I have been studying central circuits involved in stress resilience for the past 16 years, having more than 15 publications in peer review journals.
The main methodologies include Behavioral testing (in rats): anxiety evaluation (juvenile social exploration, open field behavior, elevated plus maze), depressive behavior (forced swimming test), novel object recognition, attention set-shifting, social defeat, Shuttle box escape learning. “In vivo” microdialysis of a variety of CNS structures...
I have been studying central circuits involved in stress resilience for the past 16 years, having more than 15 publications in peer review journals.
The main methodologies include Behavioral testing (in rats): anxiety evaluation (juvenile social exploration, open field behavior, elevated plus maze), depressive behavior (forced swimming test), novel object recognition, attention set-shifting, social defeat, Shuttle box escape learning. “In vivo” microdialysis of a variety of CNS structures during several types of situations (tail shock and footshock stress, social interaction, social defeat). High Performance Liquid Chromat-ography (HPLC) for neurotransmitters quantification. Immunohistochemistry to measure neuronal activity, with double labeling to quantify activation of specific neuronal types.
We have demonstrated the importance of the ventro medial prefrontal cortex and the dorsal striatum in detecting the animal control of a stressful stimulus, and executing a top-down regulation of structures responsible for the peripheral physiological changes associated to stress. Also, the involvement of central structures (dorsal raphe nucleus, amygdala, habenula and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis) in mediating the stress peripheral physiological changes.
I taught physiology and physiopathology at a Venezuelan Medical School more than 20 years
To know about nature, and in particular the workings of living organisms has always been of utmost interest to me. It was my main motivation to study medicine and then to shift into basic research by pursuing graduate studies in physiology and biophysics, with emphasis in the nervous system.
I was Professor of physiology and pathophysiology in the School of Medicine at the Central University in Venezuela (Universidad Central de Venezuela, or UCV), where I taught and supervised the research of medical students during my 18-year tenure there. At UCV I was also involved in basic research: initially on the vestibular sensory-motor system, and then on the effects of
