University of Toronto (1979)
Professor, Neuropharmacology
Office Hours: Monday and Friday 11-12
Phone Number: (631) 632-9899
e-mail: patricia.whitaker@stonybrook.edu
Areas of Interest:
Animal models of human developmental illnesses.
Current Research:
Dr. Whitaker-Azmitia is interested in the role which the neurotransmitter serotonin
plays in the development of the brain. Serotonin functions in two distinct processes,
one is to act as an autoregulator of the development of serotonin neurons themselves,
and the other is to promote synaptogenesis and neuronal maturation in the brain regions
to which serotonin projects.
Autism may be a developmental illness in which serotonin's role as an
autoregulator is evident. Many children with autism have high blood levels of
serotonin, yet an apparent lack of serotonin in the brain. Thus, the model of
autism used in this lab treats developing rat pups with high levels of a serotonin-like
drug and then examines the effect of this treatment on social behaviors and on
brain content of relevant neurochemicals and neuropeptides.
Secondly, Dr. Whitaker-Azmitia is studying an animal model of Down Syndrome. One of the
genes triplicated in Down Syndrome is for the protein S100B. This protein is
regulated in the brain by serotonin and is actually the means by which serotonin
regulates neuronal maturation and synaptogenesis. Using S100B overexpressing
transgenic mice, the role of serotonin and S100B in brain development and aging
is being examined.
Representative Publications:
Whitaker-Azmitia, P.M. (2001) Serotonin dysfunction and human
developmental disorders. Brain Res. Bull. 56: 479-486.
Kahne, D., Tudorica, A., Borella, A., Shapiro, L., Johnstone, F., Huang, W. and
Whitaker-Azmitia, P.M. (2002) Behavioral and magnetic resonance spectroscopic
studies in the rat hyperserotonemic model of autism. Physiology and Behavior,
75, 403-410.
Shapiro, L. and Whitaker-Azmitia, P.M. (2004) Expression levels of
cytoskeletal proteins indicate accelerated aging of S100B transgenic mice.
Brain Res, 1019, 39-46.
Whitaker-Azmitia, P.M. (2005) Behavioral and cellular consequences of increased
serotonin during development. Int. J. Dev. Neurosci, 23, 75-83.
Current Research Support:
National Alliance for Autism Research
Serotonin, Oxytocin and Social Behaviors
6/2005 - 5/2007
Patricia M. Whitaker-Azmitia (Principle Investigator)
National Institute for Neurological Disease and Stroke
S100B in the Phenotype of Down Syndrome
12/2000 - 1/2006
Patricia M. Whitaker-Azmitia (Principle Investigator)
Alumni Network