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Erika Perez, PhD

Department of Neuroscience,
University of Pennsylvania


Education

2002-2006 BS, Cellular Biology, Texas Women's University, Denton, TX
2006-2014  

PhD, Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

2015-present

Penn-PORT fellow, Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania

 
  • Research mentor: John Dani, PhD; University of Pennsylvania

Research Topic: Neurocircuitry of addiction

I am interested in understanding the neural mechanisms underlying addiction to nicotine and alcohol. Understanding the neuronal circuits modulating drug consumption and withdrawal is essential for the development of cessation pharmacotherapies. In particular I am focused on understanding the influence of particular gene variants on the mechanisms of drug addiction. Various aspects of nicotine dependence are associated with the non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs16969968) in the CHRNA5 gene, which encodes the α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subunit. Expression of the risk allele has been shown to produce a partial loss of function of α5-containing nAChRs. Little is known about the specific role of the α5 nAChR subunit and the rs16969968 SNP have in modulating dopamine release in response to acute and chronic nicotine treatment or during nicotine withdrawal. Using in vivo microdialysis techniques, I study nicotine-induced dopamine changes in the nucleus accumbens of α5 null mice. I also study dopamine signaling in mice that selectively re-express the α5 nAChR subunit or the risk allele in the ventral tegmental area, an area of the brain that is known to modulate dopamine release and normally expresses α5-containing nAChRs.

 
Publications

Journal Publications 

  • Perez EE, Klima M, McLaughlin I, Paolini M, and De Biasi M. α5-containing nAChRs within the Interpeduncular Nucleus Influence the Affective and Physical Symptoms of Alcohol Withdrawal. In Submission

  • Perez E, Quijano-Cardé N, De Biasi M. Nicotinic Cholinergic Mechanisms Modulate Ethanol Withdrawal and Modify Time Course and Severity of Symptoms Associated with Simultaneous Withdrawal from Alcohol and Nicotine. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2015 Mar 19.

  • Perez EE and De Biasi M. (2015). Assessment of affective and somatic signs of ethanol withdrawal in C57B/6J mice using a short term ethanol treatment. Alcohol. S0741-8329(14)20213-8.

  • De Biasi M, McLaughlin I, Perez EE, Crooks PA, Dwoskin LP, Bardo MT, Pentel PR, Hatsukami D. (2014).

    Scientific overview: 2013 BBC plenary symposium on tobacco addiction. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 141:107-17.

  • Muldoon PP, Jackson KJ, Perez E, Harenza JL, Molas S, Rais B, Anwar H, Zaveri NT, Maldonado R, Maskos U, McIntosh JM, Dierssen M, Miles MF, Chen X, De Biasi M, Damaj MI. (2014) The alpha3beta4* nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtype mediates physical dependence to morphine: mouse and human studies. British Journal of Pharmacology, 171(16):3845-57.

  • Dao DQ, Perez EE, Teng Y, Dani JA, De Biasi M. (2013). Nicotine Enhances Excitability of Medial Habenular Neurons via Facilitation of Neurokinin Signaling. Journal of Neuroscience, 34(12):4273-84.

  • Gangitano D, Salas R, Perez E, TengY, De Biasi M. (2009). Progesterone modulation of image0015 nAChR subunits influences anxiety-related behavior during estrus cycle. Genes, Brain, and Behavior, 8(4):398-406.

  • Uphouse L, Hiegel C, Perez E, Guptarak J. (2007)  Serotonin receptor involvement in effects of restraint on female rat lordosis behavior. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 86(4):631-6.

 

Contact Info:

Erika Perez, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Neuroscience
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Clinical Research Building
415 Curie Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19104 

E-mail: perezer@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

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