Abstract

The proposed experiments will investigate individual differences in anxiety and the role of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in these differences. In addition, the relationship of NPY to anxiety and the anxiolytic and sedative effects of ethanol. In the proposed experiments, individual differences in anxiety levels will be determined by % time spent on the open arms of the elevated plus maze, and differences in NPY mRNA levels and NPY receptor densities will be assessed 'anxious' and 'non-anxious' rats.
AIM 2 will investigate the effects of herpes virus mediated overexpression and underexpression of amygdalar NPY on anxiety-related behaviors in the elevated plus maze test. A time course of herpes virus mediated increases and decreases in NPY gene expression and NPY like immunoreactivity will be assessed using in situ hybridization and radioimmunoassays. Overexpression of amygdalar NPY is expected to reduce anxiety in this test.
AIM 3 will investigate the effects of herpes virus mediated overexpression and underexpression of NPY on the anxiolytic and sedative effects of ethanol preference. Increased amygdalar NPY gene expression is expected to potentiate the anxiolytic and sedative effects of ethanol. Decreased amygdalar NPY gene expression is expected to attenuate the anxiolytic and sedative effects of ethanol.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
7F32AA014310-02
Application #
6807265
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAA1-GG (01))
Program Officer
Egli, Mark
Project Start
2003-08-02
Project End
2005-08-01
Budget Start
2003-08-02
Budget End
2004-08-01
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$46,420
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Lsu Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Department
Type
Organized Research Units
DUNS #
611012324
City
Baton Rouge
State
LA
Country
United States
Zip Code
70808

  Publications

Primeaux, Stefany D; Barnes, Maria J; Bray, George A (2007) Olfactory bulbectomy increases food intake and hypothalamic neuropeptide Y in obesity-prone but not obesity-resistant rats. Behav Brain Res 180:190-6
Primeaux, Stefany D; Wilson, Steven P; Bray, George A et al. (2006) Overexpression of neuropeptide Y in the central nucleus of the amygdala decreases ethanol self-administration in ""anxious"" rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 30:791-801
Primeaux, Stefany D; York, David A; Bray, George A (2006) Neuropeptide Y administration into the amygdala alters high fat food intake. Peptides 27:1644-51
Primeaux, Stefany D; Wilson, Steven P; Cusick, Michael C et al. (2005) Effects of altered amygdalar neuropeptide Y expression on anxiety-related behaviors. Neuropsychopharmacology 30:1589-97