Alexxai Kravitz, PhD

Alexxai Kravitz, PhD

Associate Professor, WashU Psychiatry

Basal ganglia contributions to movement

Our lab is interested in the study of basal ganglia circuits and how their function changes in disease states such as obesity, addiction, and movement disorders. Under normal conditions, the basal ganglia contributes to the selection of adaptive behavioral outcomes. In pathological conditions, the basal ganglia can facilitate inappropriate behavioral selection, or have trouble selecting any actions at all. Using behavioral testing, optogenetics, and in vivo electrophysiology and optical measurements, the lab characterizes how the basal ganglia contribute to action selection and movement.

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