Kate Carlson

1999 B.S., Biology/Chemistry, University of Minnesota - Duluth; Duluth, Minnesota.

Mentor: Dr. Nick Goeders

Research Interests: Investigating the effects of adolescent exposure to stress and the psychostimulants, cocaine and methamphetamine, on adult behavior.

By the time a teenager has reached the 12th grade, 51.1 percent of his/her peers have tried illegal drugs. It has been reported that the younger a person starts taking drugs the more likely he/she is to become an addict. However, there is a general lack of research conducted on adolescent animals. During the adolescence period, there are many changes that occur related to the brain and peaks in sex hormones. Adolescence also changes behavior, such as increases in impulsivity and exploration. My major focus is to examine how psychostimulants and stress during adolescence affect adult behaviors. The behaviors that are being studied include learning, memory, anxiety, and the self-administration of cocaine or methamphetamine. Also, the effects on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis will be investigated in aged rats to see if there are changes resulting from psychostimulant exposure during adolescence. This research will increase understanding of the potential changes that may occur if adolescents are exposed to stress or take stimulants.