Jen Mohr Placed 4th in Novice Flat.

EE Graduate Seminar

Functional Brain Circuits, nAChR Genes, and Smoking

Dr. Elliot Hong
Director, Brain Imaging Center
Associate Professor
Maryland Psychiatric Research Center
University of Maryland School of Medicine

11:30am-12:45pm Friday, 4 Nov 11, ITE 231

About 20% of the US population smokes cigarettes. Smoking is influenced by genetic and environmental factors and mental illnesses.The neurobiological basis of severe nicotine addiction is unclear. We use gene-circuit analysis, resting fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and circuit-addiction behavior analyses to examine the dorsal anterior cingulate and the ventral striatum/extended amygdala (dACC-VS/EA) brain circuit and its relationship to smoking.

Dr. Hong received the M.D. degree in 1986 from the Sun Yat-Sen University Science in China. In 2003-07 he was an Asst Professor in the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC), Psychiatry Department, University of Maryland School of Medicine. He became an Assoc. Professor in 2008. In 2010 Dr. Hong was appointed as both the Chief of the Neuroimaging Research Program and Director of the Brain Imaging Center at MPRC.

Seminar Host: Prof. Joel M. Morris

EE Graduate Seminar

Functional Brain Circuits, nAChR Genes, and Smoking

Dr. Elliot Hong
Director, Brain Imaging Center
Associate Professor
Maryland Psychiatric Research Center
University of Maryland School of Medicine

11:30am-12:45pm Friday, 4 Nov 11, ITE 231

About 20% of the US population smokes cigarettes. Smoking is influenced by genetic and environmental factors and mental illnesses.The neurobiological basis of severe nicotine addiction is unclear. We use gene-circuit analysis, resting fMRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and circuit-addiction behavior analyses to examine the dorsal anterior cingulate and the ventral striatum/extended amygdala (dACC-VS/EA) brain circuit and its relationship to smoking.

Dr. Hong received the M.D. degree in 1986 from the Sun Yat-Sen University Science in China. In 2003-07 he was an Asst Professor in the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center (MPRC), Psychiatry Department, University of Maryland School of Medicine. He became an Assoc. Professor in 2008. In 2010 Dr. Hong was appointed as both the Chief of the Neuroimaging Research Program and Director of the Brain Imaging Center at MPRC.

Seminar Host: Prof. Joel M. Morris

Ephesians 5:8-20

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection:

The flash point experience brings us from darkness to light and it’s not just a onetime experience because we are now light in the Lord. We learn to grow and become more the children of God.  As His children, we have the privilege and joy of getting to find out what pleases the Lord and to live it out. So we no longer live as we once did.  We live the new way: of being filled with the Spirit, praising God to one another, and meeting together to worship, share, and receive.  It’s being thankful in our hearts before God, and living as the children of light that we are to be in this world.

Response:

Let’s pray that we will live in the new way of being filled with the Spirit, praising God to one another, meeting together to worship, share, and receive.  And as we do, may we become more thankful in our hearts and may the Light in us shine outward into the world.

Thanks to The Atlantic!

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