Stan Floresco

A Novel Operant Conditioning Task to Assess Motivation to Exercise in Rats

This paper introduces a novel operant conditioning task to measure motivation to exercise in rats and validates it using calorie restriction.

SK609, a novel dopamine D3 receptor agonist and norepinephrine transporter blocker with pro-cognitive actions, does not induce psychostimulant-like increases in risky choice during probabilistic discounting

This study compares the effects of SK609, a novel dopamine D3 receptor agonist and norepinephrine transporter blocker, with amphetamine and methylphenidate on risky choice behavior in a probabilistic discounting task.

Adolescent THC impacts on mPFC dopamine-mediated cognitive processes in male and female rats

This study examines how adolescent THC exposure affects dopamine-dependent cognitive processes in adult rats, finding sex-dependent impacts on reward seeking and altered sensitivity to amphetamine effects.

Gender impacts the relationship between mood disorder symptoms and effortful avoidance performance

The paper examines how gender influences the relationship between anxiety and depression scores and performance in effortful avoidance and reward-seeking tasks.

Disinhibition of the orbitofrontal cortex biases decision making in obesity

This study shows that obesity reduces inhibitory neurotransmission in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, leading to inflexible food-seeking behavior in mice.

Androgen synthesis inhibition but not gonadectomy reduces persistence during strategy set-shifting and reversal learning in male rats

The paper investigates the effects of androgen synthesis inhibition and gonadectomy on behavioural flexibility in male rats, finding that inhibition reduces perseverative errors in learning tasks.

Hippocampal neurogenesis promotes preference for future rewards

This study shows that blocking hippocampal neurogenesis in rats reduces activation of the ventral dentate gyrus and causes aversion to delayed rewards.

Ventral Pallidum GABA Neurons Mediate Motivation Underlying Risky Choice

This study shows that VPGABA neurons in rats influence risky decision-making by modulating motivation to pursue rewards and avoid shocks.

Critical role of de novo LTD in the formation and maintenance of hippocampal CA1 place-cell fields

The paper shows that de novo LTD is critical for forming and maintaining hippocampal CA1 place fields during novel environment exploration in rats.

Risk-based Decision Making in Rats: Modulation by Sex and Amphetamine

This study investigates sex differences and the effects of gonadal hormones and amphetamine on risk-based decision making in rats using a probabilistic discounting task.