[CCoE Notice] Dissertation Announcement: Austin Manuel Ganaway, "Neural Mapping of Pain and Addiction: Visualizing Dopaminergic Modulation in the Mesocorticolimbic System"

[Greenwell, Stephen J]

[Dissertation Defense Announcement at the Cullen College of Engineering]
Neural Mapping of Pain and Addiction: Visualizing Dopaminergic Modulation in the Mesocorticolimbic System
Austin Manuel Ganaway
April 29, 2025, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (CST)
Location: SERC 2nd Floor Room 2013
Teams Link<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19*3ameeting_ZWFmMWFlZTgtMDQxNS00MGYwLWJmNjEtZWFjMzRiMDc5MDJi*40thread.v2/0?context=*7b*22Tid*22*3a*22170bbabd-a2f0-4c90-ad4b-0e8f0f0c4259*22*2c*22Oid*22*3a*22591c27fa-2f52-4b15-8152-043934f10bdc*22*7d__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUl!!LkSTlj0I!DTap5cicaIwJuzBqqTGaHw71Jib4gUE2jMQH7a284-_yqlxWDm8tgb7kcfWERui7J1rd06B7t0l9huI0DMb7KEQH8nU$ >
Committee Co-Chairs:
Metin Akay, Ph.D. and Yasemin Akay, Ph.D.
Committee Members:
Tianfu Wu, Ph.D. | Yuncheng Du, Ph.D. | Masahiro Ohsawa, Ph.D.
Abstract
Synaptic transmission facilitates perceived stimuli, dictating integral faculties responsible for addiction and nociception, which are heavily intertwined on a fundamental level, primarily due to the dichotomic role of dopamine (DA). The mesocorticolimbic pathway serves as a crucial network for the dissemination of DA, with the dopaminergic hub of the system - the ventral tegmental area (VTA) - located deep within the midbrain. Connected to the VTA through dopaminergic axons, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulate high-level functions regarding learning, reward, and motivation through neurotransmitter interaction, of which DA is an integral part. To dissect these complexities, we leverage novel deep-brain imaging in freely moving models to elucidate how dopaminergic modulation evolves under addictive and nociceptive influences.
Understanding the relationship between perinatal nicotine addiction and the mesocorticolimbic pathway is crucial for implementing new treatments for addiction. We apply our novel microstimulation experimental system to rat pups perinatally exposed to nicotine. Using our self-fabricated photo-stimulation (PS) device, we can stimulate the VTA and collect dialysate, which is then used to estimate DA released into the NAc. To further understand the role of DA in the NAc, we apply our latest complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging platform to investigate the effects of morphine and cocaine on adult mice. Fluorescence imaging of the NAc using dLight1.2 AAV allows for the visualization of DA molecules in real time. Our results suggest that changes in extracellular DA can be observed with this adapted system, showing potential for new applications for approaching addiction studies and identifying the unique characteristic trends of DA release for morphine and cocaine. To visualize the nuances of chronic pain treatment and VTA activity, we incorporate our CMOS imaging platform to investigate the effect of morphine on the VTA response during acute nociceptive stimulation in chronic neuropathic pain adult mouse models. Our findings suggest that depression in the fluorescence activity of the VTA is indicative of pain response. Morphine significantly reduces the neuronal depression caused by mechanical stimuli and is observable using the CMOS imaging platform, demonstrating a novel way to potentially assess and treat neuropathic pain.
[Engineered For What's Next]


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