Research

Biological Bases of Memory, Neuropsychopharmacology, and Brain Damage Research

For a number of years my research interests have focused on the biological bases of memory, with an especially keen interest in memory recovery following amnesia (see publication list), animal models of Alzheimer's disease (see publication list), and brain damage (see publication list). Most of my work to date has been devoted to examining the neuropharmacological processes involved in memory with recent publications reporting on the role of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin (see publication list). My interests in the memory, amnesia, and brain damage research fields were developed when I was a graduate student at Kent State University working in the laboratories of Drs. David C. Riccio and F. Robert Treichler. My dissertation titled An Examination of the Role of ACTH in Recovery from Hypothermia-Induced Retrograde Amnesia in Rats explored the role adrenocorticotrophic hormone (a hormone released by the anterior pituitary gland in response to stress) plays in memory retrieval in subjects suffering from retrograde amnesia. My research interest in animal models of Alzheimer's disease evolved from my postdoctoral fellowship work in the laboratory of Dr. Harry Haroutunian at the Bronx VA Medical Center. The following Manhattanville students have worked in my lab conducting studies on memory, brain damage, and neuropsychopharmacology:

~ PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS ~
BIOLOGICAL BASES OF MEMORY, NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLGY, & BRAIN DAMAGE RESEARCH
(Manhattanville student co-authors are in bold)

Santucci, A.C., & Riccio, D.C. (1986). Hypothermia-induced anterograde amnesia and its reversal in rats trained on a T-maze discrimination task. Physiology & Behavior, 36, 1065-1069. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Kasenow, P.M., Riccio, D.C., & Richardson, R. (1987). Hypothermia-induced anterograde amnesia: Is memory loss attributable to impaired acquisition? Behavioral and Neural Biology, 48, 13-23. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Riccio, D.C., & Treichler, F.R. (1989). Role of ACTH in recovery from retrograde amnesia induced by hypothermia in rats. Behavioral Neuroscience, 103, 1267-1275. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Schroeder, H., & Riccio, D.C. (1990). Homeostatic disruption and memory: Effect of insulin administration in rats. Behavioral and Neural Biology, 53, 321-333. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C. (1995). An affordable computer-aided method for conducting Morris water maze testing. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 27 60-64.

Santucci, A.C. & Newcomb, J. (1995, April). Failure to find a cholinergic/NMDA interaction with regard to learning and memory. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Assoc., Boston, MA.

Santucci, A.C., Moody, E., & Demetriades, J. (1995). Effects of scopolamine on spatial working memory in rats pretreated with the serotonergic depleter p-chloroamphetamine. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 63, 286-290. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Knott, P.J., & Haroutunian, V. (1996). Excessive serotonergic release, not depletion, leads to memory impairments in rats. European Journal of Pharmacology, 295, 7-17. [Abstrac]

Murphy, M.K., Bettino, P.M., & Santucci, A.C. (1996, Nov.). Effects of clozapine in SHR and WKY rat pups challenged with amphetamine: stereotypy, catalepsy, and activity data. Poster presented at the Society for Neuroscience, Washington, DC.

Santucci, A.C. & Shaw, C. (2003). Peripheral 8-OH-DPAT and scopolamine infused into the frontal cortex produce passive avoidance retention impairments in rats. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 79, 136-141. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C. & Haroutunian, V. (2003). NGF-induced enhanced acquisition of a spatial learning task in young and old F344 rats is time dependent. Journal of Behavioral and Neuroscience Research. 1, 1-7. [Abstract & Article]

Santucci, A.C. & Cardiello, J. (2004). Memory reactivation in rats treated with the 5-HT_1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT: A case of gone, but not forgotten. Behavioral Neuroscience, 118, 248-252. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C. & Haroutunian, V. (2004). p-Chloroamphetamine blocks physostigmine-induced memory enhancement in rats with unilateral nucleus basalis lesions. Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 77, 59-67. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., & Haroutunian, V. (1989). Nucleus basalis lesions impair memory in rats trained on nonspatial and spatial discrimination tasks. Physiology & Behavior, 45, 1025-1031. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Kanof, P.D., Haroutunian, V. (1989). Effect of physostigmine on memory consolidation and retrieval processes in intact and nucleus basalis lesioned rats. Psychopharmacology, 99, 70-74. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Kanof, P.D., & Haroutunian, V. (1989). Infusion of NMDA into the nucleus basalis of Meynert, frontal cortex or lateral ventricle in rats: Effect on memory and cholinergic brain neurochemistry. Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 33, 485-488. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Kanof, P.D., & Haroutunian, V. (1990). Serotonergic modulation of cholinergic systems involved in learning and memory in rats. Dementia, 1, 151-155.

Santucci, A.C., Kanof, P.D., & Haroutunian, V. (1991). Fetal transplant-induced restoration of spatial memory in rats with lesions of the nucleus basalis of Meynert. J. of Neural Transplantation and Plasticity, 2, 65-74. [Abstract]

Wallace, W., Bragin, V., Robakis, N.K., Sambamurti, K., Vanderputter, D., Merril, C., Davis, K.L., Santucci, A.C., & Haroutunian, V. (1991). Increased biosynthesis of Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein in the cerebral cortex of rats with lesions of the nucleus basalis of Meynert. Molecular Brain Research, 10, 173-178. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Haroutunian, V., & Davis, K.L. (1991). Pharmacological alleviation of combined cholinergic/noradrenergic lesion-induced memory deficits in rats. Clinical Neuropharmacology, 14 (Suppl. 1), S1-S8. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Kanof, P.D., & Haroutunian, V. (1993). Cholinergic marker deficits induced by lesions of the nucleus basalis of Meynert are attenuated by nerve growth factor in young, but not in aged, F344 rats. Brain Research, 609, 327-332. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Gluck, R., Kanof, P.D., & Haroutunian, V. (1993). Induction of memory and cortical cholinergic neurochemical recovery with combine fetal transplantation and GM1 treatments in rats with lesions of the NBM. Dementia, 4, 273-281. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Knott, P.J., & Haroutunian, V. (1995). 5,7 DHT-induced lesions of the nucleus basalis or frontal cortex do not block passive avoidance retention impairments produced by p-chloroamphetamine in rats. Psychobiology, 23, 139-143.

Santucci, A.C., Kanof, P.D., & Haroutunian, V. (1995). Transient enhancement of cholinergic neurochemical markers induced by NGF in aged F344 rats. Dementia, 6, 179-184. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C. & Perez, S. (2002). Multiple injections of thyrotropin releasing hormone fail to reverse learning and memory deficits in rats with lesions of the nucleus basalis of meynert. Behavioural Brain Research, 136, 433-438. [Abstract]

Lilliehook, C., Bozdagi, O., Yao, Y., Gomez-Ramirez, M., Zaidi, N., Wasco, W., Gandy, S., Santucci, A.C., Haroutunian, V., Huntley, G.W., & Buxbaum, J.D. (2003). Calsenilin/DREAM/KchIP3 regulates Aß formation and long-term potentiation. The Journal of Neuroscience, 23, 9097-9106. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., & Treichler, F.R. (1985). Effect of posterior cortical lesion on two versions of the brightness discrimination task. Physiological Psychology, 13, 86-91.

Santucci, A.C., & Treichler, F.R. (1990). Concurrent object discrimination learning in rats. Animal Learning and Behavior, 18, 295-301.

Santucci, A.C., & Spincola, L.J. (1994). MK-801 attenuates residual hyperactivity induced by neonatal L-cycteine administration in rats. Developmental Brain Dysfunction, 7, 230-236.

Williams, J., Tyler, L., Spincola, L.J., & Santucci, A.C. (1994, April). An examination of the neuroprotective effects of MK-801 in rat pups treated with L-cysteine. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Assoc., Providence, RI.

Shu, W, Cho, J.Y., Jian, ., Zhang, M., Weisz, D, Elder, G.A., Schmeidler, J., DeGasperi, R., Sosa, M.A., Radidou, D., Santucci, A.C., Perl, D., Morrisey, E., & Buxbaum, J.D. (2005). Altered ultrasonic vocalization in mice with a disruption in the FOXP2 gene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, 102, 9643-9648.

In some of my past studies, my students and I have examined the long-term residual effects of alcohol and caffeine on learning, memory, and motor processes. Recently, my students and I have examined the residual effects of cocaine and methylphenidate (Ritalin) in adolescent animals on learning, memory, anxiety, and motor processes in adulthood. These studies have employed a longitudinal study design to determine whether cocaine or methylphenidate exposure early in development adversely affects the cognitive, emotional, and motor abilities of animals as they age. We have conducted several long-term studies (which take, in some cases, over a year to complete) in the context of this program of research months following drug withdrawal. Our most recent publication appears in the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology. The following Manhattanville students have worked in my lab conducting drug-related studies:

*STUDENT*		TITLE OF STUDY
Marisol Mercado (Hernandez), '91	photo unavailable	Residual effects of chronic (26 days) ethanol on spatial memory and cortical thickness in rats
Daisy Remigio, '91	photo unavailable	Residual effects of chronic amphetamine on spatial working memory in rats
Erik Moody, '92	photo unavailable	Residual effects of chronic (26 days) ethanol on spatial memory and cortical thickness in rats
Christian Cortes, '93	photo unavailable	Residual effects of chronic (26 days) ethanol on spatial memory and cortical thickness in rats Chronic ethanol consumption in rats produces residual increases in anxiety after 4 months of abstinence
Francisco Cortes	photo unavailable	Chronic ethanol consumption in rats produces residual increases in anxiety after 4 months of abstinence
Christi Carriero, '95	photo unavailable	Influence of caffeine on activity in male and female rats: Dose effects
Lizandra Hernandez, '97	photo unavailable	Residual changes in habituation and motivation in rats treated chronically with cocaine
Julissa Caba, '97	photo unavailable	Residual changes in habituation and motivation in rats treated chronically with cocaine
Anthony Pernice, '99	photo unavailable	Residual effects of cocaine on anxiety in adolescent rats
Stacey Capadilupo, '00	photo unavailable	Long-term residual consequences of cocaine in adolescent rats: Effects on memory and life-span
Sandra Blinder	photo unavailable	Long-term residual consequences of cocaine in adolescent rats: Effects on memory and life-span
Jennifer Bernstein, '00	photo unavailable	Long-term residual consequences of cocaine in adolescent rats: Effects on memory and life-span
Rochelle Milefsky (Lhotan), '00		Long-term residual consequences of cocaine in adolescent rats: Effects on memory and life-span
Heather Mitchell, '01	photo unavailable	Long-term residual consequences of cocaine in adolescent rats: Effects on memory and life-span
Manuel Gomez-Ramirez, '02	photo unavailable	Long-term residual consequences of cocaine in adolescent rats: Effects on memory and life-span
Melissa Marino, '04		Short-term chronic ethanol administration on object discrimination learning and anxiety in adult rats
Delia Stubbs, '04		Short-term chronic ethanol administration on object discrimination learning and anxiety in adult rats
Albania Rosario, '04	photo unavailable	Residual learning deficit and anxiogenesis in rats treated chronically with cocaine during adolescence
Daniel York, '04		Residual effects of chronic (26 days) ethanol on spatial memory and cortical thickness in rats
Donald Rabidou, '05		Short-term chronic ethanol administration on object discrimination learning and anxiety in adult rats Residual learning deficit and anxiogenesis in rats treated chronically with cocaine during adolescence
Eva Madeira, '05		Residual learning deficit and anxiogenesis in rats treated chronically with cocaine during adolescence
Erica Smith, '07		Residual effects of methylphenidate exposure during adolescence prevents amphetamine, but not cocaine, from inducing hyperactivity in rats
Petra Majdak, '07		Residual effects of methylphenidate exposure during adolescence prevents amphetamine, but not cocaine, from inducing hyperactivity in rats
Katie Galvin, '08		Do pre-drug levels of anxiety modulate post-cocaine levels of anxiety in adolescent rats?

~ PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS ~
DRUGS OF ABUSE RESEARCH
(Manhattanville student co-authors are in bold)

Santucci, A.C., Treichler, F.R., Agone, J., & Perrone, T. (1985, May). Ethanol impairs relearning of the brightness discrimination task after posterior decortication. Paper present at the meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Assoc., Chicago.

Santucci, A.C., Treichler, F.R., & Ahlers, S.T. (1986). Effects of ethanol exposure on brightness discrimination after posterior decortication. Physiological Psychology, 14, 90-95.

Santucci, A.C., Cortes, C., Bettica, A., Mercado, M., & Moody, E. (1993, April). Residual effect of chronic (26 days) ethanol on spatial memory and cortical thickness in rats. Poster presented at the meeting of the Eastern Psychological Assoc., Arlington, VA.

Carriero, C. & Santucci, A.C. (1995, April). Influence of caffeine on activity in male and female rats: Dose effects. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Assoc., Boston, MA.

Santucci, A.C., Capodilupo, S., Bernstein, J., Gomez-Ramirez, M., Milefsky, R., & Mitchell, H. (2002, March). Long-term residual consequences of cocaine in adolescent rats: Effects on memory and life-span. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Assoc., Boston, MA.

Santucci, A.C., Mercado, M., Bettica, A., Cortes, C., York, D., & Moody, E. (2004). Residual behavioral and neuroanatomical effects of short-term chronic ethanol consumption in rats. Brain Research: Cognitive Brain Research, 20, 449-461. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Hernandez, L., & Caba, J. (2004, April). Residual changes in activity levels in rats chronically treated with cocaine. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Assoc., Washington, D.C.

Santucci, A.C., Capodilupo, S., Bernstein, J., Gomez-Ramirez, M., Milefsky, R., & Mitchel, H. (2004). Cocaine in adolescent rats produces memory impairments that are reversible with time. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 26, 651-661.[Abstract]

Santucci, A.C., Rabidou, D., & Rosario, A. (2005, March). Residual behavioral effects in adolescent rats treated chronically with cocaine. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Assoc., Boston , MA.

Santucci, A.C., Rabidou, D., & Rosario, A. (2005, Nov.). Residual learning deficit and anxiogenesis in rats treated chronically with cocaine during adolescence. Society for Neuroscience, Washington , DC .

Santucci, A.C., Smith, E., & Majdak, P. (2006, Oct.). Residual effects of methylphenidate exposure during adolescence prevents amphetamine, but not cocaine, from inducing hyperactivity in rats. Poster presented at the Society for Neuroscience, Atlanta , GA.

A more recently developed line of research has focused on the residual effects of head trauma in college athletes. Although this line of research is relatively new for my lab, we have one published article on this topic. It appears in the journal Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. The following Manhattanville students have worked in my lab conducting these head trauma studies:

STUDENT		*TITLE OF STUDY*
Chad Killam, '04		Assessing the enduring residual neuropsychological effects of head trauma in college athletes who participate in contact sports
Jessica Temesy, '06		Assessment of spatial memory and attention, and their electroencephalographic and electrophysiological correlates, in college athletes with a prior history of head trauma
Ashley Trimble, '06		Assessment of spatial memory and attention, and their electroencephalographic and electrophysiological correlates, in college athletes with a prior history of head trauma

~ PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS ~
NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF HEAD TRAUMA IN COLLEGE ATHLETES RESEARCH
(Manhattanville student co-authors are in bold)

Santucci, A.C., Killam, C., & Cautin, R.L. (2005, March). Assessing the enduring residual neuropsychological effects of head trauma in college athletes who participate in contact sports. Poster presented at the Eastern Psychological Assoc., Boston , MA.

Killam, C., Cautin, R.L., & Santucci, A.C. (2005). Assessing the enduring residual neuropsychological effects of head trauma in college athletes who participate in contact sports. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 20, 599-611. [Abstract]

Santucci, A.C. (2005). Neuropsychological effects of head trauma in college athletes. Colloquium presented at Central Connecticut State University, 29 Nov. 2005. (view PowerPoint presentation)