Publications by authors named "D Winder"
Article Synopsis
- Sleep and arousal disorders are common, influenced by the locus coeruleus and wake-promoting neurons in the ventral periaqueductal gray (vPAG), yet the exact mechanisms of wakefulness remain unclear.
- The study employs genetic techniques, calcium imaging, and behavioral tests in mice to examine how astrocytic alpha-1 adrenergic receptors (αARs) affect neuron activity through adenosine signaling.
- Results show that activating αARs boosts calcium activity and excitability in vPAG neurons, while blocking adenosine receptors hampers this wake-promoting function, highlighting the essential role of astrocytic αARs in maintaining arousal.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant global health issue. Despite historically higher rates among men, AUD prevalence and negative alcohol-related outcomes in women are rising. Loneliness in humans has been associated with increased alcohol use, and traditional rodent drinking models involve single housing, presenting challenges for studying social enrichment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnderstanding sex differences in disease prevalence is critical to public health, particularly in the context of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The goal of this study was to understand sex differences in ethanol drinking behavior and define the precise conditions under which sex differences emerge. Consistent with prior work, C57BL/6J females drank more than males under continuous access two-bottle choice conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBed nucleus of the stria terminalis network responses to unpredictable threat in early alcohol abstinence.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken)
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- Anxiety during early alcohol abstinence is linked to neural changes that increase relapse rates, specifically involving the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and its connections to anxiety-related brain regions.
- A study compared brain function between individuals in early abstinence (EA group) and healthy controls (HC group) using a threat task, revealing significant differences in brain activation and connectivity related to anxiety levels and sex.
- Findings suggest that early abstinence is associated with heightened BNST activation and altered brain connectivity patterns, highlighting the importance of the BNST in anxiety and providing insights into the effects of chronic alcohol use on the brain.
Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic, relapsing disease, highly comorbid with anxiety and depression. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and Crh+ neurons in this region play a key role in chronic ethanol-induced increases in volitional intake, hypothesized to be driven by emergent negative affective behaviors. Excitatory N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are a major target of ethanol, and chronic ethanol exposure has been shown to regulate NMDAR function and expression.
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