Mentor/s:
Cristina Velázquez-Marrero, PhD
Co-Mentor:
Xiany X. Lay-Rivera, Doctoral Student
Project Title:
Vulnerability to Stress and Alcohol: The Role of Estrous Cycle and Baseline Anxiety
Project Description:
This study explores how females exhibit greater biological and behavioral vulnerability to stress and alcohol use, creating a reinforcing cycle that heightens the risk for both. It investigates how early alcohol exposure and hormonal fluctuations across the estrous cycle influence anxiety and fear learning in female mice. Using behavioral tests like the open field test and fear conditioning paradigms, researchers will compare females with or without a history of binge-like alcohol exposure to their male counterparts. The goal is to uncover the neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to the increased female-specific risk for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and stress-related disorders.