Jonathan Britt
Associate Professor
Contact Information:
Office: Stewart Biology Building, N8/9
Phone: 514.398.3625
Email: jonathan.britt[at]mcgill.ca
Mailing Address:
Department of Psychology
1205 Dr Penfield Avenue
Montreal, QC
H3A 1B1
Research Areas:
Research Summary:
Dr. Britt’s research examines the neural circuitry underlying motivated behaviours relevant to reward learning and drug addiction. He primarily focuses on neural processing in the basal ganglia, which is a collection of nuclei that regulate reinforcement learning. This circuitry also affects as the vigor and self-awareness by which animals pursue specific goals. By combining electrophysiological and optogenetic techniques with various behavioural tasks, his research program seeks to identify the precise neural circuits and synaptic modifications that support compulsive behaviour. This research is applicable to numerous neuropsychiatric conditions including addiction, Tourette’s Syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Selected References:
Britt JP, Bonci A. (2013). Optogenetic interrogations of the neural circuits underlying addiction. Curr Opin Neurobiol., 4, 539-45.
Britt JP, Benaliouad F, McDevitt RA, Stuber GD, Wise RA, Bonci A. (2012). Synaptic and behavioral profile of multiple glutamatergic inputs to the nucleus accumbens. Neuron, 76(4), 790-803.
Britt JP, McDevitt RA, Bonci A. (2012). Use of channelrhodopsin for activation of CNS neurons. Curr Protoc Neurosci. Chapter 2: Unit 2.16
Britt JP, McGehee DS. (2008). Presynaptic opioid and nicotinic receptor modulation of dopamine overflow in the nucleus accumbens. J Neurosci. 28(7), 1672-81.