Associate Professor
Department of Psychology

Office:1042A BSB
Phone: (312) 413-2630
Email: mrago@uic.edu
Mailing Address:
1007 W. Harrison St. (MC 285)
Chicago, IL 60607-7137

Education:
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PhD., University of Virginia
B.A., University of Cincinnati

Statement of Research Interests:
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My research program involves taking a neural systems approach to understanding the neurobiology of learning and memory. My interest focuses on investigating the principles and neural mechanisms that govern the ability to learn new rules and inhibit old rules under changing environmental conditions. The ability to adopt new strategies and inhibit old strategies involves a powerful form of plasticity for adapting to a changing environment and reflects intricate learning,memory and attentional systems. I have two main research programs that focus on understanding the neurobiology of learning and memory.

One main focus of current experiments is investigating the role of the prefrontal cortex and interconnected brain regions, i.e. striatum and thalamus, in shifting strategies or learning sets. These experiments employ behavioral testing in conjunction with pharmacology and neurochemical techniques, i.e. microdialysis w/HPLC, in understanding the dynamic neurochemical changes that occur during different forms of learning. Most recently, experiments have focused on the role of cholinergic interneurons in the striatum related to learning and strategy switching, as well as how prefrontal and thalamic input influences striatal acetylcholine output and learning. These studies are building a greater understanding of how different brain areas dynamically interact to influence to support learning.

A second focus of my research program is to understand the role of serotonin in learning and strategy switching. This research focuses on testing potentially new treatments that act at 5-HT4 receptors for alleviating cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease. Experiments are also exploring whether 5-HT2 and 5-HT6 receptors contribute to behavioral flexibility. Development of agents that act at these receptors may prove useful in the treatment of cognitive flexibility deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Schizophrenia.

Selected Publications:
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Ragozzino M.E. Mohler E.M., Prior M., Palencia C.A. & Rozman S. (2009). Acetylcholine activity in selective basal ganglia regions supports cognitive flexibility. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, in press.

McCool M.F., Pater S., Talati R. & Ragozzino M.E. (2008). Differential contribution of M1-type and M4-type muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the dorsomedial striatum to task switching. Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, 89:114-124.(PDF)

Mohler E.G., Shacham S., Noiman S., Lezoualc'h F., Robert S., Gasteineau M., Ruktowski J., Marantz Y., Dumuis A., Bockaert J., Gold P.E. & Ragozzino M.E. (2007). VRX-03011, a novel 5-HT4 agonst enhances memory and hippocampal acetylcholine efflux. Neuropharmacology, 53: 563-573. (PDF)

Ragozzino M.E. (2007). The contribution of orbitofrontal, medial prefrontal and dorsal striatum to behavioral flexibility". Linking Afftect to Action: Critical Contributions of the Orbitofrontal Cortex, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.(PDF)

Ragozzino M.E. & Rozman S. (2007). The effect of rat anterior cingulate inactivation on cognitive flexibility. Behavioral Neuroscience, 121: 698-706. (PDF)

Ragozzino M.E. (2006). The role of the striatum in learning and memory. In R.P. Kesner and J.L. Martinez (Eds.) Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, in press, Academic Press: San Diego.

Palencia C.A. & Ragozzino M.E. (2006). The effect of NMDA receptor blockade on acetylcholine efflux in the dorsomedial striatum during response reversal learning. Neuroscience, 143: 671-676. (PDF)

Kim J. & Ragozzino M.E. (2005). The involvement of the orbitofrontal cortex in learning under changing task contingencies. Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, 83: 125-133. (PDF)

Palencia C.A. & Ragozzino M.E. (2004). The influence of NMDA receptors in the dorsomedial striatum on response reversal learning. Neurobiology of Learning & Memory, 82: 81-89. (PDF)

Ragozzino M.E. & Choi D. (2004). Dynamic changes in medial striatal acetylcholine output during place reversal learning. Learning & Memory, 14: 70-77. (PDF)

Ragozzino M.E., Kim J., Minniti N., Hassert D. & Kiang C. (2003). The contributions of the prelimbic-infralimbic areas to different forms of task switching. Behavioral Neuroscience, 117: 1054-1065. (PDF)