Arts & Sciences Events
[PAST EVENT] "Presynaptic Action of Opioids in the preBötzinger Complex " (Advisor: Del Negro)
Opioid drugs claim the lives of tens of thousands of people each year. The primary cause of death due to opioid drugs is respiratory depression, which occurs when opioid drugs bind receptors expressed on neurons belonging to a brainstem site called the preBötzinger Complex (preBötC) that generates the rhythm for breath. Yet, the mechanism by which opioids act upon preBötC neurons is poorly understood. Excitatory neurotransmission is known to be crucial for the ordinary functioning of the preBötC, so we asked the question: Do opioid drugs dampen excitatory neurotransmitter release? To answer this question, we made whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and monitored synaptic input and how it changed in the presence of opioid drugs. We find that opioid drugs do, in fact, dampen excitatory neurotransmitter release.
Sponsored by: Applied Science
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Caroline Semmelmeier 757-221-3530