Avi Adhikari

Avi Adhikari is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, affiliated with the Department of Psychology. His research investigates the neural circuits underlying emotional behaviors such as fear and anxiety, with a focus on interactions between brain regions and their role in hormonal, physiological, and behavioral adaptations.

• Education: Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Columbia University

Research Focus: Using techniques like optogenetics, calcium imaging, and electrophysiology, Dr. Adhikari's lab explores how brain networks coordinate threat-induced defensive actions, aiming to uncover mechanisms for panic disorders and eating disorders caused by dysregulation of food-seeking circuits. His work has identified neural pathways controlling anxiety symptoms and escape behaviors.

Publications: Recent studies highlight the basomedial amygdala's role in anxiety, distributed circuits in emotional states, and hippocampal-prefrontal synchronization during fear responses. These emphasize his contributions to understanding neural dynamics in emotional and motivational systems.

Scientific Awards: No explicitly mentioned awards.

Advising & Grants: The lab trains next-generation scientists in neuroscience but provides no specific details on students or grants.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Avi Adhikari Lab at UCLA, focusing on breakthrough discoveries in anxiety and fear through interdisciplinary approaches.