Follow these instructions:
> Input your username
> Check that box
> Click login
A new password will be sent to the email address on file!

Members

See all

Institut Pasteur
25-28 rue du Docteur Rous

Cedex 15
75724 - Paris
France





Job opportunities

Dr Philippe Faure
Neurobiology of reward system
The European Neuroscience Insitute in Paris, Pasteur

Research Area

Mesolimbic dopaminergic (DA) neurons are involved in the reinforcing effect of natural rewards and drugs, including nicotine.
In spite of the importance of its cholinergic modulation, the work in this field addresses so far only very little the question of the role of the nAChRs in the modulation of the DA system by endogenous ACh in natural behaviours and in addiction.
In previous work, using KO mutant mice and lentiviral re-expression, we demonstrated that absence of ß2*nAChRs in the VTA reduce the spontaneous firing of DA neurons and occurrence of exploratory behaviors.
In the next few years we will focus on the relationship between the neuronal pathways implicated in nicotine addiction, and those activated during the exposure to novelty.
Indeed, a wealth of data support the relationship between novelty seeking and vulnerability to drugs.
Using electrophysiological recordings in freely moving mice we will i) correlate the modifications of the firing pattern with the behaviour in progress and ii) studied modifications of the DA neuron dynamics during chronic nicotine exposure and the relation with modulation of response to novelty.


Publications
M. Mameli-Engvall, A. Evrard, S. Pons, U. Maskos, T. Swensson, J.P. Changeux and P. Faure(2006):Hierarchical control of dopamine neuron firing patterns by nicotinic receptors..Neuron:50 (6), 911-921
U. Maskos, B.E. Molles, S. Pons, M. Besson, B.P. Guiard, J.-P. Guilloux, A. Evrard, P. Cazala, A. Cormier, M. Mameli-Engvall, N. Dufour, I. Cloez- Tayarani, A.-P. Bemelmans, J. Mallet, A.M. Gardier, V. David, P. Faure, S. Granon, J.-P. Changeux(2005):Recovery of nicotine reinforcement and cognitive functions by targeted expression of nicotinic receptors..Nature:436, 103-107
S. Granon, P. Faure, J.-P. Changeux(2003):Executive and social behavior under nicotinic receptor regulation..Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA:100(16), 9596-9601
P. Faure, H. Korn(1997):A nonrandom dynamic component in the synaptic noise of a central neuron..Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA:94:6506-651
M. Besson, S. Granon, M. Mameli-Engvall, I. Cloëz-Tayarani, A. Cormier, N. Maubourguet, P. Cazala, V. David, J-P Changeux and P. Faure(.):Long-term nicotine homeostasis: Contribution of different nAChR subtypes to opponent process..Nature Neurosciences, under revisions:

Technical Expertise