Stress Physiology Laboratory Carlson 106 and 1B03 phone: 303-492-7331

Research Interests

• To determine how physical activity status changes the impact of stress on behavior, neural, endocrine, and immune system function.

Personnel

• Laboratory Director: Monika Fleshner, Ph.D.


• Assistant Research Professor: Ben Greenwood, Ph.D.


• Research Associate: Peter Clark, Ph.D.


• Professional Research Assistants: Wendy Craig, B.A. and Paige Mullins, B.S.


• Graduate Students: Lida Beninson, M.S., Stewart Cox, Justin Hellwinkel, B.A., Brianne Loughridge, B.A., Tom Masalnik, M.S., Kristin Speaker, M.S., Katie Spence, Paul Strong, M.S., and Robert Thompson, M.S.


• Undergraduate Students: Jonathan Herrera, Lucas Mahaffey, Michael Murphy, Jodie Rigali, Nouara Sadaoui, Kate Tannura.


• Collaborators: David Diamond, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Florida; Steven Maier, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder; Jerry Rudy, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder; Linda Watkins, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder.

Back row: Stewart Cox, Paul Strong, Ben Greenwood, Justin Hellwinkel, Sam Bowers, Lucas Mahaffey Middle row: Katie Spence, Danielle Crevling, Sierra Wohlman, Tom Maslanik, Lida Beninson (+ Eva) Front row: Liz Woodruff, Emily Wong, Bree Loughridge, Robert Thompson, Monika Fleshner, Kristin Speaker, Arman Serebrakian

Current Research Projects

Overview: Exposure to acute and chronic stressors (mental or physical) influences many aspects of physiology. This lab investigates the impact of exposure to stressors on neural, hormonal, and immunological function, and how these systems interact to influence the whole organism. The body's stress response is a powerful and wonderfully integrated series of responses that under normal conditions functions to facilitate fight/flight responses, restore homeostasis, and promote survival. If, however, the stressor is excessive or frequent, the response is inappropriate, or the organism suffers from other illnesses or vulnerabilities, the stress response can have negative health consequence. Current projects include:

• Stress and immunity: immune suppression/immune potentiation


• Stress and immunity: impact of acute or chronic stressor exposure on sterile inflammatory processes. Potential impact on vascular function.


• Stress-buffering effects of exercise on central serotonin and autonomic neural circuits and behavior


• Neurobiology of exercise: involvement of dopamine motivational circuits and changes in learning and memory processes

Opportunities for Undergraduates

• The requirements for undergraduate students who want a research experience in our Laboratory are:


• Have an understanding and acceptance of the use of animals in research.
• Successful completion of one course with bench top laboratory requirements.
• Enroll in independent study (IPHY 4860) for 8-10 hours/week for at least one semester.
• Demonstrate maturity, commitment, and dependability.


• For more information, contact Prof. Monika Fleshner(fleshner@colorado.edu)

Videos

Recent Publications

• Campeau S, Nyhuis TJ, Sasse SK, Kryskow EM, Herlihy L, Masini CV, Babb JA, Greenwood BN, Fleshner M, Day HEW. Reduction of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis response to low intensity stressors following voluntary wheel running in rats. Neuroendocrinology 22: 872-888.


• Christianshon JP, Ragole T, Amat J, Greenwood BN, Strong PV, Paul ED, Fleshner M, Watkins LR, Maier SF. 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C receptors in the basolateral amygdala are involved in the expression of anxiety after traumatic stress. Biological Psychiatry 67: 339-345, 2010.


• Fleshner M. The gut microbiota: A new player in the innate immune stress response? Brain Behavior & Immunity 25: 395-396, 2011.


• Fleshner M, Maslanik T, Beninson L. In Vivo Tissue Source and Releasing Signal of Endogenous Extracellular Hsp72. In Asea AAA, Pedersen BK (eds). Heat Shock Proteins and Whole Body Physiology. New York, NY: Springer Publishing, pp. 193-215, 2010.


• Greenwood BN, Fleshner M. Exercise, stress resistance and central serotonergic systems. Exercise, Science and Sport Review 39, 2011.


• Greenwood BN, Foley TE, Le TV, Strong PV, Day HEW, Fleshner M. Plasticity in the mesolimbic reward pathway following voluntary exercise reward. Behavioral Brain Research 217: 354-362, 2011.


• Greenwood BN, Strong PV, Fleshner M. Lesions of the basolateral amygdala reverse the long-lasting interference with shuttle box escape produced by uncontrollable stress. Behavioral Brain Research 211: 71-76, 2010.


• Walsh NP, Gleeson M, Shephard RJ, Gleeson M, Woods JA, Bishop NC, Fleshner M, Green C, Pedersen BK, Hoffman-Goetz L, Rogers CJ, Northoff H, Abbasi A and Simon P. Position Statement Part One: Immune Function and Exercise. Exercise Immunology Review 17: 6-63, 2011.