University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Biomedical EngineeringSchwerdt Dopamine Lab
Helen N Schwerdt · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
Dr. Helen Schwerdt's lab focuses on understanding how dopamine plays a role in learning from rewards and punishments, which is essential for behaviors ranging from simple tasks to more complex cognitive functions. By developing advanced tools to measure dopamine levels in the brain, particularly in monkeys, the research aims to explore how different types of feedback affect learning processes. This work could have significant implications for treating Parkinson's disease and related disorders that impact these learning mechanisms.
dopaminevalence-dependent learningParkinson's diseasecognitive learningmotor learningfeedback mechanismsneurotransmittersassociative learningmultisite recordingbehavioral tasks
Research Aims
3AIM 01Measure dopamine's spatially segregated functions in valence-dependent associative learning.
AIM 02Identify valence-specific dopamine signals for cognitively demanding tasks.
AIM 03Distinguish dopamine signals involved in motor learning influenced by valence.
Skills the Lab Values
chronic sensor developmentdopamine measurement techniquesnon-invasive brain imagingbehavioral task designmultisite data recordingdata analysis for learning tasksexperimental research in primatesneuropharmacologystatistical analysisanimal modeling
Output against the department
Publications67bottom 9% of dept.544th of 595
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations705bottom 4% of dept.571st of 595
this lab
most citedleast cited
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