Neuroscience Research: Development of animal models that characterize different aspects of alcoholism including tolerance, withdrawal and consumption; development of an mouse model of high alcohol consumption; assessment of the functional and pharmacological role of tolerance in alcohol consumption and subsequent addictive behaviors; behavioral assessment of withdrawal induced states that may lead to relapse; characterization of learning disabilities and aberrant neural development associated with fetal alcohol exposure. Research Interests
My research focuses on a rodent model of human alcohol addiction and its contributing behavioral and physiological factors. In particular, I am interested in the factors that initiate and maintain alcohol abuse and that trigger recidivism. A positive feedback loop exists between alcohol intake and tolerance development such that the neural adaptations that occur (i.e., tolerance) enable and foster excessive alcohol intake. My current work examines and manipulates this feedback loop both pharmacologically and behaviorally. Also, I am conducting studies that assess alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety, which is considered a risk factor for relapse to drug seeking behaviors and abuse.
Published Papers
Cronise, K., Finn, D.A. & Crabbe, J.C. (2004). An alcohol self-administration paradigm resulting in intoxication and tolerance in female C57BL/6J mice. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, submitted
Kleithermes, C.L., Cronise, K. & Crabbe, J.C. (2004). Home cage activity and ingestive behaviors in mice following chronic ethanol vapor. Physiology and Behavior, submitted
Finn, D.A. Belknap, J.K., Cronise, K., Yoneyama, N., Murillo, A. & Crabbe, J.C. (2004). A procedure to produce high alcohol intake in mice. Psychopharmacology, online publication as of yet.
Kleithermes, C.L., Cronise, K. & Crabbe, J.C. (2004). Anxiety-like behavior in mice in two apparatus during withdrawal from chronic ethanol vapor inhalation. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research,29(7), 1012-1019.
Cronise, K., Schlumbohm, J.P., Metten, P. & Crabbe, J.C. (2004). Assessing tolerance to the motor incoordinating effects of alcohol using the grid test. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, in press.
Cronise, K. & Crabbe, J.C. (2004). Murine models of substance and alcohol dependence: unraveling genetic complexities. In: Computational genetics and genomics: tools for understanding complex disease. Peltz (Ed.), Humana Press, Inc., Totowa, NJ.
Lugo, Jr,. J.N., Marino, M., Cronise, K., and Kelly, S.J. (2002) Effects of alcohol exposure during development on social behavior in rats. Physiology and Behavior 78(2):185-194.
Marino M.D., Cronise K., Lugo Jr J.N., and Kelly, S.J. (2002) Ultrasonic vocalizations and maternal-infant interactions in a rat model of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Developmental Psychobiology 41(4): 241-351.
Cronise, K. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Maternal urinary tract infection alters water maze performance in the offspring. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 23(4), 373-9.
Cronise, K., Marino, M.D., Tran, T.D. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Critical periods for the effects of alcohol on learning in rats. Behavioral Neuroscience, 115(1), 138-45.
Tran, T.D., Cronise, K., Marino, M.D., Jenkins, W.J. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Critical periods for the effects of alcohol exposure on brain weight, body weight, activity and investigation. Behavioral Brain Research, 116(1), 99-100.
Richards, J.E. & Cronise, K. (2000). Extended visual fixation in the early preschool years: look duration, heart rate changes, and attentional inertia. Child Development, 71(3), 602-20.
Published Abstracts
Cronise, K., Best, K.L., Finn, D.A. & Crabbe, J.C. (2003). An alcohol self-administration paradigm that induces intoxication in C57BL/6J mice. Research Society on Alcoholism, 27(5), 15A.
Finn, D.A., Cronise, K., Long, S.L., Matthews, S.D., Tanchuck, M.A. & Crabbe, J.C. (2003). Excessive ethanol self-administration during limited access drinking. Research Society on Alcoholism, 27(5), 183A.
Kliethermes, C.L., Cronise, K. & Crabbe, J.C. (2003). Ethanol withdrawal increases anxiety on the elevated zero maze. Research Society on Alcoholism, 27(5), 98A.
Cronise, K., Metten, P., Schlumbohm, J. & Crabbe, J. (2002). Tolerance to the incoordinating effects of alcohol in the grid test. Research Society on Alcoholism, 26(5), 66A.
Lugo, J., Cronise, K., Marino, M., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S.J. (2001). Effects of perinatal ethanol exposure on social behaviors in juvenile rats. Research Society on Alcoholism, 25(5), 121A.
Marino, M., Cronise, K., Lugo, J. & Kelly, S.J. (2001). Pup vocalizations and maternal-infant interactions in a rat model of fetal alcohol syndrome. South Carolina Academy of Science Abstracts, Vol. LXIII, pg. 86.
Lugo, J., Cronise, K., Marino, M., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S. J. (2000). Effects of perinatal alcohol on the social response system in juvenile rats. South Carolina Academy of Science Abstracts, Vol LXIII, pg. 85.
Cronise, K., Marino, M., Lugo, J., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S. J. (2000). Effects of perinatal ethanol exposure on attentive maternal behaviors. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 26(1), 1097.
Lugo, J., Cronise, K., Marino, M., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S. J. (2000). Effects of perinatal ethanol exposure on social motivation in juvenile rats. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 26(1), 1307.
Marino, M., Cronise, K., Lugo, J., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Effects of combined prenatal and postnatal alcohol exposure on dam/pup interactions: retrieval latencies. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 26(1), 1307.
Tran, T., Cronise, K. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Systematic examination of the effects of alcohol on the total number of neurons in the rat hippocampal formation during different periods of development using unbiased stereology. Research Society on Alcoholism, 24(5), 141.
Cronise, K., Marino, M., Tran, T., Lugo, J., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Critical periods of perinatal ethanol exposure on brain weight and brain/body weight ratios. Research Society on Alcoholism, 24(5), 134.
Marino, M., Cronise, K., Tran, T., Lugo, J., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Critical periods of perinatal alcohol exposure on activity and exploratory behavior. Research Society on Alcoholism, 24(5), 315.
Kelly, S.J., Tran, T., Cronise, K. & Marino, M.D. (2000). Critical periods of alcohol exposure during development for hyperactivity and decreased brain weight. International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, 9, 29.
Cronise, K. & Kelly, S.J. (1999). Does a maternal urinary tract infection during gestation produce teratogenic effects in the long-evans rat? Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 25, 2019.
Tran, T., Marino, M.D., Cronise, K., Gobbel, C. & Kelly, S.J. (1999). Critical periods of alcohol exposure during development for behavioral dysfunction. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 25(2), 2021.
Cronise, K. & Kelly, S.J. (1998). Alcohol exposure during development alters social motivation and oxytocin binding in rats. International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, 7, 23.
Cronise, K. & Kelly, S.J. (1998). Alcohol exposure during development alters social motivation and oxytocin binding in rats. Research Society for Alcoholism, 22, 341.
Presentations
Kliethermes, C.L., Cronise, K. & Crabbe, J.C. (2003). Ethanol withdrawal increases anxiety on the elevated zero maze. Poster session at the summer meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Cronise, K., Best, K.L., Finn, D.A. & Crabbe, J.C. (2003). An alcohol self-administration paradigm that induces intoxication in C57BL/6J mice. Poster session at the summer meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Cronise, K., Schlumbohm, J., Metten, P. & Crabbe, J. (2002). The grid test apparatus as a measure of ethanol induced ataxia in mice. Poster session at the summer meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, San Francisco, CA.
Cronise, K., Marino, M., Lugo, J., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S. J. (2000). Effects of perinatal ethanol exposure on attentive maternal behaviors. Poster session at the fall meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, LA.
Lugo, J., Cronise, K., Marino, M., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S. J. (2000). Effects of perinatal ethanol exposure on social motivation in juvenile rats. Poster session at the fall meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, LA.
Marino, M., Cronise, K., Lugo, J., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Effects of combined prenatal and postnatal alcohol exposure on dam/pup interactions: retrieval latencies. Poster session at the fall meeting of Society for Neuroscience, New Orleans, LA.
Cronise, K., Marino, M., Tran, T., Lugo, J., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Critical periods of perinatal ethanol exposure on brain weight and brain/body weight ratios. Poster session at the summer meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Denver, CO.
Marino, M., Cronise, K., Tran, T., Lugo, J., Slappey, L. & Kelly, S.J. (2000). Critical periods of perinatal alcohol exposure on activity and exploratory behavior. Poster session at the summer meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Denver, CO.
Kelly, S.J., Tran, T., Cronise, K. & Marino, M.D. (2000). Critical periods of alcohol exposure during development for hyperactivity and decreased brain weight. Oral presentation at the spring meeting of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, Denver, CO.
Cronise, K. & Kelly, S.J. (1999). Does a maternal urinary tract infection during gestation produce teratogenic effects in the long-evans rat? Poster session presented at the fall meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Miami, FL.
Tran, T., Marino, M.D., Cronise, K., Gobbel, C. & Kelly, S.J. (1999). Critical periods of alcohol exposure during development for behavioral dysfunction. Poster session presented at the fall meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Miami, FL.
Cronise, K. & Kelly, S.J. (1998). Alcohol exposure during development alters social motivation and oxytocin binding in rats. Poster session at the summer meeting of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, Richmond, VA.
Cronise, K. & Kelly, S.J. (1998). Alcohol exposure during development alters social motivation and oxytocin binding in rats. Poster session at the summer meeting of the Research Society for Alcoholism, Hilton Head, SC.
Cronise, K., Sylvia, M. & Richards, J.E. (1997). Attentional inertia in infants and preschool aged children. Poster session at the spring meeting of the Society for Research and Child Development, Washington, DC.
Invited Talks
Oregon Health & Science University, NIAAA Post-Doctoral Fellowship Seminar Series. “The truth about anxiety-like behavior in mice during withdrawal from chronic ethanol exposure.” April, 2004
Cedar Crest Women’s College, Department of Psychology, Invited Seminar, “Language and Language Disorders” March, 2004
University of Houston, Clear Lake Campus, Department of Psychology, Invited Seminar, “Associative learning, drug abuse and the clinician” March, 2004
Middlebury College, Psychology Department, Invited Seminar, “Alcoholism: what drives a man to drink.” March, 2004
Rhodes College, Psychology Department, Invited Seminar. “Alcoholism: what drives a man to drink.” February, 2004
Rhodes College, Psychology Department, Invited Seminar. “Language and Language Disorders”. February, 2004
Randolph-Macon Women’s College, Psychology Department, Invited Seminar. “Research Methods and Design”, February 2004
Cedar Crest Women’s College, Department of Psychology—video conference, “Associative learning, drug abuse and the clinician.” February, 2004
Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, “Alcoholism: what drives a man to drink.” January, 2004
Mississippi College, Psychology Department, Invited Seminar. “Alcoholism: what drives a man to drink.” & Student Lecture Series: Alcoholism: what drives a man to drink.” November, 2003
Mississippi College, Psychology Department, Invited Seminar. Student Lecture Series: “Alcoholism: what drives a man to drink.” November, 2003
Oregon Health & Science University Monday Morning Seminar Series. “Increasing your limit: the role of tolerance in alcohol consumption.” April, 2003
Oregon Health & Science University Monday Morning Seminar Series. “Building tolerance in 7 easy steps.” April, 2002.
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Division of Developmental Biology, Invited Seminar, “Critical periods of perinatal alcohol exposure on development and behavior.” April, 2001.
Gonzaga Unversity, Psychology Department, Invited Seminar. “Critical periods of perinatal alcohol exposure on development and behavior.” May, 2001.
Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Invited Seminar. “Critical periods of perinatal alcohol exposure on development and behavior.” April, 2001.
University of South Carolina Department of Psychology’s Hard Data Café. “Critical periods of perinatal ethanol exposure on activity, exploration and learning.” March, 1999.
South Carolina Chapter for the Society for Neuroscience. “Does a maternal urinary tract infection produce teratogenic effects in the long-evans rat? October, 1999.
Richland County Memorial Hospital. “Does a maternal urinary tract infection produce teratogenic effects in the long-evans rat? March, 1999.
University of South Carolina Department of Psychology’s Hard Data Café. “Does a maternal urinary tract infection produce teratogenic effects in the long-evans rat? February, 1999.