Matthew Ford
Postdoctoral Fellow, Behavioral Neuroscience, OHSU
e-mail:: fordma@ohsu.edu
Major Areas Neurobiology of ethanol intake and reward; behavioral pharmacology of neurosteroids.
Education
BA (1996) Bucknell University
PhD (2002) Wake Forest University
Research Interests The primary focus of my research involves the examination of the neurobiological and reinforcing effects of ethanol and other drugs of abuse. I am addressing hypotheses related to this research focus by utilizing a combination of behavioral, neurochemical, and molecular methodologies under the direction of Dr. Deborah Finn. At the behavioral level, I have adopted a two-prong approach to explore the role of neurosteroids in the modulation (regulation) of ethanol consumption patterns and ethanol-reinforced behavior. In a 2-bottle choice model, I am assessing the effects of GABAergic steroids on ethanol consumption patterns at the level of bout microarchitecture. In a separate operant paradigm that procedurally separates appetitive and consummatory phases, I am examining neurosteroid effects on ethanol-reinforced responding in food- and water-satiated mice. My findings suggest that GABAA receptor active neurosteroids may modulate the regulatory processes that govern the onset, maintenance, and termination of drinking episodes. GABAA receptor agonist steroids (e.g., allopregnanolone) appear to promote the onset of ethanol consumption early within a limited access drinking session and blunted the maintenance of intakes whereas partial agonist/antagonist steroids (e.g., epipregnanolone) delay the onset of ethanol intake. This line of research is currently focused on identifying underlying brain reward circuitry associated with neurosteroid effects on ethanol intake, and involves microinjection of various neurosteroids into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and other site-specific brain regions.
At the neurochemical level, I am collaborating with Dr. Gregory Mark to employ a microdialysis technique to identify the mechanism(s) through which neuroactive steroids modulate ethanol consumption behavior. Delineating the effects of neuroactive steroids and steroid-ethanol interactions on extracellular dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and other brain reward pathway components is currently underway.
At the molecular level, I am collaborating with Dr. Kristine Wiren to identify changes in gene expression profiles that occur within the hypothalamus in response to chronic ethanol self-administration. Microarray and real-time RT-PCR methodologies are being utilized in this effort.
Selected Recent Publications
Ford MM, Eldridge JC, Samson HH (2004) Determination of an estradiol dose-response relationship in the modulation of ethanol intake. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 28:20-28.
Finn DA, Ford MM, Wiren KM, Roselli CE, Crabbe JC (2004) The role of pregnane neurosteroids in ethanol withdrawal: behavioral genetic approaches. Pharmacol Ther 101:91-112.
Finn DA, Sinnott RS, Ford MM, Long SL, Tanchuck MA, Phillips TJ (2004) Sex differences in the effect of ethanol injection and consumption on brain allopregananolone levels in C57BL/6 mice. Neuroscience 123: 813-819.
Ford MM, Eldridge JC, Samson HH (2002) Ethanol consumption in the female Long-Evans rat: a modulatory role of estradiol. Alcohol 26:103-113.
Ford MM, Eldridge JC, Samson HH (2002) Microanalysis of ethanol self-administration: estrous cycle phase-related changes in consumption patterns. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 26:635-643.