SCoBIRC FACULTY

Mark Prendergast, Ph.D.

Professor
Department of Psychology

Dr. Prendergast and his lab

Research Interests

My laboratory's research efforts are focused on examining mechanisms involved in brain damage, particularly in the rat hippocampus, that results from exposure to:

• alcohol
• HIV-1 proteins
• pesticides
• psychomotor stimulants glucocorticoids

In studying these topics, my laboratory employs a broad range of neurochemical and behavioral techniques, including cell culture of brain tissue, in vivo rodent studies, and immunohistochemistry. To go to the lab webpage click here.

Representative Publications

*Mulholland PJ, *Self RL, Stepanyan TD, Little HJ, Littleton JM, and Prendergast MA (2005). Thiamine deficiency in the pathogenesis of chronic ethanol-associated cerebellar damage in vitro. Neuroscience, 135(4), 1129-1139

*Mulholland PJ, Stepanyan TD, *Self RL, Hensley AK, *Harris BR, Kowalski A, Littleton JM, and Prendergast MA (2005) Corticosterone and dexamethasone potentiate cytotoxicity associated with oxygen-glucose deprivation in organotypic cerebellar slice cultures. Neuroscience 136, 259-267.

Prendergast MA, Little HJ (2007). Adolescence, glucocorticoids and alcohol. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior. 86: 234-245.

Prendergast MA, *Self RL, *Smith KJ, Ghayoumi L, *Mullins MM, *Butler TR, Buccafusco JJ, Gearhart DA, Terry Jr AV (2007). Microtubule-associated targets in chlorpyrifos oxon hippocampal neurotoxicity. Neuroscience, 146: 330-339.

*Smith KJ, *Self RL, *Butler TR, Mullins MM, Ghayoumi L, Holley RC, Littleton JM, Prendergast MA (2007). Methamphetamine exposure antagonizes N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated neurotoxicity in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures. Brain Research. 1157:74-80.

*Smith KJ, *Butler TR, *Self RL, **Braden BB, Prendergast MA (2008). Potentiation of N-methyl-D-asparate receptor-mediated neuronal injury during methamphetamine withdrawal in vitro requires co-activation of IP3 receptors. Brain Research, 1187: 67-73.

*Butler TR, *Smith KJ, *Self RL, **Braden BB, Prendergast MA (2008). Sex differences in neurotoxic effects of adenosine A1 receptor antagonism during ethanol withdrawal in vitro: reversal with co-exposure to the A1 receptor agonist 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyladenosine. Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research, 32(7), 1260-1270.

Butler TR, Smith KJ, Berry JN, Sharrett-Field LJ, Prendergast MA (In Press) Adenosine A1 receptor antagonism in vitro produces sex dependent neurotoxicity potentiated by ethanol withdrawal. Alcohol and Alcoholism.

*Graduate Student **Undergraduate Student