Neurosteroids and Neurotrophins: David W. Johnson, Ph.D.

Research Interestsjohnson
My current research interests involve the role of neurosteroids (steroids produced directly in the brain) in memory functions. Some of this work has involved using memory paradigms (especially active/passive avoidance memory paradigms). Dr. Ed Bilsky’s lab also provides a Morris water maze paradigm, which can be used for testing of spatial memory in mice. Using memory paradigms is not a full-time process, but is conducted on a part-time basis, with many rats being tested during some months, while other months only a few rats are run through these behavioral paradigms.

Current Laboratory Positions and Professional Training Opportunities

This research is currently unfunded, but I work with students to apply for small fellowships to keep this process going. In the past, I have acquired both Dean’s Fellowships for summer research, as well as external fellowships like American Federation of Aging Research. I have had several students present work done done in my lab at local or national meetings (including annual meetings for Society of Neuroscience, as well as New England Pharmacology Convention). I currently have a student scheduled to work in my lab in 2004 under an ASPET fellowship.

Papers

• Pearl, S., Johnson, D.W., and S.D. Glick. 1995. Prior morphine exposure enhances ibogaine antagonism of morphine-induced locomotor stimulation. Psychopharmacology. 121:470-475.
   
• Mokler, D.J., LaReviere, D., Johnson, D.W., Theriault, N., Bronzino, J., Dixon, M., and P.J. Morgane. 1997. 5 Hydroxytryptamine neuronal release from dorsal hippocampus following electrical stimulation of the dorsal and median raphe nuclei in the conscious rat. Currently in press in the journal Hippocampus.
   
• Johnson, D.W., Eodice, P., Winterbottom, H., and D.J. Mokler. 2000. Decreased accumbens dopamine release after cocaine challenge in behaviorally sensitized female rats. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. 65(4):659-664.
   
• Sadri, G., Johnson, D.W., Janis, G.C., Gibbs, T.T., Pierce, R.C., and D.H. Farb. 2003. Inhibition of NMDA-induced striatal dopamine release and behavioral activation by the neuroactive steroid 3a-hydroxy-5b-pregnan-20-one hemisuccinate J. Neurochemistry. 86(1):92-101.
   
• Johnson, D.W., Fisteag, L., and D.H. Farb. 2004. Synthetic pregn-5-ene neurosteroid amelioration of glutamatergic and cholinergic-induced amnesia involves sigma receptor activation. Manuscript in preparation.

Books

• Feel Thirty for the Next Fifty Years. D.W. Johnson. Avon Publishing Co. Manhattan, N.Y. This is a hardcover book written for lay people regarding the biological process of aging and chronic age-related disease, and what science tells us about intervening on these processes. Released nationally to all major bookstores in U.S. in June of 1998. Released nationally in softcover in June 1999.
   
• The Lifesaving Medical Tests Your Doctor Won’t Order – Unless You Know to Ask. D.W. Johnson and D. Sandmire. Under contract to Rodale Press, and completed. Book is scheduled for national release in July 2004, and will be in all national chains by August 2004.

Abstracts

• Johnson, D.W., and L. Fisteag. 2000. Positive modulation of NMDA receptors by pregnenolone hemisuccinate reverses cholinergic- and glutamatergic-mediated amnesia in the passive avoidance model. Soc. Neurosci. Vol 26. pg 202.
   
• Farb, D.H., Sadri, G., Johnson, D.W., Janis, G.C., Gibbs, T.T., and R.C. Pierce. 2000. Inhibition of dopamine release through modulation of excitatory amino acid receptors by a neuroactive steroid. Soc. Neurosci. Vol 26. pg 1132.
   
• Johnson, D.W., Jalbert, J., and J. Novotny. 2003. The Synthetic Neurosteroid Pregnenolone Hemisuccinate Modulates mRNA Expression of the Neurotrophins BDNF and NT-3 in the Dorsal Hippocampus of Male Fischer 344 / Brown Norway F1 hybrids. Soc. Neurosci. Vol . 29.
   
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