Dr. Carlos A. Bolaños

Research Interest

• Developmental Psychobiology
• Animal Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders
• Neuropsychopharmacology
• Signal Transduction

Current Research

Our research focuses on studying how exposure to antidepressants, stimulants, and other psychotropic drugs, as well as physical and emotional stress, leads to neurobiological adaptations of brain pathways involved in regulating reward, mood, and motivation in developmentally immature and adult animal models. We use a multilevel approach that involves behavioral, biochemical, and psychopharmacological analyses. In addition, we use in vivo gene transfer, using viral vectors, to regulate the expression of specific genes in discrete brain regions. The overall goal is to better understand ways in which the developing and adult brain responds to environmental, pharmacological and genetic manipulations resulting in pathological conditions.

Publications

• Russo SJ, Wilkinson MB, Mazei-Robison MS, Dietz DM, Maze I, Krishnan V, Renthal W, Graham A, Birnbaum SG, Green TA, Robison B, Lesselyong A, Perrotti LI, Bolaños CA, Kumar A, Clark MS, Neumaier JF, Bhakar AL, Barker PA, Nestler EJ. Nuclear factor kappa B signaling regulates neuronal morphology and cocaine reward. J Neurosci. 29(11):3529-37. (2009)
• Wallace DL, Han MH, Graham DL, Green TA, Vialou V, Iñiguez SD, Cao JL, Kirk A, Chakravarty S, Kumar A, Krishnan V, Neve RL, Cooper DC, Bolaños CA, Barrot M, McClung CA, Nestler EJ. CREB regulation of nucleus accumbens excitability mediates social isolation-induced behavioral deficits. Nat Neurosci. 12(2):200-9. (2009)
• Graham DL, Krishnan V, Larson EB, Graham A, Edwards S, Bachtell RK, Simmons D, Gent LM, Berton O, Bolaños CA, DiLeone RJ, Parada LF, Nestler EJ, Self DW. Tropomyosin-related kinase B in the mesolimbic dopamine system: region-specific effects on cocaine reward. Biol Psychiatry. 65(8):696-701. (2009)
• Krishnan V, Han MH, Mazei-Robison M, Iñiguez SD, Ables JL, Vialou V, Berton O, Ghose S, Covington HE 3rd, Wiley MD, Henderson RP, Neve RL, Eisch AJ, Tamminga CA, Russo SJ, Bolaños CA, Nestler EJ. AKT signaling within the ventral tegmental area regulates cellular and behavioral responses to stressful stimuli. Biol Psychiatry. 64(8):691-700. (2008)
• Bolaños CA, Willey MD, Maffeo ML, Powers KD, Kinka DW, Grausam KB, Henderson RP. Antidepressant treatment can normalize adult behavioral deficits induced by early-life exposure to methylphenidate. Biol Psychiatry. 63(3):309-16. (2008)
• Russo SJ, Bolaños CA, Theobald DE, DeCarolis NA, Renthal W, Kumar A, Winstanley CA, Renthal NE, Wiley MD, Self DW, Russell DS, Neve RL, Eisch AJ, Nestler EJ. IRS2-Akt pathway in midbrain dopamine neurons regulates behavioral and cellular responses to opiates. Nat Neurosci. 10(1):93-9. (2007)
• Lagace DC, Yee JK, Bolaños CA, Eisch AJ. Biol Psychiatry. Juvenile administration of methylphenidate attenuates adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Biol Psychiatry. 60(10):1121-30. (2006)
• Han MH, Bolaños CA, Green TA, Olson VG, Neve RL, Liu RJ, Aghajanian GK, Nestler EJ. Role of cAMP response element-binding protein in the rat locus ceruleus: regulation of neuronal activity and opiate withdrawal behaviors. J Neurosci. 26(17):4624-9. (2006)
• Zachariou V, Bolaños CA, Selley DE, Theobald D, Cassidy MP, Kelz MB, Shaw-Lutchman T, Berton O, Sim-Selley LJ, Dileone RJ, Kumar A, Nestler EJ. An essential role for DeltaFosB in the nucleus accumbens in morphine action. Nat Neurosci. 9(2):205-11. (2006)
• Olson VG, Zabetian CP, Bolaños CA, Edwards S, Barrot M, Eisch AJ, Hughes T, Self DW, Neve RL, Nestler EJ. Regulation of drug reward by cAMP response element-binding protein: evidence for two functionally distinct subregions of the ventral tegmental area. J Neurosci. 25(23):5553-62. (2005)
• Perrotti LI, Bolaños CA, Choi KH, Russo SJ, Edwards S, Ulery PG, Wallace DL, Self DW, Nestler EJ, Barrot M. DeltaFosB accumulates in a GABAergic cell population in the posterior tail of the ventral tegmental area after psychostimulant treatment. Eur J Neurosci. 21(10):2817-24. (2005)
• Barrot M, Wallace DL, Bolaños CA, Graham DL, Perrotti LI, Neve RL, Chambliss H, Yin JC, Nestler EJ. Regulation of anxiety and initiation of sexual behavior by CREB in the nucleus accumbens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 102(23):8357-62. (2005)
• Georgescu D, Sears RM, Hommel JD, Barrot M, Bolaños CA, Marsh DJ, Bednarek MA, Bibb JA, Maratos-Flier E, Nestler EJ, DiLeone RJ. he hypothalamic neuropeptide melanin-concentrating hormone acts in the nucleus accumbens to modulate feeding behavior and forced-swim performance. J Neurosci. 25(11):2933-40. (2005)
• Bolaños CA, Neve RL, Nestler EJ. Phospholipase C gamma in distinct regions of the ventral tegmental area differentially regulates morphine-induced locomotor activity. Synapse. 56(3):166-9. (2005)
• Bolaños CA, Nestler EJ. Neurotrophic mechanisms in drug addiction. Neuromolecular Med. 5(1):69-83. (2004)