Francisco Mora, M.D., Ph.D., D.Phil. (Oxon)
        Adjunct Professor

Office: Phone: FAX: Email:

5-450 Bowen Science Building (319) 335-7829 (319) 335-7330 francisco-mora@uiowa.edu

Research Interests

Primary interest is brain aging and the interaction of different neurotransmitters in specific circuits of the brain of the awake behaving rat. Of specific interest is the interaction between glutamate, GABA, dopamine, and acetylcholine in the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens and striatum and how these interactions are affected by environmental enrichment conditions and stress.

Selected Publications

1. MORA, F.; SEGOVIA, G.; DEL ARCO, A. "Aging, plasticity and environmental enrichment: structural changes and neurotransmitter dynamics in several areas of the brain" Brain Res. Rev. 55,78 – 88(2007)

2. SEGOVIA, G.; DEL ARCO, A.; GARRIDO, P.; DE BLAS, M.; MORA, F. "Environmental enrichment reduces the response to stress of the cholinergic system in the prefrontal cortex during aging". Neurochemistry International, 52,1198 – 1203 (2008)

3. SEGOVIA, G.; DEL ARCO, A.; DE BLÁS, M.; GARRIDO, P.; MORA, F. "Effects of an enriched environment on the release of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex produced by stress and on working memory during aging in the awake rat". Beh. Brain Res.187, 304 – 311(2008)

4. MORA,F.; SEGOVIA, G.; DEL ARCO, A. "Glutamate-Dopamine-GABA interactions in the aging Basal Ganglia". Brain Res. Rev. 59, 340-353 (2008)