QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, April 25, 2007, 27(17):4541-4551; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0305-07.2007

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Data Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in J. Neurosci. Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (15) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Urizar, N. L. Articles by Davis, R. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Urizar, N. L. Articles by Davis, R. L.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Cellular/Molecular
Drosophila Homer Is Required in a Small Set of Neurons Including the Ellipsoid Body for Normal Ethanol Sensitivity and Tolerance

Nancy L. Urizar,¹ Zhiyong Yang,¹ Howard J. Edenberg,³ and Ronald L. Davis^1,2

Departments of ¹Molecular and Cellular Biology and ²Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, and ³Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Center for Medical Genomics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Ronald L. Davis at the above address. Email: rdavis{at}bcm.tmc.edu

The molecular mechanisms occurring in the nervous system that underlie behavioral responses to ethanol remain poorly understood. Here, we report that molecular requirements for two of these responses, initial sensitivity and the development of rapid tolerance, comap to the same small set of neurons. We show that null homer mutant flies exhibit both increased sensitivity to the sedative effects of ethanol and failure to develop normal levels of rapid tolerance. Both the sensitivity and rapid tolerance phenotypes of the homer mutants are rescued by the expression of wild-type homer in a subset of neurons that include the ellipsoid body. Thus, some of the molecular- and systems-level requirements for these two behavioral responses to ethanol are identical.

Key words: homer; Drosophila; ethanol; sensitivity; tolerance; ellipsoid body

---

Received Jan. 23, 2007; revised March 13, 2007; accepted March 14, 2007.

Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Ronald L. Davis at the above address. Email: rdavis{at}bcm.tmc.edu

Related articles in J. Neurosci.:

This Week in The Journal

J. Neurosci. 2007 27: i. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. K. Cozzoli, S. P. Goulding, P. W. Zhang, B. Xiao, J.-H. Hu, A. W. Ary, I. Obara, A. Rahn, H. Abou-Ziab, B. Tyrrel, et al. Binge Drinking Upregulates Accumbens mGluR5-Homer2-PI3K Signaling: Functional Implications for Alcoholism J. Neurosci., July 8, 2009; 29(27): 8655 - 8668. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Pan, Y. Zhou, C. Guo, H. Gong, Z. Gong, and L. Liu Differential roles of the fan-shaped body and the ellipsoid body in Drosophila visual pattern memory Learn. Mem., April 23, 2009; 16(5): 289 - 295. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help