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Theses and Dissertations

Theses/Dissertations

2017

Alcohol

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Role Of Mitochondrial Beta-Oxidation In Ethanol Response: A Candidate Gene Study Using Caenorhabditis Elegans, Harini Pallikarana Tirumala Jan 2017

Role Of Mitochondrial Beta-Oxidation In Ethanol Response: A Candidate Gene Study Using Caenorhabditis Elegans, Harini Pallikarana Tirumala

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the fourth leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and the fifth leading risk factor for premature death and disability, globally. There are currently very few treatment options for AUD and there is a need for effective preventive and treatment strategies for this condition. AUD risk has a significant hereditary component, with the contribution of genetic factors being estimated to be about 50%. The Davies-Bettinger laboratory uses C. elegans as a model organism to study the contribution of genetic factors in modulating neuronal responses to ethanol. In this project, we examined the role …


Alpha6 Beta2 Subunit Containing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Contributions To Abuse-Related Effects Of Nicotine And Alcohol, Alexandra M. Stafford Jan 2017

Alpha6 Beta2 Subunit Containing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Contributions To Abuse-Related Effects Of Nicotine And Alcohol, Alexandra M. Stafford

Theses and Dissertations

Pharmacotherapies for tobacco and alcohol cessation are only modestly successful, so it is important to better understand mechanisms underlying their use and abuse. The overarching goal of this research is to assess a6b2 subunit containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (a6b2*nAChR; *denotes possible assembly with other subunits) contributions to abuse-related effects of nicotine and alcohol. In the absence of a6b2*nAChR-selective agonists, a6b2*nAChR gain-of-function (a6L9’S) mice provide a tool for selective activation of a6b2*nAChRs. Using the a6L9’S mice together with nicotine doses sub-threshold for stimulation of native nAChRs, these studies tested the hypothesis that activation of a6b2*nAChRs is sufficient to promote neurochemical and …