The Ferrario lab integrates concepts from the addiction, learning, and feeding fields to ask new questions about the neurobiological and behavioral drivers of obesity vs. drug addiction. Specifically, we examine how alterations in glutamatergic transmission within the striatum contribute to normal and aberrant motivation. Our long-term goal is to understand how sugary, fatty foods and physiological changes accompanying obesity alter brain function and behavior, how individual susceptibility to obesity interacts with these effects, and how mechanisms underlying strong urges to eat may be similar to as well as different from those that drive abuse of addictive substances like cocaine.

Dr. Ferrario is Co-Director of the Biology of Drug Abuse NIDA-funded Postdoctoral T32

Dr. Ferrario is also a member of the following programs at the University of Michigan:
Domino Addiction Research Center
Neuroscience Graduate Program
Neuroscience Innovators
Multidisciplinary Training Program in Basic Diabetes Research
NIDA Training Program in Neuroscience

Neurobiology of motivation, obesity, addiction, glutamate plasticity, striatum