Prefrontal serotonin 1A receptor activation as a key determinant for cognitive flexibility
We aim to study a novel strategy to modulate and enhance cognitive flexibility through the selective activation of the postsynaptic 5-HT1AR in the PL…
- Research
- Brain Circuits and Neuron-glia Adaptations
- Nuno Dinis Alves
Nuno Dinis Alves
- serotonin
- cognitive flexibility
- depression
- stress
- neurogenesis
Nuno Dinis Alves (Ph.D.) is a Junior Researcher with training and expertise in neural plasticity, neuronal circuitries, and behavioral neuroscience, and specialized in various in vivo methodologies in mouse models of disease. Nuno is interested in dissecting the behavioral contribution of the serotonergic circuits (brain and gut) and unraveling novel therapeutic strategies to rescue behavioral dysfunctions of mental illness. Currently, he combines preclinical and clinical studies to elucidate the therapeutic potential of pharmacologic modulation of selective serotonergic pathways to rescue stress-induced cognitive inflexibility and social impairments. He is also interested in dissecting the improving actions of psychedelic drugs, in particular psilocybin, in the context of stress-related neuropsychiatric drugs. Nuno is graduated in Biochemistry from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD, 2009) and master in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Coimbra (2011), during which he developed his master’s thesis at Janssen Pharmaceutica (Beerse, Belgium). He completed his Ph.D. in Health Sciences at the University of Minho (2017) under the supervision of Dr. Luísa Pinto and Dr. Nuno Sousa. During his doctoral studies, Nuno studied the importance of adult neural plasticity in depression. He revealed that typical antidepressants induce either resilience or susceptibility to recurrent depression according to their neurogenic capacity. He then performed his post-doc at the Columbia University (New York, US) and under the supervision of Dr. Mark Ansorge and Dr. Jay Gingrich, Nuno found that serotonin medial prefrontal is necessary and sufficient to cognitive flexibility. In a collaborative study with Dr. Kara Margolis (New York University), he revealed that modulation of serotonin specifically in the gut intestinal epithelium, interferes with anxiety- and depression-like behaviors.
Nuno Dinis Alves
- serotonin
- cognitive flexibility
- depression
- stress
- neurogenesis
Nuno Dinis Alves (Ph.D.) is a Junior Researcher with training and expertise in neural plasticity, neuronal circuitries, and behavioral neuroscience, and specialized in various in vivo methodologies in mouse models of disease. Nuno is interested in dissecting the behavioral contribution of the serotonergic circuits (brain and gut) and unraveling novel therapeutic strategies to rescue behavioral dysfunctions of mental illness. Currently, he combines preclinical and clinical studies to elucidate the therapeutic potential of pharmacologic modulation of selective serotonergic pathways to rescue stress-induced cognitive inflexibility and social impairments. He is also interested in dissecting the improving actions of psychedelic drugs, in particular psilocybin, in the context of stress-related neuropsychiatric drugs. Nuno is graduated in Biochemistry from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD, 2009) and master in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Coimbra (2011), during which he developed his master’s thesis at Janssen Pharmaceutica (Beerse, Belgium). He completed his Ph.D. in Health Sciences at the University of Minho (2017) under the supervision of Dr. Luísa Pinto and Dr. Nuno Sousa. During his doctoral studies, Nuno studied the importance of adult neural plasticity in depression. He revealed that typical antidepressants induce either resilience or susceptibility to recurrent depression according to their neurogenic capacity. He then performed his post-doc at the Columbia University (New York, US) and under the supervision of Dr. Mark Ansorge and Dr. Jay Gingrich, Nuno found that serotonin medial prefrontal is necessary and sufficient to cognitive flexibility. In a collaborative study with Dr. Kara Margolis (New York University), he revealed that modulation of serotonin specifically in the gut intestinal epithelium, interferes with anxiety- and depression-like behaviors.
Scientific Highlights
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS:
- Morgan AM*, Alves ND* (*equal co-first authors), Stevens GS, Yeasmin TT, Mackay A, Power S, Sargin D, Hanna C, Adib A, Ziolkowski-Blake A, Lambe EK, Ansorge MS. (2023) Medial prefrontal serotonin input regulates cognitive flexibility in mice; (bioXriv preprint)
- Alves ND (2022) Editorial: Neural Plasticity and Behavioral Responses to Adversity. Front. Behav. Neurosci, 19:969371 (*equal contributors);
- Loureiro-Campos E, Mateus-Pinheiro A, Patrício P, Soares-Cunha C, Silva JM, Sardinha VM, Mendes-Pinheiro B, Silveira-Rosa T, Domingues AV, Rodrigues AJ, Oliveira JF, Sousa N, Alves ND*, Pinto L* (2021) Constitutive deficiency of the neurogenic hippocampal modulator AP2y promotes anxiety-like behavior and cumulative deficits in mice from juvenile to adult periods.eLife, 10:e70685 (*equal contributors);
- Machado-Santos AR*, Alves ND*, Araújo B, Correia JS, Patrício P, Mateus-Pinheiro A, Loureiro-Campos E, Bessa JM, Sousa N, Pinto L. (2019) Astrocytic plasticity at the dorsal dentate gyrus on an animal model of recurrent depression.454(1), 94-104, (*equal contributors);
- Mateus-Pinheiro A*, Alves ND*, Sousa N, Pinto L. (2018) AP2γ, a new player on Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis regulation. J Exp Neurosci, 12. (*equal contributors);
- Alves ND*, Patrício P*, Correia JS, Mateus-Pinheiro A, Machado-Santos AR, Loureiro-Campos E, Morais M, Bessa JM, Sousa N, Pinto L. (2018) Chronic stress targets adult neurogenesis preferentially in the suprapyramidal blade of the rat dorsal dentate gyrus.Brain Struct Funct, 223(1), 415-428. (*equal contributors);
- Alves ND, Correia JS, Patrício P, Mateus-Pinheiro A, Machado-Santos AR, Loureiro-Campos E, Morais M, Bessa JM, Sousa N, Pinto L. (2017) Adult hippocampal neuroplasticity triggers susceptibility to recurrent depression.Transl Psychiatry, 7(3), e1058;
- Mateus-Pinheiro A*, Alves ND*, Patricio P, Machado-Santos AR, Loureiro-Campos E, Silva JM, Sardinha VM, Reis, J, Schorle H, Oliveira JF, Ninkovic J, Sousa N, Pinto L. (2017) AP2γ controls adult hippocampal neurogenesis and modulates cognitive, but not anxiety or depressive-like behavior. Mol Psychiatry, 22(12), 1725-1734 – selected for the issue cover image and as featured article (*equal contributors);
Complete List of Peer-reviewed publications (23): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1lSUBHjYkvpgBD/bibliography/public/
PRIZES and AWARDS:
– Sackler Innovation Award by Columbia University (2022);
– Maria de Sousa Award by Bial Foundation and Portuguese Order of Physicians (2023);
Relevant Activities in Scientific Societies:
– Chapter Representative of the Minho-Portugal Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN);
– Spokesperson of the Young Mediterranean Neuroscience Society Committee (YMNSC);
– Member of the Early Career Shell of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Thematic Network on Resilience.
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Projects
As Leader
Projects
As Member
Modeling and assessing the neurobiological mechanisms of major depressive disorder using preclinical animal models and IPSCs from patients
Depression affects around 16% of the world population and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. This means that around 300 million people are now living with depression…
Modulation of adult brain cytogenesis for treatment of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases
The adult mammalian brain harbors different forms of neural plasticity, ranging from neuronal synapto-dendritic rearrangements to the generation of new neuronal…
Contact us
Phone: +351 253 604 967
Fax: +351 253 604 809
Email: icvs.sec@med.uminho.pt
Address
Life and Health Sciences
Research Institute (ICVS)
School of Medicine,
University of Minho,
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
GPS: +41° 33′ 47.33″, -8° 24′ 3.39″
Copyright ©2025 ICVS. All Rights Reserved. Developed by TCIT
Copyright ©2025 ICVS. All Rights Reserved. Developed by TCIT
Address
Life and Health Sciences
Research Institute (ICVS)
School of Medicine,
University of Minho,
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
GPS: +41° 33′ 47.33″, -8° 24′ 3.39″
Copyright ©2025 ICVS. All Rights Reserved
Address
Life and Health Sciences
Research Institute (ICVS)
School of Medicine,
University of Minho,
Campus de Gualtar
4710-057 Braga
Portugal
GPS: +41° 33′ 47.33″, -8° 24′ 3.39″
