Ye Lab is engaged in research in three areas: 1. Mechanisms of general anesthetics. 2. Mechanisms of alcohol toxicity. 3. Mechanisms of acupuncture treatment of alcoholism. In addition to the fact that alcohol is a general anesthetic, these three research areas are related in terms of many of the techniques used, which include: loose-patch cell-attached recording of the spontaneous discharges of neurons, whole-cell and perforated patch clamp studies of transmitter release, cell firings and ion channel function; acute brain slices, spinal cord slices, acutely dissociated neurons, including mechanically dissociated nerve-bouton preparations and enzymatically dissociated neurons without nerve boutons.  

 

Our work on inhalation anesthetics is directed towards understanding the mechanisms by which inhalation anesthetics induce immobility. Spinal motoneurons play a crucial role in mediating the immobilizing effect of inhalation anesthetics. Inhalation anesthetics enhance the function of inhibitory transmission and inhibit the excitatory transmission. Our work focuses on the effects of inhalation anesthetics on the cross-talk between the inhibitory glycinergic system and the excitatory glutamatergic system in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. Our studies investigate the role of glycine receptors on the glutamatergic terminals in mediating the effects of inhalation anesthetics induced inhibition of glutamate release, and consequently the excitability of the spinal motoneurons. 

 

Our work on alcohol toxicity is directed towards understanding the mechanisms by which glycine receptors regulate the excitability of dopaminergic neurons and sensitivity of these neurons to alcohol. The laboratory is particularly interested in the role of the glycine receptors on the GABAergic terminals, which synapse on the dopaminergic neurons of the ventral tegmental area; a brain region mediates the rewarding effects of abused drugs including alcohol. These glycine receptors regulate GABA release and the excitability of the dopaminergic neurons. These presynaptic glycine receptors play a critical role in the susceptibility to alcohol. Activation of these presynaptic glycine receptors significantly alters alcohol drinking in a rat model. 

Our work on acupuncture is directed towards understanding the mechanisms by which acupuncture attenuates the changes induced by alcohol administration. We are interested in the cellular changes of the mesolimbic system in response to alcohol and following acupuncture. 

 

In addition to our neurophysiological studies at the cellular and molecular levels, we are also equipped for behavior studies, such as tail flick and hot plate to assess pathological pain and analgesia effects of anesthetics.