Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · NeuroscienceSilberman Neuroscience Lab
Yuval Silberman · University Park, Pennsylvania
Research Focus
Dr. Yuval Silberman's lab at Penn State Hershey focuses on understanding the complex relationship between the brain and body in the context of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The lab explores how disruptions in vagus nerve signaling can influence alcohol consumption behaviors through specific brain circuits, especially the hypothalamus. By investigating these mechanisms, the lab aims to develop new treatment strategies for AUD, which continues to be a major public health concern.
vagus nervealcohol use disorderhypothalamic signalingbehavioral neuroscienceelectrophysiologygene expressionoxytocin
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate how vagus nerve disruption affects alcohol consumption in rodent models.
AIM 02Examine changes in hypothalamic gene expression related to alcohol preference.
AIM 03Test whether activating specific hypothalamic neurons can counteract increased alcohol preference due to vagal disruption.
Skills the Lab Values
electrophysiologymouse modelsviral transgenic techniqueshistological techniquesimmunohistochemistrybehavioral assaysgene expression analysissurgical techniques
Output against the department
Publications84bottom 25% of dept.503rd of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.4kbottom 8% of dept.616th of 671
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.