MUN Psychology - Faculty


Robert Adamec

My research interests center on the neurobiology of defense and anxiety. Ethologically oriented behavioral studies are combined with neurophysiological, and behavioral pharmacological methods to investigate how limbic systems circuits mediate lasting changes in fearful and anxious behavior. Two types of clinical disorder are being modeled. The first is anxiety associated with epilepsy of the limbic system. For these studies, the kindling model of epilepsy is used to study the impact of repeated seizures on limbic system function and on anxious behavior in rats. The second disorder is anxiety associated with traumatic stress. These studies explore the after effects brief, non injurious exposure of a rat to a non-aggressive cat. Such exposure produces lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior in rats (persisting at least 3 weeks), as well as in startle responses and basal corticosterone levels. The work in my lab is probing which neurotransmitters are responsible for the lasting change in behavior. In addition we are examining the involvement of glutamate, GABA and serotonin receptors in behavioral change. Finally we are studying molecular biological mechanisms of initiation of behavioral changes with immunohistochemistry. Contracts with drug companies are also directed at finding compounds that may be administered after the stressor, but which block the long term increase in anxiety like behavior.

Adamec, R., J. Blundell, and P. Burton. (2005). "Neural circuit changes mediating lasting brain and behavioral response to predator stress." Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews In Press.

Adamec, R., J. Blundell, and P. Burton. (2005). "Relationship of the Predatory Attack Experience to Neural Plasticity, pCREB Expression and Neuroendocrine Response." Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews In Press.

Adamec, R., Blundell, J., Strasser, K. and Burton, P. (2005). Mechanisms of Lasting Change in Anxiety Produced by Severe Stress. In: N. Kato and R. Pitman (Eds.) PTSD: Brain Mechanisms and Clinical Implications. Springer-Verlag, In Press.

Adamec, R., T. Shallow, and P. Burton. (2005). "Contribution of Pre Kindling Affective State to Hemispheric Differences in the Effects of Basolateral Amygdala Kindling on Anxiety." Ed. C. Corcoran and S. L. Moshe. Amsterdam: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishing, In Press.

Blundell, J., R. Adamec, and P. Burton. (2005). "Role of NMDA Receptors in the Syndrome of Behavioral Changes Produced by Predator Stress." Physiology and Behavior Accepted.

Rosen, J. B., R. Adamec, and B. L. Thompson. (2005). "Expression of egr-1 (zif268) mRNA in selected fear related brain regions following exposure to a predator." Behavioural Brain Research In Press.

Adamec, R., T. Shallow, and P. Burton. (2004). "Anxiolytic and Anxiogenic Effects of Kindling - Role of Baseline Anxiety and Anatomical Location of the Kindling Electrode in Response to Kindling of the Right and Left Basolateral Amygdala." Behav Brain Res in press.

Adamec, Robert, Gerd D. Bartoszyk, and Paul Burton. (2004). "Effects of systemic injections of Vilazodone, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and serotonin 1A receptor agonist, on anxiety induced by predator stress in rats." European Journal of Pharmacology 504.1-2: 65-77.

Adamec, Robert, Jacqueline Blundell, and Paul Burton. (2004). "Anxiolytic effects of kindling role of anatomical location of the kindling electrode in response to kindling of the right basolateral amygdala." Brain Research 1024.1-2: 44-58.

Adamec, Robert et al. (2004). "Prophylactic and therapeutic effects of acute systemic injections of EMD 281014, a selective serotonin 2A receptor antagonist on anxiety induced by predator stress in rats." European Journal of Pharmacology 504.1-2: 79-96.

Adamec, Robert, Sue Walling, and Paul Burton. (2004). "Long-lasting, selective, anxiogenic effects of feline predator stress in mice." Physiology & Behavior 80.3: 401-10.

Adamec, R., Blundell,J., and Collins,A., (2002). Effects of Predator Stress on Afferent and Efferent Amygdala Neural Transmission in Three Pathways: Evidence for lasting and selective potentiation and depotentiation in left and right hemisphere with putative pre and post synaptic mechanisms, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews

Adamec, R. (2001). Partial Kindling and Behavioral Pathologies. International Review of Neurobiology, (45), 409-434.

Adamec RE, Blundell J, Collins A. (2001). Neural plasticity and stress induced changes in defense in the rat. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 25(7-8):721-44 [View Abstract]

Adamec, R., (2001). Does Long Term Potentiation in Periacqueductal Gray (PAG) Mediate Lasting Changes in Rodent ALB Produced by Predator Stress? -Effects of Low Frequency Stimulation (LFS) of PAG on Place Preference and Changes in ALB Produced by Predator Stress, Behavioral Brain Research, 120, 111-135 [View Abstract]

Adamec, R.E., (2000) Evidence that long lasting potentiation in limbic circuits mediating defensive behavior in the right hemisphere underlies pharmacological stressor (FG-7142) Induced lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior: Role of GABA tone in initiation of brain and behavioural changes, Journal of Psychopharmacology, 14 323-339.

Adamec, R.E., (2000) Evidence that long lasting potentiation in limbic circuits mediating defensive behavior in the right hemisphere underlies pharmacological stressor (FG-7142) Induced lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior: Role of benzodiazepine receptors, Journal of Psychopharmacology, 14 307-322.

Adamec, R., Shallow, T. (2000) Rodent anxiety and kindling of the central amygdala and nucleus basalis. Physiology and Behaviour Physiology and Behavior. 70 (1-2) 177-187.

Adamec, R. (2000) Introduction to Special Issue on Kindling and Behavior. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 24 (7), 687-689.

Adamec, R. (Ed.) (2000) Kindling and Behavior. Special Issue of Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 24 (7), 687-775.

Adamec, R. and Young, B. (2000) Neuroplasticity in specific limbic system circuits may mediate specific kindling induced changes in animal affect - Implications for understanding anxiety associated with epilepsy. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 24 (7), 705-723. [View Abstract]

Adamec, R.,( 2000). Partial kindling and behavioral pathologies. In: Engel, J. (Ed.), Brain Plasticity and Epilepsy, Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 409-434.

Adamec, R., Shallow, T. (2000) Effects of baseline anxiety on response to kindling of the right medial amygdala, Physiology and Behavior. 70 (1-2) 67-80.

Adamec, R.E., Burton, P., Shallow, T. and Budgell, J. (1999). Unilateral block of NMDA receptors in the amygdala prevents predator stress- induced lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior and unconditioned startle - Effective hemisphere depends on the behavior, Physiology and Behavior, 65 739-751. [View Abstract]

Adamec, R. (1999) Evidence that limbic neural plasticity in the right hemisphere mediates partial kindling induced lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior: effects of low frequency stimulation (quenching?) on long term potentiation of amygdala efferents and behavior following kindling. Brain Research. 839 133-152. [View Abstract]

Adamec, R., Burton, P., Shallow, R., Budgell, J. (1999). NMDA receptors mediate lasting increases in anxiety-like behavior produced by the stress of predator exposure - Implications for anxiety associated with posttraumatic stress disorder, Physiology and Behavior, 65 723-737.

Adamec, R. Neurobiology of Defensive Rage and Defensive Temperament: Inroads into understanding the role of neuroplasticity in stress precipitated changes in affect. Abstract for the Fifth IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience. Jerusalem, Israel, July, 1999.

Adamec, R. (1998). Amygdala kindling and rodent anxiety. In M.A. Corcoran and S.L. Moshe (Eds.) Kindling 5, Plenum Press, N.Y., pp. 327-348.

Adamec, R. (1998). Evidence that NMDA dependent Limbic Neural Plasticity In the Right Hemisphere Mediates Pharmacological Stressor (FG-7142) Induced Lasting Increases in Anxiety-Like Behavior Study 1 - Role of NMDA Receptors in Efferent Transmission from the Cat Amygdala. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 12(2): 122-128.

Adamec, R. (1998). Evidence that NMDA dependent Limbic Neural Plasticity In the Right Hemisphere Mediates Pharmacological Stressor (FG-7142) Induced Lasting Increases in Anxiety-Like Behavior Study 2 - The Effects on Behavior of Block of NMDA Receptors Just Prior to Injection of FG-7142. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 12(2): 129-136.

Adamec, R. (1998). Evidence that NMDA dependent Limbic Neural Plasticity In the Right Hemisphere Mediates Pharmacological Stressor (FG-7142) Induced Lasting Increases in Anxiety-Like Behavior Study 3 - The Effects on Amygdala Efferent Physiology of Block of NMDA Receptors Just Prior to Injection of FG-7142 and Its Relationship to Behavioral Change. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 12(3): 227-238.

Adamec, R., Kent, R., Anisman, H., Shallow, T., Merali, Z. (1998) Neural plasticity, neuropeptides and anxiety in animals - Implications for understanding and treating affective disorder following traumatic stress in humans. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 23 301-318.