My laboratory studies the prefrontal cortex and its contribution to neuropsychiatric symptoms, including anxiety, executive function deficits, and social impairments. To this goal, we rely on modern techniques in behavioral neuroscience using mice as models. My research focuses on two main projects: (1) the adolescent development of the prefrontal cortex and how adolescent stress (chronic stress, social isolation) can alter its typical developmental trajectory leading to cognitive and social deficits; (2) the female-specific vulnerability to stress-induced anxiety. Our work uses behavioral assays, transgenic animals, molecular and pharmacological techniques, as well as approaches that allow us to manipulate and record specific neuronal populations in freely behaving mice (chemogenetics, fiber photometry).

Awards and Honors

• 2022: Eliot S. Hearst Memorial Lectureship Award, Indiana University’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
• 2021: Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award, The Ohio State University
• 2017: Selected as Outstanding Investigator for the Early Career Reviewer (ECR) Program, NIH
• 2017: Recipient of the Departmental Distinguished Teaching Award, The Ohio State University
• 2017: Travel Award for the Winter Conference on Brain Research (WCBR), Big Sky, Montana, USA
• 2016: Invited Speaker to the Ohio State University Life Sciences Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs Symposium
• 2015: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) International Travel Grant, The Ohio State University
• 2015: Travel Award for the International Behavioral and Neural Genetics Society (IBANGS) Conference, Uppsala, Sweden
• 2012: Guest Editor of the International Behavioral and Neuroscience Society (IBNS) Newsletter
• 2011: Travel Award for the IBNS Conference, Colorado, USA
• 2010: Travel Award for the IBANGS Conference, Halifax, Canada
• 2010: Outstanding Young Investigator at IBANGS, Halifax, Canada
• 2006: Best Student Poster, International Society for Applied Ethology Conference, Bristol, UK

Publications

• Shepard R, Coutellier L. (2017) Changes in the prefrontal glutamatergic and parvalbumin systems of mice following unpredictable chronic stress. Molecular Neurobiology. In press.
   
• Shepard R, Heslin K, Coutellier L. (2016) The transcription factor Npas4 contributes to adolescent development of prefrontal inhibitory circuits, and to cognitive and emotional functions: implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Neurobiology of Disease. 99:36-46
   
• Shepard R, Page CE, Coutellier L (2016) Sensitivity of the prefrontal GABAergic system to chronic stress in male and female mice:  relevance for sex differences in stress-related disorders. Neuroscience. 332:1-12
   
• Coutellier L, Gilbert V, Shepard R (2015) Npas4 deficiency increases vulnerability to juvenile stress in mice. Behavioral Brain Research. 295: 17-25
   
• L.Coutellier, Ardestani PM., Shamloo, M. (2014) β1-adrenergic receptor activation enhances memory in Alzheimer's disease model. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. 1(5): 348-360
   
• Stephan AH, Madison DV, Mateos JM, Fraser DA, Lovelett EA, Coutellier L, Kim L, Tsai HH, Huang EJ, Rowitch DH, Berns DS, Tenner AJ, Shamloo M, Barres BA. (2013) A dramatic increase of C1q protein in the CNS during normal aging. Journal of Neuroscience. 33(33):13460-74
   
• L. Coutellier (2013) Adaptive regulations in developing rodents following neonatal challenges. In G. Laviola and S. Macri. (Eds) (Mal)adaptive aspects of developmental stress. Springer Neurotoxicity Book Series.
   
• L.Coutellier, Beraki S., Ardestani P.M., Saw N.L., Shamloo M. (2012) Npas4: a neuronal transcription factor with a key role in social and cognitive functions relevant for developmental disorders. Plos One. 7(9):e46604.
   
• L.Coutellier (2012) Rodent models of early environment effects on offspring development and susceptibility to neurological diseases in adulthood. Translational Neuroscience. 3 (3): 258-262.
   
• L.Coutellier, Logemann A., Rusnak, M and Usdin T. (2011) Maternal absence of the parathyroid-hormone 2 (PTH2) receptor affects postnatal pup development. Journal of Neuroendocrinology. 23(7): 612-619.
   
• L.Coutellier and Usdin T. (2011) Enhanced long-term fear memory and increased anxiety and depression-like behavior after exposure to an aversive event in mice lacking TIP39 signaling. Behavioural Brain Research. 222(1): 265-269.
   
• L.Coutellier, Logemann A. Kuo, J., Rusnak, M. and Usdin T. (2011) TIP39 modulates effects of novelty induced arousal on memory. Genes, Brain and Behavior, 10 (1): 90-99.
   
• L.Coutellier and Würbel H. (2009) Early environmental cues affect object recognition memory in adult female but not male C57BL/6 mice. Behavioral Brain Research. 203: 312-315.
   
• L.Coutellier, Friedrich, A.C., Failing, K., Marashi, V. and Würbel, H. (2009) Effects of variations in foraging demand on maternal behaviour and adult offspring anxiety and stress response in C57BL/6 mice. Behavioral Brain Research. 196 (2): 192-199.
   
• L.Coutellier, Friedrich, A.C., Failing, K., Marashi, V. and Würbel, H. (2008) Effects of rat odour and shelter on maternal behaviour in C57BL/6 dams and on fear and stress responses in their adult offspring. Physiology and Behavior, 94: 393-404.
   
• L.Coutellier, Friedrich, A.C., Failing, K. and Würbel, H. (2008) Variation of postnatal maternal environment in mice: effects on maternal behaviour and behavioural and endocrine responses in the adult offspring. Physiology and Behavior, 93: 395-407.