The nervous and immune systems share a mutually interactive relationship, which promotes various forms of physiological and behavioral adaptations in the face of pathogenic challenges from viruses, bacteria and toxicants. Our research interests focus on psychoneuroimmunology, specifically how stress and immune function serve to modulate the onset of neurological diseases and behavior. Of particular interest is the role of lipopolysaccharide, mercury and lead compounds as toxicologic stressors of the immune system, and resulting changes in cytokine, transcription factor and cellular profiles within the brain. Ultimately, our research seeks to examine the effects of these immune responses on cognitive and emotional behavior.

	Effects of bacterial superantigens on behavior of mice in the elevated plus maze and light-dark box. Rossi-George A, LeBlanc F, Kaneta T, Urbach D, Kusnecov AW. Brain Behav Immun. 2004 Jan;18(1):46-54.
	Relationship between methamphetamine-induced dopamine release, hyperthermia, self-injurious behaviour and long term dopamine depletion in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. Halladay AK, Kusnecov A, Michna L, Kita T, Hara C, Wagner GC. Pharmacol Toxicol. 2003 Jul;93(1):33-41.
	Immunological challenge modulates brain orphanin FQ/nociceptin and nociceptive behavior. Kawashima N, Fugate J, Kusnecov AW. Brain Res. 2002 Sep 13;949(1-2):71-8.
	Effects of staphylococcal enterotoxin A on pituitary-adrenal activation and neophobic behavior in the C57BL/6 mouse. Kawashima N, Kusnecov AW. J Neuroimmunol. 2002 Feb;123(1-2):41-9.