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

Papadeas, S.T., Halloran, C., McCown, T.J., Breese, G.R., Blake, B.L. Changes in apical dendritic structure correlate with sustained ERK1/2 phosphorylation in medial prefrontal cortex of a rat model of dopamine D_1  receptor agonist sensitization.   J Comp Neurol.    In Press.

Criswell, H.E., Ming, Z., Kelm, K. M., Breese,G.R. Brain regional differences in the effect of ethanol on GABA release from presynaptic terminals. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 326:596-603, 2008.

Wills T, 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.  32:240-248, 2008.

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.

Breese GR, Knapp DJ, Overstreet DH, Navarro M, Wills TA, Angel RA. Repeated Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or Cytokine Treatments Sensitize Ethanol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2007 Jun 6; [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 17551540 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Knapp DJ, Overstreet DH, Breese GR. Baclofen blocks expression and sensitization of anxiety-like behavior in an animal model of repeated stress and ethanol withdrawal. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007 Apr;31(4):582-95.

Qin L, Wu X, Block ML, Liu Y, Breese GR, Hong JS, Knapp DJ, Crews FT. Systemic LPS causes chronic neuroinflammation and progressive neurodegeneration. Glia. 2007 Apr 1;55(5):453-62.

Qin, L., Breese G.R., Hong, J., Knapp, D., Crews, F.T. Systemic TNFa causes chronic neuroinflammatiion and progressive neurodegeneration. Glia. 55:453-462, 2007.