Brady Atwood, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology

E-MAIL: [email protected]


Advising Statement 
 

Research Interests:

The Atwood laboratory is focused on understanding the functions of specific connections, known as synapses, between brain cells and how these functions are impacted by exposure to addictive drugs like opioids, and alcohol. Synapses are the principal sites of information transfer between cells. Synaptic transmission determines animal behavior and is highly changeable. The process of synapses changing is called synaptic plasticity. This synaptic plasticity allows for an individual’s learning and adaptation to their environment. However, many disease states can alter synaptic plasticity, which can negatively influence both learning and behavior. The Atwood laboratory uses a multidisciplinary approach, from molecular analyses to studies of animal behavior, to elucidate the function of specific synapses in brain circuits that influence behaviors that control consumption of addictive drugs. They are most interested in how binge alcohol drinking affects the brain and how prenatal opioid exposure impacts neurobehavioral development and function.

The overarching goal of the laboratory is to perform mechanistic studies to determine exactly how alcohol and opioids alter synaptic plasticity. This approach aims to identify pharmacological, genetic, and technological approaches to mitigate the harm the drugs produced or to reverse the effects of the drugs altogether. Current lab projects are focused on combining genetic manipulations with small medical devices to reduce binge alcohol drinking, anti-tauopathy approaches to reduce opioid use, and adrenergic system-targeted treatments for mitigating the harms of prenatal opioid exposure.

Publications

  • Muñoz B, Fritz BM, Yin F, Atwood BK.  Alcohol exposure disrupts mu opioid receptor-mediated long-term depression at insular cortex inputs to dorsolateral striatum. Nature Communications. 9(1):1318 (2018). PMID: 29615610.
  • Muñoz B, Haggerty DL, Atwood BK. Synapse-specific expression of mu opioid receptor long-term depression in the dorsomedial striatum. Scientific Reports. 10(1):7234 (2020). PMID: 32350330
  • Grecco GG, Mork B, Huang JY, Metzger CE, Haggerty DL, Reeves KC, Gao Y, Hoffman H, Katner SN, Masters AR, Morris CW, Newell EA, Baucum, AJ Engleman EA, Kim J, Yamamoto BK, Allen MR, Wu YC, Lu HC, Sheets PL, Atwood BK. Prenatal Methadone Exposure Disrupts Behavioral Development and Alters Motor Neuron Intrinsic Properties and Local Circuitry. eLife. 10:e66230 (2021). PMID: 33724184.
  • Grecco GG, Haggerty DL, Reeves KC, Gao Y, Maulucci D, Atwood BK. Prenatal Opioid Exposure Reprograms the Behavioral Response to Future Alcohol Reward. Addiction Biology. 27(2):e13136 (2022). PMID: 35229956
  • Grecco GG, Munoz B, Viana Di Prisco G, Doud EH, Fritz BM, Maulucci D, Gao Y, Moseley AL, Baucum AJ, Atwood BK. Prenatal opioid exposure impairs endocannabinoid and glutamate transmission in the dorsal striatum. eNeuro. 9(2):ENEURO.0119-22.2022 (2022). PMID: 35396255
  • Grecco GG, Huang JY, Muñoz B, Doud EH, Hines CD, Gao Y, Rodriguez B, Moseley AL, Lu H-C, Atwood BK. Sex-Dependent Synaptic Remodeling of the Somatosensory Cortex in Mice With Prenatal Methadone Exposure. Advances in Drug and Alcohol Research. doi.org/10.3389/adar.2022.10400 (2022). PMID: 37829495 
  • Haggerty DL, Muñoz B, Pennington T, Viana Di Prisco G, Grecco GG, Fritz BM, Atwood BK. The role of anterior insular cortex inputs to dorsolateral striatum in binge alcohol drinking. eLife. 11:e77411 (2022). PMID: 36098397
  • Muñoz B, Fritz BM, Yin F, Atwood BK.  HCN1 channels mediate mu opioid receptor long-term depression at insular cortex inputs to the dorsal striatum. Journal of Physiology. 600(22):4917-4938 (2022). PMID: 36181477
  • Haggerty DL, Grecco GG, Huang JY, Doud EH, Moseley AL, Lu H-C, Atwood BK. Prenatal methadone exposure selectively alters protein expression in primary motor cortex: implications for synaptic function. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 14:1124108 (2023). PMID: 36817148.
  • Muñoz B, Atwood BK. A novel inhibitory corticostriatal circuit that expresses mu opioid receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity. Neuropharmacology. 1:240:109696 (2023). PMID: 37659438 Contribution: Oversaw project. Participated in experimental design and writing manuscript.
  • Haggerty DL, Atwood BK. Sex-dependent engagement of anterior insular cortex inputs to the dorsolateral striatum in binge alcohol drinking. eLife. Accepted. 2024 Contribution: Oversaw project. Participated in experimental design and writing manuscript.
Brady Atwood