Research focus
Focus of the team is on the molecular basis of addiction as it is a maladaptive form of learning, as well as on risk factors for engaging in exposure to drugs of abuse, like developmental age (adolescence) and neuropsychological diseases as depression and attention & impulsivity disorders.
Addiction: We focus on relapse and extinction in a model of self-administration studying drugs like heroin, nicotine and alcohol. In addition, acquisition and extinction of a drug memory is studied using place preference.
Learning & memory: We study the process of memory formation and extinction (in relation to AMPA receptor plasticity) using fear conditioning and passive avoidance.
Attention & impulsivity: We are developing a mouse model for increased impulsivity that is studied in relation to increased drug use.
Depression: Using social defeat and social isolation in rat we focus on molecules that are related to vulnerability to depression and resilience to treatment. In humans, we study blood gene expression profiles as possible biomarkers to predict treatment outcome and severity of depression.
This work is done in close collaboration with Ka Wan Li (proteomics), Taco de Vries (animal models drug addiction), Huib Mansvelder (electrophysiological correlates), Oliver Stiedl (models for learning & memory), and Witte Hoogendijk (Major Depression).
Last Key Publications
Lasting synaptic changes underlie attention deficits caused by nicotine exposure during adolescence
Counotte DS, Goriounova NA, Li KW, Loos M, van der Schors RC, Schetters D, Schoffelmeer AN, Smit AB, Mansvelder HD, Pattij T, Spijker S.
Nat Neurosci. 2011 Apr;14(4):417-9.
Extracellular matrix plasticity and GABAergic inhibition of prefrontal cortex pyramidal cells facilitates relapse to heroin seeking
Van den Oever MC, Lubbers BR, Goriounova NA, Li KW, Van der Schors RC, Loos M, Riga D, Wiskerke J, Binnekade R, Stegeman M, Schoffelmeer AN, Mansvelder HD, Smit AB, De Vries TJ, Spijker S. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2010 Sep;35(10):2120-33.
Stimulated gene expression profiles as a blood marker of major depressive disorder
Spijker S, Van Zanten JS, De Jong S, Penninx BW, van Dyck R, Zitman FG, Smit JH, Ylstra B, Smit AB, Hoogendijk WJ. Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Jul 15;68(2):179-86.
Long-lasting cognitive deficits resulting from adolescent nicotine exposure in rats
Counotte DS, Spijker S, Van de Burgwal LH, Hogenboom F, Schoffelmeer AN, De Vries TJ, Smit AB, Pattij T.
Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009 Jan;34(2):299-306.
Prefrontal cortex AMPA receptor plasticity is crucial for cue-induced relapse to heroin-seeking.
Van den Oever MC, Goriounova NA, Li KW, Van der Schors RC, Binnekade R, Schoffelmeer AN, Mansvelder HD, Smit AB, De Vries TJ, Spijker S.
Nat Neurosci. 2008 Sep;11(9):1053-8.
