Middlebury College Professor Cronise Progress Report

Grant Progess Update as of 11/08/09:
A portion of the award has been spent on a particular strain of mice necessary for the study. These mice will be used to conduct pilot studies for the grant awarded to Prof. Cronise by the Vermont Genetics Network. As of yet, research has only demonstrated that tolerance impacts consumption in male mice and this same effect has not been seen in female mice. It is possible that there may be gender differences in tolerance development and for any impact tolerance may have on alcohol consumption. Thus, the current pilot will investigate this potential for gender-mediated effects on tolerance and consumption. These studies are important as men and women show different rates of alcoholism as well as different rates of acquisition when alcoholism does develop.
FAR awarded its first research grant in a letter dated July 21, 2009 to Assistant Professor Kim Cronise, PhD, Department of Psychology, Program of Neuroscience. Professor Cronise has been studying the tolerance aspect of alcoholism for over 10 years and is continuing in this vital area.

Two contrasting conditions for alcohol consumption are tolerance and sensitivity. Tolerance is a need for markedly increased amount of alcohol to achieve intoxication; whereas sensitivity is a need for markedly decreased amounts of alcohol to achieve intoxication. Both of these conditions require more research to establish a causal relationship to the disease of alcoholism. An "ability to drink your friends under the table" is correlated with tolerance.

The studies being funded will investigate a fresh neurological method of examining the effect of tolerance on alcohol intakes and at the same time, assess the utility of the method. The findings will provide insights about the neurochemical adaptations that accrue when individuals drink that, in turn, promote increased desire and ability to consume more and more alcohol on subsequent binges.

The $2000 grant from FAR will be used to determine measurements and calibrations necessary for further study. It is especially auspicious that Prof. Cronise recently received two larger grants, one from the NIAAA (the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) and one from the Vermont Genetics Network. Thus the results of the grant from FAR will not sit on the shelf. The FAR grant will be used to collect preliminary data necessary to conduct the studies funded by the larger grants.

We are delighted that this essential work is being done and look forward to the completed results of all the grants.