A variety of techniques are used to evaluate this model including behavioral, pharmacological, electrophysiological, biochemical and anatomical approaches. The second major area of interest is the study of the acute and chronic actions of ethanol on brain function. This work assesses the sedative, anticonflict and seizure producing properties of ethanol.

Multidisciplinary approaches are used to evaluate these actions of ethanol on GABA and NMDA neural mechanisms including anatomical, molecular biological,behavioral and electrophysiological methods. Finally, the laboratory is working to define the site within brain where antidepressant drugs act to effect corticoid release and anxiety present in depression. This latter work utilizes chemical, anatomical and behavioral approaches to define the adaptive changes that accompany chronic antidepressant treatment.

Darin Knapp and Dana Rotella in the lab.

Key Research Contributions

• Discovered that ethanol has selective actions on receptor subtypes of ligand-gated ion channels which has a molecular basis and is related to brain regional differences in sensitivity to alcohol.

• Identified the medial septum as a key area in brain responsible for ethanol-induced sedation.

• Found that TRH will antagonize ethanol-induced sedation identified the inferior collicular cortex as the major contributor to ethanol-induced seizures.

• Showed that multiple withdrawals from chronic ethanol treatment kindle inferior collicular seizure activity.

Current Research Projects

Neurobiology of Anti-Depressant Drugs

Molecular Basis for Ethanol-GABA Interactions

Molecular Basis of Ethanol Action on NMDA Receptors

CNS Transmitters Involved in Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety

Gene Therapy and Seizures

More Information About the Research Team

List of publications

Article 1 on this lab's research from the Center Line newsletter

Article 2 on this lab's research from the Center Line newsletter