Author Archives: samweiss

We found that reducing GABA release from a specific set of neurons (central nucleus of the amygdala neurotensin containing neurons) reduced alcohol consumption in male but not female mice. In the female mice however, it altered thermal pain sensitivity.

Birthing parents who experienced fluctuating desires to live during pregnancy and early postpartum were more likely to have poor sleep, which made it challenging to regulate their emotions from day to day. Future research can build on this study to improve our understanding of how to prevent postpartum suicide, which...

Allopregnanolone is a neurosteroid that can be changed in many psychiatric disorders. We found that cocaine increased allopregnanolone levels in an area of the rat brain involved in motivation and reward. We also describe sex differences in allopregnanolone levels between males and female rats.

Dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) analysis is a widely used approach for studying brain function and offering insight into how brain networks evolve over time. Functional dysconnectivity between different brain regions has been reported in schizophrenia, yet the neural mechanisms behind it remain elusive. This manuscript presents a complementary novel...

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are highly comorbid and individual differences in response to stress suggest resilient and susceptible populations. The current review discusses the advantages of using predator odor stressors to better understand PTSD pathophysiology and neurobiological mechanisms associated with stress reactivity and subsequent increases...

Control over internal representations requires the prioritization of relevant information and suppression of irrelevant information. We used TMS while participants either prioritized or suppressed information during a working memory task. We found evidence to support the idea that the frontoparietal theta network prioritizes internally maintained representations and alpha oscillations in...

This review emphasizes the significant therapeutic potential of neuroactive steroids in modulating TLR signaling pathways, particularly in addressing inflammatory processes associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. It advances our understanding of the complex interplay between neuroactive steroids and immune responses, paving the way for personalized treatment strategies tailored to individual needs and...

Kim Menzel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker certified in Core Clinical Social Work Supervision. She has 25 years of experience providing outpatient treatment for anxiety and mood disorders in adolescents and adults. Within the SPI she delivers clinical care to patients experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors, provides training and...