I  have two major research lines, one involving basic research in rats and other more clinically directed in humans.  In both research lines, I use sensory stimuli (olfactory and somatosensory) within the context of the mother-infant dyad to assess behavioral and neural plasticity.

The basic research has focused on how infant rats learn about their mother.  My research has shown rat pups have a unique propensity for learning which seems to be restricted temporally to a "sensitive period".  The learning induced "sensitive period" restricted  behavioral and neural changes appear to be dependent upon norepinephrine.  The major focus of the lab is exploring the role of the noradrenergic locus coeruleus in producing this behavioral and neural plasticity during the "sensitive period."  Recent work has included infant learning in the somatosensory system (whiskers) which also appears to be dependent upon norepinephrine.

The human work has shown that newborn human infants are capable of learning about odors and that odors associated with the mother modulate infant behavior.  We are currently assessing whether the ability of odors to modify newborn human infant behavor can be used as a clinical tool.