Department of Psychiatry Faculty

Jane R. Taylor, PhD Associate Professor of Psychiatry 34 Park Street Tel: 203-974-7727 Fax: 203-974-7724 Email: jane.taylor@yale.edu

Education

1981, B.Sc. Honors, University of Sussex, Brighton, England
1985, Ph.D, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England

Research Interest

The basic research program in our laboratory focuses on dysfunction of cortico-limbic-striatal circuits that may subserve increased impulsivity and alterations in reward-related learning that have relevance to drug addiction (Jentsch & Taylor 1999, Psychopharmacology, 146:373-390 ) as well as other psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, ADHD and Tourette Syndrome. Our current studies are examining how DA-regulated intracellular signaling molecules and alterations in associated neurotrophin molecules within the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and accumbens contributes to associative aspects of incentive motivation, learning and memory function. Our studies in monkeys have also found long-lasting deficits in inhibitory control after repeated cocaine exposure and alterations in reward-related learning. In addition, we examine sex differences in attention, motivation, and impulse control in rats, as well as sex differences in aspects of cocaine self-administration and underlying molecular alterations. We examine several addictive/abused drugs such as cocaine, amphetamine, PCP, THC, MDMA, nicotine and alcohol. Ongoing studies use genetically manipulated mouse models, intra-cerebral infusion techniques, and viral-vector mediated overexpression of targeted genes in combination with sophisticated behavioral assessment techniques in mice, rats and monkeys.

Area of Expertise

Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience in rodents and non-human primates.

Laboratory Personnel

Peter Olausson, Ph.D., Associate Research Scientist
Gerald Valentine, M.D., Research Associate
Paul Hitchcott,Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Cathy Duman, PhD., Postdoctoral Fellow
Jennifer Quinn, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
Natalie Tronson, Psychology Graduate Student
Shannon Gourley, Neuroscience Graduate Student
Shari Wiseman, student
Elin Lof, Graduate Student from Sweden
Hayde Sanchez, Research Technician

Achievements and Honors

• Science and Engineering Research Council, Foreign Research Fellowship 1987

• Donaghue Foundation Independent Investigator 2000

• NARSAD Independent Investigator Award 2000-2002

• Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) Award 2001, 2005

• Member NIH Study Section, NIDA Board of Scientific Councelors

• Funding from NIDA, NIMH, NIAAA, NCI

Publications of Note

Tronson N.C. , Olausson, P., Neve, R., Duman, R.S., & Taylor, J.R (2005) Bi-directional behavioral plasticity of memory reconsolidation depends on amygdalar PKA. Nature Neurosci (In press )

Lynch WJ and Taylor JR Persistent changes in motivation to self-administer cocaine following modulation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) activity in the nucleus accumbens(2005). European Journal of Neuroscience, 22(5):1214-20

Lambe, E., Olausson, P., Horst, N. Taylor, J.R., and Aghajanian, G.K., (2005) Nicotine and hypocretin excite the same thalamocortical synapses in the prefrontal cortex: and improve attention in the rat. J Neuroscience, 25(21):5225-5229

Chambers RA, Jones RM, Brown S, Taylor JR. (2005) Natural reward-related learning in rats with neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions and prior cocaine exposure. Psychopharmacology, 179(2):470-8

Lynch WJ and Taylor JR (2005) Decreased motivation following cocaine self-administration under extended access conditions: Effects of stress and ovarian hormones. Neuropsychopharmacology. 30(5):927-35

Olausson, P., Jentsch, J.D., & Taylor, J.R (2004) Repeated nicotine exposure enhances responding with conditioned reinforcement. Psychopharmacology. 173:98-104.

Copyright © . Yale University School of Medicine, Psychiatry Department. All rights reserved.
Comments or suggestions to the site editor.

Home URL: http://info.med.yale.edu/ysm