Publications by authors named "Benjamin L Clites"
Differences in naïve alcohol sensitivity between individuals are a strong predictor of later life alcohol use disorders (AUD). However, the genetic bases for alcohol sensitivity (beyond ethanol metabolism) and pharmacological approaches to modulate alcohol sensitivity remain poorly understood. We used a high-throughput behavioral screen to measure acute behavioral sensitivity to alcohol, a model of intoxication, in a genetically diverse set of over 150 wild strains of the nematode .
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- The text discusses the need for new medical treatments for alcohol use disorders, highlighting the potential of exploring molecular targets for alcohol response.
- It emphasizes that previous studies have focused primarily on lab animals, neglecting how different species have evolved to handle alcohol in their environments.
- The authors suggest that examining the evolutionary changes in alcohol metabolism, particularly in primates and in relation to agricultural practices, could lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for treating alcohol-related issues.
Diverse animals ranging from worms and insects to birds and turtles perform impressive journeys using the magnetic field of the earth as a cue. Although major cellular and molecular mechanisms for sensing mechanical and chemical cues have been elucidated over the past three decades, the mechanisms that animals use to sense magnetic fields remain largely mysterious. Here we survey progress on the search for magnetosensory neurons and magnetosensitive molecules important for animal behaviors.
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