Stephen V. Mahler

Ventral Pallidum GABA Neuron Inhibition Augments Context-Appropriate Defensive Responses to Learned Threat Cues

This study inhibits VP GABA neurons and finds it increases context-appropriate defensive responses to learned threat cues without affecting memory formation.

Neural circuit basis of adolescent THC-induced potentiation of opioid responses in adult mice

This study investigates how adolescent THC exposure affects adult morphine responses, finding increased reward and altered brain connectivity.

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.

A head-to-head comparison of two DREADD agonists for suppressing operant behavior in rats via VTA dopamine neuron inhibition

This study compares two DREADD agonists, CNO and J60, on operant behavior in rats with VTA dopamine neuron inhibition, finding J60 has non-specific effects while CNO is more specific.

Long-term effects of THC exposure on reward learning and motivated behavior in adolescent and adult male rats

This study examines how repeated THC exposure during adolescence or adulthood affects reward learning and motivated behavior in rats, finding age-dependent changes in cognitive and motivational processes.

Stress-induced plasticity of a novel CRH GABA projection disrupts reward behaviors

The paper identifies a novel stress-sensitive CRH GABA projection from the basolateral amygdala to the nucleus accumbens that contributes to reward behavior disruption following early-life adversity.

Ventral pallidum GABA neurons bidirectionally control opioid relapse across rat behavioral models

This study shows that ventral pallidum GABA neurons bidirectionally control opioid relapse in rats, depending on the behavioral context and type of abstinence.

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.

On the early-life origins of vulnerability to opioid addiction

This study investigates how early-life adversity affects vulnerability to opioid addiction in rats, finding that it leads to addiction-like behaviors and altered reward circuitry.

Ventral Pallidum is Essential for Cocaine Reinstatement After Voluntary Abstinence

This study shows that ventral pallidum inhibition reduces cocaine reinstatement after voluntary abstinence, particularly in compulsive rats, suggesting its role in relapse.

Prefrontal pathways provide top down control of memory for sequences of events

This study shows that prefrontal pathways regulate sequence memory retrieval in rats by controlling working memory and temporal context strategies.

Mesolimbic dopamine projections mediate cue-motivated reward seeking but not reward retrieval

This study investigates the role of mesolimbic dopamine projections in cue-motivated reward seeking versus retrieval, finding that dopamine inhibition disrupts seeking but not retrieval.

Chemogenetic ligands for translational neurotheranostics

The paper develops new DREADD agonists and a PET radiotracer for improved neuronal activity manipulation and noninvasive projection mapping in neurotheranostics.

Chemogenetic Manipulations of Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Neurons Reveal Multifaceted Roles in Cocaine Abuse

The paper uses chemogenetic manipulation to explore the role of VTA dopamine neuron G-protein signaling in cocaine-related behaviors, revealing distinct effects based on signaling pathways and behavioral context.