Principal Investigator
Neuroscience
Primary Research Areas
Mechanisms and regulation of synaptic transmission in the central nervous system; the impact of stress and stress hormones on synaptic transmission and plasticity in monoaminergic nuclei; role of endogenous cannabinoids “endocannabinoids” in the regulation of neuronal excitability.
Current Projects
Stress and Endocannabinoids Signaling in Serotonin Neurons (funded by NIMH). Investigating the role of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in regulation of stress responses and anxiety-related behaviors which play a role in addicted behaviors (in collaboration with Troy Wood, Ph.D., UB’s Department of Chemistry).
On-going Research
Dopamine Mechanisms and Receptors in Raphe 5-HT Neurons (funded by NIMH). Used electrophysiological, pharmacological, and immunohistochemical techniques to characterize the cellular mechanism by which D2-like dopamine receptor activation increases the excitability of dorsal Raphe nucleus serotonergic (5-HT) neurons.
Muscarinic Receptors in the Cerebral Cortex and Schizophrenia (funded by NARSAD). Investigated the neurophysiological effects of acetylcholine (an endogenous neurotransmitter) in the cerebral cortex.
Representative and Recent Publications
Aman, R. K., Shen, R., & Haj-Dahmane, S. (2007). D2-like dopamine receptors depolarize dorsal raphe serotonin neurons through the activation of nonselective cationic conductance. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 320, 376-385.

Wang, J., Haj-Dahmane, S., & Shen, R. (2006). Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on the excitability of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons in vitro. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 319, 857-863.
Haj-Dahmane, S., & Shen, R. (2005). The wake-promoting peptide orexin-B inhibits glutamatergic transmission to dorsal raphe nucleus serontonin neurons through retrograde endocannabinoid signaling. Journal of Neuroscience, 25, 896-905. Abstract
Haj-Dahmane, S. (2001). D2-like dopamine receptor activation excites rat dorsal raphe 5-HT neurons in vitro. European Journal of Neuroscience, 14, 125-134. Abstract
Haj-Dahmane, S., & Andrade, R. (1999). Muscarinic receptors regulate two different calcium-dependent cation nonselective currents in rat prefrontal cortex. European Journal of Neuroscience, 11, 1973-1980. Abstract
Haj-Dahmane, S., & Andrade, R. (1998). Ionic mechanism of the slow afterdepolarization induced by muscarinic receptor activation in rat prefrontal cortex. Journal of Neurophysiology, 80, 1197-1210.
Haj-Dahmane, S., & Andrade, R. (1997). Calcium-activated cation nonselective current contributes to the fast afterdepolarization in rat prefrontal cortex neurons. Journal of Neurophysiology, 78, 1983-1989.
Haj-Dahmane, S., & Andrade, R. (1996). Muscarinic activation of a voltage sensitive cation non-selective current in rat association cortex. Journal of Neuroscience, 16, 3848-3861. Abstract
Haj-Dahmane, S., Jolas, T., Laporte, A. M., Gozlan, H., Farre, A. J., Hamon, M., & Lanfumey, L. (1994). Interaction of lesopitron (E-4424) with central 5-HT1A receptors: in vivo and in vitro studies in the rat. European Journal of Pharmacology, 255, 185-196.
Haj-Dahmane, S., Laporte, A. M., Fattacini, C.M., Hamon, M., & Lanfumey, L. (1993). Possible involvement of K(ATP) channels in the control of 5-HT neurons. Brain Research, 614, 270-278.

Last updated 6/21/07