Neurobiological Consequences of Withdrawal from Chronic Ethanol

Scripps Research Institute, The, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

? DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This grant proposal is targeted at furthering the training and research skills of the postdoctoral fellow applicant in the field of alcohol neurobiology research, with specific regard to the impact of alcohol on adult hippocampal neurogenesis. The training portion of this proposal will primarily focus on the development of novel, state-of-the- art techniques that the fellow did not have the opportunity to develop previously. This training will occur in the framework of a research proposal with is rooted in the significant evidence of disturbances to the neurogenic properties of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in alcohol dependent animals. Aim one of this proposal has been targeted to train the fellow in the technique of operant self-administration (as well as the nuanced analysis related to such behavior), and assess a hippocampal-sensitive emotional memory task in ethanol dependent, non-dependent, and naive animals. The cortical tissue of these animals will be subsequently used in Aim two of this proposal, which will utilize confocal microscopy and novel retroviral labeling to quantify ethanol dependence induced impairments in neurogenesis and deviant structural morphology, experiments which will require significant methodological training and mentoring for the fellow. Aim three is proposing to alleviate these neurobiological abnormalities by utilizing a novel small molecule, Isoxazole-9, which has previous been shown to support the survival of granule cell neurons but has not been explored in the fields of drug dependence and abuse. The sponsor, co-sponsor, and institute are all of the highest qualification and will support the training of an excellent fellow and the novel research proposed in the following application.