Cynthia Moreton Kuhn
Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology
Overview
This laboratory uses a multidisciplinary approach using both animal and model systems to study the biology of addiction and stress/depression. We are specifically interested in how adolescence and the hormonal changes of puberty and aging influence vulnerability to these conditions. Specific projects underway include: (1) the biology of sex differences in addictive drug action, (2) role of maturing dopamine systems in the onset of drug taking during adolescence, (3) the neurobiology of adolescent insensitivity to threat and its role in drug use.
Studies of sex differences focus on understanding estrogen and testosterone actions in the brain that are relevant to addiction, depression and stress-related behaviors. We are particularly interested in molecular targets of estrogen action including key proteins that regulate dopamine neurons and the stress peptide CRF. Current projects include the role of glucocorticoid and reproductive hormones in alcohol and opioid dependence in adolescence. Adolescent studies are exploring the impact of maturing dopamine systems as well as cortical inhibition of these systems on novelty-seeking/risk taking as predictors of substance abuse vulnerability as well as responses to addictive drugs.
In addition to these animal studies, we collaborate actively with clinicians in psychiatry who are studying addiction and stress-related illness in humans, and participate in development of drug-abuse education and general neuroscience education materials for students, parents and other members of the lay public.
Selected Grants
Pharmacological Sciences Training Grant awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 2020 to 2025
Duke University Program in Environmental Health awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 2013 to 2024
Duke CTSA (TL1) awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 2018 to 2023
Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 2002 to 2022
Medical Scientist Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 1997 to 2022
Pharmacological Sciences Training Program awarded by National Institutes of Health (Principal Investigator). 1975 to 2020
Organization and Function of Cellular Structure awarded by National Institutes of Health (Mentor). 1975 to 2020
Simultaneous and Bidirectional Chemogenetic Control of Mesolimbic and Nigrostriatal Circuits awarded by National Institutes of Health (Co Investigator). 2018 to 2020
Pharmacology Industry Internships for Ph.D. Students awarded by American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (Principal Investigator). 2017 to 2019
Duke University Program in Environmental Health awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Mentor). 2013 to 2019
Pages
Simon, S. A., and A. L. N. Miguel. Series Preface. 2010, p. xi. Scopus, doi:10.1201/9781420007350. Full Text
Robinson, D. L., et al. “The role of sex in the persistent effects of adolescent alcohol exposure on behavior and neurobiology in rodents.” International Review of Neurobiology, 2021. Scopus, doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2021.07.007. Full Text
Walker, C. D., et al. “The effects of peri-adolescent alcohol use on the developing hippocampus.” International Review of Neurobiology, 2021. Scopus, doi:10.1016/bs.irn.2021.08.003. Full Text
Reavis, Zackery W., et al. “Correction to: Sex and race differences of cerebrospinal fluid metabolites in healthy individuals.” Metabolomics, vol. 17, no. 6, June 2021, p. 56. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s11306-021-01809-z. Full Text
Brummett, Beverly H., et al. “Correction to: Effects of Environmental Stress and Gender on Associations among Symptoms of Depression and the Serotonin Transporter Gene Linked Polymorphic Region (5-HTTLPR).” Behav Genet, vol. 51, no. 2, Mar. 2021, p. 162. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s10519-020-10029-5. Full Text
Brummett, Beverly H., et al. “Correction to: 5-HTTLPR and Gender Moderate Changes in Negative Affect Responses to Tryptophan Infusion.” Behav Genet, vol. 51, no. 2, Mar. 2021, p. 163. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s10519-020-10030-y. Full Text
Reavis, Zackery W., et al. “Sex and race differences of cerebrospinal fluid metabolites in healthy individuals.” Metabolomics, vol. 17, no. 2, Jan. 2021, p. 13. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s11306-020-01757-0. Full Text
Jiang, Rong, et al. “Corrigendum to "Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism interacts with gender to influence cortisol responses to mental stress" [Psychoneuroendocrinology 79 (2017) (May) 13-19].” Psychoneuroendocrinology, vol. 121, Nov. 2020, p. 104861. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104861. Full Text
Brummett, B. H., et al. “Corrigendum to "Socioeconomic status moderates associations between CNS serotonin and expression of beta2-integrins CD11b and CD11c" [J. Psychiatr Res. (2010) 44:373-377].” J Psychiatr Res, vol. 126, July 2020, p. 142. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.11.003. Full Text
St John, Ashley L., et al. “Novel mucosal adjuvant, mastoparan-7, improves cocaine vaccine efficacy.” Npj Vaccines, vol. 5, no. 1, 2020, p. 12. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/s41541-020-0161-1. Full Text Open Access Copy
Fleming, Weston, et al. “Withdrawal from Brief Repeated Alcohol Treatment in Adolescent and Adult Male and Female Rats.” Alcohol Clin Exp Res, vol. 43, no. 2, Feb. 2019, pp. 204–11. Pubmed, doi:10.1111/acer.13936. Full Text
Boyle, Stephen H., et al. “The Effects of Tryptophan Enhancement and Depletion on Plasma Catecholamine Levels in Healthy Individuals.” Psychosom Med, vol. 81, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 34–40. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000000637. Full Text
Babinski, Leslie M., et al. “Impact of a Neuroscience-Based Health Education Course on High School Students' Health Knowledge, Beliefs, and Behaviors.” J Adolesc Health, vol. 63, no. 4, Oct. 2018, pp. 489–96. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.05.016. Full Text
Pages
Bernanke, Alyssa, et al. “Sex Differences in Conditioned Taste Aversion.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 45, no. SUPPL 1, 2020, pp. 91–91.
Bernanke, Alyssa, et al. “Sex Differences in Conditioned Taste Aversion.” Biological Psychiatry, vol. 87, no. 9, 2020, pp. S221–S221.
Reavis, Zackery W., et al. “EIGHT-MONTH STABILITY OF PLASMA EPINEPHRINE AND CORTISOL IN FASTED ADULTS AT BASELINE AND IN RESPONSE TO A GLUCOSE BOLUS.” Psychosomatic Medicine, vol. 81, no. 4, LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 2019, pp. A41–42.
Georgiades, Anastasia, et al. “EPINEPHRINE, CORTISOL AND NON-ESTERIFIED FATTY ACID LEVELS DURING AN INTRAVENOUS GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACUTE INSULIN RESPONSE (AIR), AN EARLY RISK MARKER FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES.” Psychosomatic Medicine, vol. 81, no. 4, LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 2019, pp. A42–A42.
Kuhn, Cynthia, et al. “Rapastinel, a Nonopioid Pharmacotherapy for Opioid Dependence?” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 43, NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, 2018, pp. S221–22.
Georgiades, Anastasia, et al. “REDUCED ADRENAL MEDULLARY ACTIVITY MAY BE IMPORTANT FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF NORMAL GLUCOSE REGULATION IN THE OBESE STATE.” Psychosomatic Medicine, vol. 80, no. 3, LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, 2018, pp. A65–A65.
Kuhn, Cynthia, et al. “Conditioned Food Avoidance in Adolescence: A Contributor to Eating Disorders?” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 42, NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, 2017, pp. S151–S151.
Sun, Julia, et al. “MENTAL STRESS-INDUCED PLATELET AGGREGATION PREDICTS ADVERSE CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME IN ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE PATIENTS ON DUAL ANTIPLATELET THERAPY.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 67, no. 13, Elsevier BV, 2016, pp. 2159–2159. Crossref, doi:10.1016/s0735-1097(16)32160-x. Full Text
Kuhn, Cynthia. “Adenosine Regulation of Dopamine Release and Behavior in Adolescent Rats.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 40, NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, 2015, pp. S54–55.
Kuhn, Cynthia, et al. “Ethanol Withdrawal in Adolescent and Adult Rats.” Neuropsychopharmacology, vol. 40, NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP, 2015, pp. S463–S463.