LAB
FOCUS
The Ressler lab at Yerkes National Primate Research Center
is focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of fear
learning and the process of extinction of fear in mouse
models. The primary objective of the work in the Ressler
lab is to utilize the power of molecular genetics to understand
the molecular biology, the neural circuitry, and the behavioral
biology of fear and extinction of fear in mouse models.
Dr. Ressler is also a practicing psychiatrist with an interest
in translational and clinical research on fear-based psychiatric
disorders. During his clinical time, Dr. Ressler is co-director
of a newly created Post-traumatic Stress Disorders Clinic
at the Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at Grady Memorial
Hospital. We hope that by understanding how fear works in
the mammalian brain in the laboratory, it will improve our
understanding of and provide translational treatments and
possibly prevention for fear-based disorders, such as Post-traumatic
Stress Disorder, Phobic Disorders, and Panic Disorder.
PTSD:
Grady Trauma Project
Selected
References (see PAPERS for more complete references):
Behavioral / Basic Neuroscience:
Maguschak K and Ressler KJ (2008) b -catenin is required for the consolidation of fear memories in adult mice. Nature Neuroscience 2008 Nov;11(11):1319-26.
Jones SV, Choi DC, Davis M, Ressler KJ. (2008) Learning-dependent structural plasticity in the adult olfactory pathway. J Neurosci. 2008 Dec 3;28(49):13106-11.
Chattwal, J., Gutman, A.R., Maguschak, K.M., Yang, Y., Bowser, M.,Davis, M., and Ressler, K.J. (2009) Functional Interactions Between Endocannabinoid and CCK Neurotransmitter Systems May Be Critical for Extinction Learning. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009 Jan;34(2):509-21.
Keen-Rhinehart E, Michopoulos V, Toufexis DJ, Martin EI, Nair H, Ressler KJ, Davis M, Owens MJ, Nemeroff CB, Wilson ME. (2009)Continuous expression of corticotropin-releasing factor in the central nucleus of the amygdala emulates the dysregulation of the stress and reproductive axes. Molecular Psychiatry. 2009 Jan;14(1):37-50.
Ressler KJ and Mayberg HS (2007) Targeting abnormal neural circuits in mood and anxiety disorders: from the laboratory to the clinic. Nature Neuroscience 2007 10(9): 1116-1124.
Heldt SA, Stanek L, Chhatwal JP, and Ressler KJ (2007) Hippocampus-specific deletion of BDNF in adult mice impairs spatial memory and extinction of aversive memories. Molecular Psychiatry; 12 (7): 656-70.
Chhatwal JP, Stanek-Rattiner L, Davis M, Ressler KJ. (2006) Amygdala BDNF signaling is required for consolidation but not encoding of extinction. Nature Neuroscience 2006 9(7): 870-872.
Chhattwal, J., Myers, K., Ressler, K.J., and Davis, M. (2005) Differential Modulation of Gephyrin and GABAA Receptors during Fear Conditioning and Extinction. J Neuroscience , 25(2):502-506.
Chhatwal, J.P., Davis, M., Maguschak, K.A. and Ressler, K.J. (2005) Enhancing Cannabinoid Neurotransmission Augments the Extinction of Conditioned Fear. Neuropsychopharmacology, 30(3):516-524.
Rattiner, L., Davis, M., French, C.T. and Ressler, K.J. (2004) Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tyrosine kinase receptor B involvement in amygdala-dependent fear conditioning. J. Neuroscience, 24(20):4796-4806.
Ressler, K.J., Paschall, G., Zhou, X.L., and Davis, M. (2002) Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity Genes During Consolidation of Fear Conditioning. J. Neuroscience 22(18): 7892-7902.
Walker, D., Ressler, K.J., Lu, K-T., and Davis, M. (2002) Facilitation of conditioned fear extinction by systemic administration or intra-amygdala infusions of D-cycloserine as assessed with fear-potentiated startle in rats. J. Neuroscience, 22(6), 2343-2351.
Hague C, Uberti MA, Chen Z, Ressler K, Bush C, Hall RA, and Minneman KP (2004) Olfactory receptor surface expression is driven by association with the b2-adrenoceptor. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101 (37) 13672-13676.
Sullivan, S.L., Adamson, M.C., Ressler, K.J., Kozak, C.A., and Buck, L.B. (1996) The chromosomal distribution of mouse odorant receptor genes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93 (2), 884-888.
Sullivan, S.L., Bohm, S., Ressler, K.J., Horowitz, L.F., and Buck, L.B. (1995) Target-independent pattern specification in the olfactory epithelium. Neuron 15, 779-789.
Ressler, K.J., Sullivan, S.L., and Buck, L.B. (1994) Information Coding in the Olfactory System: Evidence for a Stereotyped and Highly Organized Epitope Map in the Olfactory Bulb. Cell 79, 1245-1255.
Ressler, K.J., Sullivan, S.L., and Buck, L.B. (1993) A Zonal Organization of Odorant Receptor Gene Expression in the Olfactory Epithelium. Cell 73, 597-609.
Clinical / Translational Neuroscience:
Binder EB, Bradley RG, Epstein M, ...Cubells JF, and Ressler KJ. (2008) FKBP5 Polymorphisms Moderate Effects of Child Abuse on Risk for PTSD in Adults. Archives of General Psychiatry Journal of the American Medical Association, Mar 19; 299(11): 1291-1305.
Bradley RG, Binder EB, Epstein MP, Tang Y, Nair HP, Liu W, Gillespie CF, Berg T, Evces M, Newport DJ, Stowe ZN, Heim CM, Nemeroff CB, Schwartz AC, Cubells JF, and Ressler KJ (2008) Influence of Child Abuse on Adult Depression is Moderated by the Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor Gene. Archives of General Psychiatry Archives of General Psychiatry 2008 65(2): 190-200.
Powers A, Ressler KJ, Bradley RG. The protective role of friendship on the effects of childhood abuse and depression. (2008) Depression and Anxiety; October; 2008 Epub before Print.
Davis RG, Ressler KJ, Schwartz AC, Stephens KJ, Bradley RG. Treatment barriers for low-income, urban African Americans with undiagnosed posttraumatic stress disorder. (2008) J Trauma Stress. 2008 Apr;21(2):218-22.
Gerardi, M., Rothbaum, B.O., Ressler, K., Heekin, M., and Rizzo, A. (2008) Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Using a Virtual Iraq: Case Report. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 21(2): 209-213.
Schwartz, A., Penza, K., Bradley, R., Jay, D., Haggard, P., Sexton, M., Garlow, S. and Ressler, K.J (2006) Increased use of Opiate and Non-Opiate Pain Medication Use in Patients with PTSD. Psychosomatics, Mar-Apr;47(2):136-42 .
Schwartz, A., Sexton, M., Sherry, A., Bradley, R., and Ressler, K.J. (2005) Trauma in the Inner City: Prevalence and Comorbidity of PTSD in an Urban African American Population. Psychiatric Services, 56(2): 212-5.Psychiatric Services, 56(2): 212-215.
Ressler, K.J. , Rothbaum, B.O., Anderson, P., Zimand, E., Tannenbaum, L., Hodges, L., and Davis, M. (2004) D-Cycloserine, a Putative Cognitive Enhancer, Accelerates Extinction of Fear in Humans. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61:1136-44.
