Faculty & Research

George Breese, Ph.D.

Division Head
Preclinical Neuropsychopharmacology &
Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies

Professor
Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology

Research Scientist
Neurosciences Center

Office | 3007 Thurston-Bowles Bldg, CB 7178

Email | george_breese@med.unc.edu

Lab Website | Preclinical Neuropsychopharmacology

Research Interests

More on Dr. Breese's Research History

• 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

• Theory of the Role of Stress in Relapse in Alcoholism

• Neurobiology of Lesch-Nyhan Disease

• Neurobiology of Anti-Depressant Drugs

• Neurobiology of D1 Dopamine Receptors

Center Line Articles

• Breese Laboratory Advances Kindling Model as Framework for Understanding the Behavioral Pathology of Alcoholism (Vol. 17, No.2, 2006)

• When Abstinence Can Be Harmful: The Dangers of Repeated Withdrawals from Alcohol (Vol 13, No. 1, 2002)

Recent Publications

Click here for a full list of publications from PubMed

Click here for selected publications from Author

Sensitization, duration, and pharmacological blockade of anxiety-like behavior following repeated ethanol withdrawal in adolescent and adult rats. Wills TA, Knapp DJ, Overstreet DH, Breese GR. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2009 Mar;33(3):455-63.

The role of protein kinase A in the ethanol-induced increase in spontaneous GABA release onto cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Kelm MK, Criswell HE, Breese GR. J Neurophysiol. 2008 Dec;100(6):3417-28.

The alcohol deprivation effect in C57BL/6J mice is observed using operant self-administration procedures and is modulated by CRF-1 receptor signaling. Sparta DR, Ferraro FM 3rd, Fee JR, Knapp DJ, Breese GR, Thiele TE. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2009 Jan;33(1):31-42.

Papadeas ST, Halloran C, McCown TJ, Breese GR, Blake BL. Changes in apical dendritic structure correlate with sustained ERK1/2 phosphorylation in medial prefrontal cortex of a rat model of dopamine D1 receptor agonist sensitization.J Comp Neurol. 2008 Nov 10;511(2):271-85.

Wills TA, Knapp DJ, Overstreet DH, Breese GR. Differential dietary ethanol intake and blood ethanol levels in adolescent and adult rats: effects on anxiety-like behavior and seizure thresholds.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2008 Aug;32(8):1350-60.

Criswell HE, Ming Z, Kelm MK, Breese GR. Brain regional differences in the effect of ethanol on GABA release from presynaptic terminals.J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2008 Aug;326(2):596-603.

Lowery EG, Sparrow AM, Breese GR, Knapp DJ, Thiele TE. The CRF-1 receptor antagonist, CP-154,526, attenuates stress-induced increases in ethanol consumption by BALB/cJ mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2008 Feb;32(2):240-8

Navarro M, Cubero I, Knapp DJ, Breese GR, Thiele TE. Decreased immunoreactivity of the melanocortin neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) after chronic ethanol exposure in Sprague-Dawley rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2008 Feb;32(2):266-76.

Knapp DJ, Overstreet DH, Angel RA, Navarro M, Breese GR. The amygdala regulates the antianxiety sensitization effect of flumazenil during repeated chronic ethanol or repeated stress. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007 Nov;31(11):1872-82.

Kelm MK, Criswell HE, Breese GR. Calcium release from presynaptic internal stores is required for ethanol to increase spontaneous gamma-aminobutyric acid release onto cerebellum Purkinje neurons. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2007 Oct;323(1):356-64.

Overstreet DH, Knapp DJ, Breese GR.  Drug challenges reveal differences in mediation of stress facilitation of voluntary alcohol drinking and withdrawal-induced anxiety in alcohol-preferring P rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007 Sep;31(9):1473-81.