Dr. Sarah F. Leibowitz is an academic researcher from
Rockefeller University. She is interested in understanding the neurobiology of
substance abuse and addiction. She and her colleagues study the most commonly
abused substances, namely alcohol and nicotine, in addition to palatable fat-
and sugar-rich foods that may have addictive-like properties. Her current
research in rodents investigates neural mechanisms that mediate the transition
from casual use to abuse and ultimately dependence on these substances. It
reveals marked similarities between neurochemical mechanisms in different brain
areas that control the consumption of fat, alcohol, and nicotine and also
various emotional behaviors, such as novelty-seeking, impulsivity and anxiety,
which promote their consumption.
