Psych: Behavioural and Psychopharmacology Group

Chief Investigator:

Dr. Jillian Broadbear, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology and Psychiatry

Students:

4th year - Justine D’Souza

PhD - Rowan Ogeil, Kristina Vacy

DPsych - Vanessa Smithies

This group, based in the SPP Animal Behaviour Facility on Clayton campus, specializes in the Behavioural Measurement of Drug Discrimination, Drug Self-Administration, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Circadian Activity,  Threat Avoidance, Memory and Learning, and Locomotor Activity.

Research conducted in our group evaluates the behavioural effects produced by drugs and neurohormones that act on the brain to change mood, behaviour and cognition.  This includes drugs used for the treatment of medical and mood disorders, as well as drugs used for their rewarding effects (drugs of misuse and abuse).

Techniques/Equipment:

1. Drug Discrimination (food reinforced operant behaviour)
2. Drug Self-Administration
3. Conditioned Place Preference (assessment of rewarding and aversive stimuli)
4. Running Wheel cages (measurement of circadian activity patterns and exercise)
5. Forced Swim Test (detection of anti-depressant-like behaviour)
6. Morris Water Maze (Learning and Memory)
7. Radial Arm Maze (Learning and Memory)
8. Odour avoidance apparatus (behavioural assessment of threatening/aversive stimuli)
9. Elevated Plus Maze (detection of anxiolytic/anxiogenic behavioural effects)
10. Open Field (detection of anxiolytic and locomotor activity)
11. Measurement of analgesia (mice and rats)

Support Technology includes Med Associates equipment and software, Ethovision software, SigmaPlot, SPSS, and video and computer equipment.

Chief Investigator holds a Poisons Licence and Controlled Substance Import Licence, Material Transfer Agreements with several pharmaceutical companies (e.g. Ferring, Pierre-Fabre), Confidentiality Agreements/Collaborations (e.g. CNSBio).

For further information regarding projects, collaborations and publications, please contact Dr. Jillian Broadbear or visit her Webpage.

Content maintained by: research.psych@med.monash.edu.au