This group works at the characterization of signaling in the basal ganglia, a collection of subcortical structures involved in motor control and in various diseases that affect the CNS. Our approach is based on: 1) biochemical analyses to identify signaling pathways (cAMP pathway,
MAPK pathway, etc.) affected by short- and long-term treatment with various classes of drugs, including levodopa, antipsychotics and substances of abuse, and 2) behavioral analysis of transgenic mice to assess the involvement of specific signaling components in pathophysiological conditions.

Andersson, M., Usiello, A., Borgkvist, A., Pozzi, L., Dominguez, C., Fienberg, A.A., Svenningsson, P., Fredholm, B.B., Borrelli, E., Greengard, P. and Fisone, G.(2005):Cannabinoid action depends on phosphorylation of DARPP-32 at the PKA site in striatal projection neurons..J. Neurosci. In press:

Lundblad, M., Usiello, A., Carta, M., Hakansson, K., Fisone, G. and Cenci, M.A.(2005):Pharmacological validation of a mouse model of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia..Exp. Neurol. 194:66-75

Hakansson, K., Pozzi, L., Usiello, A., Haycock, J., Borrelli, E. and Fisone, G.(2004):Regulation of striatal tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation by acute and chronic haloperidol..Eur. J. Neurosci. 20:1108-1112

indgren N., Usiello, A., Goiny, M., Haycock, J., Erbs, E., Greengard, P., Hökfelt, T., Borrelli, E. and Fisone, G(2003):Distinct roles of dopamine D2L and D2S receptor isoforms in the regulation of protein phosphorylation at presynaptic and postsynaptic sites..Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci:4305-4309

Picconi, B., Centonze, D., Hakansson, K., Bernardi, G., Greengard, P., Fisone, G., Cenci, M.A. and Calabresi, P.(2003):Loss of bidirectional striatal
synaptic plasticity in dyskinetic parkinsonian rats..Nat. Neurosci. 6:501-506

Pozzi, L., Hakansson, K., Usiello, A., Borgkvist, A., Lindskog, M., Greengard, P. and Fisone, G.(2003):Opposite regulation by typical and atypical antipsychotics of ERK1/2, CREB and Elk-1 phosphorylation in mouse dorsal striatum..J. Neurochem. 86:451-459

Lindskog, M., Pozzi, L., Svenningsson, P., Yong, K., Fienberg, A., Bibb, J., Fredholm, B.B., Nairn, A.C., Greengard, P. and Fisone, G(2002):Involvement of DARPP-32 phosphorylation in the stimulant action of caffeine..Nature:774-778