Davide Amato

Dr. Davide Amato received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Sapienza, University of Rome, Italy. He completed his postdoctoral training at the King's College London, UK, and obtained a teaching doctorate in experimental psychiatry at the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. He has significant contributions in neuropharmacology, neuroscience and psychiatry research and currently is Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Cincinnati.  

MSc: La Sapienza - University of Rome, Rome, 2003

PhD: La Sapienza - University of Rome, Rome, 2008

PD: Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany, 2017

The Amato Lab combines a broad number of methods including in vivo imaging, ex vivo electrophysiology, and detailed analysis of animal behavior to uncover mechanisms of cortico-striatal synaptic plasticity involving glutamate-dopamine co-regulation, and to determine how these mechanisms are altered in different psychiatric and neurological conditions. The lab's significant contributions in the field related to these goals include: 1) individuation of a subpopulation of accumbens core D2-medium spiny neurons that actively promote cocaine and antipsychotic cross-sensitization. These data are relevant to understanding precise mechanisms of a critical side effect following chronic antipsychotic treatment, behavioral supersensitivity. 2) Development of an animal model of deficient extinction learning and enhanced relapse using a classic instrumental behavioral protocol, revealing new mechanisms of drug seeking. 3) Individuation of new molecular mechanisms underlying antipsychotic efficacy and failure, describing the dopamine transporter as a therapeutic target to rescue antipsychotic treatment resistance.