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Lauretani F, Giallauria F, Testa C, Zinni C, Lorenzi B, Zucchini I, Salvi M, Napoli R, Maggio MG. Dopamine Pharmacodynamics: New Insights. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5293. [PMID: 38791331 PMCID: PMC11121567 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter involved in physiological processes such as motor control, motivation, reward, cognitive function, and maternal and reproductive behaviors. Therefore, dysfunctions of the dopaminergic system are related to a plethora of human diseases. Dopamine, via different circuitries implicated in compulsive behavior, reward, and habit formation, also represents a key player in substance use disorder and the formation and perpetuation of mechanisms leading to addiction. Here, we propose dopamine as a model not only of neurotransmission but also of neuromodulation capable of modifying neuronal architecture. Abuse of substances like methamphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol and their consumption over time can induce changes in neuronal activities. These modifications lead to synaptic plasticity and finally to morphological and functional changes, starting from maladaptive neuro-modulation and ending in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulvio Lauretani
- Geriatric Clinic Unit, Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital, 43126 Parma, Italy; (C.T.); (C.Z.); (B.L.); (I.Z.); (M.S.); (M.G.M.)
- Cognitive and Motor Center, Medicine and Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department of Parma, University-Hospital of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Francesco Giallauria
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, “Federico II” University of Naples, via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.G.); (R.N.)
| | - Crescenzo Testa
- Geriatric Clinic Unit, Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital, 43126 Parma, Italy; (C.T.); (C.Z.); (B.L.); (I.Z.); (M.S.); (M.G.M.)
| | - Claudia Zinni
- Geriatric Clinic Unit, Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital, 43126 Parma, Italy; (C.T.); (C.Z.); (B.L.); (I.Z.); (M.S.); (M.G.M.)
| | - Beatrice Lorenzi
- Geriatric Clinic Unit, Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital, 43126 Parma, Italy; (C.T.); (C.Z.); (B.L.); (I.Z.); (M.S.); (M.G.M.)
| | - Irene Zucchini
- Geriatric Clinic Unit, Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital, 43126 Parma, Italy; (C.T.); (C.Z.); (B.L.); (I.Z.); (M.S.); (M.G.M.)
| | - Marco Salvi
- Geriatric Clinic Unit, Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital, 43126 Parma, Italy; (C.T.); (C.Z.); (B.L.); (I.Z.); (M.S.); (M.G.M.)
| | - Raffaele Napoli
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, “Federico II” University of Naples, via S. Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.G.); (R.N.)
| | - Marcello Giuseppe Maggio
- Geriatric Clinic Unit, Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department, University Hospital, 43126 Parma, Italy; (C.T.); (C.Z.); (B.L.); (I.Z.); (M.S.); (M.G.M.)
- Cognitive and Motor Center, Medicine and Geriatric-Rehabilitation Department of Parma, University-Hospital of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
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Farahbakhsh ZZ, Holleran KM, Sens JP, Fordahl SC, Mauterer MI, López AJ, Cuzon Carlson VC, Kiraly DD, Grant KA, Jones SR, Siciliano CA. Synchrony between midbrain gene transcription and dopamine terminal regulation is modulated by chronic alcohol drinking. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.15.584711. [PMID: 38559169 PMCID: PMC10979957 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.584711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is marked by disrupted behavioral and emotional states which persist into abstinence. The enduring synaptic alterations that remain despite the absence of alcohol are of interest for interventions to prevent relapse. Here, 28 male rhesus macaques underwent over 20 months of alcohol drinking interspersed with three 30-day forced abstinence periods. After the last abstinence period, we paired direct sub-second dopamine monitoring via ex vivo voltammetry in nucleus accumbens slices with RNA-sequencing of the ventral tegmental area. We found persistent augmentation of dopamine transporter function, kappa opioid receptor sensitivity, and dynorphin release - all inhibitory regulators which act to decrease extracellular dopamine. Surprisingly, though transcript expression was not altered, the relationship between gene expression and functional readouts of these encoded proteins was highly dynamic and altered by drinking history. These results outline the long-lasting synaptic impact of alcohol use and suggest that assessment of transcript-function relationships is critical for the rational design of precision therapeutics.
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Khan MAS, Chang SL. Alcohol and the Brain-Gut Axis: The Involvement of Microglia and Enteric Glia in the Process of Neuro-Enteric Inflammation. Cells 2023; 12:2475. [PMID: 37887319 PMCID: PMC10605902 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Binge or chronic alcohol consumption causes neuroinflammation and leads to alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD not only affects the central nervous system (CNS) but also leads to pathologies in the peripheral and enteric nervous systems (ENS). Thus, understanding the mechanism of the immune signaling to target the effector molecules in the signaling pathway is necessary to alleviate AUD. Growing evidence shows that excessive alcohol consumption can activate neuroimmune cells, including microglia, and change the status of neurotransmitters, affecting the neuroimmune system. Microglia, like peripheral macrophages, are an integral part of the immune defense and represent the reticuloendothelial system in the CNS. Microglia constantly survey the CNS to scavenge the neuronal debris. These cells also protect parenchymal cells in the brain and spinal cord by repairing nerve circuits to keep the nervous system healthy against infectious and stress-derived agents. In an activated state, they become highly dynamic and mobile and can modulate the levels of neurotransmitters in the CNS. In several ways, microglia, enteric glial cells, and macrophages are similar in terms of causing inflammation. Microglia also express most of the receptors that are constitutively present in macrophages. Several receptors on microglia respond to the inflammatory signals that arise from danger-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), endotoxins (e.g., lipopolysaccharides), and stress-causing molecules (e.g., alcohol). Therefore, this review article presents the latest findings, describing the roles of microglia and enteric glial cells in the brain and gut, respectively, and their association with neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors, and receptors under the influence of binge and chronic alcohol use, and AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed A. S. Khan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham Hospital for Children, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
| | - Sulie L. Chang
- Institute of NeuroImmune Pharmacology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ 07079, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ 07079, USA
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Sun M, Wu C, Liu L, Gu L, Wang Z, Xu F, Zhu D. Interplay between the renin angiotensin system and oxidative stress contributes to alcohol addiction by stimulating dopamine accumulation in the mesolimbic pathway. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 212:115578. [PMID: 37137415 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has recently been implicated in the development of substance abuse and addiction. However, the integrative roles of the two counter-regulating RAS arms, including the ACE1/Ang II/AT1R axis and the ACE2/Ang(1-7)/MasR axis, in alcohol addiction remain unclear. Using the 20% ethanol intermittent-access two-bottle-choice (IA2BC) paradigm, we observed significant alcohol preference and addictive behaviors in rats. Additionally, we observed significant disruption in the RAS and redox homeostasis in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), as indicated by upregulation of ACE1 activities, Ang II levels, AT1R expression, and glutathione disulfide contents, as well as downregulation of ACE2 activities, Ang(1-7) levels, MasR expression and glutathione content. Moreover, dopamine accumulated in the VTA and nucleus accumbens of IA2BC rats. Intra-VTA infusion of the antioxidant tempol substantially attenuated RAS imbalance and addictive behaviors. Intra-VTA infusion of the ACE1 inhibitor captopril significantly reduced oxidative stress, alcohol preference, addictive behaviors, and dopamine accumulation, whereas intra-VTA infusion of the ACE2 inhibitor MLN4760 had the opposite effects. The anti-addictive effects of the ACE2/Ang(1-7)/MasR axis were further observed using intra-VTA infusion of Ang(1-7) and a MasR-specific antagonist A779. Therefore, our findings suggest that excessive alcohol intake causes RAS imbalance via oxidative stress, and that a dysregulated RAS in the VTA contributes to alcohol addiction by stimulating oxidative stress and dopaminergic neurotransmission. Breaking the vicious cycle of RAS imbalance and oxidative stress using brain-permeable antioxidants, ACE1 inhibitors, ACE2 activators, or Ang(1-7) mimetics thus represents a promising strategy for combating alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Sun
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, PR China; Department of Emergency Medicine, the Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, PR China
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, PR China
| | - Lixin Liu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, PR China
| | - Liang Gu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, PR China
| | - Zihao Wang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the Affiliated Suqian Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Suqian, PR China
| | - Feng Xu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, PR China
| | - Donglin Zhu
- Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, PR China.
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Gimenez-Gomez P, Le T, Martin GE. Modulation of neuronal excitability by binge alcohol drinking. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1098211. [PMID: 36866357 PMCID: PMC9971943 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1098211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug use poses a serious threat to health systems throughout the world. The number of consumers rises every year being alcohol the drug of abuse most consumed causing 3 million deaths (5.3% of all deaths) worldwide and 132.6 million disability-adjusted life years. In this review, we present an up-to-date summary about what is known regarding the global impact of binge alcohol drinking on brains and how it affects the development of cognitive functions, as well as the various preclinical models used to probe its effects on the neurobiology of the brain. This will be followed by a detailed report on the state of our current knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of binge drinking on neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity, with an emphasis on brain regions of the meso-cortico limbic neurocircuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Gimenez-Gomez
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
- The Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Timmy Le
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
- The Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Gilles E. Martin
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
- The Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
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The Role of the Adenosine System on Emotional and Cognitive Disturbances Induced by Ethanol Binge Drinking in the Immature Brain and the Beneficial Effects of Caffeine. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15111323. [DOI: 10.3390/ph15111323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Binge drinking intake is the most common pattern of ethanol consumption by adolescents, which elicits emotional disturbances, mainly anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as cognitive alterations. Ethanol exposure may act on the adenosine neuromodulation system by increasing adenosine levels, consequently increasing the activation of adenosine receptors in the brain. The adenosine modulation system is involved in the control of mood and memory behavior. However, there is a gap in the knowledge about the exact mechanisms related to ethanol exposure’s hazardous effects on the immature brain (i.e., during adolescence) and the role of the adenosine system thereupon. The present review attempts to provide a comprehensive picture of the role of the adenosinergic system on emotional and cognitive disturbances induced by ethanol during adolescence, exploring the potential benefits of caffeine administration in view of its action as a non-selective antagonist of adenosine receptors.
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UFR2709, an Antagonist of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors, Delays the Acquisition and Reduces Long-Term Ethanol Intake in Alcohol-Preferring UChB Bibulous Rats. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071482. [PMID: 35884787 PMCID: PMC9312520 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcoholism is a worldwide public health problem with high economic cost and which affects health and social behavior. It is estimated that alcoholism kills 3 million people globally, while in Chile it is responsible for around 9 thousand deaths per year. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels expressed in the central nervous system, and they were suggested to modulate the ethanol mechanism involved in abuse and dependence. Previous work demonstrated a short-term treatment with UFR2709, a nAChRs antagonist, which reduced ethanol intake using a two-bottle free-choice paradigm in University of Chile bibulous (UChB) rats. Here, we present evidence of the UFR2709 efficacy in reducing the acquisition and long-term ethanol consumption. Our results show that UFR2709 (2.5 mg/kg i.p.) reduces the seek behavior and ethanol intake, even when the drug administration was stopped, and induced a reduction in the overall ethanol intake by around 55%. Using naïve UChB bibulous rats, we demonstrate that UFR2709 could delay and reduce the genetically adaptive impulse to seek and drink ethanol and prevent its excessive intake.
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Zhu X, Huang J, Huang S, Wen Y, Lan X, Wang X, Lu C, Wang Z, Fan N, Shang D. Combining Metabolomics and Interpretable Machine Learning to Reveal Plasma Metabolic Profiling and Biological Correlates of Alcohol-Dependent Inpatients: What About Tryptophan Metabolism Regulation? Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:760669. [PMID: 34859050 PMCID: PMC8630631 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.760669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol dependence (AD) is a condition of alcohol use disorder in which the drinkers frequently develop emotional symptoms associated with a continuous alcohol intake. AD characterized by metabolic disturbances can be quantitatively analyzed by metabolomics to identify the alterations in metabolic pathways. This study aimed to: i) compare the plasma metabolic profiling between healthy and AD-diagnosed individuals to reveal the altered metabolic profiles in AD, and ii) identify potential biological correlates of alcohol-dependent inpatients based on metabolomics and interpretable machine learning. Plasma samples were obtained from healthy (n = 42) and AD-diagnosed individuals (n = 43). The plasma metabolic differences between them were investigated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (AB SCIEX® QTRAP 4500 system) in different electrospray ionization modes with scheduled multiple reaction monitoring scans. In total, 59 and 52 compounds were semi-quantitatively measured in positive and negative ionization modes, respectively. In addition, 39 metabolites were identified as important variables to contribute to the classifications using an orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) (VIP > 1) and also significantly different between healthy and AD-diagnosed individuals using univariate analysis (p-value < 0.05 and false discovery rate < 0.05). Among the identified metabolites, indole-3-carboxylic acid, quinolinic acid, hydroxy-tryptophan, and serotonin were involved in the tryptophan metabolism along the indole, kynurenine, and serotonin pathways. Metabolic pathway analysis revealed significant changes or imbalances in alanine, aspartate, glutamate metabolism, which was possibly the main altered pathway related to AD. Tryptophan metabolism interactively influenced other metabolic pathways, such as nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism. Furthermore, among the OPLS-DA-identified metabolites, normetanephrine and ascorbic acid were demonstrated as suitable biological correlates of AD inpatients from our model using an interpretable, supervised decision tree classifier algorithm. These findings indicate that the discriminatory metabolic profiles between healthy and AD-diagnosed individuals may benefit researchers in illustrating the underlying molecular mechanisms of AD. This study also highlights the approach of combining metabolomics and interpretable machine learning as a valuable tool to uncover potential biological correlates. Future studies should focus on the global analysis of the possible roles of these differential metabolites and disordered metabolic pathways in the pathophysiology of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuqing Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaxin Huang
- Department of Substance Dependence, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Shanqing Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuguan Wen
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaochang Lan
- Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Substance Dependence, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Xipei Wang
- Department of Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chuanli Lu
- Guangzhou Rely Medical Diagnostic Technology Co. Ltd., Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhanzhang Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ni Fan
- Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Substance Dependence, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China
| | - Dewei Shang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Mental Disorders, Guangzhou, China
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Park CI, Kim HW, Hwang SS, Kang JI, Kim SJ. Influence of dopamine-related genes on craving, impulsivity, and aggressiveness in Korean males with alcohol use disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2021; 271:865-872. [PMID: 31559529 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-019-01072-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine is a major neuromodulator that is acutely involved in various cognitive processes, reward-motivated behaviors, and impulsivity. Abnormality in dopaminergic neurotransmission is implicated in the pathophysiology of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The present study examined the genetic influence of dopamine system on problematic drinking, impulsivity, and aggressiveness in a Korean male population with AUD. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs4532 in DRD1, rs2283265 in DRD2, rs6280 in DRD3, rs1800497 in ANKK1, and rs4680 in COMT) and a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) in DAT1 in 295 male patients with AUD were genotyped. For AUD-related clinical characteristics, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) were used to assess the severity of hazardous drinking and craving symptoms, respectively. Participants also completed the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P) and Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). Analyses were performed using R package SNPassoc; statistical significance was set as p < 0.0083 after Bonferroni correction. A significant association was detected between DRD3 SNP rs6280 and OCDS scores. In regard to impulsivity and aggressiveness, rs4532 of DRD1 was significantly associated with UPPS-P score. Also, rs4532 demonstrated a nominally significant association with BPAQ score, although it did not reach statistical significance after correction for multiple comparisons. Results of this study support the idea that genetic variations in the dopamine system may contribute to alcohol cravings and impulsivity in patients with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Il Park
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hae Won Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Medical Education, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Syung Shick Hwang
- Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee In Kang
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Se Joo Kim
- Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Binge drinking is associated with altered resting state functional connectivity of reward-salience and top down control networks. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 14:1731-1746. [PMID: 31073695 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00107-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Binge drinking is characterized by bouts of high-intensity alcohol intake and is associated with an array of health-related harms. Even though the transition from occasional impulsive to addictive alcohol use is not well understood, neurobiological models of addiction suggest that repeated cycles of intoxication and withdrawal contribute to the development of addiction in part through dysregulation of neurofunctional networks. Research on the neural sequelae associated with binge drinking is scant but resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) studies of alcohol use disorders (AUD) indicate that the development and maintenance of long-term excessive drinking may be mediated by network-level disruptions. The present study examined RSFC in young adult binge (BD) and light (LD) drinkers with seeds representing the networks subserving reward (the nucleus accumbens and caudate nucleus), salience (anterior cingulate cortex, ACC), and executive control (inferior frontal cortex, IFC). BDs exhibited enhanced connectivity between the striatal reward areas and the orbitofrontal cortex and the ACC, which is consistent with AUD studies and may be indicative of alcohol-motivated appetitive behaviors. Conversely, BDs demonstrated lower connectivity between the IFC and hippocampus which was associated with higher craving. This may indicate impaired ability to suppress unwanted thoughts and a failure to employ memory of the harmful consequences of heavy drinking in prospective plans and intentions. The observed greater connectivity of the reward/salience network and the lower prefrontal-hippocampal connectivity were associated with hazardous drinking levels indicating that dysregulation of neurofunctional networks may underlie binge drinking patterns.
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Quigley JA, Logsdon MK, Turner CA, Gonzalez IL, Leonardo NB, Becker JB. Sex differences in vulnerability to addiction. Neuropharmacology 2021; 187:108491. [PMID: 33567305 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews evidence for sex differences in vulnerability to addiction with an emphasis on the neural mechanisms underlying these differences. Sex differences in the way that the gonadal hormone, estradiol, interacts with the ascending telencephalic dopamine system results in sex differences in motivated behaviors, including drug-seeking. In rodents, repeated psychostimulant exposure enhances incentive sensitization to a greater extent in females than males. Estradiol increases females' motivation to attain psychostimulants and enhances the value of drug related cues, which ultimately increases their susceptibility towards spontaneous relapse. This, along with females' dampened ability to alter decisions regarding risky behaviors, enhances their vulnerability for escalation of drug use. In males, recent evidence suggests that estradiol may be protective against susceptibility towards drug-preference. Sex differences in the actions of estradiol are reviewed to provide a foundation for understanding how future research might enhance understanding of the mechanisms of sex differences in addiction-related behaviors, which are dependent on estradiol receptor (ER) subtype and the region of the brain they are acting in. A comprehensive review of the distribution of ERα, ERβ, and GPER1 throughout the rodent brain are provided along with a discussion of the possible ways in which these patterns differentially regulate drug-taking between the sexes. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the actions of gonadal hormones on the circuitry of the stress system, including the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis and regulation of corticotropin-releasing factor. Sex differences in the stress system can also contribute to females' enhanced vulnerability towards addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline A Quigley
- Psychology Department, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA; Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA
| | - Molly K Logsdon
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA
| | - Christopher A Turner
- Psychology Department, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA; Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA
| | - Ivette L Gonzalez
- Psychology Department, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA; Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA
| | - N B Leonardo
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA
| | - Jill B Becker
- Psychology Department, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA; Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, 48109 USA.
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An amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist modulates alcohol behaviors by acting on reward-related areas in the brain. Prog Neurobiol 2020; 200:101969. [PMID: 33278524 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2020.101969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol causes stimulatory behavioral responses by activating reward-processing brain areas including the laterodorsal (LDTg) and ventral tegmental areas (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Systemic administration of the amylin and calcitonin receptor agonist salmon calcitonin (sCT) attenuates alcohol-mediated behaviors, but the brain sites involved in this process remain unknown. Firstly, to identify potential sCT sites of action in the brain, we used immunohistochemistry after systemic administration of fluorescent-labeled sCT. We then performed behavioral experiments to explore how infused sCT into the aforementioned reward-processing brain areas affects acute alcohol-induced behaviors in mice and chronic alcohol consumption in rats. We show that peripheral sCT crosses the blood brain barrier and is detected in all the brain areas studied herein. sCT infused into the LDTg attenuates alcohol-evoked dopamine release in the NAc shell in mice and reduces alcohol intake in rats. sCT into the VTA blocks alcohol-induced locomotor stimulation and dopamine release in the NAc shell in mice and decreases alcohol intake in rats. Lastly, sCT into the NAc shell prevents alcohol-induced locomotor activity in mice. Our data suggest that central sCT modulates the ability of alcohol to activate reward-processing brain regions.
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Smith ML, Lopez MF, Wolen AR, Becker HC, Miles MF. Brain regional gene expression network analysis identifies unique interactions between chronic ethanol exposure and consumption. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233319. [PMID: 32469986 PMCID: PMC7259766 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Progressive increases in ethanol consumption is a hallmark of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Persistent changes in brain gene expression are hypothesized to underlie the altered neural signaling producing abusive consumption in AUD. To identify brain regional gene expression networks contributing to progressive ethanol consumption, we performed microarray and scale-free network analysis of expression responses in a C57BL/6J mouse model utilizing chronic intermittent ethanol by vapor chamber (CIE) in combination with limited access oral ethanol consumption. This model has previously been shown to produce long-lasting increased ethanol consumption, particularly when combining oral ethanol access with repeated cycles of intermittent vapor exposure. The interaction of CIE and oral consumption was studied by expression profiling and network analysis in medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and central nucleus of the amygdala. Brain region expression networks were analyzed for ethanol-responsive gene expression, correlation with ethanol consumption and functional content using extensive bioinformatics studies. In all brain-regions studied the largest number of changes in gene expression were seen when comparing ethanol naïve mice to those exposed to CIE and drinking. In the prefrontal cortex, however, unique patterns of gene expression were seen compared to other brain-regions. Network analysis identified modules of co-expressed genes in all brain regions. The prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens showed the greatest number of modules with significant correlation to drinking behavior. Across brain-regions, however, many modules with strong correlations to drinking, both baseline intake and amount consumed after CIE, showed functional enrichment for synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren L. Smith
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Marcelo F. Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Aaron R. Wolen
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Howard C. Becker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
- RHJ Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Michael F. Miles
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- VCU Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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Abstract
Despite a number of approved medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD), this chronic relapsing disease still produces a considerable global burden, with both health-related and financial consequences. While clinical trials are a critical step in drug development, human laboratory studies provide the field with means of screening pharmacotherapy for more nuanced aspects of AUD. Specifically, studies employing alcohol administration techniques (e.g., alcohol challenge and self-administration) are able to investigate potential drugs with respect to their ability to alter various responses to alcohol administration or alter alcohol consumption in laboratory settings. This chapter reviews methodological designs and provides updates from alcohol administration studies used to screen for potential AUD pharmacotherapy over the past decade. These recent studies have supported the efficacy of approved drugs, identified some promising novel drugs, and investigated other drugs that appear ineffective in AUD treatment. Yet, few drugs are explored using the different variants of alcohol administration methods, and using the different methods has provided inconsistent results for the same drug. Future research would aid advancement in the field by testing medication with various methodologies and refining recently developed techniques.
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Tanaka M, Watanabe Y. RNA Editing of Serotonin 2C Receptor and Alcohol Intake. Front Neurosci 2020; 13:1390. [PMID: 32009879 PMCID: PMC6971223 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2 CR) belongs to the superfamily of seven transmembrane domain receptors coupled to G proteins (GPCR). It is broadly distributed in the CNS and its expression is relatively high in the limbic system including the amygdala, nucleus accumbens (NAc), hippocampus, and hypothalamus. Based on its expression patterns and numerous pharmacological studies, 5-HT2 CR is thought to be involved in various brain functions including emotion, appetite, and motor behavior. Here, we review 5-HT2 CR and its relationship with alcohol intake with a particular focus on the involvement of 5-HT2 CR mRNA editing and its association with alcohol preference in mice. RNA editing is a post-transcriptional modification mechanism. In mammals, adenosine is converted to inosine by the deamination enzymes ADAR1 and ADAR2. 5-HT2 CR is the only GPCR subjected to RNA editing within the coding region. It has five editing sites in exon 5 that encode the second intracellular loop. Consequently, three amino acids residues (I156, N158, and I160) of the unedited receptor (INI) may be altered to differently edited isoforms, resulting in a change of receptor activity such as 5-HT potency and G-protein coupling. 5-HT2 CR in the NAc is involved in enhanced alcohol drinking after chronic alcohol exposure and alterations in 5-HT2 CR mRNA editing is important in determining the alcohol preference using different strains of mice and genetically modified mice. RNA editing of this receptor may participate in the development of alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Tanaka
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Watanabe
- Department of Basic Geriatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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16
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Quiroz G, Sotomayor-Zárate R, González-Gutierrez JP, Vizcarra F, Moraga F, Bermudez I, Reyes-Parada M, Quintanilla ME, Lagos D, Rivera-Meza M, Iturriaga-Vásquez P. UFR2709, a Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Antagonist, Decreases Ethanol Intake in Alcohol-Preferring Rats. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1429. [PMID: 31849674 PMCID: PMC6901503 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), a heterogeneous family of pentameric acetylcholine-gated cation channels, have been suggested as molecular targets for the treatment of alcohol abuse and dependence. Here, we examined the effect of the competitive nAChR antagonist UFR2709 on the alcohol consumption of high-alcohol-drinking UChB rats. UChB rats were given free access to ethanol for 24-h periods in a two-bottle free choice paradigm and their ethanol and water intake were measured. The animals were i.p. injected daily for 17 days with a 10, 5, 2.5, or 1 mg/kg dose of UFR2709. Potential confounding motor effects of UFR2709 were assessed by examining the locomotor activity of animals administered the highest dose of UR2709 tested (10 mg/kg i.p.). UFR2709 reduced ethanol consumption and ethanol preference and increased water consumption in a dose-dependent manner. The most effective dose of UFR2709 was 2.5 mg/kg, which induced a 56% reduction in alcohol consumption. Administration of UFR2709 did not affect the weight or locomotor activity of the rats, suggesting that its effects on alcohol consumption and preference were mediated by specific nAChRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Quiroz
- Programa de Doctorado en Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ramón Sotomayor-Zárate
- Laboratorio de Neuroquímica y Neurofarmacología, Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa (CENFI), Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | | | - Franco Vizcarra
- Laboratorio de Síntesis Orgánica y Farmacología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad de la Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Felipe Moraga
- Laboratorio de Síntesis Orgánica y Farmacología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad de la Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Isabel Bermudez
- Deptartment of Biological & Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel Reyes-Parada
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica y Aplicada (CIBAP), Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Elena Quintanilla
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Diego Lagos
- Departamento de Química Farmacológica y Toxicológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mario Rivera-Meza
- Departamento de Química Farmacológica y Toxicológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Patricio Iturriaga-Vásquez
- Laboratorio de Síntesis Orgánica y Farmacología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad de la Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research Applied to the Environment, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
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17
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Pereira PA, Gonçalves E, Silva A, Millner T, Madeira MD. Effects of chronic alcohol consumption and withdrawal on the cholinergic neurons of the pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei of the rat: An unbiased stereological study. Neurotoxicology 2019; 76:58-66. [PMID: 31634498 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2019.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The brain cholinergic system comprises two main recognized subdivisions, the basal forebrain and the brainstem cholinergic systems. The effects of chronic alcohol consumption on the basal forebrain cholinergic nuclei have been investigated extensively, but there is only one study that has examined those effects on the brainstem cholinergic nuclei. The last one comprises the pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) and the laterodorsal tegmental (LDT) nuclei, which are known to give origin to the main cholinergic projection to the ventral tegmental area, a key brain region of the neural circuit, the mesocorticolimbic system, that mediates several behavioral and physiological processes, including reward. In the present study, we have examined, using stereological methods, the effects of chronic alcohol consumption (6 months) and subsequent withdrawal (2 months) on the total number and size of PPT and LDT choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive neurons. The total number of PPT and LDT ChAT-immunoreactive neurons was unchanged in ethanol-treated and withdrawn rats. However, ChAT-immunoreactive neurons were significantly hypertrophied in ethanol-treated rats, an alteration that did not revert 2 months after ethanol withdrawal. These results show that prolonged exposure to ethanol leads to long-lasting, and potentially irreversible, cytoarchitectonic and neurochemical alterations in the brainstem cholinergic nuclei. These alterations suggest that the alcohol-induced changes in the brainstem cholinergic nuclei might play a role in the mechanisms underlying the development of addictive behavior to alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro A Pereira
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Eugénio Gonçalves
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Ana Silva
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Tiago Millner
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
| | - M Dulce Madeira
- Unit of Anatomy, Department of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Dr. Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal.
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18
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Quadir SG, Cottone P, Sabino V. Role of Sigma Receptors in Alcohol Addiction. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:687. [PMID: 31258483 PMCID: PMC6586921 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD) are few in number and often ineffective, despite the significant research carried out so far to better comprehend the neurochemical underpinnings of the disease. Hence, research has been directed towards the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of AUD. In the last decade, the sigma receptor system has been proposed as a potential mediator of alcohol reward and reinforcement. Preclinical studies have shown that the motivational effects of alcohol and excessive ethanol consumption involve the recruitment of the sigma receptor system. Furthermore, sigma receptor antagonism has been shown to be sufficient to inhibit many behaviors related to AUDs. This paper will review the most current evidence in support of this receptor system as a potential target for the development of pharmacological agents for the treatment of alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sema G Quadir
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pietro Cottone
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Valentina Sabino
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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Bidwell LC, Karoly HC, Thayer RE, Claus ED, Bryan AD, Weiland BJ, YorkWilliams S, Hutchison KE. DRD2 promoter methylation and measures of alcohol reward: functional activation of reward circuits and clinical severity. Addict Biol 2019; 24:539-548. [PMID: 29464814 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Studies have identified strong associations between D2 receptor binding potential and neural responses to rewarding stimuli and substance use. Thus, D2 receptor perturbations are central to theoretical models of the pathophysiology of substance dependence, and epigenetic changes may represent one of the fundamental molecular mechanisms impacting the effects of alcohol exposure on the brain. We hypothesized that epigenetic alterations in the promoter region of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene would be associated with cue-elicited activation of neural reward regions, as well as severity of alcohol use behavior. The current study leveraged functional neuroimaging (fMRI) during an alcohol reward paradigm (n = 383) to test associations among DRD2 promoter methylation in peripheral tissue, signal change in the striatum during the presentation of alcohol cues, and severity of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Controlling for age, DRD2 promoter methylation was positively associated with responses to alcohol cues in the right accumbens (partial r = 0.144, P = 0.005), left putamen (partial r = 0.133, P = 0.009), right putamen (partial r = 0.106, P = 0.039), left caudate (partial r = 0.117, P = 0.022), and right caudate (partial r = 0.133, P = 0.009), suggesting that DRD2 methylation was positively associated with robust activation in the striatum in response to reward cues. DRD2 methylation was also positively associated with clinical metrics of AUD severity. Specifically, controlling for age, DRD2 methylation was associated with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test total (partial r = 0.140, P = 0.002); Impaired Control Scale total (partial r = 0.097, P = 0.044) and Alcohol Dependence Scale total (partial r = 0.152, P = 0.001). Thus, DRD2 methylation may be a critical mechanism linking D2 receptors with functional striatal brain changes and clinical severity among alcohol users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hollis C. Karoly
- Department of Psychology & NeuroscienceUniversity of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
| | - Rachel E. Thayer
- Department of Psychology & NeuroscienceUniversity of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
| | | | - Angela D. Bryan
- Institute of Cognitive ScienceUniversity of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
- Department of Psychology & NeuroscienceUniversity of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
| | - Barbara J. Weiland
- Institute of Cognitive ScienceUniversity of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
| | - Sophie YorkWilliams
- Department of Psychology & NeuroscienceUniversity of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
| | - Kent E. Hutchison
- Institute of Cognitive ScienceUniversity of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
- Department of Psychology & NeuroscienceUniversity of Colorado Boulder Boulder CO USA
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20
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Lucas A, Thirion A, Schwan R, Krieg J, Angioi-Duprez K, Laprevote V, Schwitzer T. Association between increased retinal background noise and co-occurrent regular cannabis and alcohol use. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:335-340. [PMID: 30292729 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis consumption is widespread across the world, and the co-occurrence of cannabis use and alcohol consumption is common. The study of background noise - resting-state neural activity, in the absence of stimulation - is an approach that could enable the neurotoxicity of these substances to be explored. Preliminary results have shown that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) causes an increase in neural noise in the brain. Neurons in the brain and the retina share a neurotransmission system and have similar anatomical and functional properties. Retinal function, evaluated using an electroretinogram (ERG), may therefore reflect central neurochemistry. This study analyses retinal background noise in a population of regular co-occurrent cannabis and alcohol consumers. METHODS We recorded the flash ERGs of 26 healthy controls and 45 regular cannabis consumers, separated into two groups based on their alcohol consumption: less than or equal to 4 glasses per week (CU ≤ 4) or strictly >4 glasses per week (CU >4). In order to extract the background noise, the Fourier transform of the pseudo-periodic and sinusoidal signals of the 3.0 flicker-response sequence was calculated. This sequence represents the vertical transmission of the signal from cones to bipolar cells. The magnitude of the background noise is defined as the average of the magnitudes of the two neighbouring harmonics: harmonic -1 (low frequency noise) and harmonic +1 (high frequency noise). RESULTS The magnitude of harmonic -1 was significantly increased between the groups CU > 4 (6.78 (±1.24)) and CU ≤ 4 (5.69 (±1.80)) among regular users of cannabis and alcohol. A significant increase in the average magnitude of the two harmonics was found between the groups CU > 4 (5.12 (±0.92)) and CU ≤ 4 (4.36 (±1.14)). No significant difference was observed with regard to the magnitude of the harmonic +1. CONCLUSIONS The increase in background noise may reflect the neurotoxicity of cannabis, potentiated by alcohol consumption, on retinal neurons dynamic. This neural disruption of the response generated by retinal stimulation may be attributable to altered neurotransmitter release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Lucas
- Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie d'Adultes du Grand Nancy, Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Laxou, France
| | - Audrey Thirion
- Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie d'Adultes du Grand Nancy, Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Laxou, France
| | - Raymund Schwan
- Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie d'Adultes du Grand Nancy, Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Laxou, France; Maison des Addictions, CHRU Nancy, Nancy, France; INSERM U1114, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Département de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Julien Krieg
- INSERM U1114, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Département de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Vincent Laprevote
- Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie d'Adultes du Grand Nancy, Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Laxou, France; Maison des Addictions, CHRU Nancy, Nancy, France; INSERM U1114, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Département de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Schwitzer
- Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie d'Adultes du Grand Nancy, Centre Psychothérapique de Nancy, Laxou, France; INSERM U1114, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Département de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
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21
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Jerlhag E. Gut-brain axis and addictive disorders: A review with focus on alcohol and drugs of abuse. Pharmacol Ther 2018; 196:1-14. [PMID: 30439457 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Due to the limited efficacy of existing medications for addictive disorders including alcohol use disorder (AUD), the need for additional medications is substantial. Potential new medications for addiction can be identified through investigation of the neurochemical substrates mediating the ability of drugs of abuse such as alcohol to activate the mesolimbic dopamine system. Interestingly, recent studies implicate neuropeptides of the gut-brain axis as modulators of reward and addiction processes. The present review therefore summarizes the current studies investigating the ability of the gut-brain peptides ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), amylin and neuromedin U (NMU) to modulate alcohol- and drug-related behaviors in rodents and humans. Extensive literature demonstrates that ghrelin, the only known orexigenic neuropeptide to date, enhances reward as well as the intake of alcohol, and other drugs of abuse, while ghrelin receptor antagonism has the opposite effects. On the other hand, the anorexigenic peptides GLP-1, amylin and NMU independently inhibits reward from alcohol and drugs of abuse in rodents. Collectively, these rodent and human studies imply that central ghrelin, GLP-1, amylin and NMU signaling may contribute to addiction processes. Therefore, the need for randomized clinical trials investigating the effects of agents targeting these aforementioned systems on drug/alcohol use is substantial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Jerlhag
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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22
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Williams SB, Yorgason JT, Nelson AC, Lewis N, Nufer TM, Edwards JG, Steffensen SC. Glutamate Transmission to Ventral Tegmental Area GABA Neurons Is Altered by Acute and Chronic Ethanol. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:2186-2195. [PMID: 30204234 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABA neurons have been heavily implicated in alcohol reinforcement and reward. In animals that self-administer alcohol, VTA GABA neurons exhibit increased excitability that may contribute to alcohol's rewarding effects. The present study investigated the effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on glutamate (GLU) synaptic transmission to VTA GABA neurons. METHODS Whole-cell recordings of evoked, spontaneous, and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs, sEPSCs, and mEPSCs, respectively) were performed on identified GABA neurons in the VTA of GAD67-GFP+ transgenic mice. Three ethanol exposure paradigms were used: acute ethanol superfusion; a single ethanol injection; and chronic vapor exposure. RESULTS Acute ethanol superfusion increased the frequency of EPSCs but inhibited mEPSC frequency and amplitude. During withdrawal from a single injection of ethanol, the frequency of sEPSCs was lower than saline controls. There was no difference in α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) ratio between neurons following withdrawal from a single exposure to ethanol. However, following withdrawal from chronic ethanol, sEPSCs and mEPSCs had a greater frequency than air controls. There was no difference in AMPA/NMDA ratio following chronic ethanol. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that presynaptic mechanisms involving local circuit GLU neurons, and not GLU receptors, contribute to adaptations in VTA GABA neuron excitability that accrue to ethanol exposure, which may contribute to the rewarding properties of alcohol via their regulation of mesolimbic dopamine transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B Williams
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Jordan T Yorgason
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Ashley C Nelson
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Natalie Lewis
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Teresa M Nufer
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Jeff G Edwards
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Scott C Steffensen
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
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23
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Cantacorps L, González-Pardo H, Arias JL, Valverde O, Conejo NM. Altered brain functional connectivity and behaviour in a mouse model of maternal alcohol binge-drinking. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018. [PMID: 29526773 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal and perinatal alcohol exposure caused by maternal alcohol intake during gestation and lactation periods can have long-lasting detrimental effects on the brain development and behaviour of offspring. Children diagnosed with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) display a wide range of cognitive, emotional and motor deficits, together with characteristic morphological abnormalities. Maternal alcohol binge drinking is particularly harmful for foetal and early postnatal brain development, as it involves exposure to high levels of alcohol over short periods of time. However, little is known about the long-term effects of maternal alcohol binge drinking on brain function and behaviour. To address this issue, we used pregnant C57BL/6 female mice with time-limited access to a 20% v/v alcohol solution as a procedure to model alcohol binge drinking during gestation and lactational periods. Male offspring were behaviourally tested during adolescence (30 days) and adulthood (60 days), and baseline neural metabolic capacity of brain regions sensitive to alcohol effects were also evaluated in adult animals from both groups. Our results show that prenatal and postnatal alcohol exposure caused age-dependent changes in spontaneous locomotor activity, increased anxiety-like behaviour and attenuated alcohol-induced conditioned place preference in adults. Also, significant changes in neural metabolic capacity using cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) quantitative histochemistry were found in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, the mammillary bodies, the ventral tegmental area, the lateral habenula and the central lobules of the cerebellum in adult mice with prenatal and postnatal alcohol exposure. In addition, the analysis of interregional CCO activity correlations in alcohol-exposed adult mice showed disrupted functional brain connectivity involving the limbic, brainstem, and cerebellar regions. Finally, increased neurogenesis was found in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus of alcohol-exposed offspring, suggesting neuroadaptive effects due to early alcohol exposure. Our results demonstrate that maternal binge-like alcohol drinking causes long-lasting effects on motor and emotional-related behaviours associated with impaired neuronal metabolic capacity and altered functional brain connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lídia Cantacorps
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Nélida M Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
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24
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Gawad NA, Mohamed K, Choi DS, Abulseoud OA. No differences in manic-like behaviors between voluntary ethanol and water drinking in Lateral Hypothalamic Kindled (LHK) alcohol preferring rats. Psychiatry Res 2018; 261:186-189. [PMID: 29309958 PMCID: PMC7770981 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.12.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This study investigates phenotypic differences of manic-like behaviors during voluntary ethanol (vs. water) intake in alcohol preferring (P) rats, using the lateral hypothalamus kindled (LHK) rat mania model. Alcohol preferring (P) rats exhibited classic manic-like behaviors during kindling and the post-kindling intervals in all coded behaviors (p < 0.0001), lending further validity to the lateral hypothalamus kindled rat as a useful model to study mania. However, there was no significant phenotypic difference between alcohol and water drinking alcohol preferring (P) rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noha Abdel Gawad
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States,Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Khalid Mohamed
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States,Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Osama A. Abulseoud
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States,Neuroimaging Research Branch, IRP, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, United States,Correspondence to: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Biomedical Research Center, Suite 200 Room 07A-514, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21224, United States. (O.A. Abulseoud)
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25
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Jerlhag E. GLP-1 signaling and alcohol-mediated behaviors; preclinical and clinical evidence. Neuropharmacology 2018; 136:343-349. [PMID: 29337226 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol addiction, affecting approximately four percent of the population, contributes significantly to the global burden of diseases and is a substantial cost to the society. The neurochemical mechanisms regulating alcohol mediated behaviors is complex and in more recent years a new physiological role of the gut-brain peptides, traditionally known to regulate appetite and food intake, have been suggested. Indeed, regulators of alcohol-mediated behaviors. One of these gut-brain peptides is the annorexigenic peptide glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), Preclinical studies show that GLP-1 receptor activation, either by GLP-1 or analogues, attenuate the ability of alcohol to activate the mesolimbic dopamine system as well as decrease alcohol consumption and operant self-administration. In further support for the endogenous GLP-1 system in addiction processes are the experimental data showing that a GLP-1 receptor antagonist increases alcohol intake. Moreover, GLP-1 receptor agonists prevent the ability of other addictive drugs to activate the mesolimbic dopamine system. The number of clinical studies is limited, but show i) that genetic variation in the GLP-1 receptor gene is associated with alcohol addiction as well as increased alcohol infusion in humans, ii) that plasma levels of GLP-1 are associated with the subjective experience of cocaine and iii) that a GLP-1 receptor agonist reduces alcohol intake in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. These experimental and clinical studies raises the concern that clinically available GLP-1 receptor agonists deserves to be tested as potential treatments of patients with addictive disorders including alcohol addiction. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Metabolic Impairment as Risk Factors for Neurodegenerative Disorders.'
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabet Jerlhag
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 13A, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden.
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26
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Siciliano CA, Karkhanis AN, Holleran KM, Melchior JR, Jones SR. Cross-Species Alterations in Synaptic Dopamine Regulation After Chronic Alcohol Exposure. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 248:213-238. [PMID: 29675581 PMCID: PMC6195853 DOI: 10.1007/164_2018_106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders are a leading public health concern, engendering enormous costs in terms of both economic loss and human suffering. These disorders are characterized by compulsive and excessive alcohol use, as well as negative affect and alcohol craving during abstinence. Extensive research has implicated the dopamine system in both the acute pharmacological effects of alcohol and the symptomology of alcohol use disorders that develop after extended alcohol use. Preclinical research has shed light on many mechanisms by which chronic alcohol exposure dysregulates the dopamine system. However, many of the findings are inconsistent across experimental parameters such as alcohol exposure length, route of administration, and model organism. We propose that the dopaminergic alterations driving the core symptomology of alcohol use disorders are likely to be relatively stable across experimental settings. Recent work has been aimed at using multiple model organisms (mouse, rat, monkey) across various alcohol exposure procedures to search for commonalities. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the effects of chronic alcohol use on the dopamine system by highlighting findings that are consistent across experimental setting and species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody A Siciliano
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Anushree N Karkhanis
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Katherine M Holleran
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - James R Melchior
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sara R Jones
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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27
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Kalafateli AL, Vallöf D, Jörnulf JW, Heilig M, Jerlhag E. A cannabinoid receptor antagonist attenuates ghrelin-induced activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system in mice. Physiol Behav 2017; 184:211-219. [PMID: 29221808 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Ghrelin has been attributed various physiological processes including food intake and reward regulation, through activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system. Reward modulation involves the mesolimbic dopamine system, consisting of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons targeting nucleus accumbens (NAc), a system that ghrelin activates through VTA-dependent mechanisms. In the first study, we found that systemic intraperitoneal (ip) administration of rimonabant attenuated intracerebroventricular (icv) ghrelin's ability to cause locomotor stimulation and NAc dopamine release in mice. Ghrelin-induced (icv) chow intake was not altered by rimonabant administration (ip). Finally, we showed that bilateral VTA administration of rimonabant blocks the ability of intra-VTA administered ghrelin to increase locomotor activity, but does not affect food intake in mice. Collectively, these data indicate clear dissociation between regulation of food intake and activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimilia Lydia Kalafateli
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Daniel Vallöf
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Julia Winsa Jörnulf
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Elisabet Jerlhag
- Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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28
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Blackburn AN, Hajnal A, Leggio L. The gut in the brain: the effects of bariatric surgery on alcohol consumption. Addict Biol 2017; 22:1540-1553. [PMID: 27578259 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Obesity represents a major medical and public health problem worldwide. Efforts have been made to develop novel treatments, and among them bariatric surgery is used as an effective treatment to achieve significant, long-term weight loss and alleviate medical problems related to obesity. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is also a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent clinical studies have revealed a concern for bariatric surgery patients developing an increased risk for alcohol consumption, and for AUD. A better understanding of the relationship between bariatric surgery and potential later development of AUD is important, given the critical need of identifying patients at high risk for AUD. This paper reviews current clinical and basic science research and discusses potential underlying mechanisms. Special emphasis in this review is given to recent work suggesting that, alterations in alcohol metabolism/pharmacokinetics resulting from bariatric surgery are unlikely to be the primary or at least the only explanation for increased alcohol use and development of AUD, as changes in brain reward processing are also likely to play an important role. Additional studies are needed to clarify the potential role and mechanisms of how bariatric surgery may increase alcohol use and lead to AUD development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N. Blackburn
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Andras Hajnal
- Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences; Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; PA USA
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health; Bethesda MD USA
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences; Brown University; Providence RI USA
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29
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Fredriksson I, Adhikary S, Steensland P, Vendruscolo LF, Bonci A, Shaham Y, Bossert JM. Prior Exposure to Alcohol Has No Effect on Cocaine Self-Administration and Relapse in Rats: Evidence from a Rat Model that Does Not Support the Gateway Hypothesis. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:1001-1011. [PMID: 27649640 PMCID: PMC5506787 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The gateway hypothesis posits that initial exposure to legal drugs promotes subsequent addiction to illicit drugs. However, epidemiological studies are correlational and cannot rule out the alternative hypothesis of shared addiction vulnerability to legal and illegal drugs. We tested the gateway hypothesis using established rat alcohol exposure procedures and cocaine self-administration and reinstatement (relapse) procedures. We gave Wistar or alcohol-preferring (P) rats intermittent access to water or 20% alcohol in their homecage for 7 weeks (three 24-h sessions/week). We also exposed Wistar rats to air or intoxicating alcohol levels in vapor chambers for 14-h/day for 7 weeks. We then tested the groups of rats for acquisition of cocaine self-administration using ascending cocaine doses (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 mg/kg/infusion) followed by a dose-response curve after acquisition of cocaine self-administration. We then extinguished lever pressing and tested the rats for reinstatement of drug seeking induced by cocaine-paired cues and cocaine priming (0, 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg, i.p.). Wistar rats consumed moderate amounts of alcohol (4.6 g/kg/24 h), P rats consumed higher amounts of alcohol (7.6 g/kg/24 h), and Wistar rats exposed to alcohol vapor had a mean blood alcohol concentration of 176.2 mg/dl during the last week of alcohol exposure. Alcohol pre-exposure had no effect on cocaine self-administration, extinction responding, and reinstatement of drug seeking. Pre-exposure to moderate, high, or intoxicating levels of alcohol had no effect on cocaine self-administration and relapse to cocaine seeking. Our data do not support the notion that alcohol is a gateway drug to cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Fredriksson
- Cellular Neurobiology Branch, IRP-NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sweta Adhikary
- Behavioral Neuroscience Branch, IRP-NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Pia Steensland
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Antonello Bonci
- Cellular Neurobiology Branch, IRP-NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA,Solomon H. Snyder Neuroscience Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yavin Shaham
- Behavioral Neuroscience Branch, IRP-NIDA, NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA,NIDA, IRP Behavioral Neuroscience Branch 251 Bayview Blvd, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21044, USA, Tel: +1 410 740-2723, Fax: +1 410 740-2727, E-mail:
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30
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Shenoda BB. An Overview of the Mechanisms of Abnormal GABAergic Interneuronal Cortical Migration Associated with Prenatal Ethanol Exposure. Neurochem Res 2017; 42:1279-1287. [PMID: 28160199 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-016-2169-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 12/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
GABAergic Interneuronal migration constitutes an essential process during corticogenesis. Derived from progenitor cells located in the proliferative zones of the ventral telencephalon, newly generated GABAergic Interneuron migrate to their cortical destinations. Cortical dysfunction associated with defects in neuronal migration results in severe developmental consequences. There is growing evidence linking prenatal ethanol exposure to abnormal GABAergic interneuronal migration and subsequent cortical dysfunction. Investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms behind disrupted GABAergic interneuronal migration encountered with prenatal alcohol exposure is crucial for understanding and managing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. This review explores the molecular pathways regulating GABAergic interneuronal cortical migration that might be altered by prenatal ethanol exposure thus opening new avenues for further research in this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Botros B Shenoda
- Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245 North 15th Street, Mail Stop 488, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology, Assiut University College of Medicine, Assiut, Egypt.
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31
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Deehan GA, Knight CP, Waeiss RA, Engleman EA, Toalston JE, McBride WJ, Hauser SR, Rodd ZA. Peripheral Administration of Ethanol Results in a Correlated Increase in Dopamine and Serotonin Within the Posterior Ventral Tegmental Area. Alcohol Alcohol 2016; 51:535-40. [PMID: 27307055 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agw037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Two critical neurotransmitter systems regulating ethanol (EtOH) reward are serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA). Within the posterior ventral tegmental area (pVTA), 5-HT receptors have been shown to regulate DA neuronal activity. Increased pVTA neuronal activity has been linked to drug reinforcement. The current experiment sought to determine the effect of EtOH on 5-HT and DA levels within the pVTA. METHODS Wistar rats were implanted with cannula aimed at the pVTA. Neurochemical levels were determined using standard microdialysis procedures with concentric probes. Rats were randomly assigned to one of the five groups (n = 41; 7-9 per group) that were treated with 0-3.0 g/kg EtOH (intraperitoneally). RESULTS Ethanol produced increased extracellular DA levels in the pVTA that resembled an inverted U-shape dose-response curve with peak levels (~200% of baseline) at the 2.25 g/kg dose. The increase in DA levels was observed for an extended period of time (~100 minutes). The effects of EtOH on extracellular 5-HT levels in the pVTA also resembled an inverted U-shape dose-response curve. However, increased 5-HT levels were only observed during the initial post-injection sample. The increases in extracellular DA and 5-HT levels were significantly correlated. CONCLUSION The data indicate intraperitoneal EtOH administration stimulated the release of both 5-HT and DA within the pVTA, the levels of which were significantly correlated. Overall, the current findings suggest that the ability of EtOH to stimulate DA activity within the mesolimbic system may be modulated by increases in 5-HT release within the pVTA. SHORT SUMMARY Two critical neurotransmitter systems regulating ethanol reward are serotonin and dopamine. The current experiment determined that intraperitoneal ethanol administration increased serotonin and dopamine levels within the pVTA (levels were significantly correlated). The current findings suggest the ability of EtOH to stimulate serotonin and dopamine activity within the mesolimbic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald A Deehan
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Christopher P Knight
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - R Aaron Waeiss
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Eric A Engleman
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Jamie E Toalston
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - William J McBride
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Sheketha R Hauser
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Zachary A Rodd
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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32
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Bell RL, Hauser S, Rodd ZA, Liang T, Sari Y, McClintick J, Rahman S, Engleman EA. A Genetic Animal Model of Alcoholism for Screening Medications to Treat Addiction. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2016; 126:179-261. [PMID: 27055615 PMCID: PMC4851471 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2016.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to present up-to-date pharmacological, genetic, and behavioral findings from the alcohol-preferring P rat and summarize similar past work. Behaviorally, the focus will be on how the P rat meets criteria put forth for a valid animal model of alcoholism with a highlight on its use as an animal model of polysubstance abuse, including alcohol, nicotine, and psychostimulants. Pharmacologically and genetically, the focus will be on the neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems that have received the most attention: cholinergic, dopaminergic, GABAergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, corticotrophin releasing hormone, opioid, and neuropeptide Y. Herein, we sought to place the P rat's behavioral and neurochemical phenotypes, and to some extent its genotype, in the context of the clinical literature. After reviewing the findings thus far, this chapter discusses future directions for expanding the use of this genetic animal model of alcoholism to identify molecular targets for treating drug addiction in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- R L Bell
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.
| | - S Hauser
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Z A Rodd
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - T Liang
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Y Sari
- University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, United States
| | - J McClintick
- Center for Medical Genomics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - S Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, United States
| | - E A Engleman
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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Stoutenberg M, Rethorst CD, Lawson O, Read JP. Exercise training - A beneficial intervention in the treatment of alcohol use disorders? Drug Alcohol Depend 2016; 160:2-11. [PMID: 26652900 PMCID: PMC6083864 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A growing body of evidence suggests that exercise training may have multiple beneficial effects in individuals with mental health or substance use disorders. Yet, relatively little knowledge exists regarding the benefits of exercise training to augment treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). PURPOSE The purpose of this narrative review is to present a summary of the growing body of published literature supporting exercise training as a treatment strategy for individuals with AUDs. We will provide evidence on the myriad of ways in which exercise may exert a positive effect on AUD outcomes including stress, anxiety, impulsivity, and depression. Further, we will explore how these mechanisms share common neurobiological pathways. The role of exercise in enhancing the social environment and increasing individual self-efficacy to reduce excess and/or inappropriate alcohol consumption will also be discussed. DISCUSSION We will conclude with a description of completed investigations involving exercise training and provide suggestions for next steps in this innovative field of study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Stoutenberg
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Clinical Research Building, Suite 1008, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
| | - Chad D. Rethorst
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Olivia Lawson
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Clinical Research Building, Suite 1008, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Jennifer P. Read
- Department of Psychology, The State University of New York at Buffalo, 213 Park Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
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