A Neurohistology Core will be created as a resource for the proposed MA (Integrated Neuroscience Initiative in Alcoholism). The Neurohistology Core will support highly integrated multidisciplinary research across different research institutions (University of Tennessee Health Science Center, University of Memphis, Vanderbilt University) that will study the effects of stress on alcoholism. While the various U01 Projects will explore the bases and mechanisms of the interaction between stress and alcoholism, this will be accomplished by integrating studies of various aspects of neurobiological, behavioral, and molecular genetic factors in alcoholism. The proposed U41A will develop collaborations between scientists in the alcohol field and established investigators from other research areas. This will result in the application of new ideas and technology to the study of the role of stress in alcoholism. To support this extensive research collaboration, the Neurohistology Core will be created to process brain tissue for each U01 project, to facilitate the analyses of consequences and predictors of alcoholism for each grant project. The Neurohistology Core will consist of a centralized equipment facility with trained, experienced staff members. Investigators will provide either live animals for perfusion, or else brain tissue specimens for sectioning and morphological analyses. The Staff of the Core will determine the needs of each investigator for tissue analyses. The Core will section tissue samples according to specifications, and then process tissue for either Histological stains or immunocytochemistry. Tissue preparation will be geared to light microscope and confocal laser scanning microscope examination. Multiple staining or multiple immunocytochemical labeling will be available. The Core Staff will maintain early contact with each investigator regarding appropriateness of the material being prepared, and then will contact each investigator regarding the progress of the tissue preparation. The Core Staff will perform preliminary image analyses to facilitate each investigator's in-depth analyses. The final product produced by the Core will be tissue sections on microscope slides with appropriate coding to track each case. A database will be maintained in the Core to assure accuracy of data analyses.
