Kenneth McCarson

Background

About Kenneth McCarson

Dr. McCarson's scientific expertise is primarily in the area of pain neurobiology and the regulation of G-protein coupled receptor expression and function. His research has specifically focused on defining the role of neurokinin receptors and tachykinin peptides in animal models of chronic inflammatory pain, using methods such as quantification of behavioral hyperalgesia (pain-related behaviors), measurement of NK-1 and GABAb and NK-1 receptor agonist-stimulated GTPgammaS binding, and regulation of receptor gene expression during nociception. These approaches have also been used to study GABAB receptor gene expression during pain, the molecular mechanisms underlying gender differences in chronic pain, hippocampal neurogenesis, hippocampal NK-1 receptor and BDNF expression and function, and the relationship between stress and chronic pain. Specialties: pain and analgesia, peptide neurotransmitters and their receptors, intracellular signaling cascades related to NK-1 or GABAB receptor function, plasticity of gene expression during cell activation, molecular biological techniques, inflammatory or neuropathic pain states