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Choi M, Schneeberger M, Fan W, Bugde A, Gautron L, Vale K, Hammer RE, Zhang Y, Friedman JM, Mangelsdorf DJ, Kliewer SA. FGF21 counteracts alcohol intoxication by activating the noradrenergic nervous system. Cell Metab 2023; 35:429-437.e5. [PMID: 36889282 PMCID: PMC10009780 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Animals that consume fermenting fruit and nectar are at risk of exposure to ethanol and the detrimental effects of inebriation. In this report, we show that the hormone FGF21, which is strongly induced by ethanol in murine and human liver, stimulates arousal from intoxication without changing ethanol catabolism. Mice lacking FGF21 take longer than wild-type littermates to recover their righting reflex and balance following ethanol exposure. Conversely, pharmacologic FGF21 administration reduces the time needed for mice to recover from ethanol-induced unconsciousness and ataxia. FGF21 did not counteract sedation caused by ketamine, diazepam, or pentobarbital, indicating specificity for ethanol. FGF21 mediates its anti-intoxicant effects by directly activating noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus region, which regulates arousal and alertness. These results suggest that this FGF21 liver-brain pathway evolved to protect against ethanol-induced intoxication and that it might be targeted pharmaceutically for treating acute alcohol poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihwa Choi
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Marc Schneeberger
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Wei Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Abhijit Bugde
- Live Cell Imaging Core Facility, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Laurent Gautron
- Division of Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Kevin Vale
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Robert E Hammer
- Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Friedman
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - David J Mangelsdorf
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Steven A Kliewer
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Robinson SL, Dornellas APS, Burnham NW, Houck CA, Luhn KL, Bendrath SC, Companion MA, Brewton HW, Thomas RD, Navarro M, Thiele TE. Distinct and Overlapping Patterns of Acute Ethanol-Induced C-Fos Activation in Two Inbred Replicate Lines of Mice Selected for Drinking to High Blood Ethanol Concentrations. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10120988. [PMID: 33333877 PMCID: PMC7765285 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The inbred high drinking in the dark (iHDID1 and iHDID2) strains are two replicate lines bred from the parent HS/Npt (HS) line for achieving binge levels of blood ethanol concentration (≥80 mg/dL BEC) in a four-hour period. In this work, we sought to evaluate differences in baseline and ethanol-induced c-Fos activation between the HS, iHDID1, and iHDID2 genetic lines in brain regions known to process the aversive properties of ethanol. Methods: Male and female HS, iHDID1, and iHDID2 mice underwent an IP saline 2 3 g/kg ethanol injection. Brain sections were then stained for c-Fos expression in the basolateral/central amygdala (BLA/CeA), bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BNST), A2, locus coeruleus (LC), parabrachial nucleus (PBN), lateral/medial habenula (LHb/MHb), paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), periaqueductal gray (PAG), Edinger–Westphal nuclei (EW), and rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg). Results: The iHDID1 and iHDID2 lines showed similar and distinct patterns of regional c-Fos; however, in no region did the two both significantly differ from the HS line together. Conclusions: Our findings lend further support to the hypothesis the iHDID1 and the iHDID2 lines arrive at a similar behavior phenotype through divergent genetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey L. Robinson
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ana Paula S. Dornellas
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Nathan W. Burnham
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA;
| | - Christa A. Houck
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kendall L. Luhn
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
| | - Sophie C. Bendrath
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Michel A. Companion
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Honoreé W. Brewton
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Rhiannon D. Thomas
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Montserrat Navarro
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Todd E. Thiele
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (S.L.R.); (A.P.S.D.); (C.A.H.); (K.L.L.); (S.C.B.); (M.A.C.); (H.W.B.); (R.D.T.); (M.N.)
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-919-966-1519; Fax: +1-919-962-2537
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Vazey EM, den Hartog CR, Moorman DE. Central Noradrenergic Interactions with Alcohol and Regulation of Alcohol-Related Behaviors. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 248:239-260. [PMID: 29687164 DOI: 10.1007/164_2018_108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) results from disruption of a number of neural systems underlying motivation, emotion, and cognition. Patients with AUD exhibit not only elevated motivation for alcohol but heightened stress and anxiety, and disruptions in cognitive domains such as decision-making. One system at the intersection of these functions is the central norepinephrine (NE) system. This catecholaminergic neuromodulator, produced by several brainstem nuclei, plays profound roles in a wide range of behaviors and functions, including arousal, attention, and other aspects of cognition, motivation, emotional regulation, and control over basic physiological processes. It has been known for some time that NE has an impact on alcohol seeking and use, but the mechanisms of its influence are still being revealed. This chapter will discuss the influence of NE neuron activation and NE release at alcohol-relevant targets on behaviors and disruptions underlying alcohol motivation and AUD. Potential NE-based pharmacotherapies for AUD treatment will also be discussed. Given the basic properties of NE function, the strong relationship between NE and alcohol use, and the effectiveness of current NE-related treatments, the studies presented here indicate an encouraging direction for the development of precise and efficacious future therapies for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena M Vazey
- Department of Biology & Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Carolina R den Hartog
- Department of Biology & Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - David E Moorman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
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Inenaga K, Ono K, Hitomi S, Kuroki A, Ujihara I. Thirst sensation and oral dryness following alcohol intake. JAPANESE DENTAL SCIENCE REVIEW 2017; 53:78-85. [PMID: 28725298 PMCID: PMC5501731 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdsr.2016.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Substantial acute and chronic intakes of alcohol or ethanol (EtOH) severely influence oral sensations, such as thirst and oral dryness (dry mouth, xerostomia). Thirst sensation and oral dryness are primarily caused by the activation of neurons in brain regions, including the circumventricular organs and hypothalamus, which are referred to as the dipsogenic center, and by a decrease in salivary secretion, respectively. The sensation of thirst experienced after heavy-alcohol drinking is widely regarded as a consequence of EtOH-induced diuresis; however, EtOH in high doses induces anti-diuresis. Recently, it has been proposed that the ethanol metabolite acetaldehyde induces thirst via two distinct processes in the central nervous system from EtOH-induced diuresis, based on the results of animal experiments. The present review describes new insights regarding the induction mechanism of thirst sensation and oral dryness after drinking alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyotoshi Inenaga
- Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1 Manazuru, Kokurakita, Kitakyushu 803-8580, Japan
| | - Kentaro Ono
- Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1 Manazuru, Kokurakita, Kitakyushu 803-8580, Japan
| | - Suzuro Hitomi
- Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1 Manazuru, Kokurakita, Kitakyushu 803-8580, Japan
| | - Ayu Kuroki
- Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1 Manazuru, Kokurakita, Kitakyushu 803-8580, Japan
| | - Izumi Ujihara
- Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1 Manazuru, Kokurakita, Kitakyushu 803-8580, Japan
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5
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Ethanol-Sensitive Pacemaker Neurons in the Mouse External Globus Pallidus. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:1070-1081. [PMID: 27827370 PMCID: PMC5506786 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Although ethanol is one of the most widely used drugs, we still lack a full understanding of which neuronal subtypes are affected by this drug. Pacemaker neurons exert powerful control over brain circuit function, but little is known about ethanol effects on these types of neurons. Neurons in the external globus pallidus (GPe) generate pacemaker activity that controls basal ganglia, circuitry associated with habitual and compulsive drug use. We performed patch-clamp recordings from GPe neurons and found that bath application of ethanol dose-dependently decreased the firing rate of low-frequency GPe neurons, but did not alter the firing of high-frequency neurons. GABA or glutamate receptor antagonists did not block the ethanol effect. The GPe is comprised of a heterogeneous population of neurons. We used Lhx6-EGFP and Npas1-tdTm mice strains to identify low-frequency neurons. Lhx6 and Npas1 neurons exhibited decreased firing with ethanol, but only Npas1 neurons were sensitive to 10 mM ethanol. Large-conductance voltage and Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel have a key role in the ethanol effect on GPe neurons, as the application of BK channel inhibitors blocked the ethanol-induced firing decrease. Ethanol also increased BK channel open probability measured in single-channel recordings from Npas1-tdTm neurons. In addition, in vivo electrophysiological recordings from GPe showed that ethanol decreased the firing of a large subset of low-frequency neurons. These findings indicate how selectivity of ethanol effects on pacemaker neurons can occur, and enhance our understanding of the mechanisms contributing to acute ethanol effects on the basal ganglia.
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6
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Retson TA, Reyes B, Van Bockstaele EJ. Chronic alcohol exposure differentially affects activation of female locus coeruleus neurons and the subcellular distribution of corticotropin releasing factor receptors. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2015; 56:66-74. [PMID: 25149913 PMCID: PMC4258542 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2014.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Revised: 08/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the neurobiological bases for sex differences in alcohol dependence is needed to help guide the development of individualized therapies for alcohol abuse disorders. In the present study, alcohol-induced adaptations in (1) anxiety-like behavior, (2) patterns of c-Fos activation and (3) subcellular distribution of corticotropin releasing factor receptor in locus coeruleus (LC) neurons was investigated in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats that were chronically exposed to ethanol using a liquid diet. Results confirm and extend reports by others showing that chronic ethanol exposure produces an anxiogenic-like response in both male and female subjects. Ethanol-induced sex differences were observed with increased c-Fos expression in LC neurons of female ethanol-treated subjects compared to controls or male subjects. Results also reveal sex differences in the subcellular distribution of the CRFr in LC-noradrenergic neurons with female subjects exposed to ethanol exhibiting a higher frequency of plasmalemmal CRFrs. These adaptations have implications for LC neuronal activity and its neural targets across the sexes. Considering the important role of the LC in ethanol-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the present results indicate important sex differences in feed-forward regulation of the HPA axis that may render alcohol dependent females more vulnerable to subsequent stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. A. Retson
- Department of Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107
| | - B.A. Reyes
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19102
| | - E. J. Van Bockstaele
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19102
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7
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Vilpoux C, Warnault V, Pierrefiche O, Daoust M, Naassila M. Ethanol-Sensitive Brain Regions in Rat and Mouse: A Cartographic Review, Using Immediate Early Gene Expression. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2009; 33:945-69. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2009.00916.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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8
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Smith KS, Tindell AJ, Aldridge JW, Berridge KC. Ventral pallidum roles in reward and motivation. Behav Brain Res 2008; 196:155-67. [PMID: 18955088 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2008.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 374] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2008] [Accepted: 09/22/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
In recent years the ventral pallidum has become a focus of great research interest as a mechanism of reward and incentive motivation. As a major output for limbic signals, the ventral pallidum was once associated primarily with motor functions rather than regarded as a reward structure in its own right. However, ample evidence now suggests that ventral pallidum function is a major mechanism of reward in the brain. We review data indicating that (1) an intact ventral pallidum is necessary for normal reward and motivation, (2) stimulated activation of ventral pallidum is sufficient to cause reward and motivation enhancements, and (3) activation patterns in ventral pallidum neurons specifically encode reward and motivation signals via phasic bursts of excitation to incentive and hedonic stimuli. We conclude that the ventral pallidum may serve as an important 'limbic final common pathway' for mesocorticolimbic processing of many rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle S Smith
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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Lindholm J, Guitart-Masip M, Hassankhali H, Landgren S, Nicoleau C, Giménez-Llort L, Terenius L, Ogren SO, Johansson B. Effects of naltrexone and acamprosate on alcohol-induced NGFI-A expression in mouse brain. Neurochem Res 2008; 33:2062-9. [PMID: 18427989 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-008-9687-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2007] [Accepted: 03/25/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
In search for the substrate of naltrexone and acamprosate action on alcohol craving, we investigated the effects of ethanol alone and combined with naltrexone or acamprosate on expression of nerve growth factor-inducible clone A (NGFI-A; zif268). In Experiments 1 and 3, alcohol (2 g/kg) alone or in combination with naltrexone (15 mg/kg) or acamprosate (300 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally into mice. In Experiment 2, treatment was nor-BNI (0.5 mg/kg) to investigate whether the effect of naltrexone involved blockade of kappa-opioid receptors. Both ethanol and naltrexone alone induced NGFI-A in the central amygdala, but not in several other areas; these effects were additive. However, acamprosate alone or in combination with ethanol had no effect on NGFI-A mRNA, while nor-BNI induced NGFI-A mRNA in the basolateral amygdala. The central amygdala appears to be an important target of both alcohol and naltrexone. Acamprosate may not share the site of action with naltrexone despite being used for the same therapeutic purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette Lindholm
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
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Abstract
This paper is the 28th consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, now spanning over a quarter-century of research. It summarizes papers published during 2005 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity, neurophysiology and transmitter release (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); immunological responses (Section 17).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
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Ryabinin AE, Weitemier AZ. The urocortin 1 neurocircuit: Ethanol-sensitivity and potential involvement in alcohol consumption. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 52:368-80. [PMID: 16766036 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresrev.2006.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2005] [Revised: 04/26/2006] [Accepted: 04/29/2006] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
One of the hallmarks of alcoholism is continued excessive consumption of alcohol-containing beverages despite the negative consequences of such behavior. The neurocircuitry regulating alcohol consumption is not well understood. Recent studies have shown that the neuropeptide urocortin 1 (Ucn1), a member of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family of peptides, could be an important player in the regulation of alcohol consumption. This evidence is accumulated along three directions of research: (1) Ucn 1-containing neurons are extremely sensitive to alcohol; (2) the Ucn1 neurocircuit may contribute to the genetic predisposition to high alcohol intake in mice and rats; (3) manipulation of the Ucn1 system alters alcohol consumption and sensitivity. This paper reviews the current knowledge of the Ucn1 neurocircuit and the evidence for its involvement in alcohol-related behaviors, and proposes a mechanism for its involvement in the regulation of alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, L470, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, 97239, USA.
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