Rebecca Craft

Department of Psychology (Pullman) – Departmental Page
craft@wsu.edu – Craft, Rebecca

Chronic Pain/Opiates/Cannabinoids

The primary goal of my laboratory is to determine the neuroendocrinological mechanisms underlying sex differences in behavioral effects of CNS drugs. Using animal models, we (1) characterize sex differences in the behavioral effects of CNS drugs; and (2) determine how gonadal steroid hormones such as testosterone and estradiol modulate pain, mood, and the therapeutic and side-effects of psychoactive drugs such as opioids (e.g., morphine) and cannabinoids (e.g, THC). The clinical applications of this work are (1) the development of sex-appropriate guidelines for use of psychotherapeutic and analgesic medications; and (2) improved prevention and treatment of gonadal steroid hormone-mediated pain and depression.