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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Brigham Young University

2018

Alcohol

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Oprm1 Genotype Interacts With Serotonin System Dysfunction To Predict Alcohol-Heightened Aggression In Primates, Carlos A. Driscoll, Stephen G. Lindell, Melanie L. Schwandt, Stephen J. Suomi, J. Dee Higley, Markus Heilig, Christina S. Barr Nov 2018

Oprm1 Genotype Interacts With Serotonin System Dysfunction To Predict Alcohol-Heightened Aggression In Primates, Carlos A. Driscoll, Stephen G. Lindell, Melanie L. Schwandt, Stephen J. Suomi, J. Dee Higley, Markus Heilig, Christina S. Barr

Faculty Publications

Although the notion that alcohol promotes violence is widespread, not all individuals are aggressive while intoxicated. Genetic variation could be a contributing factor to individual differences in alcohol-heightened aggression. The present study examines the effects of OPRM1C77G genotype on responses to threat in rhesus macaques under normal conditions and following alcohol administration. Prior studies have shown that a low CSF level of 5-HIAA is a trait marker for individuals prone to escalated aggression. We wanted to examine whether the predictive value for this marker on aggression was moderated by OPRM1 genotype. Animals were administered alcohol (BAC 100-200 mg%), were provoked …


Toxoplasma Gondii Seropositivity And Substance Use In Us Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Andrew N. Berrett, Shawn D. Gale, Lance D. Erickson, Evan L. Thacker, Dawson W. Hedges Sep 2018

Toxoplasma Gondii Seropositivity And Substance Use In Us Adults, Bruce L. Brown, Andrew N. Berrett, Shawn D. Gale, Lance D. Erickson, Evan L. Thacker, Dawson W. Hedges

Faculty Publications

The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) infects humans resulting in acute toxoplasmosis, an infection that in immunocompetent people is typically mild but results in persistent latent toxoplasmosis. In that T. gondii appears to affect dopamine synthesis and because addicting drugs affect midbrain dopamine transmission, latent toxoplasmosis could influence substance use. Using both the third and continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we used logistic regression to test for associations between T. gondii seropositivity and subject self-report of having ever used tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine. …


Neuroimmune-Mediated Alcohol Effects On Ventral Tegmental Area Microglia And Infiltrating Leukocytes, Travis Jonathan Clarke Aug 2018

Neuroimmune-Mediated Alcohol Effects On Ventral Tegmental Area Microglia And Infiltrating Leukocytes, Travis Jonathan Clarke

Theses and Dissertations

Microglia are the primary immune cell in the central nervous system and are known as the “resident” macrophages in the central nervous system (CNS). While microglia are classically known as the immune cells of the CNS, their role has more recently been shown to extend far beyond immunity. The effects of ethanol on the brain are closely linked to neuroimmune responses mediated by microglia that are present in the healthy brain from the time of development. Though microglia have been classified as the “resident” immune cells of the CNS, new research suggests that other immune cells may be implicated in …


Neuroimmune-Mediated Alcohol Effects On Ventral Tegmental Area Neurons, Stephanie Bair Williams Apr 2018

Neuroimmune-Mediated Alcohol Effects On Ventral Tegmental Area Neurons, Stephanie Bair Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Dopamine (DA) transmission is a key player in the rewarding aspects of ethanol as well as ethanol dependence. The current dogma is that DA transmission is increased during ethanol via the inhibition of ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABA neurons and that excitation of VTA GABA neurons during withdrawal results in decreased DA transmission. Microglia, the major neuroimmune effector in the brain, may be a key mediator in this process by releasing cytokines following activation. We evaluated the effect of ethanol on cytokine concentrations in the VTA and NAc using a cytometric bead array, and found that low dose ethanol (1.0 …