The Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy - The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy
The Department ofNeurobiology

Nachum Dafny, Ph.D.

Professor
Course Director, Medical Neuroscience
Telephone: 713.500.5616
E-mail: nachum.dafny@uth.tmc.edu


Mechanisms Of Pain, Pain Suppression, Stress And Drugs Of Abuse

Nachum Dafny, Ph.D. - ProfessorThe main focus of this laboratory is on two topics: pain mechanisms, including pain suppression and electro-acupuncture, and drug abuse mechanisms, involving morphine, cocaine, amphetamines, ritalin and ecstasy. Behavioral, neurophysiological, pharmacological, endocrinological, and immunological procedures are used, primarily with the rodent as an animal model. The electrophysiological procedures used include single cell and evoked potential recording, electroencephalography (EEG), and brain stimulation. Computerized techniques are used for monitoring animal behavior.

The laboratory is also involved with several other studies. These concern connections between the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems; brain regulation of hormonal secretion; mechanisms of obesity and satiety; and the electrophysiology of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, and of peptides, with clinical application to Parkinsonism, Huntington’s chorea, and Tardive dyskinesia. In addition, collaborative immunological and endocrinologic studies are conducted with other groups in the Texas Medical Center.

 

 

Mechanisms Of Pain, Pain Suppression, Stress And Drugs Of Abuse
Responses of a single neuron to pain stimuli alone and concomitant with morphine, naloxone, serotonin and methysergide.
Selected Reading

Gaytan, O, Yang, P, Swann, A., Dafny, N. (2000) Diurnal differences in sensitization to metyhlphenidate. Brain Res. 864:24-39.

Kang, Y-M, Chen, W, Onyang, J-Y, Qiao, JT, Dafny, N. (2000) Norepinephrine modulates single hypothalmic arcuate neurons via ?, and ? adrenergic receptors. Brain Res. 869:146-157.

Yang, P, Swann, A, Dafny, N. (2000) NMDA receptor antagonist disrupt acute and chronic effects of methylphenidate. Physiol. And Behav., 71:133-145.

Gaytan, O, Sirpada, S, Swann, A, Dafny, N. (2001) Blockade of sensitization to methylphenidate by MK-801: Partial dissociation from motor effects. Neuropharmacol., 40:298-309.

Ma, J, Qiao, JT, Dafny, N. (2001) Opiate-like substances mediate norepinephrine-induced but not serotonin-induced antinociception at spinal level: Reevaluation by an electrophysiological model of formalin test in rats. Life Sci., 69:969-976.

Yang, P, Swann, A, Dafny, N. (2002) Valproate prevents the induction and the expression of MK-801 sensitization. Brain Res., 954:151-159.

Yang, P, Amini, B, Swann, A, Dafny, N. (2003) Strain differences in the behavioral responses of male rates to chronic methylphenidate. Brain Res. 2003, 971:139-152.

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