![Patricia Gasalla Canto](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/4634?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Overview
Research Summary
My research interest focuses on associative learning and behavioral neuroscience generally, with particular emphasis on employing animal models to understand psychiatric disorders. My interests include the understanding of reward processes and how hypo-responsiveness and hyper-responsiveness impact addictive behavior and psychiatric conditions. My research interest lies in examining how the brain responds to both drug-related cues and other types of rewards. I aim to understand whether alterations in how we process rewards could contribute to vulnerability or act as a sustaining factor in individuals dealing with psychiatric disorders.
Teaching Summary
I teach introductory statistics in Year 2. I also run tutorials on cognition and clinical psychology and support MSc seminars. I Lecture on Behavioral intervention in the Final year.
Publication
2025
- Gasalla, P., Thomas, K. L., Wilkinson, L., Hall, J. and Dwyer, D. M. 2025. Reduced cacna1c expression produces anhedonic reactions to palatable sucrose in rats: No interactions with juvenile or adult stress. Genes, Brain and Behavior 24(2), article number: e70021. (10.1111/gbb.70021)
2024
- Gasalla, P., Figueroa, J., Waldmann, M. R. and Dwyer, D. M. 2024. Beyond the information (not) given: Associative mechanisms vs representations of uncertainty in 3 extinction in laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus). Journal of Comparative Psychology (10.1037/com0000380)
2023
- Lopez, M., Dwyer, D., Gasalla, P., Begega, A. and Jove, C. 2023. Odor-taste pairings lead to the acquisition of negative hedonic qualities by the odor in aversion learning. Physiology & Behavior 269, article number: 114269. (10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114269)
- Gasalla Canto, P., Manahan-Vaughan, D., Dwyer, D. M., Hall, J. and Méndez-Couz, M. 2023. Characterisation of the neural basis underlying appetitive extinction & renewal in a Cacna1c rats. Neuropharmacology 227, article number: 109444. (10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109444)
2020
- Figueroa, J., Gasalla, P., Müller, M. and Dwyer, D. 2020. Socially conditioned flavor preferences with fluids: transfer with solid foods, palatability, and testing constraints. Physiology and Behavior 223, article number: 112976. (10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112976)
2019
- Dwyer, D., Gasalla Canto, P. and Lopez, M. 2019. Partial reinforcement and conditioned taste aversion: No evidence for resistance to extinction. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 72(2), pp. 274-284. (10.1080/17470218.2017.1347191)
- Matias, L., Dwyer, D. and Gasalla Canto, P. 2019. Conditioned hedonic responses elicited by contextual cues paired with nausea or with internal pain. Behavioral Neuroscience 133(1), pp. 86-97. (10.1037/bne0000291)
2017
- Dwyer, D., Gasalla Canto, P., Bura, S. and Lopez, M. 2017. Flavors paired with internal pain or with nausea elicit divergent types of hedonic responses. Behavioral Neuroscience 131(3), pp. 235-248. (10.1037/bne0000197)
- Soto, A., Gasalla, P., Begega, A. and Lopez, M. 2017. c-Fos activity in the insular cortex, nucleus accumbens and basolateral amygdala following the intraperitoneal injection of saccharin and lithium chloride. Neuroscience Letters 647, pp. 32-37. (10.1016/j.neulet.2017.03.025)
2016
- Gasalla Canto, P., Begega, A., Soto, A., Dwyer, D. M. and López, M. 2016. Functional brain networks underlying latent inhibition of conditioned disgust in rats. Behavioural Brain Research 315, pp. 36-44. (10.1016/j.bbr.2016.07.051)
2013
- Dwyer, D. M., Gasalla, P. and López, M. 2013. Nonreinforced flavor exposure attenuates the effects of conditioned taste aversion on both flavor consumption and cue palatability. Learning & Behavior 41(4), pp. 390-401. (10.3758/s13420-013-0114-x)
2010
- López, M. et al. 2010. Latent inhibition of conditioned disgust reactions in rats. Learning and Behavior 38(2), pp. 177-186. (10.3758/LB.38.2.177)
Articles
- Gasalla, P., Thomas, K. L., Wilkinson, L., Hall, J. and Dwyer, D. M. 2025. Reduced cacna1c expression produces anhedonic reactions to palatable sucrose in rats: No interactions with juvenile or adult stress. Genes, Brain and Behavior 24(2), article number: e70021. (10.1111/gbb.70021)
- Gasalla, P., Figueroa, J., Waldmann, M. R. and Dwyer, D. M. 2024. Beyond the information (not) given: Associative mechanisms vs representations of uncertainty in 3 extinction in laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus). Journal of Comparative Psychology (10.1037/com0000380)
- Lopez, M., Dwyer, D., Gasalla, P., Begega, A. and Jove, C. 2023. Odor-taste pairings lead to the acquisition of negative hedonic qualities by the odor in aversion learning. Physiology & Behavior 269, article number: 114269. (10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114269)
- Gasalla Canto, P., Manahan-Vaughan, D., Dwyer, D. M., Hall, J. and Méndez-Couz, M. 2023. Characterisation of the neural basis underlying appetitive extinction & renewal in a Cacna1c rats. Neuropharmacology 227, article number: 109444. (10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109444)
- Figueroa, J., Gasalla, P., Müller, M. and Dwyer, D. 2020. Socially conditioned flavor preferences with fluids: transfer with solid foods, palatability, and testing constraints. Physiology and Behavior 223, article number: 112976. (10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112976)
- Dwyer, D., Gasalla Canto, P. and Lopez, M. 2019. Partial reinforcement and conditioned taste aversion: No evidence for resistance to extinction. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 72(2), pp. 274-284. (10.1080/17470218.2017.1347191)
- Matias, L., Dwyer, D. and Gasalla Canto, P. 2019. Conditioned hedonic responses elicited by contextual cues paired with nausea or with internal pain. Behavioral Neuroscience 133(1), pp. 86-97. (10.1037/bne0000291)
- Dwyer, D., Gasalla Canto, P., Bura, S. and Lopez, M. 2017. Flavors paired with internal pain or with nausea elicit divergent types of hedonic responses. Behavioral Neuroscience 131(3), pp. 235-248. (10.1037/bne0000197)
- Soto, A., Gasalla, P., Begega, A. and Lopez, M. 2017. c-Fos activity in the insular cortex, nucleus accumbens and basolateral amygdala following the intraperitoneal injection of saccharin and lithium chloride. Neuroscience Letters 647, pp. 32-37. (10.1016/j.neulet.2017.03.025)
- Gasalla Canto, P., Begega, A., Soto, A., Dwyer, D. M. and López, M. 2016. Functional brain networks underlying latent inhibition of conditioned disgust in rats. Behavioural Brain Research 315, pp. 36-44. (10.1016/j.bbr.2016.07.051)
- Dwyer, D. M., Gasalla, P. and López, M. 2013. Nonreinforced flavor exposure attenuates the effects of conditioned taste aversion on both flavor consumption and cue palatability. Learning & Behavior 41(4), pp. 390-401. (10.3758/s13420-013-0114-x)
- López, M. et al. 2010. Latent inhibition of conditioned disgust reactions in rats. Learning and Behavior 38(2), pp. 177-186. (10.3758/LB.38.2.177)
- Figueroa, J., Gasalla, P., Müller, M. and Dwyer, D. 2020. Socially conditioned flavor preferences with fluids: transfer with solid foods, palatability, and testing constraints. Physiology and Behavior 223, article number: 112976. (10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112976)
- Dwyer, D., Gasalla Canto, P. and Lopez, M. 2019. Partial reinforcement and conditioned taste aversion: No evidence for resistance to extinction. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 72(2), pp. 274-284. (10.1080/17470218.2017.1347191)
- Matias, L., Dwyer, D. and Gasalla Canto, P. 2019. Conditioned hedonic responses elicited by contextual cues paired with nausea or with internal pain. Behavioral Neuroscience 133(1), pp. 86-97. (10.1037/bne0000291)
- Dwyer, D., Gasalla Canto, P., Bura, S. and Lopez, M. 2017. Flavors paired with internal pain or with nausea elicit divergent types of hedonic responses. Behavioral Neuroscience 131(3), pp. 235-248. (10.1037/bne0000197)
- Gasalla Canto, P., Begega, A., Soto, A., Dwyer, D. M. and López, M. 2016. Functional brain networks underlying latent inhibition of conditioned disgust in rats. Behavioural Brain Research 315, pp. 36-44. (10.1016/j.bbr.2016.07.051)