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Farris SP, Riley BP, Williams RW, Mulligan MK, Miles MF, Lopez MF, Hitzemann R, Iancu OD, Colville A, Walter NAR, Darakjian P, Oberbeck DL, Daunais JB, Zheng CL, Searles RP, McWeeney SK, Grant KA, Mayfield RD. Cross-species molecular dissection across alcohol behavioral domains. Alcohol 2018; 72:19-31. [PMID: 30213503 PMCID: PMC6309876 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This review summarizes the proceedings of a symposium presented at the "Alcoholism and Stress: A Framework for Future Treatment Strategies" conference held in Volterra, Italy on May 9-12, 2017. Psychiatric diseases, including alcohol-use disorders (AUDs), are influenced through complex interactions of genes, neurobiological pathways, and environmental influences. A better understanding of the common neurobiological mechanisms underlying an AUD necessitates an integrative approach, involving a systematic assessment of diverse species and phenotype measures. As part of the World Congress on Stress and Alcoholism, this symposium provided a detailed account of current strategies to identify mechanisms underlying the development and progression of AUDs. Dr. Sean Farris discussed the integration and organization of transcriptome and postmortem human brain data to identify brain regional- and cell type-specific differences related to excessive alcohol consumption that are conserved across species. Dr. Brien Riley presented the results of a genome-wide association study of DSM-IV alcohol dependence; although replication of genetic associations with alcohol phenotypes in humans remains challenging, model organism studies show that COL6A3, KLF12, and RYR3 affect behavioral responses to ethanol, and provide substantial evidence for their role in human alcohol-related traits. Dr. Rob Williams expanded upon the systematic characterization of extensive genetic-genomic resources for quantifying and clarifying phenotypes across species that are relevant to precision medicine in human disease. The symposium concluded with Dr. Robert Hitzemann's description of transcriptome studies in a mouse model selectively bred for high alcohol ("binge-like") consumption and a non-human primate model of long-term alcohol consumption. Together, the different components of this session provided an overview of systems-based approaches that are pioneering the experimental prioritization and validation of novel genes and gene networks linked with a range of behavioral phenotypes associated with stress and AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean P Farris
- University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Brien P Riley
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Robert W Williams
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Megan K Mulligan
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Michael F Miles
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Marcelo F Lopez
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Robert Hitzemann
- Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Ovidiu D Iancu
- Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - James B Daunais
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | | | - Robert P Searles
- Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | | | - Kathleen A Grant
- Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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Place and recovery from alcohol dependence: A journey through photovoice. Health Place 2017; 47:147-155. [DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Adkins AE, Hack LM, Bigdeli TB, Williamson VS, McMichael GO, Mamdani M, Edwards A, Aliev F, Chan RF, Bhandari P, Raabe RC, Alaimo JT, Blackwell GG, Moscati AA, Poland RS, Rood B, Patterson DG, Walsh D, Whitfield JB, Zhu G, Montgomery GW, Henders AK, Martin NG, Heath AC, Madden PA, Frank J, Ridinger M, Wodarz N, Soyka M, Zill P, Ising M, Nöthen MM, Kiefer F, Rietschel M, Gelernter J, Sherva R, Koesterer R, Almasy L, Zhao H, Kranzler HR, Farrer LA, Maher BS, Prescott CA, Dick DM, Bacanu SA, Mathies LD, Davies AG, Vladimirov VI, Grotewiel M, Bowers MS, Bettinger JC, Webb BT, Miles MF, Kendler KS, Riley BP. Genomewide Association Study of Alcohol Dependence Identifies Risk Loci Altering Ethanol-Response Behaviors in Model Organisms. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:911-928. [PMID: 28226201 PMCID: PMC5404949 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol dependence (AD) shows evidence for genetic liability, but genes influencing risk remain largely unidentified. METHODS We conducted a genomewide association study in 706 related AD cases and 1,748 unscreened population controls from Ireland. We sought replication in 15,496 samples of European descent. We used model organisms (MOs) to assess the role of orthologous genes in ethanol (EtOH)-response behaviors. We tested 1 primate-specific gene for expression differences in case/control postmortem brain tissue. RESULTS We detected significant association in COL6A3 and suggestive association in 2 previously implicated loci, KLF12 and RYR3. None of these signals are significant in replication. A suggestive signal in the long noncoding RNA LOC339975 is significant in case:control meta-analysis, but not in a population sample. Knockdown of a COL6A3 ortholog in Caenorhabditis elegans reduced EtOH sensitivity. Col6a3 expression correlated with handling-induced convulsions in mice. Loss of function of the KLF12 ortholog in C. elegans impaired development of acute functional tolerance (AFT). Klf12 expression correlated with locomotor activation following EtOH injection in mice. Loss of function of the RYR3 ortholog reduced EtOH sensitivity in C. elegans and rapid tolerance in Drosophila. The ryanodine receptor antagonist dantrolene reduced motivation to self-administer EtOH in rats. Expression of LOC339975 does not differ between cases and controls but is reduced in carriers of the associated rs11726136 allele in nucleus accumbens (NAc). CONCLUSIONS We detect association between AD and COL6A3, KLF12, RYR3, and LOC339975. Despite nonreplication of COL6A3, KLF12, and RYR3 signals, orthologs of these genes influence behavioral response to EtOH in MOs, suggesting potential involvement in human EtOH response and AD liability. The associated LOC339975 allele may influence gene expression in human NAc. Although the functions of long noncoding RNAs are poorly understood, there is mounting evidence implicating these genes in multiple brain functions and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E. Adkins
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Laura M. Hack
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Tim B. Bigdeli
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Vernell S. Williamson
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - G. Omari McMichael
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Mohammed Mamdani
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Alexis Edwards
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Fazil Aliev
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Robin F. Chan
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Poonam Bhandari
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Richard C. Raabe
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Joseph T. Alaimo
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - GinaMari G. Blackwell
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Arden A. Moscati
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Ryan S. Poland
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Benjamin Rood
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Diana G. Patterson
- Shaftesbury Square Hospital, 116-120 Great Victoria Street, Belfast,
BT2 7BG, United Kingdom
| | - Dermot Walsh
- Health Research Board, 67-72 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2,
Ireland
| | | | - John B. Whitfield
- Genetic Epidemiology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute,
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD 4006,
Australia
| | - Gu Zhu
- Genetic Epidemiology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute,
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD 4006,
Australia
| | - Grant W. Montgomery
- Genetic Epidemiology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute,
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD 4006,
Australia
| | - Anjali K. Henders
- Genetic Epidemiology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute,
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD 4006,
Australia
| | - Nicholas G. Martin
- Genetic Epidemiology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute,
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD 4006,
Australia
| | - Andrew C. Heath
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine,
4560 Clayton Ave., Suite 1000, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Pamela A.F. Madden
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine,
4560 Clayton Ave., Suite 1000, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Josef Frank
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute
of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J 5, 68159
Mannheim, Germany
| | - Monika Ridinger
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Regensburg,
University of Regensburg, 93042 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Norbert Wodarz
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Regensburg,
University of Regensburg, 93042 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Michael Soyka
- Privatklinik Meiringen, Willigen, 3860 Meiringen, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Munich,
Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Zill
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Munich,
Nussbaumstrasse 7, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Marcus Ising
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Max-Planck-Institute of
Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2–10, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Markus M Nöthen
- Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of
Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53127 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn,
Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53127 Bonn, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of
Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Strasse 25, D-53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Falk Kiefer
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central
Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J 5,
68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute
of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, J 5, 68159
Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Joel Gelernter
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 333
Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333
Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333
Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, VA CT Healthcare Center, 950 Campbell
Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Richard Sherva
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University
School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Ryan Koesterer
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University
School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Laura Almasy
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Genetics, P.O.
Box 760549, San Antonio, TX, 78245-0549, USA
| | - Hongyu Zhao
- Department of Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, 333
Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University School of Medicine,
333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Henry R. Kranzler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman
School of Medicine, Treatment Research Center, 3900 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia,
PA 19104, USA
- VISN 4 MIRECC, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, 3900 Woodland
Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Lindsay A. Farrer
- Department of Psychiatry, VA CT Healthcare Center, 950 Campbell
Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, 72
East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine,
72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Boston University School of
Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Boston University
School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Brion S. Maher
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, 8th Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Carol A. Prescott
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, SGM
501, 3620 South McClintock Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90089-1061, USA
| | - Danielle M. Dick
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Silviu A. Bacanu
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Laura D. Mathies
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Andrew G. Davies
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Vladimir I. Vladimirov
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University,
855 North Wolfe Street Suite 300, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Center for Biomarker Research and Personalized Medicine, School of
Pharmacy, PO Box 980533, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0533,
USA
| | - Mike Grotewiel
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - M. Scott Bowers
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Jill C. Bettinger
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Bradley T. Webb
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Michael F. Miles
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Kenneth S. Kendler
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
| | - Brien P. Riley
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, PO Box
980424, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, PO Box 980424, Virginia Commonwealth
University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
- Department of Human & Molecular Genetics, PO Box 980424,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298-0424, USA
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Hofstetter JR, Trofatter JA, Kernek KL, Nurnberger JI, Mayeda AR. New Quantitative Trait Loci for the Genetic Variance in Circadian Period of Locomotor Activity between Inbred Strains of Mice. J Biol Rhythms 2016; 18:450-62. [PMID: 14667146 DOI: 10.1177/0748730403259468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Provisional quantitativetrait loci (QTL) for circadian locomotor period and wheel-running period have been identified in recombinant inbred (RI) mouse strains. To confirm thoseQTLand identify newones, the geneticcomponent of variance of the circadian period was partitionedamongan F2 intercross of RI mouse strains (BXD19 and CXB07). First, a genomic survey using 108 SSLP markers with an average spacing of 15 cM was carried out in a population of 259 (BXD19 · CXB07)F2 animals. The genome-wide survey identified two significant QTLfor period of locomotor activity measured by infrared photobeam crossings on mousechromosomes 1 (lod score5.66) and 14 (lod score4.33). TheQTL on distal chromosome 1 confirmed a previous report based on congenic B6.D2-Mtv7a/ Ty mice. Lod scores greater than 2.0 were found on chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 12, 13, and 14. In a targeted extension study, additional genotyping was performed on these chromosomes in the full sample of 341 F2 progeny. The 6 chromosome-wide surveys identified 3 additional QTL on mouse chromosomes 6, 12, and 13. The QTLon chromosome 12 overlaps with circadian period QTLidentified in several prior studies. For wheel-running period, the chromosome-wide surveys identified QTLon chromosomes 2 and 13 and one highly suggestive QTLon proximal chromosome 1. The results are compared to other published studies of QTL of circadian period.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Hofstetter
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Richard L. Roudebush Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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Enhancement of alcohol drinking in mice depends on alterations in RNA editing of serotonin 2C receptors. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2014; 17:739-51. [PMID: 24345557 PMCID: PMC4220740 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145713001545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonin 2C receptors (5-HT(2C)R) are G-protein-coupled receptors with various actions, including involvement in drug addiction. 5-HT2CR undergoes mRNA editing, converting genomically encoded adenosine residues to inosines via adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs). Here we show that enhanced alcohol drinking behaviour in mice is associated with the degree of 5-HT(2C)R mRNA editing in the nucleus accumbens and dorsal raphe nuceus, brain regions important for reward and addiction. Following chronic alcohol vapour exposure, voluntary alcohol intake increased in C57BL/6J mice, but remained unchanged in C3H/HeJ and DBA/2J mice. 5-HT(2C)R mRNA editing frequency in both regions increased significantly in C57BL/6J mice, as did expressions of 5-HT(2C)R, ADAR1 and ADAR2, but not in other strains. Moreover, mice that exclusively express the unedited isoform (INI) of 5-HT(2C)R mRNA on a C57BL/6J background did not exhibit increased alcohol intake compared with wild-type mice. Our results indicate that alterations in 5-HT(2C)R mRNA editing underlie alcohol preference in mice.
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Green KT, Beckham JC, Youssef N, Elbogen EB. Alcohol misuse and psychological resilience among U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan era veterans. Addict Behav 2014; 39:406-13. [PMID: 24090625 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2012] [Revised: 08/21/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study sought to investigate the longitudinal effects of psychological resilience against alcohol misuse adjusting for socio-demographic factors, trauma-related variables, and self-reported history of alcohol abuse. METHODOLOGY Data were from the National Post-Deployment Adjustment Study (NPDAS) participants who completed both a baseline and one-year follow-up survey (N=1090). Survey questionnaires measured combat exposure, probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological resilience, and alcohol misuse, all of which were measured at two discrete time periods (baseline and one-year follow-up). Baseline resilience and change in resilience (increased or decreased) were utilized as independent variables in separate models evaluating alcohol misuse at the one-year follow-up. RESULTS Multiple linear regression analyses controlled for age, gender, level of educational attainment, combat exposure, PTSD symptom severity, and self-reported alcohol abuse. Accounting for these covariates, findings revealed that lower baseline resilience, younger age, male gender, and self-reported alcohol abuse were related to alcohol misuse at the one-year follow-up. A separate regression analysis, adjusting for the same covariates, revealed a relationship between change in resilience (from baseline to the one-year follow-up) and alcohol misuse at the one-year follow-up. The regression model evaluating these variables in a subset of the sample in which all the participants had been deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan was consistent with findings involving the overall era sample. Finally, logistic regression analyses of the one-year follow-up data yielded similar results to the baseline and resilience change models. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that increased psychological resilience is inversely related to alcohol misuse and is protective against alcohol misuse over time. Additionally, it supports the conceptualization of resilience as a process which evolves over time. Moreover, our results underscore the importance of assessing resilience as part of alcohol use screening for preventing alcohol misuse in Iraq and Afghanistan era military veterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly T Green
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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Abstract
Acamprosate, in combination with psychosocial therapy, has been shown to be clinically effective in maintaining abstinence in alcohol dependence. Current research suggests that its mechanism of action involves functional antagonism of the ionotropic glutamate N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. However, direct interactions between acamprosate and the NMDA receptor are weak, and recent findings suggest that acamprosate may modulate NMDA receptors via regulatory polyamine sites, or that it may act directly on metabotropic glutamate receptors. All of these mechanisms are novel for the treatment of alcohol dependence and have far-reaching implications for understanding relapse, as well as for the discovery of drugs with greater efficacy. Understanding the mechanism of action of acamprosate may be an important stimulus for change in the perception and treatment of alcohol dependence.
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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism and alcohol-related phenotypes. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2013; 40:193-8. [PMID: 23023098 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2012.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2012] [Revised: 08/21/2012] [Accepted: 09/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcoholism is a chronic psychiatric disorder affecting neural pathways that regulate motivation, stress, reward and arousal. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates mood, response to stress and interacts with neurotransmitters and stress systems involved in reward pathways and addiction. Aim of the study was to evaluate the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism (BDNF Val66Met or rs6265) and alcohol related phenotypes in Caucasian patients. In ethnically homogenous Caucasian subjects of the Croatian origin, the BDNF Val66Met genotype distribution was determined in 549 male and 126 female patients with alcohol dependence and in 655 male and 259 female healthy non-alcoholic control subjects. Based on the structured clinical interview, additional detailed clinical interview, the Brown-Goodwin Scale, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Clinical Global Impression scores, alcoholic patients were subdivided into those with or without comorbid depression, aggression, delirium tremens, withdrawal syndrome, early/late onset of alcohol abuse, prior suicidal attempt during lifetime, current suicidal behavior, and severity of alcohol dependence. The results showed no significant association between BDNF Val66Met variants and alcohol dependence and/or any of the alcohol related phenotypes in either Caucasian women, or men, with alcohol dependence. There are few limitations of the study. The overall study sample size was large (N=1589) but not well-powered to detect differences in BDNF Val66Met genotype distribution between studied groups. Healthy control women were older than female alcoholic patients. Only one BDNF polymorphism (rs6265) was studied. In conclusion, these data do not support the view that BDNF Val66Met polymorphism correlates with the specific alcohol related phenotypes in ethnically homogenous medication-free Caucasian subjects with alcohol dependence.
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Stress and consumption of alcohol in humans with a Type 1 family history of alcoholism in an experimental laboratory setting. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2011; 99:696-703. [PMID: 21729717 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2011.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2010] [Revised: 05/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper investigates how stress interacts with alcohol consumption in subjects with a family history of alcoholism. One mechanism for increases in alcohol intake may be that stress alters the subjective effects produced by the drug. METHODS 58 healthy volunteers, divided into two groups of family history positive (FHP) and two groups of family history negative (FHN) participated in two laboratory sessions, in which they performed in one out of two sessions a stress task. Then subjects were allowed to choose up to six additional drinks of ethanol or placebo depending on which session they were randomly assigned to start with. RESULTS It was found that FHP subjects increased their consumption of alcohol after stress. CONCLUSIONS It is possible that both stress and alcohol specifically exaggerate the feelings of the reward in the FHP individuals in such way that it may increase the likelihood of consuming more alcohol.
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11
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Söderpalm Gordh AHV, Söderpalm B. Healthy subjects with a family history of alcoholism show increased stimulative subjective effects of alcohol. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2011; 35:1426-34. [PMID: 21575013 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01478.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research has shown that subjects with a family history positive (FHP) of alcoholism are at increased risk for alcoholism and that this group reacts differently to alcohol than family history negative (FHN) subjects. These different levels of sensitivity may make FHP persons more likely to consume alcohol. Here, we tested the hypothesis that subjects FHP for type 1 alcoholism (according to Cloninger) are more sensitive than control subjects to the stimulative, properties of alcohol following a single moderate dose of alcohol. METHODS Fifty-one healthy men and women (22 FHP and 29 FHN) participated in 2 laboratory sessions, in which they consumed a beverage containing ethanol (0.6 g/kg in juice) or placebo (juice alone) in a randomized order. Primary dependent measures were self-report questionnaires of mood states. RESULTS Subjects with family history of type 1 alcoholism showed increased stimulative responses and an elevated positive mood state after ethanol compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS At this moderate dose, ethanol increased stimulative subjective responses in individuals who were "family history positive." This enhanced sensitivity could motivate to exaggerated drinking and thereby increase the risk for developing alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna H V Söderpalm Gordh
- Institute of Neuroscience and Neurophysiology, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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12
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Abstract
One of the sequelae of chronic alcohol abuse is malnutrition. Importantly, a deficiency in thiamine (vitamin B(1)) can result in the acute, potentially reversible neurological disorder Wernicke encephalopathy (WE). When WE is recognized, thiamine treatment can elicit a rapid clinical recovery. If WE is left untreated, however, patients can develop Korsakoff syndrome (KS), a severe neurological disorder characterized by anterograde amnesia. Alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) describes the effects of chronic alcohol consumption on human brain structure and function in the absence of more discrete and well-characterized neurological concomitants of alcoholism such as WE and KS. Through knowledge of both the well-described changes in brain structure and function that are evident in alcohol-related disorders such as WE and KS and the clinical outcomes associated with these changes, researchers have begun to gain a better understanding of ARBD. This Review examines ARBD from the perspective of WE and KS, exploring the clinical presentations, postmortem brain pathology, in vivo MRI findings and potential molecular mechanisms associated with these conditions. An awareness of the consequences of chronic alcohol consumption on human behavior and brain structure can enable clinicians to improve detection and treatment of ARBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M Zahr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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13
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Moonat S, Sakharkar AJ, Zhang H, Pandey SC. The role of amygdaloid brain-derived neurotrophic factor, activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein and dendritic spines in anxiety and alcoholism. Addict Biol 2011; 16:238-50. [PMID: 21182574 DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2010.00275.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Innate anxiety appears to be a robust factor in the promotion of alcohol intake, possibly due to the anxiolytic effects of self-medication with alcohol. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its downstream target, activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated (Arc) protein, play a role in the regulation of synaptic function and structure. In order to examine the role of the BDNF-Arc system and associated dendritic spines in the anxiolytic effects of ethanol, we investigated the effects of acute ethanol exposure on anxiety-like behaviors of alcohol-preferring (P) and -nonpreferring (NP) rats. We also examined changes in the expression of BDNF and Arc, and dendritic spine density (DSD), in amygdaloid brain regions of P and NP rats with or without ethanol exposure. It was found that in comparison with NP rats, P rats displayed innate anxiety-like behaviors, and had lower mRNA and protein levels of both BDNF and Arc, and also had lower DSD in the central amygdala (CeA) and medial amygdala (MeA), but not in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Acute ethanol treatment had an anxiolytic effect in P, but not in NP rats, and was associated with an increase in mRNA and protein levels of BDNF and Arc, and in DSD in the CeA and MeA, but not BLA. These results suggest that innate deficits in BDNF-Arc levels, and DSD, in the CeA and MeA may be involved in the anxiety-like and excessive alcohol-drinking behaviors of P rats, as ethanol increased these amygdaloid synaptic markers and produced anxiolytic effects in P rats, but not NP rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachin Moonat
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago and Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, 820 S. Damen Avenue (M/C 151). Chicago, IL 60612, USA
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14
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Pellón R, Ruíz A, Moreno M, Claro F, Ambrosio E, Flores P. Individual differences in schedule-induced polydipsia: Neuroanatomical dopamine divergences. Behav Brain Res 2011; 217:195-201. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2009] [Revised: 10/08/2010] [Accepted: 10/12/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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15
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Rusyn I, Gatti DM, Wiltshire T, Wilshire T, Kleeberger SR, Threadgill DW. Toxicogenetics: population-based testing of drug and chemical safety in mouse models. Pharmacogenomics 2010; 11:1127-36. [PMID: 20704464 DOI: 10.2217/pgs.10.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid decline in the cost of dense genotyping is paving the way for new DNA sequence-based laboratory tests to move quickly into clinical practice, and to ultimately help realize the promise of 'personalized' therapies. These advances are based on the growing appreciation of genetics as an important dimension in science and the practice of investigative pharmacology and toxicology. On the clinical side, both the regulators and the pharmaceutical industry hope that the early identification of individuals prone to adverse drug effects will keep advantageous medicines on the market for the benefit of the vast majority of prospective patients. On the environmental health protection side, there is a clear need for better science to define the range and causes of susceptibility to adverse effects of chemicals in the population, so that the appropriate regulatory limits are established. In both cases, most of the research effort is focused on genome-wide association studies in humans where de novo genotyping of each subject is required. At the same time, the power of population-based preclinical safety testing in rodent models (e.g., mouse) remains to be fully exploited. Here, we highlight the approaches available to utilize the knowledge of DNA sequence and genetic diversity of the mouse as a species in mechanistic toxicology research. We posit that appropriate genetically defined mouse models may be combined with the limited data from human studies to not only discover the genetic determinants of susceptibility, but to also understand the molecular underpinnings of toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Rusyn
- Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, 0031 Michael Hooker Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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16
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Fidler TL, Dion AM, Powers MS, Ramirez JJ, Mulgrew JA, Smitasin PJ, Crane AT, Cunningham CL. Intragastric self-infusion of ethanol in high- and low-drinking mouse genotypes after passive ethanol exposure. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2010; 10:264-75. [PMID: 21091635 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00664.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Two experiments examined the effect of 5 days of passive exposure to ethanol (or water) on later self-infusion of ethanol or water via surgically implanted intragastric (IG) catheters in mouse genotypes previously shown to drink high (C57BL/6J, HAP2) or low (DBA/2J, LAP2) amounts of ethanol in home-cage continuous-access two-bottle choice procedures. Intragastric ethanol self-infusion was affected by both genotype and a history of passive ethanol exposure, with greater intakes in the high-drinking genotypes and in groups that received passive exposure to ethanol. Passive ethanol exposure also increased preference for the flavor that signaled ethanol infusion (S+), eliminating genetic differences in this measure. The increases in ethanol intake and S+ preference induced by ethanol exposure might have been mediated jointly by development of tolerance to aversive post-absorptive ethanol effects and negative reinforcement because of alleviation of withdrawal. Bout analyses indicated that ethanol exposure increased ethanol self-infusion by increasing the total number of daily bouts rather than by increasing bout size. These analyses also showed that DBA/2J mice infused larger ethanol bouts and a greater percentage of their total intakes in large bouts than C57BL/6J mice. Overall, these studies suggest that the IG self-infusion procedure is a potentially useful new tool for studying genetic and environmental influences on excessive ethanol intake and preference in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- T L Fidler
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience and Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA
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17
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Goulding SP, Obara I, Lominac KD, Gould AT, Miller BW, Klugmann M, Szumlinski KK. Accumbens Homer2-mediated signaling: a factor contributing to mouse strain differences in alcohol drinking? GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2010; 10:111-26. [PMID: 20807241 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00647.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol-induced increases in nucleus accumbens glutamate actively regulate alcohol consumption, and the alcohol responsiveness of corticoaccumbens glutamate systems relates to genetic variance in alcohol reward. Here, we extend earlier data for inbred mouse strain differences in accumbens glutamate by examining for differences in basal and alcohol-induced changes in the striatal expression of glutamate-related signaling molecules between inbred C57BL/6J and DBA2/J mice. Repeated alcohol treatment (8 × 2 g/kg) increased the expression of Group1 metabotropic glutamate receptors, the NR2a/b subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, Homer2a/b, as well as the activated forms of protein kinase C (PKC) epsilon and phosphoinositol-3-kinase within ventral, but not dorsal, striatum. Regardless of prior alcohol experience, C57BL/6J mice exhibited higher accumbens levels of mGluR1/5, Homer2a/b, NR2a and activated kinases vs. DBA2/J mice, whereas an alcohol-induced rise in dorsal striatum mGluR1/5 expression was observed only in C57BL/6J mice. We next employed virus-mediated gene transfer approaches to ascertain the functional relevance of the observed strain difference in accumbens Homer2 expression for B6/D2 differences in alcohol-induced glutamate sensitization, as well as alcohol preference/intake. Manipulating nucleus accumbens shell Homer2b expression actively regulated these measures in C57BL/6J mice, whereas DBA2/J mice were relatively insensitive to the neurochemical and behavioral effects of virus-mediated changes in Homer2 expression. These data support the over-arching hypothesis that augmented accumbens Homer2-mediated glutamate signaling may be an endophenotype related to genetic variance in alcohol consumption. If relevant to humans, such data pose polymorphisms affecting glutamate receptor/Homer2 signaling in the etiology of alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P Goulding
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660, USA
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18
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Rowley AA, Hong BA, Chapman W, Crippin JS. The Psychiatric Diagnosis of Alcohol Abuse and the Medical Diagnosis of Alcoholic Related Liver Disease: Effects on Liver Transplant Survival. J Clin Psychol Med Settings 2010; 17:195-202. [DOI: 10.1007/s10880-010-9201-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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A three-stage genome-wide association study of general cognitive ability: hunting the small effects. Behav Genet 2010; 40:759-67. [PMID: 20306291 PMCID: PMC2992848 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-010-9350-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2009] [Accepted: 02/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Childhood general cognitive ability (g) is important for a wide range of outcomes in later life, from school achievement to occupational success and life expectancy. Large-scale association studies will be essential in the quest to identify variants that make up the substantial genetic component implicated by quantitative genetic studies. We conducted a three-stage genome-wide association study for general cognitive ability using over 350,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the quantitative extremes of a population sample of 7,900 7-year-old children from the UK Twins Early Development Study. Using two DNA pooling stages to enrich true positives, each of around 1,000 children selected from the extremes of the distribution, and a third individual genotyping stage of over 3,000 children to test for quantitative associations across the normal range, we aimed to home in on genes of small effect. Genome-wide results suggested that our approach was successful in enriching true associations and 28 SNPs were taken forward to individual genotyping in an unselected population sample. However, although we found an enrichment of low P values and identified nine SNPs nominally associated with g (P < 0.05) that show interesting characteristics for follow-up, further replication will be necessary to meet rigorous standards of association. These replications may take advantage of SNP sets to overcome limitations of statistical power. Despite our large sample size and three-stage design, the genes associated with childhood g remain tantalizingly beyond our current reach, providing further evidence for the small effect sizes of individual loci. Larger samples, denser arrays and multiple replications will be necessary in the hunt for the genetic variants that influence human cognitive ability.
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20
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Milner LC, Buck KJ. Identifying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genes (QTGs) for alcohol-related phenotypes in mice. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2010; 91:173-204. [PMID: 20813243 DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7742(10)91006-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcoholism is a complex clinical disorder with genetic and environmental contributions. Although no animal model duplicates alcoholism, models for specific factors, such as the withdrawal syndrome, are useful to identify potential genetic determinants of liability in humans. Murine models have been invaluable to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that influence a variety of alcohol responses. However, the QTL regions are typically large, at least initially, and contain numerous genes, making identification of the causal quantitative trait gene(s) (QTGs) challenging. Here, we present QTG identification strategies currently used in the field of alcohol genetics and discuss relevance to alcoholic human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren C Milner
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, VA Medical Center and Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
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21
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Abstract
Alcoholism is a complex disorder with genetic and environmental risk factors. The presence of withdrawal symptoms is one criterion for alcohol dependence. Genetic animal models have followed a reductionist approach by quantifying various effects of ethanol withdrawal separately. Different ethanol withdrawal symptoms may have distinct genetic etiologies, and therefore differentiating distinct neurobiological mechanisms related to separate signs of withdrawal would increase our understanding of various aspects of the complex phenotype. This study establishes motor incoordination as a new phenotype of alcohol withdrawal in mice. Mice were made physically dependent on ethanol by exposure to ethanol vapor for 72 h. The effects of ethanol withdrawal in mice from different genetic backgrounds were measured on the accelerating rotarod, a simple motor task. Ethanol withdrawal disrupted accelerating rotarod behavior in mice. The disruptive effects of withdrawal suggest a performance rather than a learning deficit. Inbred strain comparisons suggest genetic differences in magnitude of this withdrawal phenotype. The withdrawal-induced deficits were not correlated with the selection response difference in handling convulsion severity in selectively bred Withdrawal Seizure-Prone and Withdrawal Seizure-Resistant lines. The accelerating rotarod seems to be a simple behavioral measure of ethanol withdrawal that is suitable for comparing genotypes.
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22
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The opioid peptides enkephalin and beta-endorphin in alcohol dependence. Biol Psychiatry 2008; 64:989-97. [PMID: 18589403 PMCID: PMC2646839 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2007] [Revised: 05/14/2008] [Accepted: 05/14/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experimental evidence indicates that the endogenous opioid system influences stress responses as well as reinforces effects of addictive drugs. Because stress is an important factor contributing to drug dependence and relapse, we have now studied ethanol preference in enkephalin- and beta-endorphin-deficient mice under baseline conditions and after stress exposure. METHODS In the present study we used a two-bottle choice paradigm to study ethanol consumption and stress-induced ethanol preference. To examine alcohol withdrawal symptoms the forced drinking procedure was employed. We performed an association analysis in two case-control samples of alcohol addicts to determine whether these opioid peptides also contribute to ethanol dependence in humans. RESULTS Ethanol consumption was significantly reduced in the absence of beta-endorphins, particularly in female knockout animals. Stress exposure results in an increased ethanol consumption in wild-type mice but did not influence ethanol-drinking in beta-endorphin knockouts. Enkephalin-deficient mice showed no difference from wild-type mice in baseline ethanol preference but also showed no stress-induced elevation of ethanol consumption. Interestingly, we found a two-marker haplotype in the POMC gene that was associated with alcohol dependence in females in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Together these results indicate a contribution of beta-endorphin to ethanol consumption and dependence.
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Schedule-induced polydipsia in lines of rats selectively bred for high and low ethanol preference. Behav Genet 2008; 38:515-24. [PMID: 18780177 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-008-9224-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2008] [Accepted: 06/23/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol drinking was assessed in the P/NP, HAD1/LAD1, and HAD2/LAD2 lines of rats under environmental conditions that produce schedule-induced polydipsia. Female rats (n = 8/line), maintained at 85% of free-feeding body weights, underwent daily 1-h sessions during which 45-mg food pellets were delivered every 60 s. Water, 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32% w/v ethanol solution was available from a single bottle for 8 consecutive sessions at each concentration, with blood-ethanol levels (BELs) determined after selected sessions. P and HAD2 rats drank more water and ethanol than their non-preferring counterparts, while HAD1 and LAD1 rats did not differ. Ethanol intake and BELs were positively correlated (r = 0.75) across lines. Finally, rats were allowed 14 daily choice sessions with 8% ethanol and water concurrently available. Water intake generally exceeded ethanol intake in all lines, while P rats drank similar amounts of both fluids. These line differences indicate pleiotropic effects of genes that mediate ethanol intake and schedule-induced behaviors.
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Abstract
Ethanol produces a wide variety of behavioral and physiological effects in the body, but exactly how it acts to produce these effects is still poorly understood. Although ethanol was long believed to act nonspecifically through the disordering of lipids in cell membranes, proteins are at the core of most current theories of its mechanisms of action. Although ethanol affects various biochemical processes such as neurotransmitter release, enzyme function, and ion channel kinetics, we are only beginning to understand the specific molecular sites to which ethanol molecules bind to produce these myriad effects. For most effects of ethanol characterized thus far, it is unknown whether the protein whose function is being studied actually binds ethanol, or if alcohol is instead binding to another protein that then indirectly affects the functioning of the protein being studied. In this Review, we describe criteria that should be considered when identifying alcohol binding sites and highlight a number of proteins for which there exists considerable molecular-level evidence for distinct ethanol binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Adron Harris
- Section of Neurobiology and Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, Institutes for Neuroscience and Cell & Molecular Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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25
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Timko C, Sutkowi A, Pavao J, Kimerling R. Women's childhood and adult adverse experiences, mental health, and binge drinking: the California Women's Health Survey. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2008; 3:15. [PMID: 18538028 PMCID: PMC2447829 DOI: 10.1186/1747-597x-3-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2008] [Accepted: 06/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study examined sociodemographic, physical and mental health, and adult and childhood adverse experiences associated with binge drinking in a representative sample of women in the State of California. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data were from the 2003 to 2004 (response rates of 72% and 74%, respectively) California Women's Health Survey (CWHS), a population-based, random-digit-dial annual probability survey sponsored by the California Department of Health Services. The sample was 6,942 women aged 18 years or older. RESULTS The prevalence of binge drinking was 9.3%. Poor physical health, and poorer mental health (i.e., symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression, feeling overwhelmed by stress), were associated with binge drinking when demographics were controlled, as were adverse experiences in adulthood (intimate partner violence, having been physically or sexually assaulted, or having experienced the death of someone close) and in childhood (living with someone abusing substances or mentally ill, or with a mother vicimized by violence, or having been physically or sexually assaulted). When adult mental health and adverse experiences were also controlled, having lived as a child with someone who abused substances or was mentally ill was associated with binge drinking. Associations between childhood adverse experiences and binge drinking could not be explained by women's poorer mental health status in adulthood. CONCLUSION Identifying characteristics of women who engage in binge drinking is a key step in prevention and intervention efforts. Binge drinking programs should consider comprehensive approaches that address women's mental health symptoms as well as circumstances in the childhood home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Timko
- Center for Health Care Evaluation, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anne Sutkowi
- Center for Health Care Evaluation, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Joanne Pavao
- National Center for PTSD, VA Health Care System, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Rachel Kimerling
- Center for Health Care Evaluation, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
- National Center for PTSD, VA Health Care System, 795 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
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Kapasova Z, Szumlinski KK. Strain differences in alcohol-induced neurochemical plasticity: a role for accumbens glutamate in alcohol intake. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2008; 32:617-31. [PMID: 18341649 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2008.00620.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Repeated alcohol administration alters nucleus accumbens (NAC) basal glutamate content and sensitizes the capacity of alcohol to increase NAC extracellular glutamate levels. However, the relevance of alcohol-induced changes in NAC glutamate for alcohol drinking behavior is under-investigated. METHODS To examine the relationship between genetic variance in alcohol consumption and alcohol-induced neuroadaptations within the NAC, in vivo microdialysis was conducted in the alcohol-preferring C57BL/6J (B6) and alcohol-avoiding DBA2/J (D2) mouse strains on injections 1 and 8 of repeated alcohol treatment (8 x 2 g/kg, IP). To confirm an active role for NAC glutamate in regulating alcohol drinking behavior, the glutamate reuptake inhibitor dl-threo-beta-benzyloxyaspartic acid (TBOA) (300 microM) and the Group 2 metabotropic glutamate autoreceptor agonist (2R,4R)-4-aminopyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate (APDC) (50 microM) were infused into the NAC of B6 and D2 mice prior to alcohol consumption in a 4 bottle-choice test. RESULTS While strain differences were not apparent for NAC basal levels of dopamine, serotonin or gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), repeated alcohol treatment elevated NAC basal glutamate content only in B6 mice. Strain differences in both the acute and the sensitized neurochemical responses to 2 g/kg alcohol were observed for all neurotransmitters examined. While the alcohol-induced rise in NAC dopamine and glutamate levels sensitized in B6 mice, a sensitization was not observed in D2 animals. Moreover, B6 mice exhibited a sensitized serotonin and GABA response to alcohol followed repeated treatment, whereas neither tolerance nor sensitization was observed in D2 animals. An intra-NAC APDC infusion reduced alcohol intake in both B6 and D2 mice by approximately 50%. In contrast, TBOA infusion elevated alcohol intake selectively in B6 mice. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate an active role for NAC glutamate in regulating alcohol consumption in mice and support the hypothesis that predisposition to high alcohol intake involves genetic factors that facilitate alcohol-induced adaptations in glutamate release within the NAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Kapasova
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106-9660, USA
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27
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Singh SM, Treadwell J, Kleiber ML, Harrison M, Uddin RK. Analysis of behavior using genetical genomics in mice as a model: from alcohol preferences to gene expression differences. Genome 2008; 50:877-97. [PMID: 18059552 DOI: 10.1139/g06-118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Most familial behavioral phenotypes result from the complex interaction of multiple genes. Studies of such phenotypes involving human subjects are often inconclusive owing to complexity of causation and experimental limitations. Studies of animal models argue for the use of established genetic strains as a powerful tool for genetic dissection of behavioral disorders and have led to the identification of rare genes and genetic mechanisms implicated in such phenotypes. We have used microarrays to study global gene expression in adult brains of four genetic strains of mice (C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, A/J, and BALB/c). Our results demonstrate that different strains show expression differences for a number of genes in the brain, and that closely related strains have similar patterns of gene expression as compared with distantly related strains. In addition, among the 24 000 genes and ESTs on the microarray, 77 showed at least a 1.5-fold increase in the brains of C57BL/6J mice as compared with those of DBA/2J mice. These genes fall into such functional categories as gene regulation, metabolism, cell signaling, neurotransmitter transport, and DNA/RNA binding. The importance of these findings as a novel genetic resource and their use and application in the genetic analysis of complex behavioral phenotypes, susceptibilities, and responses to drugs and chemicals are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiva M Singh
- Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Biology and Division of Medical Genetics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada.
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Abstract
While the cause of autism remains unknown, the high concordance between monozygotic twins supports a strong genetic component. The importance of genetic factors in autism encourages the development of mutant mouse models, to advance our understanding of biological mechanisms underlying autistic behaviors. Mouse models of human neuropsychiatric diseases are designed to optimize (i) face validity (resemblance to the human symptoms) (ii) construct validity (similarity to the underlying causes of the disease) and (iii) predictive validity (expected responses to treatments that are effective in the human disease). There is a growing need for mouse behavioral tasks with all three types of validity, to define robust phenotypes in mouse models of autism. Ideal mouse models will incorporate analogies to the three diagnostic symptoms of autism: abnormal social interactions, deficits in communication and high levels of repetitive behaviors. Social approach is tested in an automated three chambered apparatus that offers the subject a choice between spending time with another mouse, with a novel object, or remaining in an empty familiar environment. Reciprocal social interaction is scored from videotapes of interactions between pairs of unfamiliar mice. Communication is evaluated by measuring emission and responses to vocalizations and olfactory cues. Repetitive behaviors are scored for measures of grooming, jumping, or stereotyped sniffing of one location or object. Insistence on sameness is modeled by scoring a change in habit, for example, reversal of the spatial location of a reinforcer in the Morris water maze or T-maze. Associated features of autism, for example, mouse phenotypes relevant to anxiety, seizures, sleep disturbances and sensory hypersensitivity, may be useful to include in a mouse model that meets some of the core diagnostic criteria. Applications of these assays include (i) behavioral phenotyping of transgenic and knockout mice with mutations in genes relevant to autism; (ii) characterization of inbred strains of mice; (iii) evaluation of environmental toxins; (iv) comparison of behavioral phenotypes with genetic factors, such as unusual expression patterns of genes or unusual single nucleotide polymorphisms; and (v) evaluation of proposed therapeutics for the treatment of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline N Crawley
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3730. USA.
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Sher L. Functional magnetic resonance imaging in studies of the neurobiology of suicidal behavior in adolescents with alcohol use disorders. Int J Adolesc Med Health 2007; 19:11-8. [PMID: 17458319 DOI: 10.1515/ijamh.2007.19.1.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Functional MRI of the brain is a technique that localizes regions of activity in the brain following task activation. It is useful to neuroscientists interested in interrogating the localization of certain brain functions. Alcohol misuse is a complex, multidimensional disorder involving problematic ethanol ingestion and reflected in behavior. Genetic factors play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of alcohol abuse in adolescents. Alcohol use disorders tend to run in families with 40-60% of the variance of risk explained by genetic influences. Numerous well-designed twin, adoption, and family studies have demonstrated that genetic factors are important in determining vulnerability to alcohol use disorders. There is a tendency for people who misuse alcohol to marry individuals who also abuse alcohol (assortative mating). Thus, many adolescent alcohol misusers are from families with a high proportion of alcohol abuse or dependence. It has been shown that alcohol abusing adolescents have a number of cognitive deficits. Neuropsychological studies of adolescents with alcohol use disorders have reported decrements in language skills, problem solving, verbal and non-verbal retention, working memory, and visuospatial performance. Some cognitive deficits may be present before an adolescent starts drinking and contribute to the development of alcohol use disorders. Data suggest that neuropsychological dysfunction may play a role in determining risk for suicidal acts. Therefore, studies of cognitive impairments and the neural substrate of these impairments in alcohol abusing adolescents may help develop methods of identifying teenagers who are at increased risk for suicide and contribute to our knowledge of the neurobiology of suicidal behavior and may lead to the development of new treatment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Sher
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Veatch LM. Disruptions in sleep time and sleep architecture in a mouse model of repeated ethanol withdrawal. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2006; 30:1214-22. [PMID: 16792570 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00134.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insomnia and other sleep difficulties are perhaps the most common and enduring symptoms reported by alcoholics undergoing detoxification, especially those alcoholics with a history of multiple detoxifications. While some studies have reported sleep disruptions in animal models after chronic ethanol exposure, the reports are inconsistent and few address sleep architecture across repeated ethanol exposures and withdrawals. The present study evaluated sleep time and architecture in a well-characterized mouse model of repeated chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal. METHODS C57BL6/J mice were fitted with electrodes in frontal cortex, hippocampus, and nuchal muscle for collection of continuous electroencephalogram (EEG)/electromyogram (EMG) data. Baseline data were collected, after which mice received 4 cycles of 16-hour exposure to alcohol (ethanol: EtOH) vapor separated by 8-hour periods of withdrawal or similar handling in the absence of EtOH vapor. Ethanol-exposed mice attained a blood ethanol concentration of 165 mg%. Upon completion of vapor exposure, EEG/EMG data were again collected across 4 days of acute withdrawal. Data were subjected to automated analyses classifying 10-second epochs into wake, non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, or REM sleep states. RESULTS Mice in withdrawal after chronic EtOH exposure showed profound disruptions in the total time asleep, across the acute withdrawal period. Sleep architecture, the composition of sleep, was also disrupted with a reduction in non-REM sleep concomitant with a profound increase in REM sleep. While altered sleep time and non-REM sleep loss resolved by the fourth day of withdrawal, the increase in REM sleep ("REM rebound") persisted. CONCLUSIONS These results mirror those reported for the human alcoholic and demonstrate that EtOH withdrawal-induced sleep disruptions are evident in this mouse model of alcohol withdrawal-induced sensitization. This mouse model may provide mechanisms to investigate fully the high correlation between unremitting sleep problems and increased risk of relapse documented clinically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn M Veatch
- Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina 29401-5799, USA.
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Ames SL, McBride C. Translating genetics, cognitive science, and other basic science research findings into applications for prevention. Eval Health Prof 2006; 29:277-301. [PMID: 16868339 DOI: 10.1177/0163278706290407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of research across genetics, cognitive science, and other basic science suggests the complexity and interconnectedness of multiple factors contributing to individual variation in susceptibility to engage in risk behaviors. Advances in these disciplines may direct new research directions and the development and evaluation of innovative intervention components for prevention that consider novel but central susceptibility factors. This article highlights findings from three interrelated areas of basic science research--genetics, neuroscience, and cognitive science--that together continue to inform prevention science. A primary objective of this article is to suggest how this research might guide primary prevention interventions. Translating findings from these disciplines can help to facilitate testable hypotheses for prevention science and explain potential limitations of current intervention approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan L Ames
- The Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 91803, USA.
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Crabbe JC, Phillips TJ, Harris RA, Arends MA, Koob GF. Alcohol-related genes: contributions from studies with genetically engineered mice. Addict Biol 2006; 11:195-269. [PMID: 16961758 DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2006.00038.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 195] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Since 1996, nearly 100 genes have been studied for their effects related to ethanol in mice using genetic modifications including gene deletion, gene overexpression, gene knock-in, and occasionally by studying existing mutants. Nearly all such studies have concentrated on genes expressed in brain, and the targeted genes range widely in their function, including most of the principal neurotransmitter systems, several neurohormones, and a number of signaling molecules. We review 141 published reports of effects (or lack thereof) of 93 genes on responses to ethanol. While most studies have focused on ethanol self-administration and reward, and/or sedative effects, other responses studied include locomotor stimulation, anxiolytic effects, and neuroadaptation (tolerance, sensitization, withdrawal). About 1/4 of the engineered mutations increase self-administration, 1/3 decrease it, and about 40% have no significant effect. In many cases, the effects on self-administration are rather modest and/or depend on the specific experimental procedures. In some cases, genes in the background strains on which the mutant is placed are important for results. Not surprisingly, review of the systems affected further supports roles for serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid, opioids and dopamine, all of which have long been foci of alcohol research. Novel modulatory effects of protein kinase C and G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels are also suggested. Some newer research with cannabinoid systems is promising, and has led to ongoing clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Crabbe
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, USA
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Goldowitz D, Matthews DB, Hamre KM, Mittleman G, Chesler EJ, Becker HC, Lopez MF, Jones SR, Mathews TA, Miles MF, Kerns R, Grant KA. Progress in Using Mouse Inbred Strains, Consomics, and Mutants to Identify Genes Related to Stress, Anxiety, and Alcohol Phenotypes. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2006; 30:1066-78. [PMID: 16737467 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00125.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
This article summarizes the proceedings of a symposium that took place at the 2005 meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism. The organizers/chairs were Daniel Goldowitz and Katheen A. Grant. The presentations were as follows: (1) High-Throughput Screening for Ethanol Phenotypes, by Douglas B. Matthews and Kristin M. Hamre; (2) Genetic Basis of Schedule-Induced Polydipsia in Mice, by Guy Mittleman and Elissa J. Chesler; (3) Effects of Stress and Ethanol Dependence on Ethanol Self-administration in Inbred and Mutant Mice, by Howard C. Becker and Marcelo F. Lopez; (4) Changes in Dopaminergic Mechanisms Associated With Ethanol Dependence, by Sara R. Jones and Tiffany A. Mathews; and (5) Defining Brain Region-Specific Gene Networks Relevant to Ethanol Behaviors, by Michael F. Miles and Robnet Kerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Goldowitz
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, USA.
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Radcliffe RA, Floyd KL, Drahnak JA, Deitrich RA. Genetic Dissociation Between Ethanol Sensitivity and Rapid Tolerance in Mouse and Rat Strains Selectively Bred for Differential Ethanol Sensitivity. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2006; 29:1580-9. [PMID: 16205358 DOI: 10.1097/01.alc.0000179208.05882.1f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Inbred Long- and Short-Sleep mice (ILS and ISS) and the Inbred High- and Low-Alcohol-Sensitive rats (IHAS and ILAS) were selectively bred for differential alcohol sensitivity with use of the duration of loss-of-righting-reflex test (LORR), with the IHAS and ILS animals being much more sensitive than the ILAS and ISS animals, respectively. The current study was undertaken to determine whether acute sensitivity in these strains is genetically correlated to a rapid tolerance to alcohol, a form of tolerance that is evident 24 hr after a single alcohol dose. METHODS Separate groups of animals were administered a single pretreatment dose of alcohol (0-6 g/kg for the mice; 0-4 g/kg for the rats). Alcohol sensitivity was tested 24 hr later with the LORR test, and blood ethanol concentration was tested at regain of righting (BECRR). Alcohol-induced hypothermia also was determined in the mice. Independently derived replicate rat strains were used for all experiments (IHAS1, ILAS1; IHAS2, ILAS2); no such replicates exist for the ILS and ISS strains. RESULTS Alcohol pretreatment caused a dose-dependent decrease in LORR duration accompanied by an increase in BECRR in the ILS strain, but LORR increased in the ISS strain with no effect on BECRR. Both strains became hypothermic during the LORR test on day two, but the only significant effect of alcohol pretreatment was in the ISS strain, in which alcohol-induced hypothermia was enhanced. Alcohol pretreatment caused a significant dose-dependent decrease in LORR duration accompanied by an increase in BECRR in the IHAS1 but not in the IHAS2 strain. In contrast, ILAS1 and ILAS2 strains both showed a significant increase in LORR duration and also a significant increase in BECRR. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol pretreatment caused a dose-dependent decrease in LORR duration and an increase in BECRR in the IHAS1 and ILS strain, suggesting the development of functional rapid tolerance. In contrast, LORR duration increased in the ILAS1, ILAS2, and ISS groups, but BECRR either increased (ILAS1, ILAS2) or did not change (ISS). These observations suggest that central nervous system sensitivity was decreased in the ILAS1 and ILAS2 groups (i.e., rapid functional tolerance) or unchanged in the ISS strain, but that some pharmacokinetic property also was altered in these strains. Overall, the results do not support a genetic relation between alcohol sensitivity and the development of rapid tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Radcliffe
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA.
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Mulligan MK, Ponomarev I, Hitzemann RJ, Belknap JK, Tabakoff B, Harris RA, Crabbe JC, Blednov YA, Grahame NJ, Phillips TJ, Finn DA, Hoffman PL, Iyer VR, Koob GF, Bergeson SE. Toward understanding the genetics of alcohol drinking through transcriptome meta-analysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006; 103:6368-73. [PMID: 16618939 PMCID: PMC1458884 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0510188103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 291] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Much evidence from studies in humans and animals supports the hypothesis that alcohol addiction is a complex disease with both hereditary and environmental influences. Molecular determinants of excessive alcohol consumption are difficult to study in humans. However, several rodent models show a high or low degree of alcohol preference, which provides a unique opportunity to approach the molecular complexities underlying the genetic predisposition to drink alcohol. Microarray analyses of brain gene expression in three selected lines, and six isogenic strains of mice known to differ markedly in voluntary alcohol consumption provided >4.5 million data points for a meta-analysis. A total of 107 arrays were obtained and arranged into six experimental data sets, allowing the identification of 3,800 unique genes significantly and consistently changed between all models of high or low amounts of alcohol consumption. Several functional groups, including mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling and transcription regulation pathways, were found to be significantly overrepresented and may play an important role in establishing a high level of voluntary alcohol drinking in these mouse models. Data from the general meta-analysis was further filtered by a congenic strain microarray set, from which cis-regulated candidate genes for an alcohol preference quantitative trait locus on chromosome 9 were identified: Arhgef12, Carm1, Cryab, Cox5a, Dlat, Fxyd6, Limd1, Nicn1, Nmnat3, Pknox2, Rbp1, Sc5d, Scn4b, Tcf12, Vps11, and Zfp291 and four ESTs. The present study demonstrates the use of (i) a microarray meta-analysis to analyze a behavioral phenotype (in this case, alcohol preference) and (ii) a congenic strain for identification of cis regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K. Mulligan
- *Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and
- Sections of Neurobiology and
| | - Igor Ponomarev
- *Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and
- Sections of Neurobiology and
| | - Robert J. Hitzemann
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland Alcohol Research Center, and Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - John K. Belknap
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland Alcohol Research Center, and Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Boris Tabakoff
- University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO 80045
| | - R. Adron Harris
- *Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and
- Sections of Neurobiology and
| | - John C. Crabbe
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland Alcohol Research Center, and Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Yuri A. Blednov
- *Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and
- Sections of Neurobiology and
| | | | - Tamara J. Phillips
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland Alcohol Research Center, and Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | - Deborah A. Finn
- Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland Alcohol Research Center, and Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239
| | | | - Vishwanath R. Iyer
- *Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and
- **Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712
| | | | - Susan E. Bergeson
- *Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and
- Sections of Neurobiology and
- To whom correspondence should be addressed at:
Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research and Section of Neurobiology, University of Texas, A4800, MBB1.138AA, 1 University Station, Austin, TX 78712. E-mail:
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Armstrong NJ, Brodnicki TC, Speed TP. Mind the gap: analysis of marker-assisted breeding strategies for inbred mouse strains. Mamm Genome 2006; 17:273-87. [PMID: 16596449 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-005-0123-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2005] [Accepted: 12/14/2005] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The development of congenic mouse strains is the principal approach for confirming and fine mapping quantitative trait loci, as well as for comparing the phenotypic effect of a transgene or gene-targeted disruption between different inbred mouse strains. The traditional breeding scheme calls for at least nine consecutive backcrosses before establishing a congenic mouse strain. Recent availability of genome sequence and high-throughput genotyping now permit the use of polymorphic DNA markers to reduce this number of backcrosses, and empirical data suggest that marker-assisted breeding may require as few as four backcrosses. We used simulation studies to investigate the efficiency of different marker-assisted breeding schemes by examining the trade-off between the number of backcrosses, the number of mice produced per generation, and the number of genotypes per mouse required to achieve a quality congenic mouse strain. An established model of crossover interference was also incorporated into these simulations. The quality of the strain produced was assessed by the probability of an undetected region of heterozygosity (i.e., "gaps") in the recipient genetic background, while maintaining the desired donor-derived interval. Somewhat surprisingly, we found that there is a relatively high probability for undetected gaps in potential breeders for establishing a congenic mouse strain. Marker-assisted breeding may decrease the number of backcross generations required to generate a congenic strain, but only additional backcrossing will guarantee a reduction in the number and length of undetected gaps harboring contaminating donor alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J Armstrong
- Division of Molecular Biology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, 1066 CX, The Netherlands.
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Maas JW, Vogt SK, Chan GCK, Pineda VV, Storm DR, Muglia LJ. Calcium-stimulated adenylyl cyclases are critical modulators of neuronal ethanol sensitivity. J Neurosci 2006; 25:4118-26. [PMID: 15843614 PMCID: PMC6724953 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4273-04.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of the cAMP signaling pathway in the modulation of ethanol sensitivity has been suggested by studies in organisms from Drosophila melanogaster to man. However, the involvement of specific isoforms of adenylyl cyclase (AC), the molecule that converts ATP to cAMP, has not been systemically determined in vivo. Because AC1 and AC8 are the only AC isoforms stimulated by calcium, and ethanol modulates calcium flux by the NMDA receptor, we hypothesized that these ACs would be important in the neural response to ethanol. AC1 knock-out (KO) mice and double knock-out (DKO) mice with genetic deletion of both AC1 and AC8 display substantially increased sensitivity to ethanol-induced sedation compared with wild-type (WT) mice, whereas AC8 KO mice are only minimally more sensitive. In contrast, AC8 KO and DKO mice, but not AC1 KO mice, demonstrate decreased voluntary ethanol consumption compared with WT mice. DKO mice do not display increased sleep time compared with WT mice after administration of ketamine or pentobarbital, indicating that the mechanism of enhanced ethanol sensitivity in these mice is likely distinct from the antagonism of ethanol of the NMDA receptor and potentiation of the GABA(A) receptor. Ethanol does not enhance calcium-stimulated AC activity, but the ethanol-induced phosphorylation of a discrete subset of protein kinase A (PKA) substrates is compromised in the brains of DKO mice. These results indicate that the unique activation of PKA signaling mediated by the calcium-stimulated ACs is an important component of the neuronal response to ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Maas
- Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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Boehm SL, Ponomarev I, Blednov YA, Harris RA. From Gene to Behavior and Back Again: New Perspectives on GABAA Receptor Subunit Selectivity of Alcohol Actions1. GABA 2006; 54:171-203. [PMID: 17175815 DOI: 10.1016/s1054-3589(06)54008-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
gamma-Aminobutyric acid A (GABA(A)) receptors are believed to mediate a number of alcohol's behavioral actions. Because the subunit composition of GABA(A) receptors determines receptor pharmacology, behavioral sensitivity to alcohol (ethanol) may depend on which subunits are present (or absent). A number of knockout and/or transgenic mouse models have been developed (alpha1, alpha2, alpha5, alpha6, beta2, beta3, gamma2S, gamma2L, delta) and tested for behavioral sensitivity to ethanol. Here we review the current GABA(A) receptor subunit knockout and transgenic literature for ethanol sensitivity, and integrate these results into those obtained using quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis and gene expression assays. Converging evidence from these three approaches support the notion that different behavioral actions of ethanol are mediated by specific subunits, and suggest that new drugs that target specific GABA(A subunits may selectively alter some behavioral actions of ethanol without altering others. Current data sets provide stronge)st evidence for a role of alpha1 subunits in ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex and alpha5 subunits in ethanol-stimulated locomotion. Nevertheless, three-way validation is hampered by the incomplete behavioral characterization of many of the mutant mice, and additional subunits are likely to be linked to alcohol actions as behavioral testing progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen L Boehm
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, New York 13902, USA
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Cryan JF, Mombereau C, Vassout A. The tail suspension test as a model for assessing antidepressant activity: review of pharmacological and genetic studies in mice. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2005; 29:571-625. [PMID: 15890404 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2005.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1098] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Since its introduction almost 20 years ago, the tail suspension test has become one of the most widely used models for assessing antidepressant-like activity in mice. The test is based on the fact that animals subjected to the short-term, inescapable stress of being suspended by their tail, will develop an immobile posture. Various antidepressant medications reverse the immobility and promote the occurrence of escape-related behaviour. This review focuses on the utility this test as part of a research program aimed at understanding the mechanism of action of antidepressants. We discuss the inherent difficulties in modeling depression in rodents. We describe how the tail suspension differs from the closely related forced swim test. Further, we address some key issues associated with using the TST as a model of antidepressant action. We discuss issues regarding whether it satisfies criteria to be a valid model for assessing depression-related behavioural traits. We elaborate on the tests' ease of use, strain differences observed in the test and gender effects in the test. We focus on the utility of the test for genetic analysis. Furthermore, we discuss the concept of whether immobility maybe a behavioural trait relevant to depression. All of the available pharmacological data using the test in genetically modified mice is collated. Special attention is given to selective breeding programs such as the Rouen 'depressed' mice which have been bred for high and low immobility in the tail suspension test. We provide an extensive pooling of the pharmacological studies published to date using the test. Finally, we provide novel pharmacological validation of an automated system (Bioseb) for assessing immobility. Taken together, we conclude that the tail suspension test is a useful test for assessing the behavioural effects of antidepressant compounds and other pharmacological and genetic manipulations relevant to depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F Cryan
- Psychiatry Program, Neuroscience Research, The Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research WSJ 386.344, Novartis Pharma AG., CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.
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40
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Worst TJ, Tan JC, Robertson DJ, Freeman WM, Hyytia P, Kiianmaa K, Vrana KE. Transcriptome analysis of frontal cortex in alcohol-preferring and nonpreferring rats. J Neurosci Res 2005; 80:529-38. [PMID: 15846778 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.20496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Although it is widely accepted that alcohol abuse and alcoholism have a significant genetic component of risk, the identities of the genes themselves remain obscure. To illuminate such potential genetic contributions, DNA macroarrays were used to probe for differences in normative cortical gene expression between rat strains genetically selected for alcohol self-administration preference, AA (Alko, alcohol) and P (Indiana, preferring), or avoidance, ANA (Alko, nonalcohol) and NP (Indiana, nonpreferring). Among 1,176 genes studied, six demonstrated confirmable, differential expression following comparison of ethanol-naive AA and ANA rats. Specifically, the mRNA level for metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (mGluR3) was down-regulated in the AA vs. ANA lines. In contrast, calcium channel subunit alpha2delta1 (cacna2d1), vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2), syntaxin 1 (both syntaxin 1a and 1b; STX1a and STX1b), and syntaxin binding protein (MUNC-18) mRNAs were found to be increased in frontal cortex following comparison of AA with ANA animals. Bioinformatic analysis of these molecular targets showed that mGluR3 and cacna2d1 fall within chromosomal locations reported to be alcohol-related by the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) as well as quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies. To determine further whether these differences were strain specific, the above-mentioned genes were compared in ethanol-preferring (P) and -nonpreferring (NP) selected lines. VAMP2 was the only gene that displayed statistically different mRNA levels in a comparison of P and NP rats. In conclusion, the altered cortical gene expression illuminated here would have the effect of altering neurotransmitter release in AA rats (compared with ANA rats). Such alterations, however, might not be a universal characteristic of all animal models of alcohol abuse and will also require further investigation in post-mortem human samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis J Worst
- Center for the Neurobehavioral Study of Alcohol, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
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Abstract
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are common health problems that have a significant impact on society as a whole. There is a need for more effective treatments. In the last two decades, evidence for the efficacy of pharmacological approaches to treatment has increased. Although it has long been clear that medications are needed for the treatment of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome, the important role of medications in the longer-term treatment of AUDs has only recently been appreciated. In particular, naltrexone, acamprosate and topiramate appear to be efficacious treatments, especially when combined with psychosocial interventions that emphasise compliance with medication and encourage treatment retention. The goal of this review is to bring together the existing literature supporting the usefulness of pharmacological treatments for the alcohol withdrawal syndrome, for longer-term treatment of AUDs, and for comorbid AUDs and other psychiatric disorders. In addition, opportunities for future research will be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darlene H Moak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 67 President Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
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Rhodes JS, Best K, Belknap JK, Finn DA, Crabbe JC. Evaluation of a simple model of ethanol drinking to intoxication in C57BL/6J mice. Physiol Behav 2005; 84:53-63. [PMID: 15642607 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 624] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2004] [Revised: 09/02/2004] [Accepted: 10/14/2004] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Because of intrinsic differences between humans and mice, no single mouse model can represent all features of a complex human trait such as alcoholism. It is therefore necessary to develop partial models. One important feature is drinking to the point where blood ethanol concentration (BEC) reaches levels that have measurable affects on physiology and/or behavior (>1.0 mg ethanol/ml blood). Most models currently in use examine relative oral self-administration from a bottle containing alcohol versus one containing water (two-bottle preference drinking), or oral operant self-administration. In these procedures, it is not clear when or if the animals drink to pharmacologically significant levels because the drinking is episodic and often occurs over a 24-h period. The aim of this study was to identify the optimal parameters and evaluate the reliability of a very simple procedure, taking advantage of a mouse genotype (C57BL/6J) that is known to drink large quantities of ethanol. We exchanged for the water bottle a solution containing ethanol in tap water for a limited period, early in the dark cycle, in the home cage. Mice regularly drank sufficient ethanol to achieve BEC>1.0 mg ethanol/ml blood. The concentration of ethanol offered (10%, 20% or 30%) did not affect consumption in g ethanol/kg body weight. The highest average BEC ( approximately 1.6 mg/ml) occurred when the water-to-ethanol switch occurred 3 h into the dark cycle, and when the ethanol was offered for 4 rather than 2 h. Ethanol consumption was consistent within individual mice, and reliably predicted BEC after the period of ethanol access. C57BL/6J mice from three sources provided equivalent data, while DBA/2J mice drank much less than C57BL/6J in this test. We discuss advantages of the model for high-throughput screening assays where the goal is to find other genotypes of mice that drink excessively, or to screen drugs for their efficacy in blocking excessive drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin S Rhodes
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, and VA Medical Center, Portland, Oregon 97239, USA.
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Finn DA, Belknap JK, Cronise K, Yoneyama N, Murillo A, Crabbe JC. A procedure to produce high alcohol intake in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2005; 178:471-80. [PMID: 15765261 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-004-2039-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2004] [Accepted: 09/17/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE While prolonged access to ethanol (EtOH), or deprivations, or their combination have occasionally been shown to yield high levels of voluntary self-administration, in almost all cases, rodents do not self-administer alcohol to the degree that they will develop substantial, intoxicating blood alcohol levels and then continue to self-administer at these levels. OBJECTIVES The purpose of the present series of experiments was to modify a fluid restriction procedure to demonstrate consistent, high EtOH consumption. METHODS Male and female mice from an alcohol preferring inbred strain (C57BL/6J; B6) as well as from a genetically heterogeneous strain (WSC) were given varying periods of access to fluid, ranging from 90 min to 10 h per day, for 12-21 days. Every 3rd or 4th day, separate groups of mice were offered a 5, 7 or 10% EtOH solution for either 10 min or 30 min, followed by water for the remainder of the time. RESULTS In all studies, stable high EtOH doses were consumed by both B6 and WSC mice across the EtOH sessions, exceeding 2 g/kg in a 30-min session. Mean blood EtOH concentration exceeded 1 mg/ml (i.e. 100 mg%), with values in individual animals ranging from 0.6 mg/ml to 3.4 mg/ml. Notably, mice receiving 10 h of fluid/day continued to consume 2 g/kg doses of EtOH. While this procedure did not produce subsequent preference for EtOH in WSC mice, consumption remained high in some animals. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that scheduling fluid intake produces high, stable EtOH consumption and BEC in male and female B6 and WSC mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A Finn
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, VAMC Research and Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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Duffy VB, Davidson AC, Kidd JR, Kidd KK, Speed WC, Pakstis AJ, Reed DR, Snyder DJ, Bartoshuk LM. Bitter receptor gene (TAS2R38), 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) bitterness and alcohol intake. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2005; 28:1629-37. [PMID: 15547448 PMCID: PMC1397913 DOI: 10.1097/01.alc.0000145789.55183.d4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), chemically related compounds, are probes for genetic variation in bitter taste, although PROP is safer with less sulfurous odor. Threshold for PROP distinguishes nontasters (increased threshold) from tasters (lower threshold); perceived intensity subdivides tasters into medium tasters (PROP is bitter) and supertasters (PROP is very bitter). Compared with supertasters, nontasters have fewer taste papillae on the anterior tongue (fungiform papillae) and experience less negative (e.g., bitterness) and more positive (eg, sweetness) sensations from alcohol. We determined whether the TAS2R38 gene at 7q36 predicted PROP bitterness, alcohol sensation and use. METHODS Healthy adults (53 women, 31 men; mean age 36 years)--primarily light and moderate drinkers--reported the bitterness of five PROP concentrations (0.032-3.2 mM) and intensity of 50% ethanol on the general Labeled Magnitude Scale. PROP threshold and density of fungiform papillae were also measured. Subjects had common TAS2R38 gene haplotypes [alanine-valine-isoleucine (AVI) and proline-alanine-valine (PAV)]. RESULTS PROP bitterness varied significantly across genotypes with repeated measures ANOVA: 26 AVI/AVI homozygotes tasted less bitterness than either 37 PAV/AVI heterozygotes or 21 PAV/PAV homozygotes. The PAV/PAV group exceeded the PAV/AVI group for bitterness only for the top PROP concentrations. The elevated bitterness was musch less than if we defined the groups using psychophysical criteria. With multiple regression analyses, greater bitterness from 3.2 mM PROP was a significant predictor of greater ethanol intensity and less alcohol intake--effects separate from age and sex. Genotype was a significant predictor of alcohol intake, but not ethanol intensity. With ANOVA, AVI/AVI homozygotes reported higher alcohol use than either PAV/AVI heterozygotes or PAV/PAV homozygotes. When age effects were minimized, PROP bitterness explained more variance in alcohol intake than did the TAS2R38 genotype. CONCLUSIONS These results support taste genetic effects on alcohol intake. PROP bitterness serves as a marker of these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie B Duffy
- School of Allied Health, University of Connecticut, 358 Mansfield Rd., Box U-101, Storrs, CT 06269-2101, USA.
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Abstract
The importance of genetic factors in autism has prompted the development of mutant mouse models to advance our understanding of biological mechanisms underlying autistic behaviors. Mouse models of human neuropsychiatric diseases are designed to optimize (1) face validity, i.e., resemblance to the human symptoms; (2) construct validity, i.e., similarity to the underlying causes of the disease; and (3) predictive validity, i.e., expected responses to treatments that are effective in the human disease. There is a growing need for mouse behavioral tasks with all three types of validity for modeling the symptoms of autism. We are in the process of designing a set of tasks with face validity for the defining features of autism: deficits in appropriate reciprocal social interactions, deficits in verbal social communication, and high levels of ritualistic repetitive behaviors. Social approach is tested in an automated three-chambered apparatus that offers the subject a choice between a familiar environment, a novel environment, and a novel environment containing a stranger mouse. Preference for social novelty is tested in the same apparatus, with a choice between the start chamber, the chamber containing a familiar mouse, and the chamber containing a stranger mouse. Social communication is evaluated by measuring the ultrasonic distress vocalizations emitted by infant mouse pups and the parental response of retrieving the pup to the nest. Resistance to change in ritualistic repetitive behaviors is modeled by forcing a change in habit, including reversal of the spatial location of a reinforcer in a T-maze task and in the Morris water maze. Mouse behavioral tasks that may model additional features of autism are discussed, including tasks relevant to anxiety, seizures, sleep disturbances, and sensory hypersensitivity. Applications of these tests include (1) behavioral phenotyping of transgenic and knockout mice with mutations in genes relevant to autism, (2) characterization of mutant mice derived from random chemical mutagenesis, (3) DNA microarray analyses of genes in inbred strains of mice that differ in social interaction, social communication and resistance to change in habit, and (4) evaluation of proposed therapeutics for the treatment of autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline N Crawley
- Mouse Behavioral Phenotyping Laboratory, Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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Lavelle CLB, Scully C. Criteria to rationalize population screening to control oral cancer. Oral Oncol 2005; 41:11-6. [PMID: 15598580 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2004.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2004] [Accepted: 04/21/2004] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Screening populations for the early detection of asymptomatic malignancies and potential malignancies are intuitively attractive strategies to control or reduce the burden of oral cancer on society. Subsequent preventive and/or therapeutic measures must, however, be substantiated by prospective randomized controlled trials (RCT) to markedly improve patient outcomes to reconcile such usages of 'scarce' healthcare resources. This strategic objective is more likely to be achieved by adopting the precedent established by cardiology, where prevention is emphasized over the treatment of occult lesions. For example, the screening identification of individuals at high oral carcinogenic risk will offer potential educational opportunities to change their behaviors, and/or optimize the implementation of contemporary preventive and therapeutic measures for non-compliant individuals. The imperative to substantiate the effectiveness of the screening assays (tests) by prospective RCT also cannot be ignored to safeguard the public against potential false-negative or false-positive diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L B Lavelle
- Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Manitoba, 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3E OW3.
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Boehm SL, Ponomarev I, Jennings AW, Whiting PJ, Rosahl TW, Garrett EM, Blednov YA, Harris RA. γ-Aminobutyric acid A receptor subunit mutant mice: new perspectives on alcohol actions. Biochem Pharmacol 2004; 68:1581-602. [PMID: 15451402 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2004.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2004] [Accepted: 07/01/2004] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
gamma-Aminobutyric acid A (GABA(A)) receptors are believed to mediate a number of alcohol's behavioral actions. Because the subunit composition of GABA(A) receptors determines receptor pharmacology, behavioral sensitivity to alcohol (ethanol) may depend on which subunits are present (or absent). A number of knock-out and/or transgenic mouse models have been developed (alpha1, alpha2, alpha5, alpha6, beta2, beta3, gamma2S, gamma2L, delta) and tested for behavioral sensitivity to ethanol. Here we review the current GABA(A) receptor subunit knock-out and transgenic literature for ethanol sensitivity, and integrate these results into those obtained using quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis and gene expression assays. Converging evidence from these three approaches support the notion that different behavioral actions of ethanol are mediated by specific subunits, and suggest that new drugs that target specific GABA(A) subunits may selectively alter some behavioral actions of ethanol, without altering others. Current data sets provide strongest evidence for a role of alpha1-subunits in ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex, and alpha5-subunits in ethanol-stimulated locomotion. However, three-way validation is hampered by the incomplete behavioral characterization of many of the mutant mice, and additional subunits are likely to be linked to alcohol actions as behavioral testing progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen L Boehm
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas, 1 University Station A4800, Austin, TX 78712-0159, USA.
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Geary N, Wolfe A, Polidori C, Policani F, Massi M. Exogeneous and endogenous CCK inhibit ethanol ingestion in Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Peptides 2004; 25:1185-94. [PMID: 15245879 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2004.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2004] [Accepted: 04/20/2004] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol ingestion, like food ingestion, stimulates release of the signaling molecule cholecystokinin (CCK) from the small intestine. Here, we investigated the possibility that ethanol-induced CCK release might be a negative-feedback control of ethanol ingestion, similar to its function as part of the mechanism by which ingested food produces meal-ending satiation. We used Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and Marchesian Sardinian (msP) alcohol-preferring rats, two apparently identical substrains that spontaneously ingest pharmacologically relevant amounts of ethanol, as well as their background strain, Wistar (W) rats. We demonstrated that: (1) intraperitoneal (IP), but not intracerebroventricular, injections of 0.5-4 microg/kg CCK-8 produced transient, dose-related reductions in 10% ethanol ingestion; (2) this inhibitory effect of CCK-8 on ethanol intake appeared behaviorally similar to its inhibitory action on ingestion of sucrose solutions; (3) the inhibitory effect of IP CCK-8 on ethanol ingestion occurred without evidence of tolerance when tests were repeated on consecutive days; (4) IP CCK-8 reduced ethanol intake despite simultaneously reducing blood ethanol levels (BALs); and (5) antagonism of CCK1 receptors with devazepide increased ethanol intake, indicating that endogenous CCK normally limits the size of bouts of ethanol ingestion. These results implicate peripheral CCK in the control of ethanol ingestion in sP and msP alcohol-preferring rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nori Geary
- Department of Psychiatry, E.W. Bourne Behavioral Research Laboratory, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, White Plains 10605, USA.
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Cryan JF, Mombereau C. In search of a depressed mouse: utility of models for studying depression-related behavior in genetically modified mice. Mol Psychiatry 2004; 9:326-57. [PMID: 14743184 DOI: 10.1038/sj.mp.4001457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 446] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The ability to modify mice genetically has been one of the major breakthroughs in modern medical science affecting every discipline including psychiatry. It is hoped that the application of such technologies will result in the identification of novel targets for the treatment of diseases such as depression and to gain a better understanding of the molecular pathophysiological mechanisms that are regulated by current clinically effective antidepressant medications. The advent of these tools has resulted in the need to adopt, refine and develop mouse-specific models for analyses of depression-like behavior or behavioral patterns modulated by antidepressants. In this review, we will focus on the utility of current models (eg forced swim test, tail suspension test, olfactory bulbectomy, learned helplessness, chronic mild stress, drug-withdrawal-induced anhedonia) and research strategies aimed at investigating novel targets relevant to depression in the mouse. We will focus on key questions that are considered relevant for examining the utility of such models. Further, we describe other avenues of research that may give clues as to whether indeed a genetically modified animal has alterations relevant to clinical depression. We suggest that it is prudent and most appropriate to use convergent tests that draw on different antidepressant-related endophenotypes, and complimentary physiological analyses in order to provide a program of information concerning whether a given phenotype is functionally relevant to depression-related pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Cryan
- Neuroscience Research, The Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
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