Metabolic and Homeostatic Systems
Metabolic and Homeostatic Systems

Metabolic and Homeostatic Systems
The study of the brain and body processes that help maintain life, from neural energetics to feeding, and from biological rhythms to stress responses. Research in this area focuses on both circuit and whole organism processes, with a focus on understanding how the environment affects these processes, and how deficits in these systems contribute to obesity, diabetes, and other disorders of modern society.
Recent research in this area
- Brutman JN, Sirohi S, Davis JF. (2019) Examining the Impact of Estrogen on Binge Feeding, Food-Motivated Behavior, and Body Weight in Female Rats Obesity 1617-1626 PMID: 31411378
- Sirohi S, Skripnikova E, Davis JF. (2019) Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Attenuates Hedonic Feeding Without Impacting Alcohol Drinking in Rats Obesity (4):603-611 PMID: 30740914 PMCID: PMC6430654
- Zhou X, Zhang Y, Michal JJ, Qu L, Zhang S, Wildung MR, Du W, Pouchnik DJ, Zhao H, Xia Y, Shi H, Ji G, Davis JF, Smith GD, Griswold MD, Harland RM, Jiang Z. (2019) Alternative polyadenylation coordinates embryonic development, sexual dimorphism and longitudinal growth in Xenopus tropicalis. Cell Mol Life Sci. 76(11):2185-2198 PMID: 30729254 PMCID: PMC6597005
- Brutman JN, Zhou X, Zhang Y, Michal J, Stark B, Jiang Z, Davis JF. (2018) Mapping diet-induced alternative polyadenylation of hypothalamic transcripts in the obese rat Physiol Behav. 188:173-180. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.01.026. Epub 2018 Jan 31. PMID: 29391168
- Zhang S, Zhang Y, Zhou X, Fu X, Michal JJ, Ji G, Du M, Davis JF, Jiang Z. (2018) Alternative polyadenylation drives genome-to-phenome information detours in the AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 knockout mice. Sci Rep. 8(1):6462 PMID: 29691479 PMCID: PMC5915415
- Sirohi S, Schurdak JD, Seeley RJ, Benoit SC, Davis JF (2016). Central & peripheral glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor signaling differentially regulate addictive behaviors. Physiol Behav. 161:140-4. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.04.013. Epub 2016 Apr 9. PMID: 27072507
- Szentirmai E, Kapás L, Sun Y, Smith RG, Krueger JM (2009). The preproghrelin gene is required for the normal integration of thermoregulation and sleep in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 106(33):14069-74. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0903090106. Epub 2009 Aug 4. PMCID: PMC2729021
- McLaughlin, R.J., Hill, M.N., Gorzalka, B.B. (2014). A critical role for prefrontocortical endocannabinoid signaling in the regulation of stress and emotional behavior. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 42C, 116-131. PMID: 24582908
- Darling RA, Zhao H, Kinch D, Li AJ, Simasko SM, Ritter S (2014). Mercaptoacetate and fatty acids exert direct and antagonistic effects on nodose neurons via GPR40 fatty acid receptors. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 307(1):R35-43. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00536.2013. Epub 2014 Apr 23. PMCID: PMC4152161
- Walker BM, Valdez GR, McLaughlin JP and Bakalkin G (2012). Targeting dynorphin / kappa-opioid receptor systems to treat alcohol abuse and dependence. Alcohol 46, 4, 359-370. PMCID: PMC3396024
- Kinlein S, Wilson CD, Savenkova M, Karatsoreos IN (2015) Disruption of HPA axis leads to divergent neurobehavioral responses to stress. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 6:31. PMCID: PMC4358064
Faculty working in this area

Suzanne M. Appleyard
s.appleyard@wsu.eduProfessor; Associate Director of Graduate Studies
Accepting Graduate Students


Samantha S. Gizerian
samantha.gizerian@wsu.eduAssociate Professor; Assoc. Director for Undergraduate Studies; Undergraduate Program Advisor
Not Accepting Students









