This application in response to PA-11-184 is the first competing continuation of a new program entitled 'Training in drug abuse research: behavior and neurobiology' that provides research training and career development activities for postdoctoral fellows who aspire to careers in the area of drug addiction. In its first 4 years the Program has grown from 2 to 5 training positions, plus 1 additional position supported by UTHSCSA for a total of 6.

This application in response to PA-11-184 is the first competing continuation of a new program entitled 'Training in drug abuse research: behavior and neurobiology' that provides research training and career development activities for postdoctoral fellows who aspire to careers in the area of drug addiction. In its first 4 years the Program has grown from 2 to 5 training positions, plus 1 additional position supported by UTHSCSA for a total of 6.

Awake behavior is accompanied by fluctuations in vigilance shaping the overall activity state of the brain tooptimize cellular and circuit activity. The cellular and molecular mechanisms for such brain state-dependentadjustments in neural activity are not well understood. Using a mouse locomotion paradigm we have recentlyfound that the transition from a resting state to active locomotion is associated with release of theneurotransmitter norepinephrine and leads to Ca2+ activation of astroglia.