Oakleigh Folkes, PhD
Associate Research Scientist in GeneticsAbout
Research
Publications
2025
Deficiency of Shank3 in the nucleus accumbens reveals a loss of social-specific motivation
Folkes O, Donahue M, Wang S, Negrón-Moreno P, Oo N, Qiao S, Wang X, Jiang Y. Deficiency of Shank3 in the nucleus accumbens reveals a loss of social-specific motivation. Communications Biology 2025, 8: 1569. PMID: 41238633, PMCID: PMC12618580, DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-08942-8.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNucleus accumbensSocial behaviorSocial investigationSocial motivationConditioned place preference assayAnxiety-like behaviorSocial behavior deficitsNAc circuitsReward-seekingBehavioral deficitsNeuropsychiatric disordersBrain regionsDeletion miceSHANK3Preference assaySocial preferencesAccumbensKnockdown of SHANK3AutismFemale miceMouse linesMotivationExon 4BehaviorSeeking
2020
An endocannabinoid-regulated basolateral amygdala-nucleus accumbens circuit modulates sociability
Folkes OM, Báldi R, Kondev V, Marcus DJ, Hartley ND, Turner BD, Ayers JK, Baechle JJ, Misra MP, Altemus M, Grueter CA, Grueter BA, Patel S. An endocannabinoid-regulated basolateral amygdala-nucleus accumbens circuit modulates sociability. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2020, 130: 1728-1742. PMID: 31874107, PMCID: PMC7108917, DOI: 10.1172/jci131752.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsInhibitory neurotransmissionModulation of excitatoryAutism spectrum disorderAdministration of JZL184Feed-forward inhibitionMonoacylglycerol lipase inhibitorsVivo optogenetic activationSI deficitsGlutamatergic activityWT miceGlutamatergic circuitsNAc neuronsOptogenetic activationNovel treatmentsSocial deficitsOptogenetic inhibitionNeuromodulatory mechanismsBrain circuitsCore symptomsLipase inhibitorASD pathophysiologyASD modelsJZL184NeurotransmissionDeficitsα2A-adrenergic heteroreceptors are required for stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine conditioned place preference
Perez RE, Basu A, Nabit BP, Harris NA, Folkes OM, Patel S, Gilsbach R, Hein L, Winder DG. α2A-adrenergic heteroreceptors are required for stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine conditioned place preference. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020, 45: 1473-1481. PMID: 32074627, PMCID: PMC7360592, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0641-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsStress-induced reinstatementStress-induced relapseBNST activityPlace preferenceDesigner drug (DREADD) approachEfficacy of guanfacineImpact of doseStress-induced cravingSubstance use disordersKey brain regionsRelapse rateBeneficial efficacyCPP procedureAgonist guanfacineDesigner receptorsGenetic deletion strategiesStria terminalisBed nucleusHeteroreceptorsUse disordersGuanfacineHuman studiesAnimal modelsCocaine CPPPotential treatment
2017
Role of Striatal Direct Pathway 2-Arachidonoylglycerol Signaling in Sociability and Repetitive Behavior
Shonesy BC, Parrish WP, Haddad HK, Stephenson JR, Báldi R, Bluett RJ, Marks CR, Centanni SW, Folkes OM, Spiess K, Augustin SM, Mackie K, Lovinger DM, Winder DG, Patel S, Colbran RJ. Role of Striatal Direct Pathway 2-Arachidonoylglycerol Signaling in Sociability and Repetitive Behavior. Biological Psychiatry 2017, 84: 304-315. PMID: 29458998, PMCID: PMC6023784, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.036.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDirect pathway medium spiny neuronsMedium spiny neuronsDorsal striatumIndirect pathway medium spiny neuronsReceptor-expressing medium spiny neuronsStriatal direct pathwayAutism spectrum disorderDiacylglycerol lipase αConditional knockout miceSpectrum disorderGlutamatergic driveSpiny neuronsEndocannabinoid signalingRepetitive groomingSynaptic transmissionMouse modelRepetitive behaviorsKnockout miceExcessive groomingDopamine DBrain regionsStriatumVentral striatumBehavioral effectsTargeted deletion
2016
Acute blockade of the Caenorhabditis elegans dopamine transporter DAT-1 by the mammalian norepinephrine transporter inhibitor nisoxetine reveals the influence of genetic modifications of dopamine signaling in vivo
Bermingham DP, Hardaway JA, Snarrenberg CL, Robinson SB, Folkes OM, Salimando GJ, Jinnah H, Blakely RD. Acute blockade of the Caenorhabditis elegans dopamine transporter DAT-1 by the mammalian norepinephrine transporter inhibitor nisoxetine reveals the influence of genetic modifications of dopamine signaling in vivo. Neurochemistry International 2016, 98: 122-128. PMID: 26850478, PMCID: PMC4969213, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2016.01.008.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDAT-1Caenorhabditis elegansSwimming-Induced ParalysisNematode Caenorhabditis elegansGenetic mutationsPresynaptic DA transporterNovel genesHeterologous expressionDA releaseFunction mutationsGenetic modificationIon channelsElegansMutationsPresynaptic DA receptorsModulation of neurotransmissionGenesSWIPPhenotypeDA receptorsAcute blockadeDA transporterDA uptakeDA signalingExpression
2013
Antioxidant Supplementation Ameliorates Molecular Deficits in Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome
Korade Z, Xu L, Harrison FE, Ahsen R, Hart SE, Folkes OM, Mirnics K, Porter NA. Antioxidant Supplementation Ameliorates Molecular Deficits in Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome. Biological Psychiatry 2013, 75: 215-222. PMID: 23896203, PMCID: PMC3874268, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.06.013.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsVitamin EPregnant female miceTransgenic mouse modelSLOS patientsPatient cell culturesSmith-LemliOpitz syndromeQuantitative polymerase chain reactionAntioxidant mixturePolymerase chain reactionFemale miceAntioxidant supplementationMouse modelRodent modelsGlial culturesAntioxidant treatmentVitamin AActive oxysterolsMolecular deficitsCoenzyme Q10Liver tissueWestern blotInborn errorsMaternal feedingLiquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometryBehavioral and serotonergic response changes in the Dhcr7-HET mouse model of Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome
Korade Z, Folkes OM, Harrison FE. Behavioral and serotonergic response changes in the Dhcr7-HET mouse model of Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome. Pharmacology Biochemistry And Behavior 2013, 106: 101-108. PMID: 23541496, DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.03.007.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWild-type control miceMonths of ageControl miceHead-twitch responseSevere behavioral deficitsSocial dominance tube testSmith-LemliOpitz syndromeHET miceSerotonergic systemBehavioral deficitsSpectrum disorderBehavioral disturbancesMouse modelAgonist 1Behavioral testingUnderlying dysfunctionHuman patientsLocomotor activityNew treatmentsCholesterol synthesisMiceMolecular pathophysiologyUnfamiliar mouseDimethoxy-4