John Partridge

Associate Professor of Pharmacology
Ph.D., Pharmacology
Vanderbilt University, 2000
(202) 687-5196
jp374@georgetown.edu
My varied research interests include determining the mechanisms and molecules governing synaptic transmission in the dorsal striatum using electrophysiological, genetic and biochemical methods. The striatum is a crucially important brain region involved in the smooth execution of motor control and other various functions. Disruptions in striatal physiology result in debilitating motor problems exemplified by Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease. My research goals are to more fully understand the complex interactions of small molecule neurotransmitters in the striatum. These include investigating the relationships and crosstalk among glutamate, dopamine, acetylcholine and endocannabinoids governing normal and pathological states which dictate striatal output.
I am also interested in examining long-term changes in synaptic efficacy at excitatory synapses which impinge upon striatal neurons. To examine this dynamic aspect of striatal physiology, I use electrophysiological methods in combination with pharmacology, to detect basal and evoked synaptic events. Another strand of my research interests concerns the formation and maturation of central synapses. Present studies utilize transgenic mice to characterize differences in synaptic transmission parameters in genetically identifiable subtypes of neurons within the striatum.
Selected Publications:
- Partridge JG, Forcelli PA, Luo R, Cashdan JM, Schulkin J, Valentino RJ, Vicini S.Stress increases GABAergic neurotransmission in CRF neurons of the central amygdala and bed nucleus stria terminalis. Neuropharmacology. 107:239-50, 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.03.029. Epub, 2016.
- Rozeboom AM, Queenan BN, Partridge JG, Farnham C, Wu JY, Vicini S, Pak DT. Evidence for glycinergic GluN1/GluN3 NMDA receptors in hippocampal metaplasticity. Neurobiol Learn Mem. 125:265-73, 2015. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.10.005. Epub, 2015.
- Partridge JG. Utilizing GCaMP transgenic mice to monitor endogenous Gq/11-coupled receptors. Front Pharmacol. 2015 Mar 9;6:42
- Partridge JG, Lewin AE, Yasko JR, Vicini S. Contrasting actions of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in distinct mouse striatal neurones. J Physiol. 2014 May 6
- Luo R, Partridge JG, Vicini S. Distinct roles of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAAreceptors in striatal inhibition dynamics. Front Neural Circuits. 2013 Nov 26;7:186
- Lalchandani RR, van der Goes MS, Partridge JG, Vicini S. Dopamine D2 receptors regulate collateral inhibition between striatal medium spiny neurons. J Neurosci. 2013 Aug 28;33(35):14075-86
- Orefice LL, Waterhouse EG, Partridge JG, Lalchandani RR, Vicini S, Xu B. Distinct roles for somatically and dendritically synthesized brain-derived neurotrophic factor in morphogenesis of dendritic spines. J Neurosci. 2013 Jul 10;33(28):11618-32
- Luo R, Janssen MJ, Partridge JG, Vicini S. Direct and GABA-mediated indirect effects of nicotinic ACh receptor agonists on striatal neurones. J Physiol. 59:203-217, 2013
- Partridge JG, Janssen MJ, Chou DY, Abe K, Zukowska Z, Vicini S. Excitatory and inhibitory synapses in neuropeptide Y-expressing striatal interneurons. J Neurophysiol. 102:3038-45, 2009
- Logan SM, Partridge JG, Matta JA, Buonanno A, Vicini S. Long-lasting NMDA receptor-mediated EPSCs in mouse striatal medium spiny neurons. J Neurophysiol. 98:2693-704, 2007
- Partridge JG, Puhl HL 3rd, Ikeda SR. Phosducin and phosducin-like protein attenuate G-protein-coupled receptor-mediated inhibition of voltage-gated calcium channels in rat sympathetic neurons. Mol Pharmacol. 70:90-100, 2006
- Lovinger DM, Partridge JG, Tang KC. Plastic control of striatal glutamatergic transmission by ensemble actions of several neurotransmitters and targets for drugs of abuse. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1003:226-40, 2003
- Gerdeman GL, Partridge JG, Lupica CR, Lovinger DM. It could be habit forming: drugs of abuse and striatal synaptic plasticity. Trends Neurosci. 26:184-92, 2003
- Partridge JG, Apparsundaram S, Gerhardt GA, Ronesi J, Lovinger DM. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors interact with dopamine in induction of striatal long-term depression. J Neurosci. 22:2541-9, 2002
- Partridge JG, Tang KC, Lovinger DM. Regional and postnatal heterogeneity of activity-dependent long-term changes in synaptic efficacy in the dorsal striatum. J Neurophysiol. 84:1422-9, 2000
- Petralia RS, Esteban JA, Wang YX, Partridge JG, Zhao HM, Wenthold RJ, Malinow R. Selective acquisition of AMPA receptors over postnatal development suggests a molecular basis for silent synapses. Nat Neurosci. 2:31-6, 1999
- Weaver CD, Partridge JG, Yao TL, Moates JM, Magnuson MA, Verdoorn TA. Activation of glycine and glutamate receptors increases intracellular calcium in cells derived from the endocrine pancreas. Mol Pharmacol. 54:639-46, 1998
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