Yan-chun Li
Assistant Professor
Neurobiology & Anatomy
Drexel University College of Medicine
United States of America
Biography
Dr. Li is a research assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy at Drexel University College of Medicine.
Research Interest
Dopamine innervations to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) constitute a major modulatory system that regulates normal cognitive processes, particularly working memory functions. Dysfunction of cortical dopamine causes cognitive impairment that has been implicated in numerous neurobiological diseases. Dr. Li is interested in the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying dopaminergic regulation of synaptic transmission and plasticity in the PFC. For the past several years she has been using in vitro whole cell patch clamp, cell culture, immunostaining, and molecular techniques to explore the role of several novel neuronal signaling pathways in cortical DA modulation, such as Src- and Fyn-PLC, AKT-GSK-3β.
Publications
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Xing B, Li YC, Gao WJ. GSK3β Hyperactivity during an Early Critical Period Impairs Prefrontal Synaptic Plasticity and Induces Lasting Deficits in Spine Morphology and Working Memory. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2016 Dec 1;41(13):3003-15.
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Li ML, Gulchina Y, Monaco SA, Xing B, Ferguson BR, Li YC, Li F, Hu XQ, Gao WJ. Juvenile treatment with a novel mGluR2 agonist/mGluR3 antagonist compound, LY395756, reverses learning deficits and cognitive flexibility impairments in adults in a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. Neurobiology of learning and memory. 2017 Apr 30;140:52-61.
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Urban KR, Li YC, Xing B, Gao WJ. A Clinically-Relevant Dose of Methylphenidate Enhances Synaptic Inhibition in the Juvenile Rat Prefrontal Cortex. J Reward Defic Syndr Addict Sci. 2017 Jan 26;2(3):69-77.
