Líneas de Investigación

El Laboratorio de Farmacología y Conducta estudia la relación entre alteraciones en la transmisión dopaminérgica y glutamatérgica y la generación de conductas compulsivas, a través del uso de técnicas de análisis conductual, neuroquímica, electrofisiología y microscopía de dos fotones.

Proyectos Vigentes

Proyectos Adjudicados:

2024-2026 Proyecto FONDECYT Iniciación: Impact of Dopamine levels and D2 receptors on the induction and treatment of compulsive behaviors. Financiado por FONDECYT, Proyecto N° 11240331, Rol: Investigador Responsable.

2023-2024 Proyecto INICI -UV “Impacto de la modulación de la actividad dopaminérgica en un modelo de conductas compulsivas”. Financiado por UV. Proyecto UVA22991. Rol: Investigador Responsable.

Publicaciones

Central and Peripheral Inflammation: A Common Factor Causing Addictive and Neurological Disorders and Aging-Related Pathologies. Escobar AP, Bonansco C, Cruz G, Dagnino-Subiabre A, Fuenzalida M, Negrón I, Sotomayor-Zárate R, Martínez-Pinto J, Jorquera G. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jun 13;24(12):10083. doi: 10.3390/ijms241210083.

Immunolocalization of kappa opioid receptors in the axon initial segment of a group of embryonic mesencephalic dopamine neurons. Escobar AP, Meza RC, Gonzalez M, Henny P, Andrés ME. IBRO Neurosci Rep. 2022 May 11;12:411-418. doi: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.05.002. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Effects of Early Life Exposure to Sex Hormones on Neurochemical and Behavioral Responses to Psychostimulants in Adulthood: Implications in Drug Addiction. Elgueta-Reyes M, Velásquez VB, Espinosa P, Riquelme R, Dib T, Sanguinetti NK, Escobar AP, Martínez-Pinto J, Renard GM, Sotomayor-Zárate R. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jun 12;23(12):6575. doi: 10.3390/ijms23126575.

Long-Range GABAergic Projections of Cortical Origin in Brain Function. Urrutia-Piñones J, Morales-Moraga C, Sanguinetti-González N, Escobar AP, Chiu CQ. Front Syst Neurosci. 2022 Mar 22;16:841869. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.841869. eCollection 2022.

Altered Grooming Syntax and Amphetamine-Induced Dopamine Release in EAAT3 Overexpressing Mice. Escobar AP, Martínez-Pinto J, Silva-Olivares F, Sotomayor-Zárate R, Moya PR. Front Cell Neurosci. 2021 Jun 21;15:661478. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2021.661478. eCollection 2021.

Study of the release of endogenous amines in Drosophila brain in vivo in response to stimuli linked to aversive olfactory conditioning. Hidalgo S, Fuenzalida-Uribe N, Molina-Mateo D, Escobar AP, Oliva C, España RA, Andrés ME, Campusano JM. J Neurochem. 2021 Feb;156(3):337-351. doi: 10.1111/jnc.15109. Epub 2020 Jul 17.

Crosstalk Between Kappa Opioid and Dopamine Systems in Compulsive Behaviors. Escobar ADP, Casanova JP, Andrés ME, Fuentealba JA. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Feb 18;11:57. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00057. eCollection 2020.

The Neuronal Glutamate Transporter EAAT3 in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Escobar AP, Wendland JR, Chávez AE, Moya PR. Front Pharmacol. 2019 Nov 15;10:1362. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01362. eCollection 2019.

Behavioral and synaptic alterations relevant to obsessive-compulsive disorder in mice with increased EAAT3 expression. Delgado-Acevedo C, Estay SF, Radke AK, Sengupta A, Escobar AP, Henríquez-Belmar F, Reyes CA, Haro-Acuña V, Utreras E, Sotomayor-Zárate R, Cho A, Wendland JR, Kulkarni AB, Holmes A, Murphy DL, Chávez AE, Moya PR. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2019 May;44(6):1163-1173. doi: 10.1038/s41386-018-0302-7. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

The Role of Kappa Opioid Receptors in Glutamate Input Selection in the Ventral Striatum. Escobar AP. J Neurosci. 2017 Nov 15;37(46):11072-11073. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2381-17.2017.

Mechanisms of Kappa Opioid Receptor Potentiation of Dopamine D2 Receptor Function in Quinpirole-Induced Locomotor Sensitization in Rats. Escobar AP, González MP, Meza RC, Noches V, Henny P, Gysling K, España RA, Fuentealba JA, Andrés ME. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017 Aug 1;20(8):660-669. doi: 10.1093/ijnp/pyx042.

Reduced dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens of quinpirole-sensitized rats hints at inhibitory D2 autoreceptor function. Escobar AP, Cornejo FA, Olivares-Costa M, González M, Fuentealba JA, Gysling K, España RA, Andrés ME. J Neurochem. 2015 Sep;134(6):1081-90. doi: 10.1111/jnc.13209. Epub 2015 Jul 14.

Repeated treatment with the kappa opioid receptor agonist U69593 reverses enhanced K+ induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, but not the expression of locomotor sensitization in amphetamine-sensitized rats. Escobar A del P, Cornejo FA, Andrés ME, Fuentealba JA. Neurochem Int. 2012 Mar;60(4):344-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2012.01.014. Epub 2012 Jan 28.