Villegas, Francisco
Associate Professor
Behavioral Sciences
Phone: 718-262-2674
Office Location: AC-3F05
fvillegas@york.cuny.edu
Education
| Degree | Institution | Field | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhD | City University of New York | Experimental Cognition | 1997 |
| BA | City College, City University of New York | Psychology | 1979 |
My research interest is based on using rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease and the recovery of cognitive functions. The rat Alzheimer’s model is produced by chronic infusion of neurotoxins. I am interested in the effects of intracranial self-stimulation and deep brain stimulation in an animal model of Alzheimer’s disease and its effects on attention/learning/memory and neurogenesis. My lab uses various behavioral assessments including the Social Discrimination test, Morris water maze for testing learning/memory, and a ‘serial reaction time task’ for the testing of attention.
Currently, I am looking at the behavioral and cognitive deficits, as well as sleep-wake measures in streptozotocin-induced [neurotoxin] rats. The goal of this study is to identify the biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease and measure changes in sleep/wake patterns in rodents.
Areas of Expertise
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Central mechanisms of reward and Sleep
Articles in Field Of Expertise
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Hungund, B. L., Goldstein, D. B., Villegas, F. & Cooper, T. B.. "Formation of fatty Acids ethyl esters during chronic ethanol treatment in mice." Biochemical Pharmacology. 37 1988: 3001-3004.
Villegas, Franciso. "Effects of Ad Libitum Midbrain Intracranial Self-Stimulation on Rapid Eye Movement Sleep in Rats." Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. 1997: .
Abel, M. S., Villegas, F., Steiner, S. S., Beer, B. & Meyerson, L. R.. "The effect of rapid eye movement sleep deprivation on cortical ß-adrenergic rapid eye movement sleep deprivation on cortical adrenergic receptors." Brain Research. 11 1983: 792-794.
Presented Papers, Lectures, and Exhibitions and Performances
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" Rodriguez, B., Verdieu, Y. C., Anderson, M. & Villegas, F. 5-HT7 Agonist AS-19 and Antagonist SB-269970 on a Spatial Navigational Memory Task in Male Long-Evans Rats " 2007: Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. Austin, TX..
" Parasram, Y. L., Rodriguez, I., Fiorucci, J., Liz, G., Castrillon, N., Gómez-Blum, L. & Villegas, F. Various Doses of Methylene Blue on Radial Maze Acquisition in Rats " 2005: Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience. Washington, DC..
" Hungund, B. L., Villegas, F. & Mahadik, S. P. Ganglioside reduces ethanol-induced sleep in mice " 1987: American Society for Neurochemistry.
" Gimino, F., Villegas, F., Murphy, P., Ocheret, D., Bashir, T., Alvarez, R., Abreau, J., Steiner, S. S., & Ellman, S. J. Clonidine blocks the effect of morphine on intracranial self-stimulation rates from the medial forebrain bundle and the locus coeruleus " 1986: Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience. Washington, D.C..
" Villegas, F., Steiner, S. S., Abreau, J., Gimino, F., Beer, B. & Meyerson, L. R. Non correspondence of rapid eye movement sleep deprivation and cortical ß-adrenergic receptor regulation " 1982: Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience. Minneapolis, MN..
" Villegas, F., Gimino, F., Alvarez, R., Abreau, J., Sano, M., Steiner, S. S. & Ellman, S. J. Morphine Differently affects ICSS interactions between the locus coeruleus and the medial forebrain bundle. " 1981: Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Los Angeles, CA..
" Villegas, F., Gimino, F., Abreau, J. & Steiner, S. S. Parametics variations in ICSS: Constant current and isolations from ground " 1980: MBRS Conference.
" Halperin, R., Halperin, J., Villegas, F., Daren, S., Steiner, S. S. & Ellman, S. J. The effects of REM sleep deprivation on stimulus-bound eating thresholds " 1977: Annual Meeting of Society for Neuroscience. Anaheim, CA..
Other Professional Activities and Public Service
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American Association for the Advancement of Science : .
Eastern Psychological Association: .
Society for Neuroscience: .
U. S. Air force: 1968 – 1972.