-inflammatory Actions of KLS-13019 and Cannabidiol.
Brenneman DE, Kinney WA, McDonnell ME, Ippolito MJ, Ward SJ. Knockdown siRNA Targeting GPR55 Reveals Significant Differences Between the Anti-inflammatory Actions of KLS-13019 and Cannabidiol. J Mol Neurosci. 2024 Apr 11;74(2):41. doi: 10.1007/s12031-024-02217-3. PMID: 38602576. 

Blocking IL-17A prevents oxycodone-induced depression-like effects and elevation of IL-6 levels in the ventral tegmental area and reduces oxycodone-derived physical dependence in rats. 
Inan S, Meissler JJ, Bessho S, Wiah S, Tukel C, Eisenstein TK, Rawls SM. Blocking IL-17A prevents oxycodone-induced depression-like effects and elevation of IL-6 levels in the ventral tegmental area and reduces oxycodone-derived physical dependence in rats. Brain Behav Immun. 2024 Mar; 117:100-111. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.01.001. Epub 2024 Jan 8. PMID: 38199516; PMCID: PMC10932873. 

Nucleus accumbens core single cell ensembles bidirectionally respond to experienced versus observed aversive events. 
Dinckol O, Wenger NH, Zachry JE, Kutlu MG. Nucleus accumbens core single cell ensembles bidirectionally respond to experienced versus observed aversive events. Sci Rep. 2023 Dec 18;13(1):22602. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-49686-x. PMID: 38114559; PMCID: PMC10730531. 

Stress, associative learning, and decision-making
Giovanniello J, Bravo-Rivera C, Rosenkranz A, Matthew Lattal K. Stress, associative learning, and decision-making. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2023 Oct; 204:107812. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107812. Epub 2023 Aug 19. PMID: 37598745. 

Cav1.3 L-type Ca2+ channel-activated CaMKII/ERK2 pathway in the ventral tegmental area is required for cocaine conditioned place preference. 
Martínez-Rivera A, Hao J, Rice R, Inturrisi CE, Rajadhyaksha AM. Cav1.3 L-type Ca2+ channel-activated CaMKII/ERK2 pathway in the ventral tegmental area is required for cocaine conditioned place preference. Neuropharmacology. 2023 Feb 15; 224:109368. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109368. Epub 2022 Dec 5. PMID: 36481277; PMCID: PMC9796157. Immun. 2024 Mar;117:100-111. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.01.001. Epub 2024 Jan 8. PMID: 38199516; PMCID: PMC10932873. 

Reactivation of cocaine contextual memory engages mechanistic target of rapamycin/S6 kinase 1 signaling.
Shi X, von Weltin E, Fitzsimmons E, Do C, Caban Rivera C, Chen C, Liu-Chen LY, Unterwald EM. Reactivation of cocaine contextual memory engages mechanistic target of rapamycin/S6 kinase 1 signaling. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Sep 27; 13:976932. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.976932. PMID: 36238569; PMCID: PMC9552424. 

Dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens core mediates latent inhibition.
Kutlu MG, Zachry JE, Melugin PR, Tat J, Cajigas S, Isiktas AU, Patel DD, Siciliano CA, Schoenbaum G, Sharpe MJ, Calipari ES. Dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens core mediates latent inhibition. Nat Neurosci. 2022 Aug;25(8):1071-1081. doi: 10.1038/s41593-022-01126-1. Epub 2022 Jul 28. PMID: 35902648; PMCID: PMC9768922. 

Artificial Intelligence Identified Resilient and Vulnerable Female Rats After Traumatic Stress and Ethanol Exposure: Investigation of Neuropeptide Y Pathway Regulation. 
Denny RR, Connelly KL, Ghilotti MG, Meissler JJ, Yu D, Eisenstein TK, Unterwald EM. Artificial Intelligence Identified Resilient and Vulnerable Female Rats After Traumatic Stress and Ethanol Exposure: Investigation of Neuropeptide Y Pathway Regulation. Front Neurosci. 2021 Dec 16; 15:772946. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2021.772946. PMID: 34975380; PMCID: PMC8716605.