Stephen L. Boehm II
Ph.D. Graduate (2002)
Current Position
Professor, Department of Psychology
Director, Undergraduate Neuroscience Program
Primary Faculty, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Education and Training
Postdoctoral, University of Texas at Austin, 2002-2005. Neuropharmacology.Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, 1996-2002. Behavioral Neuroscience.
B.A., University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, 1990-1996. Psychology.
Research Interests
- Maternal genetic determinants of prenatal alcohol effects
- Neurobiological underpinnings of binge-like alcohol intake
- Genotype- and age-specific differences in neurobehavioral sensitivity to alcohol.
Research Description
Work in my lab seeks to understand how developmental and genetic factors influence loss of control over alcohol intake, or binge drinking. Alcohol-related behaviors thought to influence propensity to engage in binge-like alcohol drinking in mice are studied. We use mice of different developmental and genetic backgrounds to ask mechanistic questions about the complex relationships between brain and behavior. For example, we compare different genetic mouse models to assess age-specific sensitivity to alcohol's behavioral actions and determine how alcohol exposure during prenatal and early postnatal development influences that of adulthood. Moreover, we employ state-of-the-art techniques to study the relationships between brain and behavioral sensitivity to alcohol in mice, including site-specific microinjection into discrete brain regions and real-time PCR analysis of relative mRNA expression across brain structures to determine which neurotransmitter systems and brain structures are important modulators of alcohol-related behavior. Our hope is that such work will help elucidate the behavioral/brain mechanisms associated with alcohol behavioral sensitivity in humans and provide further insight into how those mechanisms influence (and are influenced by) binge alcohol drinking across development. Our work is supported by grants from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the Integrative Neuroscience Initiative on Alcoholism - West.
Active Grants
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (R01 AA016789)
GABAergic mechanisms in the modulation of binge-like ethanol intake in mice
Principal Investigator
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Indiana Alcohol Research Center (P60 AA007611 - Component #5)
Role of GABRA2 (knockdown) in alcohol intake-related behavior in mice
Principal Investigator
Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (UL1 TR000006 - Purdue Project Development Team)
Exploring the maternal genetic effect governing susceptibility to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Principal Investigator
Publications (2003 to present)
Wahlsten D, Metten P, Phillips TJ, Boehm II SL, Burkhart-Kasch S, Dorow J, Doerksen S, Downing C, Fogarty J, Rodd-Henricks K, Hen R, McKinnon CS, Merrill CM, Nolte C, Schalomon M, Schlumbohm JR, Sibert JR, Wenger CD, Dudek BC, Crabbe JC (2003) Different data from different labs: Lessons from the studies of gene-environment interaction. Journal of Neuroscience. 54: 283-311.
Boehm II SL, Peden L, Chang R, Harris RA, Blednov YA (2003) Deletion of the fyn-kinase gene alters behavioral sensitivity to alcohol. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 27: 1033-1040.
Boehm II SL, Peden L, Harris RA, Blednov YA (2004) Deletion of the fyn-kinase gene alters sensitivity to GABAergic drugs: Dependence on beta2/beta3 GABAA receptor subunits. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 309: 1154-1159.
Diaz LM, Maiya R, Han Y, Scott H, Boehm II SL, Bergeson SE, Mayfield RD, Morrisett RA (2004) Sindbis viral-mediated expression of eGFP-dopamine D1 receptors in situ. Journal of Neuroscience Methods. 139: 25-31.
Boehm II SL, Ponomarev I, Jennings AW, Whiting PJ, Rosahl TW, Garrett EM, Blednov YA, Harris RA (2004) γ-Aminobutyric acid A receptor subunit mutant mice: New perspectives on alcohol action. Biochemical Pharmacology. 68: 1581-1602.
Boehm II SL, Peden L, Jennings AW, Kojima N, Harris RA, Blednov YA (2004) Over-expression of the fyn-kinase gene reduces hypnotic sensitivity to ethanol. Neuroscience Letters. 372: 6-11.
Ponomarev I, Maiya R, Harnett MT, Schafer GL, Ryabinin AE, Blednov YA, Morikawa H, Boehm II SL, Homanics GE, Berman A, Lodowski KH, Bergeson SE, Harris RA (2006) Transcriptional signatures of cellular plasticity in mice lacking the α1 subunit of GABAA receptors. Journal of Neuroscience. 26: 5673-5683. PMC1894896.
Boehm II SL, Homanics GE, Blednov YA, Harris RA (2006) δ-subunit containing GABAA receptor knockout mice are less sensitive to the actions of THIP. European Journal of Pharmacology. 541: 158-162.
Borghese CM, Elsen FP, Werner DR, Topf N, Baron NV, Henderson LA, Boehm II SL, Saad A, Dai S, Pearce RA, Harris RA, Homanics GE, Harrison NL (2006) Characterization of an isoflurane insensitive mutant GABAA receptor α1 subunit with near normal affinity for GABA in heterologous systems and knock-in mice. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 319: 208-218.
Boehm II SL, Ponomarev I, Blednov YA, Harris RA (2006) From gene to behavior and back again: New perspectives on GABAA receptor subunit selectivity of alcohol actions. Advances in Pharmacology. 54: 171-203.
Blednov YA, Cravatt BF, Boehm II SL, Walker D, Harris RA (2007) Role of endocannabinoids in alcohol consumption and intoxication: Studies of mice lacking fatty acid amide hydrolase. Neuropsychopharmacology. 32: 1570-1582.
Moore EM, Serio KM, Goldfarb KJ, Stepanovska S, Lisenbardt DN, Boehm II SL (2007) GABAergic modulation of binge-like ethanol intake in C57BL/6J mice. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. 88: 105-113. PMC2394855.
Pautassi RM, Nizhnikov M, Molina JC, Boehm II SL, Spear N (2007) Ethanol's devaluation of aversive stimuli not mimicked by midazolam. Alcohol. 41: 421-431. PMC2478748.
Boehm II SL, Goldfarb KJ, Serio KM, Moore EM, Linsenbardt DN (2008) Does context influence the duration of locomotor sensitization to ethanol in female DBA/2J mice? Psychopharmacology. 197: 191-201. PMC2279101.
Mulligan MK, Ponomarev I, Boehm II SL, Owen JA, Levin PS, Berman AE, Blednov YA, Crabbe JC, Williams RW, Miles MF, Bergeson SE (2008) Alcohol trait and transcriptional genomic analysis of C57BL/6 substrains. Genes, Brain, and Behavior. 7: 677-689.
Boehm II SL, Moore EM, Walsh CD, Gross C, Cavelli A, Gigante E, Lisenbardt DN (2008) Using drinking in the dark to model prenatal binge-like exposure to ethanol in C57BL/6 mice. Developmental Psychobiology. 50: 566-578. PMC2574727.
Linsenbardt DN, Moore EM, Gross CD, Goldfarb KJ, Blackman LC, Boehm II SL (2009) Sensitivity and tolerance to the hypnotic and ataxic effects of ethanol in adolescent and adult C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 33: 1-13. PMC2736547
Moore EM, Boehm II SL (2009) Site-specific microinjection of baclofen into the anterior ventral tegmental area reduces ethanol intake in male C57BL/6J mice. Behavioral Neuroscience. 123: 555-563. PMC2732108
Linsenbardt DN, Boehm II SL (2009) Agonism of the endocannabinoid system modules binge-like alcohol intake in male C57BL/6J mice: Involvement of the posterior ventral tegmental area. Neuroscience. 164: 424-434. PMC2762022
Moore EM, Mariani J, Linsenbardt DN, Melon LC, Boehm II SL (2010) Adolescent C57BL/6J (but not DBA/2J) mice consume greater amounts of limited-access ethanol compared to adults and display continued elevated ethanol intake into adulthood. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 34: 1-9. PMC2883811
Linsenbardt DN, Boehm II SL (2010) Ethanol-induced locomotor sensitization in DBA/2J mice is associated with alterations in GABAA subunit gene expression and behavioral sensitivity to GABAA acting drugs. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. 95: 359-366.
Moore EM, Linsenbardt DN, Melon LC, Boehm II SL (2010) Ontogenetic differencesin adolescent and adult C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice: Anxiety-like, locomotor, and consummatory behaviors. Developmental Psychobiology. 53: 141-56. PMC3375063
Melon LC, Boehm II SL (2011) GABAA receptors in the posterior, but not anterior, ventral tegmental area mediate Ro15-4513 attenuation of binge-like ethanol consumption in C57BL/6J female mice. Behavioural Brain Research. 220: 230-237. PMC3070426
Linsenbardt DN, Moore EM, Griffin KD, Gigante E, Boehm II SL (2011) Tolerance to ethanol's ataxic and locomotor effects following binge-like ethanol intake using the DID model. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 35: 1246-55. PMC3117122
Melon LC, Boehm II SL (2011) Development of locomotor sensitization to ethanol in adult and adolescent mice: Comparison of the DBA/2J and C57BL/6J inbred mouse strains. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 35: 1531-60. PMC3117058
Linsenbardt DN, Boehm II SL (2012) Role of novelty and ethanol history in locomotor stimulation induced by binge-like ethanol intake. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 36: 887-94. PMC3309127
Kruse LC, Linsenbardt DN, Boehm II SL (2012) Positive allosteric modulation of the GABAB receptor attenuates the locomotor stimulant actions of ethanol and alters the locomotor sensitization. Alcohol. 46: 455-462. PMC3389305 [Available 2013/8/1]
Moore EM, Forrest RD, Boehm II SL (2013) Genotype modulates age-related alterations in sensitivity to the aversive effects of ethanol: An eight inbred strain analysis of conditioned taste aversion. Genes, Brain, and Behavior. 12: 70-77. PMC3553292 [Available 2014/2/1]
Fritz BM, Grahame NJ, Boehm II SL (2013) Selection for high alcohol preference drinking in mice results in heightened sensitivity and rapid development of acute functional tolerance to alcohol's ataxic effects. Genes, Brain, and Behavior. 12: 78-86.
Melon LC, Wray KN, Moore EM, Boehm II SL (2013) Sex and age differences in heavy binge drinking and its effects on alcohol responsivity following abstinence. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. In Press
Linsenbardt DN, Boehm II SL (2013) Alterations in the rate of (binge) ethanol consumption: Implications for preclinical studies in mice. Addiction Biology. In Press
Matson LM, Kasten CR, Boehm II SL, Grahame NJ (2013) Crossed selectively bred high alcohol preferring mice drink to intoxication during ethanol exposure and develop functional tolerance but not locomotor sensitization. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. In Press.
Linsenbardt DN, Boehm II SL (2013) Determining the heritability of ethanol-induced locomotor sensitization in mice using short-term behavioral selection. Psychopharmacology. In Press.
Moore EM, Boehm II SL (2013) Adolescent alcohol use and sensitivity: A developmental perspective on the genetics of alcohol use and abuse disorders. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. Submitted.
Moore EM, Schneider BL, Wray KN, Boehm II SL (2013) Elevated ethanol intake among adolescents is dependent on genotype: An 8 inbred strain analysis of ethanol intake. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Under Revision.
Moore EM, Boehm II SL (2013) Intraperitoneal injections during adolescence increase subsequent ethanol intake in adulthood. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Under Revision.
Book Chapters and Reviews
Boehm II SL, Valenzuela CF, Harris RA Alcohol: Neurobiology. In Substance Abuse: A comprehensive textbook, Fourth Edition, Lowinson, Ruiz, Millman, and Langrod Eds. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore MD, 2005: 121-151.
Date last updated: June 6, 2013