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Michael E. Ragozzino, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychology
Email : mrago@uic.edu
Phone: (312) 413-2630
Fax: (312) 413-4122
US Mail:
BSB 1042 A
1007 W. Harrison St. (MC 285)
Chicago, IL 60607-7137
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Statement of Research Interests:
My research program involves taking a neural systems approach to understanding the
neurobiology of learning and memory. My interest focuses on investigating the
principles and neural mechanisms that govern the ability to learn new rules and
inhibit old rules under changing environmental conditions. The ability to adopt
new strategies and inhibit old strategies involves a powerful form of plasticity
for adapting to a changing environment and reflects intricate learning,memory and
attentional systems. I have two main research programs that focus on understanding
the neurobiology of learning and memory.
One main focus of current experiments is investigating the role of the prefrontal
cortex and interconnected brain regions, i.e. striatum and thalamus, in shifting
strategies or learning sets. These experiments employ behavioral testing in
conjunction with pharmacology and neurochemical techniques, i.e. microdialysis
w/HPLC, in understanding the dynamic neurochemical changes that occur during
different forms of learning. Most recently, experiments have focused on the role
of cholinergic interneurons in the striatum related to learning and strategy
switching, as well as how prefrontal and thalamic input influences striatal
acetylcholine output and learning. These studies are building a greater
understanding of how different brain areas dynamically interact to influence to
support learning.
A second focus of my research program is to understand the role of serotonin in
learning and strategy switching. This research focuses on testing potentially new
treatments that act at 5-HT4 receptors for alleviating cognitive deficits in
Alzheimer's disease. Experiments are also exploring whether 5-HT2 and 5-HT6
receptors contribute to behavioral flexibility. Development of agents that act at
these receptors may prove useful in the treatment of cognitive flexibility deficits
in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Schizophrenia.
Selected Publications:
Ragozzino M.E. (2006). The role of the striatum in learning and memory. In R.P. Kesner and J.L. Martinez (Eds.) Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, in press, Academic Press: San Diego.
Palencia C.A. & Ragozzino M.E. (2006). The effect of NMDA receptor blockade on acetylcholine efflux in the dorsomedial striatum during response reversal learning. Neuroscience, in press.
Kim J. & Ragozzino M.E. (2005). The involvement of the orbitofrontal cortex in learning under changing task contingencies. Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, 83: 125-133.( PDF
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Palencia C.A. & Ragozzino M.E. (2004). The influence of NMDA receptors in the dorsomedial striatum on response reversal learning. Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, 82: 81-89.( PDF
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Ragozzino M.E. & Choi D. (2004). Dynamic changes in medial striatal acetylcholine output during place reversal learning. Learning & Memory, 14: 70-77.( PDF
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Ragozzino M.E. , Kim J., Minniti N., Hassert D. & Kiang C. (2003). The contributions of the prelimbic-infralimbic areas to different forms of task switching. Behavioral Neuroscience, 117: 1054- 1065.( PDF
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