Research interest

The altering brain

development, memory and behavior.

Current Research

Specific interest is focused on the processes of song development, storage of song information, and identification of the underlying neural signaling pathways in the zebra finch brain. In a joint project with Dr. D. Fekkes (Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands) we are currently conducting a study in which we examine the (anti)-addictive properties of the endogenous compound norharman, an in vivo and in vitro study.

Selected publications

• Cappendijk SLT, Fekkes D, van Dalen A, and Pepplinkhuizen L. The acute effects of norharman on cocaine self-administration and sensorimotor function in male Wistar rats. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 11: 233-239, 2001.
• Davidson AJ, Cappendijk SLT, and Stephan FK. Feeding-entrained circadian rhythms are attenuated by lesions of the parabrachial region in rats. Am J Physiol. Regulatory Comp. Physiol. 278: R1296-R1304, 2000.
• Cappendijk SLT, Hurd YL, Nylander IM, Van Ree JM and Terenius L, A Heroin but not a cocaine expecting self-administration state preferentially alters brain endogenous peptides. European Journal of Pharmacology, 365: 175-182, 1999.
• Cappendijk SLT, Fekkes D and Dzoljic MR, The inhibitory effect on norharman on morphine withdrawal syndrome in rats - comparison with ibogaine. Behavioural Brain Research, 65: 117-119, 1994.
• Cappendijk SLT and Dzoljic MR, Inhibitory effects of ibogaine on cocaine self-administration. European Journal of Pharmacology, 241: 261-265, 1993.

Selected abstracts

• Fekkes D, Bernard HF and Cappendijk SLT. Norharman and alcohol-dependency in male Wistar rats. Presentation at the 15th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), Barcelona, Spain, October 2002.
• Lee CA, Cappendijk SLT, and Fadool JM. GFP Expression in rod photoreceptors of transgenic zebrafish. Poster presentation at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophtalmology (ARVO), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 2001.
• Fekkes D, Cappendijk SLT, The role of norharman in alcohol dependence and smoking.:Poster presentation at the workshop N.W.O./ZON Program Addiction, Utrecht, The Netherlands, November 2000.
• Davidson AJ, Cappendijk SLT and Stephan FK. Feeding-entrained circadian rhythms are attenuated by lesions of the parabrachial region in rats, Poster presentation at the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, Amelia Island, Florida, May 2000.
• Cappendijk SLT, Fekkes D and Dzoljic MR, Norharman - Endogenous inhibitor of morphine withdrawal behaviour. Poster presentation at the International Narcotic Research Conference (INRC), North Falmouth (MA), USA, July 1994.
• Dzoljic MR and Cappendijk SLT, Effects of ibogaine on cocaine self-administration in rats. Oral presentation at the joint meeting of The College on Problems of Drug Dependence/International Narcotic Research Conference (CPDD/INRC), Keystone, USA, June 1992.