The major research interests of this Unit are followed listed: 1) Role of dopamine in the mechanism of action of neuroleptics and antidepressants. 2) Role of dopamine in the mechanism of action of drugs of abuse. 3) Role of substantia nigra pars reticulata in the extrapyramidal function. 4) Function of efferent pathways of basal ganglia. 5) Dopamine-acetylcholine interactions in the basal ganglia. 6) Role of dopamine in normal and patological motivated behaviour

Gaetano Di Chiara was born in 1945. Has been Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology since 1980
Academic Titles:
1970 Degree in Medicine and Surgery "Cum Laude", University of Cagliari, Italy 1971-1973 Post-doctoral fellow at the laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, NIH, Bethesda, MD, U.S.A.. 1978-1981 Research Associate at the Institute of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Cagliari, Italy From 1980 Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Cagliari, Italy 1984–1992 Director of the Institute of Pharmacology and Experimental Toxicology, University of Cagliari, Italy. 1992 al 1997 Director of the Department of Toxicology, University of Cagliari, Italy. 1997-2006 Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Cagliari, Italy. 2006 to date Director of the Department of Toxicology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
Scientific Societies:
1986-1989 International Basal Ganglia Society (Secretary) 1996-1999 European Behavioural Pharmacology Society (Chair) 1998-2000 Federation of the European Societies of Neuroscience (Chair) 2005-2007 Italian Society of Neuroscience (Chair)

DE LUCA MA, BASSAREO V, BAUER A, DI CHIARA G. (2007). Caffeine and accumbens shell dopamine. J. NEUROCHEM. Vol.103(1):157-163. ISSN: 0022-3042
ACQUAS E, PISANU A, SPIGA S, PLUMITALLO A, ZERNIG G, DI CHIARA G. (2007) Differential effects of intravenous R,S-(+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) and its S(+)- and R(-)-enantiomers on dopamine transmission and extracellular signal regulated kinase phosphorylation (pERK) in the rat nucleus accumbens shell and core. J NEUROCHEM. Vol. 102(1):121-132. ISSN: 0022-3042
LECCA D, VALENTINI V, CACCIAPAGLIA F, ACQUAS E, DI CHIARA G (2007). Reciprocal effects of response contingent and noncontingent intravenous heroin on in vivo nucleus accumbens shell versus core dopamine in the rat: a repeated sampling microdialysis study. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY (Berl). Vol. 194(1):103-116. ISSN: 0033-3158
DI CHIARA G, BASSAREO V. (2007) Reward system and addiction: what dopamine does and doesn't do. CURR OPIN PHARMACOL. Vol. 7(2):233. ISSN: 1471-4892
BASSAREO V, DE LUCA MA, DI CHIARA G. (2007). Differential impact of pavlovian drug conditioned stimuli on in vivo dopamine transmission in the rat accumbens shell and core and in the prefrontal cortex. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY (Berl). Vol. 191(3):689-703. ISSN: 0033-3158
LECCA D, CACCIAPAGLIA F, VALENTINI V, ACQUAS E, DI CHIARA G. (2007) Differential neurochemical and behavioral adaptation to cocaine after response contingent and noncontingent exposure in the rat. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY (Berl). Vol. 191(3):653-667. ISSN: 0033-3158
LECCA D, CACCIAPAGLIA F, VALENTINI V, DI CHIARA G. (2006). Monitoring extracellular dopamine in the rat nucleus accumbens shell and core during acquisition and maintenance of intravenous WIN 55,212-2 self-administration. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY (Berl). Vol. 188(1):63-74. ISSN: 0033-3158
VALENTINI V, CACCIAPAGLIA F, FRAU R, DI CHIARA G. (2006). Differential alpha-mediated inhibition of dopamine and noradrenaline release in the parietal and occipital cortex following noradrenaline transporter blockade. J NEUROCHEM. Vol. 98(1):113-121. ISSN: 0022-3042
FENU S, SPINA L, RIVAS E, LONGONI R, DI CHIARA G. (2006). Morphine-conditioned single-trial place preference: role of nucleus accumbens shell dopamine receptors in acquisition, but not expression. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY (Berl). Vol. 187(2):143-53. ISSN: 0033-3158
PISANU A, ACQUAS E, FENU S, DI CHIARA G. (2006). Modulation of Delta(9)-THC-induced increase of cortical and hippocampal acetylcholine release by micro opioid and D(1) dopamine receptors. NEUROPHARMACOLOGY. Vol. 50(6):661-670.