Luke Remage-Healey

Research interests: Our lab is focused on the study of behavioral physiology, specifically the non-traditional regulation of brain function and behavior by steroid hormones. Steroids are produced within discrete neural circuits ('neurosteroids') and can therefore influence behavior via local and acute actions within those circuits. We study these phenomena in songbirds using a variety of technical approaches including in vivo microdialysis, electrophysiology, immunocytochemistry, and neuropharmacology. Songbirds offer a unique model system in which brain steroid production is widespread and especially pronounced, and in which the development and expression of a suite of social behaviors is accessible in the laboratory and natural environments.

For more information about positions in the lab, send an email to: healey [at] cns [dot] umass [dot] edu, or visit our webpage:

http://www.umass.edu/healeylab

 

Selected publications

 

Remage-Healey, L. and Joshi, N.R.* (2012) Changing Neuroestrogens Within the Auditory Forebrain Rapidly Transform Stimulus Selectivity in a Downstream Sensorimotor Nucleus. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(24):8231-8241.

Remage-Healey, L., Dong, S.M.*, Chao, A., Schlinger, B.A. (2012) Sex-specific, rapid neuroestrogen fluctuations and neurophysiological actions in the songbird auditory forebrain. Journal of Neurophysiology 107(6):1621-31.

Remage-Healey, L., Maidment, N.T., Dong, S.M.*, and Schlinger, B.A. (2011) Presynaptic control of rapid estrogen fluctuations in the songbird auditory forebrain. Journal of Neuroscience 31(27):10034-8.

 

Remage-Healey, L., Coleman, M.E., Oyama, R.K.*, and Schlinger B.A. (2010) Brain estrogens rapidly strengthen auditory encoding and guide song preference in a songbird. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107(8):3852-7

Remage-Healey, L., Maidment N.T., and Schlinger B.A. (2008) Forebrain steroid levels fluctuate rapidly during social interactions. Nature Neurosci. 11(11):1327-1334

Remage-Healey, L. and Bass A.H. (2007) Plasticity in brain sexuality is revealed by the rapid actions of steroid hormones. J Neurosci. 27(5):1114-1122

 

*denotes undergraduate author