One goal of the Richerson lab is to determine the mechanisms by which serotonergic neurons sense changes in CO2, and how their downstream effects contribute to control of pH. Defining the mechanisms of central respiratory chemoreception may lead to specific treatments for diseases in which respiratory chemoreception is abnormal and provide a better understanding of how CO2 and pH affect CNS function.

The lab is also studying how GABA is released from neurons and glia, and how this release is affected by anticonvulsants. GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.

Source: https://richerson.lab.uiowa.edu/