Room 100C Crowe Research Building
(901) 448-2874
FAX (901) 448-7300
smatta@utmem.edu

1973 B.A. Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA (Biology)
1983 Ph.D. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (Anatomy)

1983-1985 Department of Anatomy, Rutgers Medical School-University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), Piscataway, NJ

Research Interests:

Our lab is studying the effects of nicotine on the brain, focussing on the correlation(s) between gene expression, neurotransmitter release, neuroanatomical markers, and behavioral responses. We recently have refined a self-administration animal (rat) model for nicotine exposure that more closely approximates human nicotine consumption - i.e., exposure is truly chronic, intermittent and motivated. This behavioral model is the underpinning to ongoing studies designed to 1) determine individual sensitivity to drug-taking behavior, 2) elucidate the mechanism(s) by which nicotine (like cocaine, amphetamine and other drugs of abuse) activates and maintains the reward neurocircuitry, leading to addiction, and 3) investigate the (anecdotal) property of nicotine in alleviating anxiety and stress. Drug-induced neuronal plasticity after such chronic nicotine exposure (indicated by alterations in gene expression and/or neuronal firing pattern) also is under investigation. Our most recent emphasis has been to investigate neuronal plasticity resulting from the combined gestational exposure to nicotine and alcohol - an all-too-common circumstance in the human population.

Recent Publications:

Fu Y, Matta SG, Brower VG, Sharp BM. 2001 Norepinephrine secretion in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus during unlimited access to self-administered nicotine: an in vivo microdialysis study. J Neurosci 21:8979-8989.

Fu Y, Matta SG, Gao W, Sharp BM. 2000 Local a-bungarotoxin-sensitive nicotinic receptors in the nucleus accumbens modulate nicotine-stimulated dopamine secretion in vivo. Neuroscience 102369-375.

Li MD, Kane JK, Matta SG, Blaner WS, Sharp, BM. 2000 Nicotine enhances the biosynthesis and secretion of transthyretin from the choroid plexus in rats: implications for ß-amyloid formation. J Neurosci 20:1318-1323.

Fu Y, Matta SG, Sharp BM. 1999 Local alpha-bungarotoxin-sensitive nicotinic receptors modulate hippocampal norepinephrine release by systemic nicotine. J Pharmacol Exp Therap 289:133-139.

Matta SG, Fu Y, Valentine JD, Sharp BM. 1998 Response of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis to nicotine. Psychoneuroendocrinology 23:103-113.

Matta SG, Valentine JD, Sharp BM. 1997 Nicotinic activation of CRH neurons in extrahypothalamic regions of rat brain. Endocrine 7:245-253.

Matta SG, Valentine JD, Sharp BM. 1997 Nicotine activates NPY and catecholaminergic neurons in brainstem regions involved in ACTH secretion. Brain Res 759:259-269.

Matta SG, Saphier D. 1996 The brain-immune axis and drugs of abuse. J Neuroimmun 9:25-40.

Software, Books

Wilson FJ, Gibney JA, Kestenbaum MG, Matta SG. 1998 An Interactive CD-ROM Atlas of Histology, Appleton-Lange, Inc. (now published by McGraw-Hill).

Wilson FJ, Gibney JA, Matta SG, Kestenbaum MG. 1996 Essential Histology Review, Blackwell Science, Inc.

Kestenbaum MG, Gibney JA, Matta SG, Wilson FJ. 1995 Learning Review Reference in Histology (software), Keyboard Publishing Inc, Blue Bell, PA.

WEB site
Laser Capture Microdissection facility (Director, SG Matta)
http://www.utmem.edu/lcm