Marcus Lira Brandão

• Abstract

  It is well established that the neural substrates of fear and anxiety are part of an encephalic aversion system (EAS) comprising the amygdala, medial hypothalamus and periaqueductal gray matter. Other structures such as inferior and superior colliculi have also been proposed as components of this system as well as the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. A sensorimotor gating in these…

  Dopamine and neurokinins in the mediation of the sensorimotor gating of fear and anxiety, AP.R

• Abstract

  The medial hypothalamus, amygdala and dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) and the inferior colliculus (I C) have been grouped together as an "encephalic aversion system" (EAS). The neural substrates responsible for fear and anxiety of these structures translate information of aversive nature in behavioral and emotional adaptive output reactions. Nowadays, it is believed that the EAS possess…

  Tackling mental health disorders in females, AP.R

• Abstract

  The obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the fourth most common psychiatric disorder and is related to significant disability, poor quality of life and disrupted family functioning. Despite the existence of effective therapeutic interventions for OCD (e.g. serotonin reuptake inhibitors and behavior psychotherapy), up to half of OCD patients do not respond satisfactorily with treatment. …

  Research on neural circuits and biological markers involved in obsessive-compulsive disorder using behavioral paradigms of fear and anxiety, AP.TEM

(Only some records are available in English at this moment)

• Abstract

  Chemical and electrical stimulation of the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG), deep layer of Superior colliculus (dlSC) and the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (CIC) of rodents cause freezing and escape behavior. Following electrical stimulation of these structures, the animal shows intense flight and explosive behavior. It is believed that the defensive reactions associated with…

  Characterization of the dopamine role in the mediation of distinct kinds of fear, BP.PD

• Abstract

  Unconditioned defense reactions observed in mammals are organized by the Brain Aversive System, comprising, among other structures, the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (dPAG) and inferior colliculus (IC). It has been proposed that the IC is part of the sensorimotor circuitry that processes aversive auditory information and the dPAG is considered the main output of defensive behaviors. B…

  Role of GABAergic mechanisms in the inferior colliculus and periaqueductal gray matter on the sensorimotor gating of fear and anxiety, BP.DR

• Abstract

  Although the inferior colliculus is a structure primarily involved with the processing of acoustic information, it is now widely accepted that it also participates in the integration of sensory, autonomic and behavioral aspects of the defense reaction of animals in dangerous situations. Electrical or chemical stimulation of this structure induces defensive responses such as arousal, freez…

  Role of the dopaminergic receptors D1 and D2 in the inferior colliculus in the expression of inconditioned and conditioned fear responses, BP.MS

(Only some records are available in English at this moment)

• Abstract

  Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a severe, chronic neurological condition that affects 2-3% of the population. Clinical studies and animal models have confirmed the importance of the serotonergic (5-HT) system in the neurobiology and treatment of OCD. In this context, the 5-HT agonist mCPP exacerbates symptoms in untreated OCD patients and, in rodents, it produces anxiety-like respo…

  Fear extinction in an obsessive-compulsive disorder animal model: influence of sex differences and estrous cycle, BE.EP.PD