Chandler Laboratory

The major focus our research group is to investigate how drugs of abuse lead to changes in brain function that underlie impaired decision-making and behavioral control. We are particularly interested in understanding the effect of alcohol exposure on the executive function of the prefrontal cortex.

Research:
Research in the Chandler Lab seeks to understand the fundamental processes that underlie the plasticity of the nervous system. In particular, we are investigating how the brain changes and adapts in response exposure to drugs of abuse and alcohol. Plasticity refers to the ability of the brain to undergo both structural and functional changes. It is a necessary process that allows us to adapt and learn from our environment and is fundamental to our survival.

However, under certain conditions, these neuroadaptive responses can have adverse consequences. Increasing evidence indicates that plastic processes are co-opted by drugs of abuse, leading to addiction and associated drug-seeking behaviors. A particular focus of our studies is how alcohol abuse during either adolescence or adulthood alters cognitive control of behavior by the prefrontal cortex to promote the transition from controlled, social drinking to uncontrolled drinking in spite of negative consequences. Our funded research projects include investigating how alcohol abuse during adolescence may alter a person's ability to successfully cope with a traumatic event later in life that can lead to PTSD and abuse of alcohol. Our research employs a wide variety of approaches that include molecular and cellular techniques, confocal analysis of synaptic organization, in-vitro and in-vivo electrophysiology, optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulations of neuronal circuits, and a variety of operant and non-operant behavioral paradigms.

Team:
Judson Chandler, Ph.D.: Professor
Daniel Obray, Ph.D.: postdoc
Todd Nentwig, Ph.D.: postdoc
Jordan Logue, Ph.D.: postdoc
Heyam Mayberry: graduate student
Erik Wilkes: research technician
Sara Moussa: research technician


Chandler Laboratory Recent Publications (2020-current):  
Adolescent alcohol exposure alters threat avoidance in adulthood. Landin JD & Chandler LJ. Front Behav Neurosci. Jan 25;16:1098343, 2023.

Involvement of cortical input to the rostromedial tegmental nucleus in aversion to foot shock. Glover EJ, Starr EM, Gascon A, Clayton-Stiglbauer K, Amegashie CL, Selchick AH, Vaughan DT, Wayman WN, Woodward JJ, & Chandler LJ. Neuropsychopharm. May 23. doi: 10.1038/s41386-023-01612-5, 2023.

Adolescent alcohol exposure reduces dopamine 1 receptor modulation of prelimbic neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens and basolateral amygdala. Obray JD, Landin, JD, Vaughan DT, Scofield MD, Chandler, LJ. Addict Neurosci. Dec;4:100044, 2022.

The lateral habenula is not required for ethanol dependence-induced escalation of drinking. Nentwig TB, Vaughan DT, Braunscheidel KM, Browning BD, Woodward JJ, Chandler LJ. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2022 Jun 18. doi: 10.1038/s41386-022-01357-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35717465.

Behavioral and slice electrophysiological assessment of DREADD ligand, deschloroclozapine (DCZ) in rats. Nentwig TB, Obray JD, Vaughan DT, Chandler LJ. Sci Rep. 2022 Apr 21;12(1):6595. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-10668-0. PMID: 35449195; PMCID: PMC9023443.

Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Results in Sex-specific Alterations in Conditioned Fear Learning and Memory in Adulthood. Chandler LJ, Vaughan DT, Gass JT. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 8;13:837657. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.837657. PMID: 35211024; PMCID: PMC8861326.

The role of sex in the persistent effects of adolescent alcohol exposure on behavior and neurobiology in rodents. Robinson DL, Amodeo LR, Chandler LJ, Crews FT, Ehlers CL, Gómez-A A, Healey KL, Kuhn CM, Macht VA, Marshall SA, Swartzwelder HS, Varlinskaya EI, Werner DF. Int Rev Neurobiol. 2021;160:305-340. doi: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.07.007. Epub 2021 Aug 11. PMID: 34696877; PMCID: PMC8672816.

Impact of sex, strain, and age on blood ethanol concentration and behavioral signs of intoxication during ethanol vapor exposure. Glover EJ, Khan F, Clayton-Stiglbauer K, Chandler LJ. Neuropharmacology. 2021 Feb 15;184:108393. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108393. Epub 2020 Nov 19. PMID: 33221480; PMCID: PMC7855756.

Chronic intermittent ethanol and lipopolysaccharide exposure differentially alter Iba1-derived microglia morphology in the prelimbic cortex and nucleus accumbens core of male Long-Evans rats. Siemsen BM, Landin JD, McFaddin JA, Hooker KN, Chandler LJ, Scofield MD. J Neurosci Res. 2021 Aug;99(8):1922-1939. doi: 10.1002/jnr.24683. Epub 2020 Jul 3. PMID: 32621337; PMCID: PMC7779701.

Selective Deficits in Contingency-Driven Ethanol Seeking Following Chronic Ethanol Exposure in Male Mice. Barker JM, Bryant KG, Montiel-Ramos A, Goldwasser B, Chandler LJ. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2020 Sep;44(9):1896-1905. doi: 10.1111/acer.14418. Epub 2020 Aug 20. PMID: 32735737; PMCID: PMC8686207.

Effects of Ethanol on Plasma Ghrelin levels in the Rat During Early and Late Adolescence. Healey KL, Landin JD, Dubester K, Kibble S, Marquardt K, Brutman JN, Davis JF, Swartzwelder HS, Chandler LJ. Alcohol. 2020 Jan 7. pii: S0741-8329(19)30042-4. doi: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.12.006. [Epub ahead of print]

For more information on the work we do in our lab, please visit https://sites.google.com/view/chandlerlab-musc