Richard A. Gillis

Professor of Pharmacology

Ph.D., Pharmacology
Mc Gill University, 1965
(202) 687-1607
gillisr@georgetown.edu

Research in our laboratory focuses on neural circuits that control gastrointestinal function and food intake. The methods used include patch clamp electrophysiology in slices of the brain stem, in vivo recordings of end organ function, microinjection of drugs into the brain, and electron microscopy coupled with immunohistochemistry. These techniques are used to map the pathways in the brain that affect end organs (such as the stomach), and affect food intake.

Selected Publications:

• Dezfuli G, Kellar KJ, Dretchen KL, Tizabi Y, Sahibzada N, Gillis RA.. Evidence for the role of β2* nAChR desensitization in regulating body weight in obese mice. Neuropharmacology. 110(Pt A):165-74, 2016. 
• Lewin AE, Vicini S, Richardson J, Dretchen KL, Gillis RA, Sahibzada N.. Optogenetic and pharmacological evidence that somatostatin-GABA neurons are important regulators of parasympathetic outflow to the stomach. J Physiol. 594(10):2661-79,2016. 
• Sahibzada N, Mangel AW, Tatge JE, Dretchen KL, Franz MR, Virmani R, Gillis RA. Rhythmic Aortic Contractions Induced by Electrical Stimulation In Vivo in the Rat. PLoS One. 10, e0130255, 2015. 
• Richardson J, Cruz MT, Majumdar U, Lewin A, Kingsbury KA, Dezfuli G, Vicini S, Verbalis JG, Dretchen KL, Gillis RA, Sahibzada N. Melanocortin signaling in the brainstem influences vagal outflow to the stomach. J Neurosci. 2013 Aug 14;33(33):13286-99
• Herman MA, Gillis RA, Vicini S, Dretchen KL, Sahibzada N. Tonic GABAA receptor conductance in medial subnucleus of the tractus solitarius neurons is inhibited by activation of mu-opioid receptors.  J Neurophysiol. 107(3):1022-31. 2012
• Pearson RJ, Gatti PJ, Sahibzada N, Massari VJ, Gillis RA. Ultrastructural evidence for selective GABAergic innervation of CNS vagal projections to the antrum of the rat. Auton Neurosci. 160:21, 2011
• Herman MA, Alayan A, Sahibzada N, Bayer B, Verbalis J, Dretchen KL, Gillis RA. Micro-Opioid receptor stimulation in the medial subnucleus of the tractus solitarius inhibits gastric tone and motility by reducing local GABA activity.  Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 299:G494-506, 2010
• Herman MA, Cruz MT, Sahibzada N, Verbalis J, Gillis RA  GABA signaling in the nucleus tractus solitarius sets the level of activity in dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus cholinergic neurons in the vagovagal circuit.  Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol.  296:G101-11, 2009
• Niedringhaus M, Jackson PG, Pearson R, Shi M, Dretchen K, Gillis RA, Sahibzada N  Brainstem sites controlling the lower esophageal sphincter and crural diaphragm in the ferret: a neuroanatomical study.  Auton Neurosci. 144:50-60, 2008
• Herman MA, Niedringhaus M, Alayan A, Verbalis JG, Sahibzada N, Gillis RA. Characterization of noradrenergic transmission at the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus involved in reflex control of fundus tone. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 294:R720-9, 2008
• Niedringhaus M, Jackson PG, Evans SR, Verbalis JG, Gillis RA, Sahibzada N. Dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus: a site for evoking simultaneous changes in crural diaphragm activity, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, and fundus tone. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 294:R121-31, 2008
• Pearson RJ, Gatti PJ, Sahibzada N, Massari VJ, Gillis RA. Ultrastructural evidence for selective noradrenergic innervation of CNS vagal projections to the fundus of the rat. Auton Neurosci. 136:31-42, 2007
• Cruz MT, Murphy EC, Sahibzada N, Verbalis JG, Gillis RA. A reevaluation of the effects of stimulation of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus on gastric motility in the rat. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 292:R291-307, 2007
• Ferreria M Jr, Sahibzada N, Verbalis JG, Gillis RA. Comments on: “Esophageal-gastric relaxation reflex in rat: dual control of peripheral nitrergic and cholinergic transmission”. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 291:R854-5, 2006
• Ferreira M Jr, Sahibzada N, Shi M, Niedringhaus M, Wester MR, Jones AR, Verbalis JG, Gillis RA. Hindbrain chemical mediators of reflex-induced inhibition of gastric tone produced by esophageal distension and intravenous nicotine. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 289:R1482-95, 2005
• Shi M, Jones AR, Ferreira M Jr, Sahibzada N, Gillis RA, Verbalis JG. Glucose does not activate nonadrenergic, noncholinergic inhibitory neurons in the rat stomach. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 288:R742-50, 2005
• Shi M, Jones AR, Niedringhaus MS, Pearson RJ, Biehl AM, Ferreira M Jr, Sahibzada N, Verbalis JG, Gillis RA. Glucose acts in the CNS to regulate gastric motility during hypoglycemia. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 285:R1192-202, 2003
• Teng YD, Bingaman M, Taveira-DaSilva AM, Pace PP, Gillis RA, Wrathall JR. Serotonin 1A receptor agonists reverse respiratory abnormalities in spinal cord-injured rats. J Neurosci. 23:4182-9, 2003
• Sahibzada N, Ferreira M Jr, Williams B, Wasserman A, Vicini S, Gillis RA. Nicotinic ACh receptor subtypes on gastrointestinally projecting neurones in the dorsal motor vagal nucleus of the rat. J Physiol. 545:1007-16, 2002
• Wasserman AM, Ferreira M Jr, Sahibzada N, Hernandez YM, Gillis RA. GABA-mediated neurotransmission in the ventrolateral NTS plays a role in respiratory regulation in the rat. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 283:1423-1441, 2002
• Ferreira M Jr, Sahibzada N, Shi M, Panico W, Niedringhaus M, Wasserman A, Kellar KJ, Verbalis J, Gillis RA. CNS site of action and brainstem circuitry responsible for the intravenous effects of nicotine on gastric tone. J Neurosci. 22:2764-2779, 2002
• Ferreira M Jr, Browning KN, Sahibzada N, Verbalis JG, Gillis RA, Travagli RA. Glucose effects on gastric motility and tone evoked from the rat dorsal vagal complex. J Physiol. 536:141-152, 2001
• Ferreira M, Ebert SN, Perry DC, Yasuda RP, Baker CM, Davila-Garcia MI, Kellar KJ, Gillis RA. Evidence of a functional alpha7-neuronal nicotinic receptor subtype located on motoneurons of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 296:260-269, 2001
• Wasserman AM, Sahibzada N, Hernandez YM, Gillis RA. Specific subnuclei of the nucleus tractus solitarius play a role in determining the duration of inspiration in the rat. Brain Res. 880:118-130, 2000
• Ferreira M, Singh A, Dretchen KL, Kellar KJ, Gillis RA. Brainstem nicotinic receptor subtypes that influence intragastric and arterial blood pressures. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 294:230-238, 2000
• Sahibzada N, Ferreira M, Wasserman AM, Taveira-DaSilva AM, Gillis RA. Reversal of morphine-induced apnea in the anesthetized rat by drugs that activate 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A) receptors. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 292:704-713, 2000
• Teng YD, Mocchetti I, Taveira-DaSilva AM, Gillis RA, Wrathall JR. Basic fibroblast growth factor increases long-term survival of spinal motor neurons and improves respiratory function after experimental spinal cord injury. J Neurosci. 19:7037-47, 1999

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