March 13, 6PM EST: The Urge to Fight: Neuropeptides, Alcohol, and Excessive Aggression<br><br>Speaker: Herbert Covington, PhD. Aggression, like sex, chocolate, and other natural rewards, is a potent positive reinforcer. Animals ranging from fish-to-primates will reliably work surprisingly hard for an opportunity to fight. Likewise, social behaviors including aggression and sex are critical for the survival of mammalian species. Aberrant and unyielding social behaviors – a symptom of many psychiatric disorders – can, however, be defined as a sequence of acts an individual engages in without considering dynamic changes in their social context. Translational models of such excessive aggression, in mice, highlights neural factors that fuel a motivation to fight in the moments leading up to an anticipated confrontation. In these studies, the neuropeptide corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) is one such modulator of intense anticipatory arousal. The CRF peptide is deeply embedded within the autonomic nervous system; thus, we will discuss contributions of unconscious ‘hypothalamic-driven’ urges to sometimes react mistakenly, excessively, or violently. Alcohol notably disinhibits this same ‘limbic’ circuitry increasing the motivation to fight – even when fighting performance & other coordinated behaviors are compromised – pointing to specific hypotheses concerning uncontrollable alcohol heightened aggression.<br><br>For questions about the Brain Awareness Week at SUNY Empire, email <a class='link' href='#' onclick="sml('brainawareness','sunyempire','edu','[cd] - Brain Awareness Week- The Urge to Fight: Neuropeptides, Alcohol, and Excessive Aggression'); return false;">Send email</a>.