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Speakers
Millie Rincon-Cortes, PhD – Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience at UT Dallas
Modeling Maternal Adversity in Rodents to Study Intergenerational Effects
Dr. Rincón-Cortés' research reveals how maternal adversity in rats, which we model through resource scarcity, disrupts the brain's reward circuitry, causing reduced maternal motivation and diminished responsiveness to pups, as seen through impaired retrieval behavior and blunted pup reward learning. These behavioral changes correspond with disruptions in the brain's reward circuitry (also known as the mesolimbic dopamine system). Her team has further demonstrated that early life adversity affects reward-related behaviors during adolescence, with affected rats showing reduced responsivity to natural rewards as well as attenuated dopamine activity in the ventral tegmental area- the source of mesolimbic dopamine. This research identifies potential therapeutic targets while deepening understanding of how adversity exposure influences both maternal behavior and offspring development, offering insights into possible interventions for stress-related disorders.
Frontiers of BrainHealth is a hybrid speaker series. Register for the season, and you will get a link to the virtual talks as well as available recordings. If you are interested in attending any of the talks in person, please note that you can confirm attendance when we send you a reminder email a few days prior to each talk.
For more information, visit our FAQs or email brainhealthevents@utdallas.edu.
Dr. Rincón-Cortés is an assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas. Her research lies at the intersection of behavioral neuroscience and dopamine neurophysiology, with a long-standing goal of understanding how brain reward pathways interact with neural systems implicated in depression and addiction — and how these processes are shaped by early life and postpartum adversity, caregiving quality, and sex. Her work spans from mechanistic studies of dopamine neuron activity to behavioral models of maternal care and offspring outcomes, with the broader aim of identifying risk and resilience factors relevant to mood and reward-related disorders across the lifespan. Dr. Rincón-Cortés’ contributions to neuroscience have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Rafaelsen Young Investigator Award from the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology (CINP) and the Early Career Achievement Award from the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS). In 2026, she was named a Distinguished Early Career Scientist by the Journal of Neuroscience, elected Fellow of IBNS, and promoted to Full Member of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP).
Watch select recordings below.
We are located at 2200 West Mockingbird Lane Dallas, TX 75235
The entrance to the surface parking lot is on Forest Park Road. The talks will be held in the Brain Performance Institute building, the second building when you enter through the gate.