Pietro Cottone

Pietro Cottone is an Associate Professor at Boston University School of Medicine and co-director of the Laboratory of Addictive Disorders. His research focuses on the neurobiological substrates of motivated behaviors, particularly feeding and addiction, aiming to identify biological bases and potential treatments for eating disorders and obesity. He co-directs a graduate course in neuropsychopharmacology since Fall 2010.

Education:

• PhD in Neuroscience, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy

Dr. Cottone's work investigates stress-related disorders like anxiety and depression, utilizing environmental and genetic animal models with behavioral, biochemical, and molecular approaches. His research spans compulsive eating, food addiction, and alcohol use disorders, with a focus on pharmacological interventions and neural pathways.

Recent publications highlight his contributions to understanding sigma receptors' role in addiction, neurobiological mechanisms of compulsive eating, and pharmacological agents like memantine and ketamine in treating addictive behaviors. Studies often integrate behavioral analysis with molecular and neurochemical techniques.

His laboratory collaborates on interdisciplinary projects and trains graduate students in neuropsychopharmacology, emphasizing the interaction between behavior and central nervous system-acting drugs.