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

Psychology Commons

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

2018

Neuroscience and Neurobiology

Theses/Dissertations

University of Vermont

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Psychology

Intra-Cellular Mechanisms By Which Pac1 Receptor Activation Mediates Stress-Induced Reinstatement To Drug-Seeking, Olivia Miles Jan 2018

Intra-Cellular Mechanisms By Which Pac1 Receptor Activation Mediates Stress-Induced Reinstatement To Drug-Seeking, Olivia Miles

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

The abuse of and addiction to drugs of abuse, such as tobacco, alcohol, opioids, and illicit drugs, are growing global problems that affect the welfare of individuals and societies worldwide. The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimates the annual cost of substance abuse to be over $740 billion in costs related to drug intoxication, withdrawal and relapse. A primary challenge in the treatment of substance abuse is the tendency of users to relapse following acute or extended periods of abstinence; on average over 60% of substance abusers will return to drug use within a year of receiving treatment, many relapsing …


Examining The Roles Of Sex, Methamphetamine, And Degree Of Training In Habit Formation In Rats, Hannah Schoenberg Jan 2018

Examining The Roles Of Sex, Methamphetamine, And Degree Of Training In Habit Formation In Rats, Hannah Schoenberg

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Addiction is characterized by a progressive loss of executive control over drug-seeking and consumption, and may be associated with a behavioral shift from instrumental goal-directed actions to stimulus-response habits. Sex differences in drug addiction have been linked to changing hormone levels across the estrous cycle, and females exhibit a particular vulnerability to psychostimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines. Psychostimulants and estrogen both influence dopaminergic activity in the dorsal striatum, a region of the brain in which dopamine activity is thought to mediate the shift from action to habit. In the present set of experiments, we examined the roles of sex, …