David Moorman

David Moorman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He leads the Moorman Lab, located in Morrill 4 North N208, and is affiliated with the Neuroscience & Behavior Graduate Program. His research focuses on understanding how neural networks control complex behaviors, particularly in the context of addiction, decision-making, and executive functions. Using animal models and techniques like optogenetics, electrophysiology, and computational modeling, his work examines the neural basis of disorders such as addiction, ADHD, obesity, and depression.

Research interests include the interplay between chronic alcohol use, stress, and cognitive flexibility, as well as the role of noradrenergic and orexin systems in reward-seeking behaviors. Collaborations with computational neuroscientists and statisticians enable advanced analyses of neural ensemble activity related to behavior.

Recent publications highlight investigations into alcohol’s impact on prefrontal cortex function, noradrenergic modulation of stress responses, and the neural correlates of decision-making. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided texts.

Advising and grant details are not detailed here, though the Moorman Lab actively engages in cutting-edge neuroscience research, emphasizing translational approaches to understand and address behavioral and neurological disorders.