Friedbert Weiss, PhD

Professor

Department of Neuroscience

Research Focus

Neurobiology of Drug and Alcohol Addiction.

Work in our laboratory is concerned with the neurobiological basis of abnormal behavioral and brain functions relevant to human psychopathology with emphasis on the neural control of motivation and reinforcement. The majority of this work is directed at the understanding of the neuropharmcological, neurocircuitry, and molecular basis of drug and alcohol addiction including mechanisms that lead to the development of dependence and withdrawal states, drug craving, relapse as well as impairment in memory and cognitive function.

Education

Professional Experience

Awards & Professional Activities

Select Publications

Martin-Fardon, Remi; Zorrilla, Eric P.; Ciccocioppo, R.; Weiss, Friedbert Role of innate and drug-induced dysregulation of brain stress and arousal systems in addiction: Focus on corticotropin-releasing factor, nociceptin/orphanin FQ, and orexin/hypocretin. Brain Research 2010, 1314, 145-161.
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Dayas, C. V.; McGranahan, T. M.; Martin-Fardon, Remi; Weiss, Friedbert Stimuli linked to ethanol availability activate hypothalamic CART and orexin neurons in a reinstatement model of relapse. Biological Psychiatry 2008, 63, 152-157.
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Dayas, C. V.; Liu, X.; Simms, J. A.; Weiss, Friedbert Distinct patterns of neural activation associated with ethanol seeking: Effects of naltrexone. Biological Psychiatry 2007, 61, 979-989.
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Ciccocioppo, R.; Martin-Fardon, Remi; Weiss, Friedbert Stimuli associated with a single cocaine experience elicit longlasting cocaine-seeking. Nature Neuroscience 2004, 7, 495-496.
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Weiss, Friedbert Neurobiology of craving, conditioned reward and relapse. Current Opinion in Pharmacology 2005, 5, 9-19.
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Weiss, Friedbert; Porrino, L. J. Behavioral neurobiology of alcohol addiction: Recent advances and challenges. Journal of Neuroscience 2002, 22, 3332-3337.
Izzo, E.; Martin-Fardon, Remi; Koob, George F.; Weiss, Friedbert; Sanna, Pietro P. Neural plasticity and addiction: PI3-kinase and cocaine behavioral sensitization. Nature Neuroscience 2002, 5, 1263-1264.
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Contact

Research Interests

In the Media

Scientists identify brain region behind compulsive alcohol use

The Hill

Neuroscience Alcohol Use Disorder

News

Researchers find brain region that fuels compulsive drinking

Study by Scripps Research scientists shows how the brain learns to seek alcohol for relief, not just pleasurable effects, in an animal model.

Neuroscience

News

Scripps Research study reveals how alcohol cravings get stronger after drinking during withdrawal

Findings in animal study could eventually lead to improved treatments to minimize cravings in people with alcohol use disorder.

Neuroscience

News

Brain cells that suppress drug cravings may be the secret to better addiction medicines

Rather than continue to dig for clues on what drives relapse among those who struggle with compulsive drug use, a Scripps Research team explored how the brain responds to environmental cues that suppress cravings.

Neuroscience Nobuyoshi Suto

News

Friedbert Weiss elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Friedbert Weiss, PhD, a professor of neuroscience at Scripps Research, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon its members by their peers.

Neuroscience Awards & Honors

News

TSRI Scientists Take Step Toward Mapping How the Brain Stores Memories

The research, published recently in the journal eLife, is the first to demonstrate that the same brain region can both motivate a learned behavior and suppress that same behavior.

Neuroscience Nobuyoshi Suto