FSU Program in Neuroscience

Interest

My current research investigates the relationship between the aging circadian clock and alcohol neurobiology. Currently, the majority of basic alcohol research focuses on alcohol’s effects during adolescence and young adulthood. Even though the aging population is increasing in the U.S. and more than 85% of alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis deaths occur in individuals 45 years and older, very little research investigates the effects of alcohol during middle and old age. One of the factors potentially underlying age-related pathologies is the weakening of the circadian system with age. As such, the goal of my dissertation research is to identify the endogenous factors mediating the age-related decline in circadian regulation of alcohol sensitivity and mortality and to determine whether strengthening entrainment of the circadian clock in aged animals is sufficient to ameliorate the toxic effects of alcohol. Due to its great genetic power, ease of maintenance and conserved genetic, physiological and behavioral traits, I use Drosophila melanogaster (the fruit fly) as the model organism for my research studies.

Recent Publications

De Nobrega AK, Luz KV, Lyons KN and Lyons LC (2020). Investigating Alcohol Behavior and Physiology using Drosophila melanogaster.. Clinical and Pre-clinical models for maximizing healthspan: Methods and protocols, .
De Nobrega, AK, Luz KV and Lyons, LC (2020). Resetting the Aging Clock: Implications for Managing Age-Related Diseases.. Reviews on New Drug Targets in Age-Related Disorders., .
De Nobrega AK and Lyons, LC (2018). Aging and the clock: Perspectives from flies to humans.. European Journal of Neuroscience, .
De Nobrega AK, Mellers AP, Lyons LC (2017). Aging and circadian dysfunction increase alcohol sensitivity and exacerbate mortality in Drosophila melanogaster. Exp Gerontol, 49-59. PubMed
DeNobrega AK, Lyons LC (2017). Drosophila: an emergent model for delineating interactions between the circadian clock and drugs of abuse. Neural plasticity, .
De Nobrega AK, Lyons LC (2016). Circadian Modulation of Alcohol-Induced Sedation and Recovery in Male and Female Drosophila. J Biol Rhythms, . PubMed
Bobzean SA, DeNobrega AK, Perrotti LI (2014). Sex differences in the neurobiology of drug addiction. Exp Neurol, 64-74. PubMed

Faculty Advisor

Lisa Lyons, Biological Science

Aliza DeNobrega

Faculty Advisor