Regina M. Sullivan
Professor, Zoology Richards Hall 412 (on leave of absence) rsullivan at ou dot edu http://faculty-staff.ou.edu/S/Regina.M.Sullivan-1/ Ph.D., Biopsychology - City University of New York, 1983Research:
Our research explores the neural basis of attachment - how does an infant become attached to its caregiver? We research this question by using both infant rats and newborn human infants. Based on our basic research in rats, we suggest that the infant's brain is uniquely designed to ensure it quickly learns to like its mother regardless of whether the mother is treating it gently or harshly.
Selected Publications:
Sevelinges, Y., Sullivan. R.M., Messaoudi, B., & Mouly, A.M. (2008) Neonatal odor-shock conditioning alters the neural network involved in odor fear learning at adulthood. Learn Mem., 15: 649-56.
Thompson, J. V., Sullivan, R. M., & Wilson, D.A. (2008) Developmental emergence of fear learning corresponds with changes in amygdala synaptic plasticity. Brain Res. 1200: 58-65.
Sevelinges, Y., Moriceau, S., Holman, P., Miner, C., Muzny, K., Gervais, R., Mouly, A. M., & Sullivan, R. M. (2007) Enduring effects of infant memories: infant odor-shock conditioning attenuates amygdala activity and adult fear conditioning. Biol. Psychiatry, 62: 1067-1069.
Shionoya, K., Moriceau, S., Bradstock, P., & Sullivan. R.M. (2007) Maternal attenuation of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus norepinephrine switches avoidance learning to preference learning in preweanling rat pups. Horm. Behav., 52: 391-400.
Shionoya, K., Moriceau, S., Lunday, L., Miner, C., Roth, T. L., & Sullivan, R. M. (2006) Developmental switch in neural circuitry underlying odor-malaise learning. Learn. Mem., 13: 801-808.
Sullivan, R. M., Feldon, J., Richter-Levin, G., Wilson, D. A., Yee, B. K., Meyer, U., Avi, A., Michael, T., & Braun, K. (2006) Impact of early life experiences on brain and behavioral development. Dev. Psychobiol., 48: 583-602.
Roth, T. L., Moriceau, S., & Sullivan. R. M. (2006) Opioid modulation of Fos protein expression and olfactory circuitry plays a pivotal role in what neonates remember. Learn. Mem., 13: 590-598.
Moriceau, S. & Sullivan, R. M. (2006) Maternal presence serves to switch between learning fear and attraction in infancy. Nat. Neurosci., 9: 1004-1006.
Moriceau, S., Wilson, D. A., Levine, S, & Sullivan, R. M. (2006) Dual circuitry for odor-shock conditioning during infancy: Corticosterone switches between fear and attraction via amyglada. J. Neurosci., 26: 6737-6748.