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Department of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure
Scientific profile
- About department
- Employees
- Laboratories
Research profile
The research interests of the Department of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure are centered on neurodevelopmental models of schizophrenia. Specifically, our investigations are aimed at identifying the neural substrates underlying behavioral deficits typical for schizophrenia and the discovery of novel potential targets for antipsychotic substances. Another important aspect of our research involves environmental factors (early life stress, enriched environment) that influence brain development and its susceptibility to mental disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia, cognitive deficits and depression.
Research methods
Behavioral: neurodevelopmental models of schizophrenia, experimental models of stress – maternal separation in the postnatal period, fear conditioning paradigm – the acquisition, retention and extinction of memory traces, sensory motor gating paradigm, novel object recognition test, delayed alternation test, social interaction test, food-preference test, latent inhibition test.
Immunohistochemistry and neuroanatomy: brain tissue staining for identification of specific proteins and their colocalization – microscopic techniques based on light microscopy, fluorescence and laser confocal microscopy, stereological techniques. Stereotactic and iontophoretic techniques of retrograde marker delivery. Methods to assess adult brain neurogenesis.
Biochemistry and molecular biology: protein expression: Western blot, ELISA, protein macroarrays; Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription, chromatin precipitation.
Electrophysiology: in vitro measurements of long-term synaptic potentiation and depression.
Employees
Professor Krystyna Gołembiowska, dr hab.
+48 12 6623211 
nfgolemb@cyf-kr.edu.pl 
room Ojcowska Agnieszka Chocyk, dr hab.
+48 12 6623229
chocyk@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 237 Zofia Rogóż, dr hab.
+48 12 6623279
rogoz@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 103 Wiktor Bilecki, dr
+48 12 6623329
bilecki@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 237 Anna Solarz-Andrzejewska, dr
+48 12 6623246
solarz@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 214 Agnieszka Wawrzczak-Bargieła, dr
+48 12 6623329
bargiela@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 241 Magdalena Tertil, dr
+48 12 3343707
tertil@if-pan.krakow.pl
room Pokój: 1.5 Cephares Weronika Kumorek, inż.
kumorek@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 214 Agnieszka Bysiek, mgr
+48 12 6623303
bysiek@if-pan.krakow.pl
room Ojcowska Beata Zemła
+48 12 6623211
zemla@if-pan.krakow.pl
room 232 Employees
Achievements
- Publications
The Trace Kynurenine, Cinnabarinic Acid, Displays Potent Antipsychotic-Like Activity in Mice and Its Levels Are Reduced in the Prefrontal Cortex of Individuals Affected by Schizophrenia.
DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbaa074
Simultaneous activation of mGlu<inf>2</inf> and muscarinic receptors reverses MK-801-induced cognitive decline in rodents
Cieślik, P., Domin, H., Chocyk, A., Gruca, P., Litwa, E., Płoska, A., Radulska, A., Pelikant-Małecka, I., Brański, P., Kalinowski, L., Wierońska, J.M.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107866
The impact of early-life stress on corticosteroid carrier protein levels and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 expression in adolescent rats
Majcher-Maślanka, I., Solarz, A., Chocyk, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2018.11.003
Maternal separation disturbs postnatal development of the medial prefrontal cortex and affects the number of neurons and glial cells in adolescent rats
Majcher-Maślanka, I., Solarz, A., Chocyk, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.10.033
Previous Early-life Stress Modifies Acute Corticosterone-induced Synaptic Plasticity in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex of Adolescent Rats
Majcher-Maślanka, I., Solarz, A., Wędzony, K., Chocyk, A.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.03.038
Early-life stress increases the survival of midbrain neurons during postnatal development and enhances reward-related and anxiolytic-like behaviors in a sex-dependent fashion
Chocyk, A., Majcher-Maślanka, I., Przyborowska, A., Maćkowiak, M., Wedzony, K.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.05.002
The effects of early-life adversity on fear memories in adolescent rats and their persistence into adulthood
Chocyk, A., Przyborowska, A., Makuch, W., Majcher-Maślanka, I., Dudys, D., Wedzony, K.
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.01.040
Early-life stress affects the structural and functional plasticity of the medial prefrontal cortex in adolescent rats
Chocyk, A., Bobula, B., Dudys, D., Przyborowska, A., Majcher-Maślanka, I., Hess, G., Wedzony, K.
DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12208
Potential roles of NCAM/PSA-NCAM proteins in depression and the mechanism of action of antidepressant drugs
Wêdzony, K., Chocyk, A., Maækowiak, M.
DOI: 10.1016/S1734-1140(13)71507-X
Impact of early-life stress on the medial prefrontal cortex functions-a search for the pathomechanisms of anxiety and mood disorders
Chocyk, A., Majcher-Maoelanka, I., Dudys, D., Przyborowska, A., Wêdzony, K.
DOI: 10.1016/S1734-1140(13)71506-8
