Jill B Becker Ph.D.
| 4040 East Hall 1109 |
| Ann Arbor, MI 48109 |
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The goal of my research is to understand the relations between behavior and neuronal activity associated with the ascending dopamine projections to the striatum and nucleus accumbens. Research on this topic has evolved into two major research themes. One theme investigates the role of ovarian hormone modulation of the striatum and accumbens in sexual behavior and motivation to engage in sexual behavior in the female rat. A second theme investigates gender differences in drug abuse. Finally, we are interested in the mechanisms mediating the rapid effects of estradiol in the brain which are fundamental in the sex differences in motivated behaviors.
Hu, M., Watson, C. J., Kennedy, R. T. and Becker, J. B. Estradiol attenuates the K+-induced increase in extracellular GABA in dialysate from striatum in the rat. Synapse (2005) available on-line.
Jackson, L. R. Robinson, T. E. and Becker, J. B. Sex differences and hormonal influences on acquisition of cocaine self-administration in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2005 on line.
Becker, J. B., Arnold, A., Berkeley, K. J., Blaustein, J. D., Eckel, L. A., Hampson, E., Herman, J. P., Marts, S., Sadee, W., Steiner, M., Taylor., J., Young, E. Strategies and Methods for Research on Sex Differences in Brain and Behavior., Endocrinology, 146 2005, 1650-1673.
Jenkins, W. J. and Becker, J. B. Dynamic increases in dopamine during paced copulation in the female rat. European Journal of Neuroscience. 18 (2003) 1997-2001.
Hu, M., Crombag, H. C. Robinson and Becker, J. B. The biological basis of sex differences in the propensity to self-administer cocaine. Neurpsychopharmacology 29 (2004) 81-85.
Hu, M. and Becker, J. B. Effect of sex and estrogen on behavioral sensitization to cocaine in rats. Journal of Neuroscience, 23 (2003) 693-699.
Becker, J. B., Breedlove, S. M, Crews, D., and McCarthy, M. M. (Eds.) Behavioral Endocrinology, 2nd Edition, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, (2002)
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