• Interpeduncular GABAergic neuron function controls threat processing and innate defensive adaptive learning

Williams EW, Snively L, O'Meara BR, Jacobs HL, Kolb M, Zhao-Shea R, Pavchinskiy RG, Keppler E, Baratta MV, Tapper AR and Molas S✉️.

Mol Psychiatry. 2025 Aug. (Pubmed)

• Supression of binge alcohol driking by an inhibitory neuronal ensemble in the mouse medial orbitofrontal cortex

Gimenez-Gomez P, Le T, Zinter M, M'Angale P, Duran-Laforet V, Freels TG, Pavchinskiy R, Molas S, Schafer DP, Tapper AR, Thomson T and Martin GE.

Nat Neurosci. 2025 Aug. (Pubmed)

• Prompting social investigation 

Keppler E & Molas S✉️. 

eLife. 2024 Jun. (Pubmed)

• Dopamine control of social novelty preference is constrained by an interpeduncular-tegmentum circuit 

Molas S✉️, Freels TG, Zhao-Shea R, Lee T, Gimenez-Gomez P, Barbini M, Martin G and Tapper AR✉️. 

Nat Commun. 2024 Apr. (Pubmed)

• A neuronal coping mechanism linking stress-induced anxiety to motivation for reward

Klenowski PM, Zhao-Shea R, Freels TG, Molas S, Zinter M, M'Angale P, Xiao C, Martinez-Nunez L, Thomson T and Tapper AR. 

Sci Adv. 2023 Dec. (Pubmed)

• Viral tracing confirms paranigral ventral tegmental area dopaminergic inputs to the interpeduncular nucleus where dopamine release encodes perceived saliency

Molas S*, Zhao-Shea R*, and Tapper AR. 

eNeuro. 2023 Jan.  (Pubmed)

• Dynamic activity of interpeduncular nucleus GABAergic neurons controls expression of nicotine withdrawal in male mice

Klenowski PM, Zhao-Shea R, Freels TG, Molas S and Tapper AR. 

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2022 Feb. (Pubmed)

• Midbrain circuits of novelty processing 

Tapper AR. & Molas S✉️. 

Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2020 Dec. (Pubmed)

• Midbrain dopamine controls anxiety by engaging unique interpeduncular nucleus microcircuitry 

DeGroot S, Zhao-Shea R, Cheung L, Klenowski PM, Molas S, Gardner PD, Li Y and Tapper AR. 

Biol. Psych. 2020 Jun. (Pubmed)

• A circuit-based mechanism underlying familiarity signaling and the preference for novelty 

Molas S, Zhao-Shea R, Liu L, DeGroot SR, Gardner PD, Tapper AR. 

Nat Neurosci. 2017 Sep. (Pubmed)

• Anxiety and nicotine dependence: Emerging role of the habenulo-interpeduncular axis 

Molas S, DeGroot SR, Zhao-Shea R, Tapper AR. 

Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2017 Feb. (Pubmed)