Graduate Studies Faculty
K. Matthew Lattal, PhD
Programs:
Behavioral NeurocienceNeuroscience Graduate Program
Research Interests:
learning, memory, behavior, mouse, hippocampus, neuroscience, molecular mechanisms » PubMed ListingPreceptor Rotations
Academic Term Available Fall 2010 Maybe Winter 2010 Maybe Fall 2009 Yes Spring 2010 MaybeFaculty Mentorship
Dr. Lattal might be available as a mentor for 2010-2011. Dr. Lattal is available as a mentor for 2009-2010.Profile
Summary of Current Research
My research examines behavioral and molecular processes that underlie learning and memory. I am particularly interested in some of the differences between initial memory formation (when, for example, an organism learns that an outcome, such as food or shock, is delivered in a particular context) and extinction (when the organism learns that the outcome no longer occurs in that context). A key property of extinction is that even though the organism learns that the context no longer predicts the outcome, the original context-outcome memory remains intact. This is true across different outcomes, including food, shock, and drugs of abuse. The challenge for interventions that use extinction as a treatment for psychiatric disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse) is to make the effects of extinction persistent, causing long-lasting suppression of the original memory. Current research projects in my laboratory are examining ways to arrange extinction behaviorally to cause persistent changes in memory. At the neural systems level, we are examining the role of the hippocampus in the development and persistence of extinction. At the molecular level, we are examining the importance of gene transcription and protein synthesis in extinction.
Selected Recent Publications
Bernardi, R.E., Ryabinin, A., Berger, S.P., & Lattal, K.M. (in press). Post-retrieval disruption of a cocaine conditioned place preference by systemic and intra-basolateral amygdala β2 and α1-adrenergic antagonists. Learning & Memory, in press.
Malvaez, M., Sanchis-Segura, C., Vo, D., Lattal, K.M., Wood, M.A. (in press). Modulation of chromatin modification facilitates extinction of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference. Biological Psychiatry, in press [Epub ahead of print].
Stafford, J.M., & Lattal, K.M. (2009). Direct comparisons of the size and persistence of anisomycin-induced consolidation and reconsolidation deficits. Learning & Memory, 16, 494-503. learnmem.cshlp.org/content/16/8/494.full.pdf+html
Bernardi, R.E., Lewis, J.R., Lattal, K.M., & Berger, S.P. (2009). Modafinil reinstates a cocaine conditioned place preference following extinction in rats. Behavioural Brain Research, 204, 250-253.
Groblewski, P.A., Lattal, K.M., & Cunningham, C.L. (2009). Effects of D-Cycloserine on extinction and reconditioning of ethanol-seeking behavior in mice. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 33, 772-782. www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/122245025/PDFSTART
Lattal, K. M. & Stafford, J.M. (2008). What does it take to demonstrate memory erasure? Theoretical comment on Norrholm et al (2008). Behavioral Neuroscience, 122, 1186-1190. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2559954/pdf/nihms59351.pdf
Lattal, K. M. (2007a). Extinction and the erasure of memories. Psychological Science Agenda, 21 (11), 3-4, 16-18. www.apa.org/science/psa/lattal.html
Lattal, K. M. (2007b). Effects of ethanol on the encoding, consolidation, and expression of extinction following contextual fear conditioning. Behavioral Neuroscience, 121, 1280-1292. psycnet.apa.org/journals/bne/121/6/1280.pdf
Lattal, K. M., & Bernardi, R. E. (2007). Cellular learning theory: Theoretical comment on Cole & McNally (2007). Behavioral Neuroscience, 121, 1140-1143. psycnet.apa.org/journals/bne/121/5/1140.pdf
Lattal, K. M., Barrett, R., & Wood, M. A. (2007). Systemic or intrahippocampal delivery of histone deacetylase inhibitors facilitates fear extinction. Behavioral Neuroscience, 121, 1125-1131. psycnet.apa.org/journals/bne/121/5/1125.pdf
Lattal, K. M., Radulovic, J. and Lukowiak, K. (2006). Extinction: does it or doesn't it? The requirement of altered gene activity and new protein synthesis. Biological Psychiatry 60, 344-51.
Isiegas, C., Park, A., Kandel, E. R., Abel, T., & Lattal, K. M. (2006). Transgenic inhibition of neuronal PKA facilitates fear extinction. Journal of Neuroscience, 26, 12700-12707.www.jneurosci.org/cgi/reprint/26/49/12700
Education
1994-1998 Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania (Advisor: Robert A. Rescorla)
1989-1993 B.A., Psychology with Honors, University of California, San Diego
Previous Positions
1998-2004 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania (Advisor: Ted Abel)
