Jonathan Britt
Department of Psychology
McGill University
Canada
Biography
Dr. Britt’s research examines the neural circuitry underlying motivated behaviours relevant to reward learning and drug addiction. He primarily focuses on neural processing in the basal ganglia, which is a collection of nuclei that regulate reinforcement learning. This circuitry also affects as the vigor and self-awareness by which animals pursue specific goals. By combining electrophysiological and optogenetic techniques with various behavioural tasks, his research program seeks to identify the precise neural circuits and synaptic modifications that support compulsive behaviour. This research is applicable to numerous neuropsychiatric conditions including addiction, Tourette’s Syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Research Interest
Behavioral Neuroscience
Publications
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Britt JP, Benaliouad F, McDevitt RA, Stuber GD, Wise RA, Bonci A. (2012). Synaptic and behavioral profile of multiple glutamatergic inputs to the nucleus accumbens. Neuron, 76(4), 790-803.
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Britt JP, Benaliouad F, McDevitt RA, Stuber GD, Wise RA, Bonci A. (2012). Synaptic and behavioral profile of multiple glutamatergic inputs to the nucleus accumbens. Neuron, 76(4), 790-803.
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Britt JP, Bonci A. (2013). Optogenetic interrogations of the neural circuits underlying addiction. Curr Opin Neurobiol., 4, 539-45.
