Emotional behavior is regulated by a host of chemicals, including neurotransmitters and neuromodulators, acting on specific circuits within the brain. There is strong evidence for the existence of both endogenous stress and anti-stress systems. Chronic exposure to drugs of abuse and stress are hypothesized to modulate the relative balance of activity of these systems within key circuitry in the brain leading to dysregulated emotional behavior. One of the primary focuses of the Kash lab is to understand how chronic drugs of abuse and stress alter neuronal function, focusing on these stress and anti-stress systems in brain circuitry important for anxiety-like behavior. In particular, we are interested in defining alterations in synaptic function, modulation and plasticity using a combination of whole-cell patch-clamp physiology, biochemistry and mouse models.
Research Interests
- Neurophysiological alterations underlying dysregulated emotional behavior
- Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity
- Identification of neural substrates that underlie alcohol and drug abuse induced behaviors
- Determining the impact of stress on neuronal circuitry important for emotional behavior
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Center Line Articles
Recent Publications
Click here for a full list of publications from PubMed
Introduction to Young Investigator Award Symposium: Symposium XII: Young Investigator Award. Roberto M, Kash TL, Mulholland PJ, Marty VN, Gilpin NW, Walker BM. Alcohol. 2012 Jun;46(4):301-2. Epub 2012 Apr 27.
The role of biogenic amine signaling in the bed nucleus of the stria terminals in alcohol abuse. Kash TL.Alcohol. 2012 Jun;46(4):303-8. Epub 2012 Mar 25.
Corticotropin releasing factor signaling in the central amygdala is recruited during binge-like ethanol consumption in C57BL/6J mice. Lowery-Gionta EG, Navarro M, Li C, Pleil KE, Rinker JA, Cox BR, Sprow GM, Kash TL, Thiele TE. J Neurosci. 2012 Mar 7;32(10):3405-13.
Presynaptic inhibition of gamma-aminobutyric acid release in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis by kappa opioid receptor signaling. Li C, Pleil KE, Stamatakis AM, Busan S, Vong L, Lowell BB, Stuber GD, Kash TL. Biol Psychiatry. 2012 Apr 15;71(8):725-32. Epub 2012 Jan 5
Central neuropeptide Y modulates binge-like ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice via Y1 and Y2 receptors. Sparrow AM, Lowery-Gionta EG, Pleil KE, Li C, Sprow GM, Cox BR, Rinker JA, Jijon AM, Peňa J, Navarro M, Kash TL, Thiele TE. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012 May;37(6):1409-21. doi: 10.1038/npp.2011.327. Epub 2012 Jan 4.
Chronic stress alters neuropeptide Y signaling in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in DBA/2J but not C57BL/6J mice. Pleil KE, Lopez A, McCall N, Jijon AM, Bravo JP, Kash TL.Neuropharmacology. 2012 Mar;62(4):1777-86. Epub 2011 Dec 9.
β-Adrenergic receptors enhance excitatory transmission in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis through a corticotrophin-releasing factor receptor-dependent and cocaine-regulated mechanism. Nobis WP, Kash TL, Silberman Y, Winder DG. Biol Psychiatry. 2011 Jun 1;69(11):1083-90. Epub 2011 Feb 21.
Strain differences in stress responsivity are associated with divergent amygdala gene expression and glutamate-mediated neuronal excitability. Mozhui K, Karlsson RM, Kash TL, Ihne J, Norcross M, Patel S, Farrell MR, Hill EE, Graybeal C, Martin KP, Camp M, Fitzgerald PJ, Ciobanu DC, Sprengel R, Mishina M, Wellman CL, Winder DG, Williams RW, Holmes A. J Neurosci. 2010 Apr 14;30(15):5357-67.
Distinct forms of Gq-receptor-dependent plasticity of excitatory transmission in the BNST are differentially affected by stress. McElligott ZA, Klug JR, Nobis WP, Patel S, Grueter BA, Kash TL, Winder DG. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Feb 2;107(5):2271-6.
Alcohol exposure alters NMDAR function in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Kash TL, Baucum AJ 2nd, Conrad KL, Colbran RJ, Winder DG. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009 Oct;34(11):2420-9.
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Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill