Larry J. Young is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University. Throughout his career, Dr. Young has had a strong interest in the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying behavior. Dr. Young uses a wide range of experimental techniques, from behavioral and pharmacological to molecular and transgenic techniques, to address important behavioral neuroscience questions. Dr. Young is also committed to the comparative approach, learning from the natural differences in behavior of closely related species. Currently, Dr. Young's research focuses on the role of neuropeptides in the modulation of social behaviors and attachment. Vasopressin (AVP) facilitates affiliation and pair bond formation in monogamous species. Compared to non-monogamous species, monogamous species have high levels of AVP receptors in the ventral pallidum, a brain region associated with reinforcement and reward. Enhancing AVP receptor gene expression in the ventral pallidum using viral vector gene transfer facilitates pair bonding in the male prairie vole. This has led to the hypothesis that vasopressin stimulates social attachment by activating reward circuits via activation of AVP receptors in the ventral pallidum.
The specific aims of this proposal will investigate the role of the ventral pallidum in social attachment and characterize the activity, phenotype, and connectivity of vasopressin receptor containing cells in this region. Further studies will investigate the molecular mechanisms controlling AVP receptor expression in the ventral pallidum. Understanding the link between social interactions, reward circuitry and social attachment may provide useful insights into potential mechanisms underlying psychiatric diseases characterized by social deficits, such as autism. This project will provide opportunity to significantly develop the technical skills in Dr. Young's laboratory, including antibody development, retrograde tract tracing, and analysis of DNA-protein interactions. Emory University and the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience provide an excellent environment for career development in the field of behavioral neuroscience.
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