Project Details
Projekt
Impact of the developing endocannabinoid system in rats on the modulatory influence of stress on adolescent ethanol intake
Applicant
Privatdozentin Dr. Miriam Schneider
Subject Area
Biological Psychiatry
Term
from 2011 to 2015
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 42860621
Puberty has been shown to be a susceptible period for experimental drug use and it is known that the initation of substance abuse, such as alcohol, during this developmental period is strongly associated with later development of addictive behaviors. The ECS plays a key role in determining the reinforcing effects of alcohol and this appears to be especially true for the pubertal period, where the ECS system has been shown to be overactive. Stress is an important factor that is contributing to an individual’s vulnerability to various neuropsychological dysfunctions, including drug abuse. Since most neuropsychiatric disorders emerge during puberty, understanding how exposure to stressors during this period leads to negative consequences is of high importance. Growing evidence indicates that pubertal organisms react different, both physiologically and behaviorally, to a stressor compared to adults; however, the underlying mechanisms have not been clarified. Finally, a close interaction between the ECS system and stress is already well established. With the present proposal we would therefore like to shed light on the mechanisms underlying the heightened influence of stress on the initiation of ethanol intake during puberty/adolescence in rats and investigate the developmental impact of different stressors on ECS functioning.
DFG Programme
Research Units
