Our particular interest is to explore the mechanism of action of thyrotropin releasing hormone and corticotrophin releasing factor in the vagal regulation of gastrointestinal function. Our focus also relates to establishing the role and mechanism of action of CRF in stress-related alteration of gastric function and how gut peptides and leptin influence vagal afferent activity. Other studies are directed at establishing the interactions between the immune and gastrointestinal systems, particularly the role of interleukin-1 acting at hypothalamic sites to inhibit gastric acid secretion and emptying. The overall focus of our research program is understanding the role of neuroendocrine factors, both developmental and adult, in mediating adaptive responses to stress, and in the etiology of alcoholism. To this end, we use ontogenetic studies to determine how developmental insults, such as prenatal alcohol exposure, affect CNS development and produce long-term neuroendocrine, neuroimmunological and neurobehavioral consequences.
Studies are also underway to define mechanisms for the actions of alcohol on neoplasia and immunity.
Our work explores cellular and molecular mechanisms that control hormone secretion and reproductive behaviors, using the neuroendocrine bag cells of Aplysia as a model system. We are studying the relative contributions of calcium from extracellular fluid and intracellular stores in regulating neurosecretion. We are also investigating the signal transduction mechanisms that mediate the effects of membrane excitation on neurosecretion. Techniques that are currently used in the laboratory to address these issues include electrophysiology, radioimmunoassay, Western and Northern Blot analyses, autoradiography, cell culture, and optical measurement of calcium. Our laboratory is interested in how social behaviors affect neuronal plasticity at sites responsible for learning in an Australian songbird, the zebra finch, and in an African cichlid fish.