Dr. Barbara B. Oswald’s research interests focuses on understanding the neurobiology of learning and memory: brain structures and neurotransmitters that regulate encoding, storage, and retrieval of memories. Much of her early research focused on determining the effects of stimulant drugs on attention, a necessary component for learning. Later research evaluated the neurochemistry of the subjective (‘learned?’) effects of drugs by determining specific receptor subtypes mediating the stimulus effects of abused drugs including cocaine, LSD, and MDMA. Most recently, her research has focused on evaluating the role of the prefrontal cortex on learning and memory.