Frederic "Woody" Hopf
Staff Research Investigator, Gallo
Center
Phone: (510) 985-3892
Email: woody@gallo.ucsf.edu
Research
I am interested in the cellular physiology of brain
regions that mediate motivated and compulsive
behaviors, including the nucleus accumbens and its
cortical and subcortical glutamatergic inputs. I
combine brain slice electrophysiology with
pharmacology, optogenetics, and behavior to understand
how basal neuronal properties and functional
neuro-adaptations in a given brain region can
contribute to pathological ethanol intake and other
behaviors. My major research focus examines how action
potential firing, glutamate receptors, and
neuromodulator signaling are altered by the long-term
intake of ethanol. Information from these brain slice
experiments is then used to determine the behavioral
importance of such neuro-adaptations for excessive,
compulsive ethanol intake. In this way, I hope to
identify the critical, persistent neuro-adaptations
that facilitate pathological ethanol intake, and to
rationally design novel therapeutic interventions to
counteract these changes and reduce cravings and
relapse in humans.
Publications
Frederic Hopf's publications
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