Alexa Soares, PhD
she/her/hers
Postdoctoral AssociateAbout
Research
Publications
2025
Noradrenergic inputs to the basolateral amygdala have bidirectional effects on coping behavior and neuronal activity in mice
Soares A, Fai C, Mineur Y, Picciotto M. Noradrenergic inputs to the basolateral amygdala have bidirectional effects on coping behavior and neuronal activity in mice. Pharmacology Biochemistry And Behavior 2025, 258: 174130. PMID: 41242638, PMCID: PMC12812288, DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2025.174130.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSex differences in the microglial response to stress and chronic alcohol exposure in mice
Soares A, Garcia-Rivas V, Fai C, Thomas M, Zheng X, Picciotto M, Mineur Y. Sex differences in the microglial response to stress and chronic alcohol exposure in mice. Biology Of Sex Differences 2025, 16: 19. PMID: 40038827, PMCID: PMC11881309, DOI: 10.1186/s13293-025-00701-y.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
Alcohol drinking is attenuated by PDE4 inhibition but partial microglia depletion is not sufficient to block stress-induced escalation of alcohol intake in female mice
Garcia-Rivas V, Soares A, Thomas M, Na J, Smith A, Picciotto M, Mineur Y. Alcohol drinking is attenuated by PDE4 inhibition but partial microglia depletion is not sufficient to block stress-induced escalation of alcohol intake in female mice. Alcohol 2024, 122: 31-42. PMID: 39725336, PMCID: PMC12661411, DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.12.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAlternative translation initiation produces synaptic organizer proteoforms with distinct localization and functions
Lee P, Sun Y, Soares A, Fai C, Picciotto M, Guo J. Alternative translation initiation produces synaptic organizer proteoforms with distinct localization and functions. Molecular Cell 2024, 84: 3967-3978.e8. PMID: 39317199, PMCID: PMC11490368, DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.08.032.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Nicotinic regulation of microglia: potential contributions to addiction
Soares A, Picciotto M. Nicotinic regulation of microglia: potential contributions to addiction. Journal Of Neural Transmission 2023, 131: 425-435. PMID: 37778006, PMCID: PMC11189589, DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02703-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPathophysiology of nAChRs: Limbic circuits and related disorders
Mineur Y, Soares A, Etherington I, Abdulla Z, Picciotto M. Pathophysiology of nAChRs: Limbic circuits and related disorders. Pharmacological Research 2023, 191: 106745. PMID: 37011774, DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106745.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
ACh signaling modulates activity of the GABAergic signaling network in the basolateral amygdala and behavior in stress-relevant paradigms
Mineur YS, Mose TN, Maibom KL, Pittenger ST, Soares AR, Wu H, Taylor SR, Huang Y, Picciotto MR. ACh signaling modulates activity of the GABAergic signaling network in the basolateral amygdala and behavior in stress-relevant paradigms. Molecular Psychiatry 2022, 27: 4918-4927. PMID: 36050437, PMCID: PMC10718266, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01749-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSex differences in stress-induced alcohol intake: a review of preclinical studies focused on amygdala and inflammatory pathways
Mineur YS, Garcia-Rivas V, Thomas MA, Soares AR, McKee SA, Picciotto MR. Sex differences in stress-induced alcohol intake: a review of preclinical studies focused on amygdala and inflammatory pathways. Psychopharmacology 2022, 239: 2041-2061. PMID: 35359158, PMCID: PMC9704113, DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06120-w.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Region-specific effects of maternal separation on oxidative stress accumulation in parvalbumin neurons of male and female rats
Soares A, Gildawie K, Honeycutt J, Brenhouse H. Region-specific effects of maternal separation on oxidative stress accumulation in parvalbumin neurons of male and female rats. Behavioural Brain Research 2020, 388: 112658. PMID: 32339550, DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112658.Peer-Reviewed Original Research