Christopher Ford

The impact of alpha synuclein overexpression on nigrostriatal transmission

This study investigates how overexpression of wild type alpha synuclein affects nigrostriatal neurotransmission in Parkinson's disease, finding selective deficits in dopamine and glutamate release.

Distinct forms of dopamine transmission control locomotion and learning

This study identifies two distinct modes of striatal dopamine release that independently control locomotion and learning.

Postsynaptic adaptations in direct pathway muscarinic M4-receptor signaling follow the temporal and regional pattern of dopaminergic degeneration

The paper examines how cholinergic signaling adapts in response to dopamine loss in Parkinson’s disease, finding that M4 receptor function declines regionally and temporally with dopaminergic degeneration.

Salience signaling and stimulus scaling of ventral tegmental area glutamate neuron subtypes

This study identifies how different subtypes of VTA glutamatergic neurons signal reward and aversion in distinct ways, highlighting unique roles in behavioral salience.

A diverse population of pericoerulear neurons controls arousal and exploratory behaviors

The paper identifies diverse GABAergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) dendritic field that modulate arousal and behaviors through transcriptional, spatial, and functional diversity.

Overexpression of alpha synuclein in Midbrain Dopamine Neurons Reduces Dopamine Release Without Cell Loss and Drives Mild Motor Deficits in Mice

VGluT3 BNST neurons transmit GABA and restrict feeding without affecting rewarding or aversive processing

The paper identifies VGluT3-expressing BNST neurons that inhibit feeding via GABA transmission without affecting reward or aversion.

M4-mediated cholinergic transmission is reduced in parkinsonian mice and its restoration alleviates motor deficits and levodopa-induced dyskinesia

miRNA-mediated control of gephyrin synthesis drives sustained inhibitory synaptic plasticity

This study identifies miR153 as a regulator of gephyrin translation during inhibitory long-term potentiation, showing its downregulation enables synaptic strengthening.

Adaptor Protein-3 Produces Synaptic Vesicles that Release Phasic Dopamine

This study identifies AP-3 and VPS41 as factors that promote high-frequency dopamine release by targeting VMAT2 to axons and producing specialized synaptic vesicles.

Gait Abnormalities and Aberrant D2 Receptor Expression and Signaling in a Mouse Model of the Human Pathogenic Mutation DRD2I212F

This paper describes a mouse model with the DRD2I212F mutation, showing gait abnormalities and altered dopamine receptor signaling.

A fast genetically encoded fluorescent sensor for faithful in vivo acetylcholine detection in mice, fish, worms and flies

iAChSnFR, a fluorescent indicator built from a bacterial periplasmic binding protein, reports acetylcholine with large, fast signals in mouse, fish, fly and worm preparations.