This is a supplemental proposal to the Consortium for the Integrative Neuroscience Initiative on Alcoholism? West (INIA) (original RFA: AA-01-002) to provide funds for an innovative project important the goals of INIA west. The overall goals of the Consortium are to identify the molecular, cellular, and behavioral neuroadaptations that occur in specific brain neurocircuitries that result in excessive alcohol consumption. More specifically, the focus of this multidisciplinary initiative is on the molecular and cellular neuroadaptations in the brain reward circuits responsible for the individual differences in vulnerability to the excessive consumption of alcohol. The proposed studies of the supplement provide highly innovative molecular biological approaches to two key INIA-related questions, namely where ethanol acts to produce dependence and which genes are implicated in this process. To accomplish these goals specific ethanol- activated brain sites using innovative reporter mouse models visualizing neuronal activation in vivo will be identified (Specific Aim 1) and novel genes regulated by alcohol in the extended amygdala will be identified (Specific Aim 2) using highly innovative, novel molecular biological approaches and established INIA west models of excessive ethanol intake. In addition, an NIH/INSERM International Associated laboratory between the Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders chaired by George Koob (The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA) and the Department of Neurobiology directed by Brigitte Kieffer (IGBCM, Strasbourg, France) will be established. The Kieffer and Koob laboratories have engaged in a highly successful collaboration for more than 10 years and have published together extensively lending support for the proposed extension of their ongoing collaboration. The proposed studies will further the goals of the INIA west consortium by providing not only exciting and unique novel scientific approaches but also by recruiting new talented investigators to the study of neurobiology of alcohol abuse disorders.
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