The research group primarily employs viral circuit tracing, optogenetics/chemogenetics, miniscope , neuromodulator sensor, and novel behavioral paradigms to investigate how neurons and neural circuits to control and encode the emotion-related behaviors. The group explores the top-down regulatory mechanisms by which prior experiences and internal bodily states influence the initiation and development of instinctive behaviors, and their pathological roles in the onset and progression of related psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, the group aims to elucidate the neural circuitry and molecular mechanisms underlying peripheral diseases (such as gastrointestinal disorders and tumors) regulated by negative affect. Research projects include: 1) Investigation of the pathological neural circuit mechanisms underlying panic disorder and its somatic symptoms. 2) Study of the neural circuit mechanisms by which emotion regulates instinctive behaviors (such as self-grooming, social interaction, empathy, etc.), and neural modulation research for related psychiatric disorders. 3) Investigation of the neural circuitry and molecular mechanisms underlying peripheral diseases (such as gastrointestinal disorders and tumors) triggered by emotional states.
Chai R#, Wang N#, Nie J#, Xu Z#, Zhang S, Deng S, Wang R, Li M, Gao X, Geng R, Li H, Li L, Wu H, Li Z, Cheng TL, Xu XH, Shu Y*, Hong H*, Huang X*, Wang W*. (2025) Endocannabinoids disinhibit the ventral tegmental nucleus of Gudden to dorsal premammillary nucleus pathway to enhance escape behavior following learned threat experience. Nature Communications. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-60080-1.
Wang W#, Schuette PJ#, Nagai J, Tobias BC, Reis FMCV, Ji S, Lima MAX, La-Vu MQ, Pereira SM, Chakerian M, Leonard S, Lin L, Severino A, Cahill C, Canteras NS, Khakh BS, Kao J, Adhikari A*.(2021) Coordination of Escape and Spatial Navigation Circuits Orchestrate Versatile Flight from Threats. Neuron. 109 (11):1848-1860.(Highlighted by Neuron)
Wang W*, Schuette PJ*, La-Vu MQ, Tobias BC, Reis FMCV, Ji S, Sehgal M, Canteras NS, Khakh BS, Wager TD, Kao JC, Adhikari A*. (2021) Dorsal premammillary hypothalamic projection to periaqueductal gray controls escape vigor. eLife. 10: e69178
Wang W#, Cox BM#, Jia Y, Le A. A, Jung KM, Hou J, Piomelli D, Gall CM, Lynch G* (2018). Treating a novel plasticity defect rescues episodic memory in Fragile X model mice. Molecular Psychiatry, 23 (8):1798-1806.
Wang W, Jia Y, Pham DT, Jung KM, Cox CD, Rumbaugh G, Piomelli D, Gall CM*, Lynch G* (2018). Atypical endocannabinoid signaling initiates a new form of memory-related plasticity at a cortical input to hippocampus. Cerebral Cortex. 28(7):2253-2266.
Wang W, Le A, Hou J, Levin ER, Lynch G*, Gall CM* (2018). Memory-related synaptic plasticity is sexually dimorphic in rodent hippocampus. J Neurosci. 38 (37):7935-7951. (Featured Article; recommended in F1000).
Wang W#, Ju YY#, Zhou Qin#, Tang JX, Li M, Zhang L, Kang S, Chen ZG, Ji H, Xu L*, Liu JG* (2017). The small GTPase Rac1 contributes to extinction of aversive memories of drug withdrawal by facilitating GABAA receptor endocytosis in the vmPFC. J Neurosci. 37(30):7096-7110. (Featured Article).
Wang W*, Trieu BH*, Palmer LC, Jia Y, Pham DT, Jung KM, Gall CM, Piomelli D, Lynch G. (2016) A primary cortical input to hippocampus expresses a pathway-specific and endocannabinoid-dependent form of Long-Term Potentiation. eNeuro. 8;3(4). pii: ENEURO.0160-16.2016. (Featured by Neuronline).
Wang W, Kantorovich S, Babayan AH, Hou B, Gall CM*, Lynch G*. (2016). Estrogen's effects on excitatory synaptic transmission entail integrin and TrkB transactivation and depend upon β1-integrin function. Neuropsychopharmacology. 41(11):2723-32.
Chen ZG*, Liu X*, Wang W*, Geng F, Gao J, Gan CL, Chai JR, He L, Hu G, Zhou H, Liu JG. (2016). Dissociative role for dorsal hippocampus in mediating heroin self-administration and relapse through CDK5 and RhoB signaling revealed by proteomic analysis. Addiction Biology. 22 (6):1731-1742.
Wang W#, Chen ZG#, Liu WT, Chi ZQ, He L, Liu JG* (2015). Dorsal hippocampal NMDA receptor blockade impairs extinction of naloxone-precipitated conditioned place aversion in acute morphine-treated rats by suppressing ERK and CREB phosphorylation in the basolateral amygdala. Br. J. Pharmacol. 172(2):482-91.
Wang W#, Kang S#, Liu WT, Li M, Liu Y, Yu C, Chen J, Chi ZQ, He L, Liu JG* (2012). Extinction of aversive memories associated with morphine withdrawal requires ERK-mediated epigenetic regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor transcription in the rat ventromedial prefrontal cortex. J Neurosci. 32 (40), 1376313775. (Featured by Science Times).
Address: Floor 2, Building B, Medical Research Building, 131 Dong'an Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai
Postcode: 200032
Email: weishengw@fudan.edu.cn