Dr. Michael Morgan
Student evaluations of Courses I have Taught:
Courses
| Course ID | Title | Meeting Time | Location | Semester | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psych 312 | Experimental Methods in Psychology | Tu,Th 2:50-5:30 | VUCB 222 | Fall 2011 | |
| Psych 401 | Historical Development of Psychology | Tu,Th 12:00 - 1:15 | VUCB 222 | Fall 2011 | |
| Psych 372 | Biological Basis of Behavior | Tu,Th 4:15-5:30 | VUCB 225 | Spring 2012 |
Research
Neural Mechanisms of Morphine Tolerance
Opiates such as morphine are the most effective treatment for pain. Unfortunately, the ability of opioids to relieve pain is reduced with repeated administration. The primary goal of our research is to determine the mechanism for tolerance so long lasting and effective pain treatments can be developed. Our research has shown that tolerance occurs by a change in opioid sensitive GABAergic neurons in the ventrolateral region of the periaqueductal gray (PAG). Injection of opioids into this brain region produces analgesia and repeated injections results in tolerance. We are currently examining the role of mu-opioid receptor internalization in morphine tolerance. These studies indicate that repeated administration of morphine increases the likelihood that the mu-opioid receptor will internalize which produces tolerance by limiting membrane signaling.
Current Funding:
Morgan, M. M., Aicher, S.A. (co-P.I), & Ingram, S. L. (co-P.I). National Institute on Drug Abuse. Psychostimulants Induce Long-Term Changes in Nociception (R01 DA027625). September 2009 to July 2014. $1,625,000 direct costs.
Morgan, M. M. & Ingram, S. L. (co-P.I) National Institute on Drug Abuse. Cellular mechanisms of opioid tolerance. (RO1 DA015498-06). August 2009 to July 2011. $450,000 direct costs.
Morgan, M. M. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Neural Mechanisms of Enhanced Cannabinoid/Opioid Antinociception. (R03 DA026591). May, 2009 to April, 2011. $100,000 direct costs.
Graduate Students
Erin Bobeck, Psychology
Melissa Mehalick, Psychology
Kimber Saville, Psychology
Michelle Cyr, Psychology, Ph.D. 2011
Adie Wilson, Neuroscience, Ph.D. 2011
Diane Lane, Psychology, Ph.D. 2004
Recent Publications
Wilson-Poe, A.R., Morgan, M.M., Aicher, S.A., & Hegarty, D.M. (in press). Distribution of CB1 Cannabinoid Receptors and Their Relationship with Mu-Opioid Receptors in the Rat Periaqueductal Gray. Neuroscience.
Cyr, M.C., Ingram, S.L., Aicher, S.A., Morgan, M.M. (2012). Chronic psychostimulant exposure to adult, but not periadolescent rats reduces subsequent morphine antinociception. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, 101:538-543. PMID: 22405777
Cornélio, A.M., Nunes-de-Souza, R.L. & Morgan, M.M. (2012) Contribution of the rostral ventromedial medulla to post-anxiety induced hyperalgesia. Brain Research, 1450:80-86. PMID: 22418057
Morgan, M. M. & Christie, M. J. (2011) Analysis of Opioid Efficacy, Tolerance, Addiction, and Dependence from Cell Culture to Human. British Journal of Pharmacology, 164, 1322–1334. PMID: 21434879
Cornélio, A.M., Mendes-Gomes, J., Fugimoto, J.S., Morgan, M.M., & Nunes-de-Souza, R.L. (2011) Environmentally induced antinociception and hyperalgesia in rats and mice. Brain Research, 1415:56-62. PMID: 21880302
Gunn, A., Bobeck, E.N., Weber, C., & Morgan, M.M. (2011). The influence of non-nociceptive factors on hot plate latency in rats. Journal of Pain, 12(2):222-227. PMID: 20797920
Fyfe LW, Cleary DR, Macey TA, Morgan MM, Ingram SL. (2010). Tolerance to the antinociceptive effect of morphine in the absence of acute presynaptic desensitization in rat periaqueductal gray neurons. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 335(3):674-80. PMID: 20739455
Macey T. A., Ingram, S. L., Bobeck, . N., Hegarty, D. M., Aicher, S. A., Arttamangkul, S. & Morgan, M. M. (2010). Opioid receptor internalization contributes to dermorphin-mediated antinociception. Neuroscience, 168:543-50. PMID: 20394808
Education
- Ph.D. 1989 UCLA Physiological Psychology (J.C. Liebeskind mentor)
- Post-doctoral fellow 1989 - 1993 Dept. of Neurology, UC, San Francisco (H.L. Fields mentor)