Dysregulated sleep is a prevalent feature of substance use disorders and mood disorders, especially in women. However, the neural mechanisms involved in such emotional interactions with sleep/wake systems are understudied. Brittany Bush aims to discover how sexually dimorphic brain structures – like the extended amygdala and hypothalamus – are involved in sleep, stress, and reward behaviors. She plans to elucidate the basis of sex differences in the connection between sleep dysregulation, drug-seeking behaviors, and maladaptive stress responses.