Dr. Martin's Research Projects
Under DA022599 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, we are studying the role of the amygdala in modulating opioid intake through self-administration in the presence of neuropathic pain. The amygdala integrates sensory input from peripheral nerves through both the brainstem and Somatosensory cortex with activation of the limbic system. The amygdala is thought to be important for a number of the ‘emotional’ aspects of pain, such as anxiety, depression, and perhaps spontaneous pain.
Under a contract from King Pharmaceuticals Inc., we are interested in assessing the utility of Adenosine A1 receptor positive allosteric modulators as analgesics. Various analogs are being tested for their ability to increase A1 signalling at the receptor-G-protein level and compared to their analgesic efficacy against neuropathic pain using a variety of behavioral assays.