Research Interests
Mechanisms of Addiction Pathogenesis: The major goal of this project is to determine GABAergic cortolimbic circuit mechanisms of alcohol addiction. This project will examine the overall hypothesis that chronic ethanol exposure alters local mPFC and amygdalar microcircuits as well as the mPFC projection to central amygdala in conjunction with GABA-A receptor adaptations that can be prevented by histone acetylation.
Gene Delivery of Neuroactive Steroids to Modulate Ethanol Reinforcement/Consumption: The goal of this project is to evaluate the hypotheses that elevated steroidogenesis in the ventral tegmental area will reduce operant ethanol self-administration and the escalation of voluntary drinking following deprivation in male and female rats.
