Alexander joins the Graybiel lab with a PhD in Neuroscience from the Bar Ilan University, where he studied representations of depression and addiction in the brain. Based on mathematical analyses of neuronal data, Alexander proposed novel methods of treatment for depression and drug addiction via deep brain stimulation protocols. Now at the Graybiel lab, he pursues the neuronal decoding of decision making. Currently, he employs multi-electrode neural recordings of freely moving subjects to explore relations between decision making and stress, as well as their representation in the striatum and its related circuits.
BUSINESS ADDRESS
McGovern Institute for Brain Research
Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Building 46, Room 6137
43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Telephone: 1-617-253-5740
Fax: 1-617-253-1599
Cell: 1-857-233-1843
EDUCATION
2005-2010 Bar-Ilan University, Israel
Ph.D. Dept. of Brain Research (Summa Cum Laude)
supervisor Professor Gal Yadid, collaboration with Professor Moshe Abeles
2000-2004 Jerusalem College of Technology, Israel
B.Tech. Dept. of Comp Sci (Magna Cum Laude)
specialty: Bioinformatics
Thesis supervisor Professor Yzi Sandler
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2010- current Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Postdoctoral fellow with Professor Ann M. Graybiel, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
2005-2010 Bar-Ilan University, Israel
Ph.D. Dept. of Brain Research (Summa Cum Laude)
supervisor Professor Gal Yadid, collaboration with Professor Moshe Abeles
2004-2005 Jerusalem College of Technology, Israel
Research Assistant with Professor Yaakov Friedman, Department of Mathematics “Relativistic linear space-time transformations based on symmetry”
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2005- 2010 Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Life Science, Bar-Ilan University, Israel.
Systems physiology, Zoology, Bio-Statistics
2003- 2004 Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Jerusalem College of Technology, Israel .
General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry.
SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE
Goutkin S, Kravchinsky E : Decoding of dopaminergic mesolimbic activity and depressive behavior
Rosenstein M, Lubin N; Early Prediction of the Effectiveness of Antidepressants
Frankel M, Flaumenhaft Y VTA Acute-Electrical-Stimulation as treatment for depression
Lax E, Abraham L, Flaumenhat Y: LhB Acute-Electrical-Stimulation as a treatment for addiction
Peled T, Amar I, Dar D. Wavelets analyses of the eye movement, toolbox.
Homma D, Rubin S. Decision making model development & neuronal mechanisms underlying decision making
AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS
2006-2010 President Excellence stipend; Bar Ilan University
2009 Poster Prize, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, The Institute For Advanced Studies
2009 NIDA mini-conference, poster prize
2003-2004: Rector Excellence Stipend; Jerusalem College of Technology
PATENTS
Deep Brain Stimulation of VTA as treatment for depression. Pat. 60/846.345
Deep Brain Stimulation of LhB as treatment for addiction. Pat. 60/846.345
Screening of Eye movements as prediction of antidepressant effect and physiologic marker for depression. Pat. 60/897.239
PUBLICATIONS
Friedman A, Lax E, Abraham L, Tischler H, Yadid G. Abnormality of VTA local field potential in an animal model of depression was restored by patterned DBS treatment. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2011 May 17. Epub ahead of print.
Friedman A, Lax E, Dikshtein Y, Abraham L, Flaumenhaft Y, Sudai E, Ben-Tzion M, Yadid G. (2011) Electrical stimulation of the lateral habenula produces an inhibitory effect on sucrose self-administration. Neuropharmacology. 2011 Feb-Mar;60(2-3):381-7. Epub 2010 Oct 16.
Friedman A, Shaldubina A, Flaumenhaft Y, Weizman A, Yadid G. (2011) Monitoring of circadian rhythms of heart rate, locomotor activity, and temperature for diagnosis and evaluation of response to treatment in an animal model of depression. J Mol Neurosci. 2011 Mar; 43(3):303-8. Epub 2010 Sep 2.
Friedman A, Lax E, Dikshtein Y, Abraham L, Flaumenhaft Y, Sudai E, Ben-Tzion M, Ami-Ad L, Yaka R, Yadid G. (2010) Electrical stimulation of the lateral habenula produces enduring inhibitory effect on cocaine seeking behavior. Neuropharmacology. 2010 Nov;59(6):452-9. Epub 2010 Jun 22.
Roth-Deri I*, Friedman A*, Abraham L, Lax E, Flaumenhaft Y, Dikshtein Y, Yadid G. (2009) Antidepressant treatment facilitates dopamine release and drug seeking behavior in a genetic animal model of depression. Eur J Neurosci. 2009 Aug;30(3):485-92. Epub 2009 Jul 15.
Friedman A, Merenlender A, Lax E, Rosenstein M, Lubin N, Yadid G. (2009) Early prediction of the effectiveness of antidepressants: inputs from an animal model. J Mol Neurosci. 2009 Sep;39(1-2):256-61. Epub 2009 Feb 14.
Friedman A, Frankel M, Flaumenhaft Y, Merenlender A, Pinhasov A, Feder Y, Taler M, Gil-Ad I, Abeles M, Yadid G. (2009) Programmed acute electrical stimulation of ventral tegmental area alleviates depressive-like behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009 Mar;34(4):1057-66.
Yadid G, Friedman A. (2008) Dynamics of the dopaminergic system as a key component to the understanding of depression. Prog Brain Res. 2008;172:265-86. Review.
Maayan R, Touati-Werner D, Shamir D, Yadid G, Friedman A, Eisner D, Weizman A, Herman I. (2008) The effect of DHEA complementary treatment on heroin addicts participating in a rehabilitation program: a preliminary study. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2008 Jun;18(6):406-13. Epub 2008 Mar 17.
Friedman A, Friedman Y, Dremencov E, Yadid G. (2008) VTA dopamine neuron bursting is altered in an animal model of depression and corrected by desipramine. J Mol Neurosci. 2008 Mar;34(3):201-9. Epub 2008 Jan 16.
Friedman A, Deri I, Friedman Y, Dremencov E, Goutkin S, Kravchinsky E, Mintz M, Levi D, Overstreet DH, Yadid G. (2007) Decoding of dopaminergic mesolimbic activity and depressive behavior. J Mol Neurosci. 2007;32(1):72-9.
Friedman A, Dremencov E, Crown H, Levy D, Mintz M, Overstreet DH, Yadid G. (2005) Variability of the mesolimbic neuronal activity in a rat model of depression. Neuroreport. 2005 Apr 4;16(5):513-6.
Alexander Friedman, Alexander Friedman, Elad Lax, Lital Abraham, Leonid Visochek, Malka Cohen-Armon & Gal Yadid PolyADP-ribosylation of PARP-1 in the central amygdala is a prerequisite for cocaine-induced place preference. Submitted
Poster Presentations for Conferences and Meetings
Programmed Acute-Electrical-Stimulation of ventral tegmental area Alleviates Depressive-Like Behavior and normalize local field potentials; Israel Psychiatric Society, Goshrim, 2010
Programmed Acute-Electrical-Stimulation of ventral tegmental area Alleviates Depressive-Like Behavior and normalize local field potentials; Ein Gedi NeuroScience Conf, 2010
Programmed Acute-Electrical-Stimulation of ventral tegmental area Alleviates Depressive-Like Behavior and normalize local field potentials; SFN, Annual Meeting Chicago, 2009
Single-trial electrical stimulation of the lateral habenula produces enduring inhibitive effects on sucrose and cocaine seeking behavior; NIDA mini conference, Chicago, 2009
Deep brain stimulation of the lateral habenula impairs natural and psychostimulant reinforcement; SFN, Annual Meeting Washington DC, 2008
Deep brain stimulation of the lateral habenula impairs natural and psychostimulant reinforcement; Society of Biological Psychiatry, Annual Meeting Washington DC, 2008
Programmed Acute-Electrical Electrical-Stimulation to the VTA: a New Treatment for Depression, Israel Psychiatric Society, Goshrim, 2008
VTA Acute-Electrical-Stimulation: New Treatment for Depression Israel Psychiatric Society, Goshrim, 2007
Cluster-Like Form of Dopaminergic Mesolimbic neuronal activity is altered in an animal model of depression and corrected by desipramine; Israel Psychiatric Society, Goshrim, 2006
Correlation of the bursting mesolimbic neuronal activity and dopamine release: a role in antidepressant effect, ISFN, Eilat, 2005
Variability of the mesolimbic neuronal activity in a rat model of depression ISFN, Eilat, 2004
LANGUAGES:
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