Alan Frazer is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center. He specializes in research related to the mechanisms of action of antidepressants. His primary research focuses on the effects of different types of antidepressants on noradrenergic and serotonergic neurons, as well as the neurochemical and behavioral responses elicited by neurotransmitters and receptors. He employs various techniques, including quantitative autoradiography, immunohistochemistry, and in vivo voltammetry, to study drug-induced effects. His recent work examines the rate of clearance of serotonin in discrete regions of the rat brain, focusing on the functioning of the serotonin transporter (SERT), a key target for drugs such as fluoxetine (Prozac). Frazer's findings highlight the differences in biogenic amine transporters responsible for serotonin clearance across brain regions. His studies have also shown that SERT function can become desensitized after chronic treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Additionally, he is investigating cognitive and emotional behaviors related to depression in animal models to better integrate psychological theories with the biological processes affecting relevant behaviors and the antidepressant effects.