The ability of alcohol (ethanol) to produce internal stimuli that direct appropriate behavior (i.e., discriminative stimuli) and maintain ethanol consumption (i.e., reinforcing stimuli) are fundamental processes postulated to be important for both normal drinking and excessive chronic alcohol use. However, how these ethanol stimulus effects are mediated within the central nervous system remains unclear. Work done by members of the proposed Center have elucidated several candidate neurobehavioral systems but a continued coordinated effort is needed to provide for the integration of the data from the molecular to the behavioral level of analysis. Using this already developed alcohol research team, the goals of the Center can be achieved.
The Specific Aims are: 1. Provide an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to study ethanol's discriminative and reinforcing stimulus effects. 2. Provide a national resource for the dissemination of research findings and training in the area of neurobehavioral analysis of ethanol's stimulus effects related to alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
These aims are to be accomplished through the functions of an Administrative, Animal and Pilot Cores, and 5 projects which range from the molecular through the cellular to the behavioral levels of analysis.
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