We are currently studying how neurons that release monoamines (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) are involved in behavior. These neurons make up less than one-thousandth of one percent of the neurons in our brain, yet they broadcast their signals to most of the brain. Many disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, drug addiction, and Parkinson's disease, appear to involve dysfunction of monoaminergic signaling. Surprisingly, we know little about how these neurons are involved in normal behavior. Using cell-type-specific tools and well-controlled behavioral tasks in mice, we aim to understand the function of monoaminergic circuits in behavior. We hope these basic discoveries will lead to an understanding of the biology of the brain and better treatments for disorders of the brain.
Jeremiah Cohen,PHD
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute
Specialization: Neural circuits for reward and decision making
Contact
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
855 N. Wolfe Street
Rangos 287
Baltimore, MD 21205
410-502-9193
Our behavior is governed by basic emotions and internal states, often arising from rewards and punishments. These states influence how we learn and make decisions. We seek to understand how neural circuits control these fundamental mammalian behaviors.
Mission
To advance neuroscience discovery by uniting neuroscience, engineering and computational data science to understand the structure and function of the brain.