Welcome!

Dr Li's lab is primarily interested in the neurobiological and behavioral mechanisms of action of antipsychotic drugs, and neuropsychogenesis of symptoms of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder that affect approximately 0.5% to 1.0% of world population. People with schizophrenia show abnormalities brain functions involved in cognitions (attention, learning and memory), emotions (anhedonia, fear or anxiety) and motivations (avolition).

Antipsychotic drugs (APDs) are the primary drugs used to treat schizophrenia. Currently they are classified into two groups, typical and atypical, with atypical drugs offering reduced risk of extrapyramidal motor syndromes (EPS) such as involuntary movements, tremors and rigidity.

We take a preclinical approach using animal behavioral models to delineate how drugs work at the neural, chemical and behavioral levels. The models used in this lab include both unconditioned natural behaviors (e.g. social interaction, maternal behavior, locomotor activity), as well as conditioned behaviors (e.g. two-way conditioned avoidance response, Pavlovian fear conditioning).