I am interested in understanding how the brain works to create consciousness, or atleast give us a really good illusion of it. To do this, I study how the brain works to perform very complicated behaviors, involving reversal learning and attentional set-shifts. I use transgenic mouse models that have decreases and increases in the number of fast spiking PV+ interneurons in prefrontal cortical areas, behavioral tasks and extra cellular recordings.

Basic behavioral techniques: open field, light/dark, elevated plus maze, morris water maze, pavlovian fear conditioning. Cooler techniques: Attentional set-shifting and reversal paradigm with in vivo extra cellular recording using a driveable microwire bundle into OFC. EEG recordings. All behavior is done in awake, behaving mice.

Originally from New York (mid-downstate NY, not upstate and not the city), I received my BS from Loyola College in Baltimore in 2005, studying biopsychology and philosophy. During college I worked on a project at the University of Maryland, Baltimore which eventually became my thesis project. Currently, Im training for a half-marathon and also laying preparations to compete in next year's Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture race.

Publications

Roesch MR, Takahashi Y, Gugsa N, Bissonette GB, Schoenbaum G. Previous cocaine exposure makes rats hypersensitive to both delay and reward magnitude. J Neurosci. 2007 Jan 3;27(1):245-50.

Bissonette GB, Martins GJ, Franz TM, Harper ES, Schoenbaum GM, Powell EM. Double dissociation of the effects of medial and orbital prefrontal cortical lesions on attentional and affective shifts in mice. (2008). J Neurosci under review

Bissonette GB, Bae M, Suresh T, Jaffe D, Powell EM. Developmental alterations of the GABAergic interneuron system lead to both enhancement and degradation of cognition. (2008) In Preparation
Abstracts:

Plachez, C., Bissonette, GB., Martins, GJ, Litwack, DE, Depireux, DA, Powell EM. (2007)., Loss of Met signaling in Emx1 expressing cells affects cerebral cortex development. University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. (In preparation)

Bissonette GB, Bae M, Suresh T, Schoenbaum GM, Depireux D, Powell EM. (2007) Alterations in GABAergic cortical circuitry altered cognition. Society for Neuroscience Annual meeting, San Diego, CA.

Bissonette GB, Bae M, Suresh T, Schoenbaum GM, Depireux D, Powell EM. (2007) Alterations in GABAergic cortical circuitry altered cognition. Molecular and Cellular Cognition, San Diego, CA.

Plachez, C., Bissonette, GB., Martins, GJ, Depireux, DA, Powell EM. (2007) Loss of Met signaling in Emx1 expressing cells affects cerebral cortex development. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA.

Bissonette GB, Martins GJ, Lande MD, Schoenbaum G, and Powell EM (2006) Assessing prefrontal cortical function in mice. Graduate Research Conference for UMB-UMBC, Baltimore, MD.

Bissonette GB, Martins GJ, Lande MD, Schoenbaum G, and Powell EM (2006) Assessing prefrontal cortical function in mice. Baltimore Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience, Baltimore, MD.

Martins GJ, Lande MD, Bissonette GB, Schoenbaum G, and Powell EM (2006) Gender disparities in learning a reversal/set-shift task. Fifth Annual Aging Research and Women's Health Research Poster Day at UMB, Baltimore, MD.

Bissonette GB, Suresh T, Bae M, Martins GJ, Brunckhorst M, Franz TM, Schoenbaum GM, and Powell EM (2006) GABAergic Circuitry Mediated Prefrontal Cognition. Molecular and Cellular Cognition, Atlanta, GA.

Bissonette GB, Martins GJ, Lande MD, Schoenbaum G, and Powell EM. (2005) Assessing prefrontal cortical function in mice. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.

Lande MD, Martins GJ, Bissonette GB, Schoenbaum G, and Powell EM (2005) Gender disparities in learning a reversal/set-shift task. Molecular and Cellular Cognition, Washington, DC.

Martins GJ, Lande MD, Bissonette GB, Bae M, Harmon M, Franz TM, Schoenbaum GM, and Powell EM (2005) Perturbations in prefrontal cortical areas disrupts reversal learning and set-shifting in mice. Molecular and Cellular Cognition, Washington, DC.

Bae M, Harmon M, Bissonette GB, Martins GJ, Levitt P, Schoenbaum G, and Powell EM (2004) Mutations in plasminogen family members alter forebrain development and behavior. Integrating the Clinical and Basic Sciences of Autism, National Alliance for Autism Research Workshop (NAAR), Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Bissonette, GB., Miller, J. (2004). Attitudes toward mental health seeking behavior based on gender and gender roles. Loyola College Student Scholarship Poster Session, Loyola College, Maryland.