Education: B.Sc. and M.Sc. Warsaw University; PhD. Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences

Research Interest: Experimental Brain Research, Psychopharmacology, Behavioral Sciences

Description of Research Activities: A1. Parametric studies on learning. A2. Investigation of anatomical substrates of auditory recognition memory in rat (memory important for interspecies communication in animals and language development in human). These studies have been carried out in cooperation with the Department of Neurophysiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland. A3. Studies on the role of dopaminergic neurotransmission in behavioural control: special focus on the effects of amphetamine and selective D1 DA and D2 DA receptor blockers on learning and performance of conditioned responses and on memory retention; Pharmacological rat models of Parkinson’s Disease established by local intracerebral drug infusions using stereotaxic technique: measuring forebrain levels of monoamines using HPLC, screening neurological symptoms and investigating the impact on probabilistic learning. A4. Studying the molecular basis of individual variation in working and reference spatial memory in different rat strains using behavioral techniques, Western blot, Northern blot, and immunohistochemical methods. A5. Studies on the role of some pharmacological agents (Nerve Growth Factors, PPAR-γ ligands such as Pioglitazone and Rosiglitazone, and some plant extracts i.e. curcumin) as a therapeutic tool in memory deficits in young and old animals. A6. Investigation of correlation between the brain levels of varies fatty acids (including omega-3 DHA and omega-6 arachidonic acid) and the animal age and cognitive status. A7. Investigating the effects of prenatal exposure to ethanol on behavior and postnatal brain development using rodent model of human Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): anterograde labeling of neural projections using immunohistochemical methods, cell counting using unbiased stereology and StereoInvestigator software, Golgy staining and studies on neurons’ morphology using Neurolucida software, screening expression of synaptic proteins using Western blot technique. A8. Effects of chronic ethanol intoxication and ethanol withdrawal on molecular profiles of brain tissue in young adult rats using FT-IR technique; Studying potential therapeutic effects of dietary supplementation of vitamin A.

Selected Publications: Jakubowska E., K. Zielinski, Dynamogenic effects of stimulus intensity unconfounded by differential densities of reinforcement. Bull. Polish Acad. of Sci. Biol., 23,135-142 (1975) Jakubowska E., K. Zielinski, Conditioned stimulus intensity effects on acute and chronic extinction of CER. Activitas Nervousa Superior (Prague), 18, 1-2 (1976) Zielinski K., E. Jakubowska, D. Kowalska, T. Werka, On the mechanisms of short and long latency instrumental responses. Acta Neurobiol. Exp., 36, 703-773 (1976) Jakubowska E. , K. Zielinski, Differential learning as a function of stimulus intensity and previous experience with CS. Acta Neurobiol. Exp., 36, 427-446 (1976) Zielinski K., E. Jakubowska, Auditory intensity generalization after CER differentiation training. Acta Neurobiol. Exp., 37, 191-205 (1977) Zielinski K., E. Jakubowska, Temporal and stimulus intensity factors in avoidance reflex acquisition in cats. Activites Nervousa Superior, 19,1 (1977) Jakubowska E., K. Zielinski, Stimulus intensity effects on acute extinction of CER in rats. Acta Neurobiol. Exp., 38, 1-10 (1978) Jakubowska E., K. Zielinski, Avoidance acquisition in cats as a function of temporal and intensity factors. Acta Neurobiol. Exp., 39, 67-86 (1979) Jakubowska E., J. Gray, “Effects of septal lesion on go, no-go differentiation and reversal learning in rats.” Acta Neurobiol. Exp., 42, 327-341 (1982) Jakubowska - Doğru E., Modification of avoidance responding by amphetamine and dopamine receptor antagonists. Pol. J. Pharmacol. 51: 301-309 (1999) Jakubowska – Doğru E., U. Gümüşbaş ve F. Kara, Individual variation in the spatial reference and working memory assessed under allothetic and idiothetic orientation cues in rat. Acta Neurobiol. Exp.63: 17-23 (2003) Jakubowska- Doğru E. and U. Gümüşbaş, Chronic intracerebroventricular NGF administration improves working memory in young adult memory deficient rats. Neuroscience Letters, 382: 45-50 (2005) Dursun I. and E. Jakubowska-Doğru,2006, Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on activity, anxiety, and memory in young adult Wistar rats. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior 85(2):345-55 (2006) Jakubowska-Doğru E.. Bölüm 47: “Hayvanlar için davranışsal testler.”, Kognitif Nörobilimler, S. Karakaş (Ed). MN Medikal & Nobel Yayın Evi (2008) Dursun I.& Jakubowska-Dogru E., Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in young adult Wistar rats: Impact on activity, anxiety and learning. Publ.: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing AG & Co. KG (2010) ISBN: 978-3-8383-7058-3 Elibol-Can B, Jakubowska-Dogru E, Severcan M, Severcan F., The Effects of Short-Term Chronic Ethanol Intoxication and Ethanol Withdrawal on the Molecular Composition of the Rat Hippocampus by FT-IR Spectroscopy. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 35(11):2050-62 (2011) Dursun I, Jakubowska-Doğru E, van der List D, Liets LC, Coombs JL , Berman RF, Effect of neonatal exposure to ethanol on retinal ganglion cell morphology and neurons in the dorsolateral geniculate in mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 35(11):2063-74 (2011) Sayan-Ozacmak H, Ozacmak VH, Figen Barut F, Jakubowska-Dogru E., Neuroprotective efficacy of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ligand in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Curr. Neurovasc. Res.8(3):190-9 (2011) Dursun I, Jakubowska-Doğru E, Chapman B., van der List D, Berman RF, Effects of early postnatal alcohol exposure on the developing retinogeniculate projections in C57BL/6 mice. Submitted to Alcohol. Yetimler B., Ulusoy G, Çelik T., Jakubowska-Doğru E., Investigation of the potential correlation between cognitive status and levels of brain fatty acids in young and aged mice. Submitted to PBB Thesis Supervised A.1 Nafiz Hendricks, MSc is, Computer based signal acquisition and evaluation system for applications in neurophysiology., METU, 1993 A.2 Orçun Güzer, MSc Thesis, Effects of chronic intracerebroventricular NGF infusion on spatial memory in adult memory deficient rats., METU, 1999 A.3 Başak Alsaç, MSc Thesis, Effects of low dose D1 and D2 dopamine receptor blockers on spatial memory in rats., METU, 2000 A.4 Umut Gümüşbaş, MSc Thesis, Effects of chronic intracerebroventricular NGF infusion on spatial short-term (working) memory in adult memory deficient rats., METU, 2003 A.5 Ilknur Dursun, MSc Thesis,Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on activity, anxiety and learning in young adult Wistar rats., METU, 2005 A6. Birsen Elibol,MSc Thesis, Effects of chronic ethanol consumption on memory and molecular changes in the hippocampus of young adult Wistar rats., METU, 2007 A7. Berrak Yetimler, MSc Thesis, Investigati, on of the potential correlation between the cognitive performance and levels of brain fatty acids in young and aged mice. METU, 2011 A8. Ilknur Dursun.,PhD Thesis, Effects of early postnatal ethanol intoxication on retinal morphology,retino-geniculate projection and visual functions in mice., METU, 2011 A9. Ekin Keçecioğlu,MSc Thesis, Investigation of the potential differences in nNOS, eNOS, and iNOS immunorectivity in the hippocampus of young rats classified as “poor” and “good” learners. METU, continues A10. Ilknur Telkers, Investigation of a correlation between brain dopamine levels and the probabilistic learning in rotenone rat model of Parkinson’s Disease., METU, continues A11.Birsen Elibol, PhD Thesis, Stereological study on the numbers of CA1 and CA3 hippocampal pyramidal cells and dentate granular neurons in the course of postnatal development in rats perinataly exposed to ethanol., METU, devam etmektedir. continues A12. Ciğdem Saraç, PhD Thesis, Study On The Molecular Basis Of Individual Variation In Spatial Memory Among Young Rats., METU, continues

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