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Halcomb ME, Dzemidzic M, Avena-Koenigsberger A, Hile KL, Durazzo TC, Yoder KK. Greater ventral striatal functional connectivity in cigarette smokers relative to non-smokers across a spectrum of alcohol consumption. Brain Imaging Behav 2024:10.1007/s11682-024-00903-9. [PMID: 39106000 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-024-00903-9] [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] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Cigarette smoking is associated with elevated risk of disease and mortality and contributes to heavy healthcare-related economic burdens. The nucleus accumbens is implicated in numerous reward-related behaviors, including reinforcement learning and incentive salience. The established functional connectivity of the accumbens includes regions associated with motivation, valuation, and affective processing. Although the high comorbidity of cigarette smoking with drinking behaviors may collectively affect brain activity, there could be independent effects of smoking in alcohol use disorder that impact brain function and behavior. We hypothesized that smoking status, independent of alcohol use, would be associated with aberrations of nucleus accumbens functional connectivity to brain regions that facilitate reward processing, salience attribution, and inhibitory control. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from thirty-one nonsmokers and nineteen smoking individuals were analyzed using seed-based correlations of the bilateral accumbens with all other brain voxels. Statistical models accounted for drinks consumed per week. The smoking group demonstrated significantly higher functional connectivity between the left accumbens and the bilateral insula and anterior cingulate cortex, as well as hyperconnectivity between the right accumbens and the insula. Confirmatory analyses using the insula and cingulate clusters generated from the original analysis as seed regions reproduced the hyperconnectivity in smokers between the bilateral insular regions and the accumbens. In conclusion, smoking status had distinct effects on neural activity; hyperconnectivity between the accumbens and insula in smokers may reflect enhanced encoding of the reinforcing effects of smoking and greater orientation toward smoking-associated stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith E Halcomb
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Mario Dzemidzic
- Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4700, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Andrea Avena-Koenigsberger
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Karen L Hile
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Timothy C Durazzo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Road, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Karmen K Yoder
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Center for Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W. 16th St., GH 4100, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, 320 W. 15th St., NB 414, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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Jones JD, Arout CA, Luba R, Murugesan D, Madera G, Gorsuch L, Schusterman R, Martinez S. The influence of drug class on reward in substance use disorders. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 240:173771. [PMID: 38670466 PMCID: PMC11162950 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
In the United States, the societal costs associated with drug use surpass $500 billion annually. The rewarding and reinforcing properties that drive the use of these addictive substances are typically examined concerning the neurobiological effects responsible for their abuse potential. In this review, terms such as "abuse potential," "drug," and "addictive properties" are used due to their relevance to the methodological, theoretical, and conceptual framework for understanding the phenomenon of drug-taking behavior and the associated body of preclinical and clinical literature. The use of these terms is not intended to cast aspersions on individuals with substance use disorders (SUD). Understanding what motivates substance use has been a focus of SUD research for decades. Much of this corpus of work has focused on the shared effects of each drug class to increase dopaminergic transmission within the central reward pathways of the brain, or the "reward center." However, the precise influence of each drug class on dopamine signaling, and the extent thereof, differs considerably. Furthermore, the aforementioned substances have effects on several neurobiological targets that mediate and modulate their addictive properties. The current manuscript sought to review the influence of drug class on the rewarding effects of each of the major pharmacological classes of addictive drugs (i.e., psychostimulants, opioids, nicotine, alcohol, and cannabinoids). Our review suggests that even subtle differences in drug effects can result in significant variability in the subjective experience of the drug, altering rewarding and other reinforcing effects. Additionally, this review will argue that reward (i.e., the attractive and motivational property of a stimulus) alone is not sufficient to explain the abuse liability of these substances. Instead, abuse potential is best examined as a function of both positive and negative reinforcing drug effects (i.e., stimuli that the subject will work to attain and stimuli that the subject will work to end or avoid, respectively). Though reward is central to drug use, the factors that motivate and maintain drug taking are varied and complex, with much to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jermaine D Jones
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Caroline A Arout
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Rachel Luba
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Dillon Murugesan
- CUNY School of Medicine, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Gabriela Madera
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Liam Gorsuch
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, 430-5950 University Blvd., Vancouver V6T 1Z3, BC, Canada
| | - Rebecca Schusterman
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Suky Martinez
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Oliva HNP, Prudente TP, Nunes EJ, Cosgrove KP, Radhakrishnan R, Potenza MN, Angarita GA. Substance use and spine density: a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02519-3. [PMID: 38561468 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02519-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The elucidation of synaptic density changes provides valuable insights into the underlying brain mechanisms of substance use. In preclinical studies, synaptic density markers, like spine density, are altered by substances of abuse (e.g., alcohol, amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, nicotine). These changes could be linked to phenomena including behavioral sensitization and drug self-administration in rodents. However, studies have produced heterogeneous results for spine density across substances and brain regions. Identifying patterns will inform translational studies given tools that now exist to measure in vivo synaptic density in humans. We performed a meta-analysis of preclinical studies to identify consistent findings across studies. PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and EBSCO were searched between September 2022 and September 2023, based on a protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42022354006). We screened 6083 publications and included 70 for meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed drug-specific patterns in spine density changes. Hippocampal spine density increased after amphetamine. Amphetamine, cocaine, and nicotine increased spine density in the nucleus accumbens. Alcohol and amphetamine increased, and cannabis reduced, spine density in the prefrontal cortex. There was no convergence of findings for morphine's effects. The effects of cocaine on the prefrontal cortex presented contrasting results compared to human studies, warranting further investigation. Publication bias was small for alcohol or morphine and substantial for the other substances. Heterogeneity was moderate-to-high across all substances. Nonetheless, these findings inform current translational efforts examining spine density in humans with substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Nunes Pereira Oliva
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tiago Paiva Prudente
- Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Eric J Nunes
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Kelly P Cosgrove
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rajiv Radhakrishnan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marc N Potenza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA
- Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling, Wethersfield, CT, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gustavo A Angarita
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Söderpalm B, Ericson M. Alcohol and the dopamine system. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 175:21-73. [PMID: 38555117 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The mesolimbic dopamine pathway plays a major role in drug reinforcement and is likely involved also in the development of drug addiction. Ethanol, like most addictive drugs, acutely activates the mesolimbic dopamine system and releases dopamine, and ethanol-associated stimuli also appear to trigger dopamine release. In addition, chronic exposure to ethanol reduces the baseline function of the mesolimbic dopamine system. The molecular mechanisms underlying ethanol´s interaction with this system remain, however, to be unveiled. Here research on the actions of ethanol in the mesolimbic dopamine system, focusing on the involvement of cystein-loop ligand-gated ion channels, opiate receptors, gastric peptides and acetaldehyde is briefly reviewed. In summary, a great complexity as regards ethanol´s mechanism(s) of action along the mesolimbic dopamine system has been revealed. Consequently, several new targets and possibilities for pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder have emerged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Söderpalm
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Addiction and Dependency, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Mia Ericson
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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5
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Jangard S, Jayaram-Lindström N, Isacsson NH, Matheson GJ, Plavén-Sigray P, Franck J, Borg J, Farde L, Cervenka S. Striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability as a predictor of subsequent alcohol use in social drinkers. Addiction 2023; 118:1053-1061. [PMID: 36710462 DOI: 10.1111/add.16144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Whereas striatal dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) availability has shown to be altered in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and in healthy individuals with a family history of AUD, the role of D2R in the development of AUD is unknown. In this positron emission tomography (PET) study, we measured whether D2R availability is associated with subsequent alcohol use and alcohol-related factors, at a follow-up 8 to 16 years post-PET scan, in social drinkers. DESIGN Longitudinal study investigating the association between PET data and later self-report measures in healthy individuals. SETTING Academic research imaging centre in Stockholm, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS There were 71 individuals (68 of whom had evaluable PET data, 5 females, 42.0 years mean age) from a series of previous PET studies. MEASUREMENTS One PET examination with the D2R antagonist radioligand [11 C]raclopride at baseline and self-report measures assessing alcohol use, drug use, impulsivity, reward sensitivity and family history of alcohol or substance use disorder at follow-up. FINDINGS We found no evidence for an association between D2R availability and later alcohol use (B = -0.019, B 95% CI = -0.043 to -0.006, P = 0.147) nor for the majority of the alcohol-related factors (B 95% CI = -0.034 to 0.004, P = 0.273-0.288). A negative association with a small effect size was found between D2R availability and later impulsivity (B = -0.017, B 95% CI = -0.034 to -0.001, P = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS Low striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability may not be a strong predictor in the development of alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Jangard
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nitya Jayaram-Lindström
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nils Hentati Isacsson
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Granville James Matheson
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Pontus Plavén-Sigray
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Johan Franck
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jacqueline Borg
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Farde
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Simon Cervenka
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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6
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Morales AM, Gilbert S, Hart E, Jones SA, Boyd SJ, Mitchell SH, Nagel BJ. Alcohol-induced changes in mesostriatal resting-state functional connectivity are linked to sensation seeking in young adults. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:659-667. [PMID: 36799331 PMCID: PMC10149605 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies in animals and humans suggest that greater levels of sensation seeking and alcohol use are related to individual differences in drug-induced dopamine release. However, it remains unclear whether drug-induced alterations in the functional synchrony between mesostriatal regions are related to sensation seeking and alcohol use. METHODS In this within-subject masked-design study, 21-year-old participants (n = 34) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure ventral tegmental area (VTA) resting-state functional connectivity to the striatum after receiving alcohol (target blood alcohol concentration 0.08 g/dL) or placebo. Participants also completed the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale to assess sensation seeking, the Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire, and self-reported patterns of alcohol and drug use. RESULTS Voxel-wise analyses within the striatum demonstrated that during the alcohol condition (compared with placebo) young adults had less connectivity between the VTA and bilateral caudate (p < 0.05 corrected). However, young adults exhibiting smaller alcohol-induced decreases or increases in VTA-left caudate connectivity reported greater sensation seeking. CONCLUSION These findings provide novel information about how acute alcohol impacts resting-state connectivity, an effect that may be driven by the complex pre and postsynaptic effects of alcohol on various neurotransmitters including dopamine. Further, alcohol-induced differences in VTA connectivity represent a plausible mechanistic substrate underlying sensation seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sydney Gilbert
- Departments of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University
| | - Elijah Hart
- Departments of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University
| | - Scott A. Jones
- Departments of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University
| | - Stephen J. Boyd
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University
| | - Suzanne H. Mitchell
- Departments of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University
| | - Bonnie J. Nagel
- Departments of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University
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Beck A, Ebrahimi C, Rosenthal A, Charlet K, Heinz A. The Dopamine System in Mediating Alcohol Effects in Humans. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023. [PMID: 36705911 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Brain-imaging studies show that the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD) is determined by a complex interaction of different neurotransmitter systems and multiple psychological factors. In this context, the dopaminergic reinforcement system appears to be of fundamental importance. We focus on the excitatory and depressant effects of acute versus chronic alcohol intake and its impact on dopaminergic neurotransmission. Furthermore, we describe alterations in dopaminergic neurotransmission as associated with symptoms of alcohol dependence. We specifically focus on neuroadaptations to chronic alcohol consumption and their effect on central processing of alcohol-associated and reward-related stimuli. Altered reward processing, complex conditioning processes, impaired reinforcement learning, and increased salience attribution to alcohol-associated stimuli enable alcohol cues to drive alcohol seeking and consumption. Finally, we will discuss how the neurobiological and neurochemical mechanisms of alcohol-associated alterations in reward processing and learning can interact with stress, cognition, and emotion processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Beck
- Faculty of Health, Health and Medical University, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Claudia Ebrahimi
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annika Rosenthal
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katrin Charlet
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Bach P, de Timary P, Gründer G, Cumming P. Molecular Imaging Studies of Alcohol Use Disorder. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023. [PMID: 36639552 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a serious public health problem in many countries, bringing a gamut of health risks and impairments to individuals and a great burden to society. Despite the prevalence of a disease model of AUD, the current pharmacopeia does not present reliable treatments for AUD; approved treatments are confined to a narrow spectrum of medications engaging inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission and possibly excitatory N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and opioid receptor antagonists. Molecular imaging with positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can open a window into the living brain and has provided diverse insights into the pathology of AUD. In this narrative review, we summarize the state of molecular imaging findings on the pharmacological action of ethanol and the neuropathological changes associated with AUD. Laboratory and preclinical imaging results highlight the interactions between ethanol and GABA A-type receptors (GABAAR), but the interpretation of such results is complicated by subtype specificity. An abundance of studies with the glucose metabolism tracer fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) concur in showing cerebral hypometabolism after ethanol challenge, but there is relatively little data on long-term changes in AUD. Alcohol toxicity evokes neuroinflammation, which can be tracked using PET with ligands for the microglial marker translocator protein (TSPO). Several PET studies show reversible increases in TSPO binding in AUD individuals, and preclinical results suggest that opioid-antagonists can rescue from these inflammatory responses. There are numerous PET/SPECT studies showing changes in dopaminergic markers, generally consistent with an impairment in dopamine synthesis and release among AUD patients, as seen in a number of other addictions; this may reflect the composite of an underlying deficiency in reward mechanisms that predisposes to AUD, in conjunction with acquired alterations in dopamine signaling. There is little evidence for altered serotonin markers in AUD, but studies with opioid receptor ligands suggest a specific up-regulation of the μ-opioid receptor subtype. Considerable heterogeneity in drinking patterns, gender differences, and the variable contributions of genetics and pre-existing vulnerability traits present great challenges for charting the landscape of molecular imaging in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Bach
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Philippe de Timary
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc and Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gerhard Gründer
- Department of Molecular Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Paul Cumming
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- International Centre for Education and Research in Neuropsychiatry (ICERN), Samara State Medical University, Samara, Russia
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Leyton
- From the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, McGill University; the Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University; the Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Concordia University; and the Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Que., Canada
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10
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Interoception and alcohol: Mechanisms, networks, and implications. Neuropharmacology 2021; 200:108807. [PMID: 34562442 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Interoception refers to the perception of the internal state of the body and is increasingly being recognized as an important factor in mental health disorders. Drugs of abuse produce powerful interoceptive states that are upstream of behaviors that drive and influence drug intake, and addiction pathology is impacted by interoceptive processes. The goal of the present review is to discuss interoceptive processes related to alcohol. We will cover physiological responses to alcohol, how interoceptive states can impact drinking, and the recruitment of brain networks as informed by clinical research. We also review the molecular and brain circuitry mechanisms of alcohol interoceptive effects as informed by preclinical studies. Finally, we will discuss emerging treatments with consideration of interoception processes. As our understanding of the role of interoception in drug and alcohol use grows, we suggest that the convergence of information provided by clinical and preclinical studies will be increasingly important. Given the complexity of interoceptive processing and the multitude of brain regions involved, an overarching network-based framework can provide context for how focused manipulations modulate interoceptive processing as a whole. In turn, preclinical studies can systematically determine the roles of individual nodes and their molecular underpinnings in a given network, potentially suggesting new therapeutic targets and directions. As interoceptive processing drives and influences motivation, emotion, and subsequent behavior, consideration of interoception is important for our understanding of processes that drive ongoing drinking and relapse.
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11
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Calakos KC, Liu H, Lu Y, Anderson JM, Matuskey D, Nabulsi N, Ye Y, Skosnik PD, D'Souza DC, Morris ED, Cosgrove KP, Hillmer AT. Assessment of transient dopamine responses to smoked cannabis. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 227:108920. [PMID: 34399137 PMCID: PMC8464527 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dopaminergic mechanisms that may underlie cannabis' reinforcing effects are not well elucidated in humans. This positron emission tomography (PET) imaging study used the dopamine D2/3 receptor antagonist [11C]raclopride and kinetic modelling testing for transient changes in radiotracer uptake to assess the striatal dopamine response to smoked cannabis in a preliminary sample. METHODS PET emission data were acquired from regular cannabis users (n = 14; 7 M/7 F; 19-32 years old) over 90 min immediately after [11C]raclopride administration (584 ± 95 MBq) as bolus followed by constant infusion (Kbol = 105 min). Participants smoked a cannabis cigarette, using a paced puff protocol, 35 min after scan start. Plasma concentrations of Δ9-THC and metabolites and ratings of subjective "high" were collected during imaging. Striatal dopamine responses were assessed voxelwise with a kinetic model testing for transient reductions in [11C]raclopride binding, linear-parametric neurotransmitter PET (lp-ntPET) (cerebellum as a reference region). RESULTS Cannabis smoking increased plasma Δ9-THC levels (peak: 0-10 min) and subjective high (peak: 0-30 min). Significant clusters (>16 voxels) modeled by transient reductions in [11C]raclopride binding were identified for all 12 analyzed scans. In total, 26 clusters of significant responses to cannabis were detected, of which 16 were located in the ventral striatum, including at least one ventral striatum cluster in 11 of the 12 analyzed scans. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data support the sensitivity of [11C]raclopride PET with analysis of transient changes in radiotracer uptake to detect cannabis smoking-induced dopamine responses. This approach shows future promise to further elucidate roles of mesolimbic dopaminergic signaling in chronic cannabis use. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02817698.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katina C Calakos
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States.
| | - Heather Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States.
| | - Yihuan Lu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States; Yale PET Center, Yale University, 801 Howard Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States.
| | - Jon Mikael Anderson
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States.
| | - David Matuskey
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States; Yale PET Center, Yale University, 801 Howard Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States; Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, 800 Howard Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States.
| | - Nabeel Nabulsi
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States; Yale PET Center, Yale University, 801 Howard Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States.
| | - Yunpeng Ye
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States; Yale PET Center, Yale University, 801 Howard Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States.
| | - Patrick D Skosnik
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States.
| | - Deepak Cyril D'Souza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States.
| | - Evan D Morris
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States; Yale PET Center, Yale University, 801 Howard Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States.
| | - Kelly P Cosgrove
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States.
| | - Ansel T Hillmer
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06519, United States; Yale PET Center, Yale University, 801 Howard Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States.
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12
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Danielsson K, Stomberg R, Adermark L, Ericson M, Söderpalm B. Differential dopamine release by psychosis-generating and non-psychosis-generating addictive substances in the nucleus accumbens and dorsomedial striatum. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:472. [PMID: 34518523 PMCID: PMC8438030 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01589-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with three main categories of symptoms; positive, negative and cognitive. Of these, only the positive symptoms respond well to treatment with antipsychotics. Due to the lack of effect of antipsychotics on negative symptoms, it has been suggested that while the positive symptoms are related to a hyperdopaminergic state in associative striatum, the negative symptoms may be a result of a reduced dopamine (DA) activity in the nucleus accumbens (nAc). Drug abuse is common in schizophrenia, supposedly alleviating negative symptomatology. Some, but not all, drugs aggravate psychosis, tentatively due to differential effects on DA activity in striatal regions. Here this hypothesis was tested in rats by using a double-probe microdialysis technique to simultaneously assess DA release in the nAc and associative striatum (dorsomedial striatum; DMS) following administration of the psychosis-generating substances amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg), cocaine (15 mg/kg) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, 3 mg/kg), and the generally non-psychosis-generating substances ethanol (2.5 g/kg), nicotine (0.36 mg/kg) and morphine (5 mg/kg). The data show that amphetamine and cocaine produce identical DA elevations both in the nAc and DMS, whereas nicotine increases DA in nAc only. Ethanol and morphine both increased DMS DA, but weaker and in a qualitatively different way than in nAc, suggesting that the manner in which DA is increased might be important to the triggering of psychosis. THC elevated DA in neither region, indicating that the pro-psychotic effects of THC are not related to DA release. We conclude that psychosis-generating substances affect striatal DA release differently than non-psychosis-generating substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Danielsson
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Rosita Stomberg
- grid.8761.80000 0000 9919 9582Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Louise Adermark
- grid.8761.80000 0000 9919 9582Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden ,grid.8761.80000 0000 9919 9582Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mia Ericson
- grid.8761.80000 0000 9919 9582Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bo Söderpalm
- grid.8761.80000 0000 9919 9582Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden ,grid.1649.a000000009445082XBeroendekliniken, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
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13
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Han J, Keedy S, Murray CH, Foxley S, de Wit H. Acute effects of alcohol on resting-state functional connectivity in healthy young men. Addict Behav 2021; 115:106786. [PMID: 33421747 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol abuse and dependence remain significant public health issues, and yet the brain circuits that are involved in the rewarding effects of alcohol are poorly understood. One promising way to study the effects of alcohol on neural activity is to examine its effects on functional connectivity between brain areas involved in reward and other functions. Here, we compared the effects of two doses of alcohol (0.4 and 0.8 g/kg) to placebo on resting-state functional connectivity in brain circuits related to reward in 19 healthy young men without histories of alcohol problems. The higher, but not the lower, dose of alcohol, significantly increased connectivity from reward-related regions to sensory and motor cortex, and between seeds associated with cognitive control. Contrary to expectation, alcohol did not significantly change connectivity for the ventral striatum at either dose. These findings reveal unrecognized effects of alcohol on connectivity from reward-related regions to visual and sensory cortical areas.
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14
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Agarwal K, Manza P, Leggio L, Livinski AA, Volkow ND, Joseph PV. Sensory cue reactivity: Sensitization in alcohol use disorder and obesity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 124:326-357. [PMID: 33587959 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging techniques to measure the function of the human brain such as electroencephalography (EEG), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), are powerful tools for understanding the underlying neural circuitry associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and obesity. The sensory (visual, taste and smell) paradigms used in neuroimaging studies represent an ideal platform to investigate the connection between the different neural circuits subserving the reward/executive control systems in these disorders, which may offer a translational mechanism for novel intervention predictions. Thus, the current review provides an integrated summary of the recent neuroimaging studies that have applied cue-reactivity paradigms and neuromodulation strategies to explore underlying alterations in neural circuitry as well in treatment strategies in AUD and obesity. Finally, we discuss literature on mechanisms associated with increased alcohol sensitivity post-bariatric surgery (BS) which offers guidance for future research to use sensory percepts in elucidating the relation of reward signaling in AUD development post-BS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushbu Agarwal
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA; National Institute of Nursing Research, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peter Manza
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA; National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda and Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA; National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda and Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Paule Valery Joseph
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA; National Institute of Nursing Research, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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15
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Radoman M, Crane NA, Gorka SM, Weafer J, Langenecker SA, de Wit H, Phan KL. Striatal activation to monetary reward is associated with alcohol reward sensitivity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:343-350. [PMID: 32505126 PMCID: PMC7852684 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0728-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
One well-known phenotypic risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorder is sensitivity to the rewarding effects of alcohol. In the present study, we examined whether individuals who are sensitive to alcohol reward are also sensitive to nondrug rewards, thereby reflecting a broader individual difference risk factor. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that subjective response to acute rewarding effects of alcohol would be related to neural activation during monetary reward receipt relative to loss (in the absence of alcohol). Community-recruited healthy young social drinkers (N = 58) completed four laboratory sessions in which they received alcohol (0.8 g/kg) and placebo in alternating order under double-blind conditions, providing self-report measures of subjective response to alcohol at regular intervals. At a separate visit 1-3 weeks later, they completed a reward-guessing game, the 'Doors' task, during fMRI in a drug-free state. Participants who reported greater motivation (i.e., wanting) to consume more alcohol after a single moderate dose of alcohol also exhibited greater neural activation in the bilateral ventral caudate and the nucleus accumbens during reward receipt relative to loss. Striatal activation was not related to other subjective ratings including alcohol-induced sedation, stimulation, or pleasure (i.e., feeling, liking). Our study is the first to show that measures of alcohol reward are related to neural indices of monetary reward in humans. These results support growing evidence that individual differences in responses to drug and nondrug reward are linked and together form a risk profile for drug use or abuse, particularly in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Radoman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
| | - Natania A. Crane
- grid.185648.60000 0001 2175 0319Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612 USA
| | - Stephanie M. Gorka
- grid.261331.40000 0001 2285 7943Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Ohio State University, 1670 Upham Drive, Columbus, OH 43205 USA
| | - Jessica Weafer
- grid.266539.d0000 0004 1936 8438Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 171 Funkhouser Drive, Lexington, KY 40506 USA
| | - Scott A. Langenecker
- grid.223827.e0000 0001 2193 0096Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, 50N Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84132 USA
| | - Harriet de Wit
- grid.170205.10000 0004 1936 7822Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5841S Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 USA
| | - K. Luan Phan
- grid.261331.40000 0001 2285 7943Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Ohio State University, 1670 Upham Drive, Columbus, OH 43205 USA
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16
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Deutsch AR. Punch-Drunk or Drunken Boxing? The Etiology of Alcohol-Related Physical Violence through Adolescence and Young Adulthood. Subst Use Misuse 2021; 56:615-626. [PMID: 33691595 PMCID: PMC9275523 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2021.1887244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol-related physical violence (ARPV) can be a causal consequence of alcohol consumption, but only for specific individuals (e.g., those predisposed to violence). Studies have not accounted for the shared etiology explaining comorbidity between alcohol use and violent behavior as a potential third-variable explanation of ARPV. The current study examined genetically-informed associations between ARPV, heavy alcohol use (HAU) and overall physical violence (OPV) in adolescence and young adulthood, by testing two proposed theories of ARPV processes (HAU causes ARPV, causal relationships depend upon OPV) and how overarching shared covariance may account for these associations. METHODS Using the twin and sibling subsample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a series of biometric models tested hypotheses individually in adolescence and young adulthood. This included estimating bivariate Cholesky and direction-of-causality models, and trivariate Cholesky, independent pathway, and common pathway models. RESULTS HAU had a causal effect on ARPV in adolescence and young adulthood. This effect was not moderated by OPV at either developmental stage. A shared etiology or common latent factor did not explain associations between ARPV, OPV, and HAU, even though ARPV strongly covaried independently with HAU and with OPV. Finally, OPV also had a causal effect on ARPV in adolescence, and in young adulthood for adolescent-onset drinkers. CONCLUSIONS Causal theories of ARPV still hold when accounting for shared genetic and environmental variance. Further research on the exact role of violence (predispositions, environmental contexts) is required, as both phenotypes substantially (and separately) explain influences driving ARPV. UNLABELLED Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2021.1887244.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arielle R Deutsch
- Avera Health, Avera Research Institute, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.,Sanford School of Medicine, Pediatrics, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
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17
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Li J, Murray CH, Weafer J, de Wit H. Subjective Effects of Alcohol Predict Alcohol Choice in Social Drinkers. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:2579-2587. [PMID: 33201577 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alcohol is among the most commonly used psychoactive drugs, yet it can produce markedly different subjective effects in different people. Certain effects, including both heightened stimulatory effects and lesser sedative effects, are thought to predict repeated or excessive use. However, we do not fully understand the nature of these individual differences or their relationships to alcohol consumption. This controlled laboratory study examined subjective and physiologic responses to a moderate dose of alcohol in social drinkers in relation to the subjects' decision to consume alcohol. METHODS Healthy adult volunteers (N = 95) participated in a 5-session double-blind alcohol choice study. On the first 4 sessions, they received alcohol (0.8 g/kg) and placebo in alternating order, and on the fifth session, they chose and consumed whichever of the 2 they preferred. During each session, participants completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) questionnaires and had their vitals recorded every 30 minutes. We compared subjective and physiologic response to alcohol during the sampling sessions in participants who chose alcohol or placebo on session 5. RESULTS Of the 95 participants, 55 chose alcohol (choosers) and 40 chose placebo (nonchoosers). In the full sample, alcohol produced its expected effects (e.g., increased friendliness, elation, and vigor (POMS), and stimulation and sedation (BAES)). The chooser and nonchooser groups did not differ in demographic characteristics, blood alcohol levels, or cardiovascular measures. However, the choosers experienced greater alcohol-induced increases in positive mood (POMS) and liked the drug more, whereas the nonchoosers experienced greater anger, anxiety (POMS), and sedation (BAES) after alcohol. CONCLUSION Both greater positive mood effects and lesser sedative effects after alcohol predicted preference under controlled conditions, suggesting that both factors can predict future consumption of alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingfei Li
- From the, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Conor H Murray
- From the, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jessica Weafer
- From the, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Harriet de Wit
- From the, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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18
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Blaine SK, Wemm S, Fogelman N, Lacadie C, Seo D, Scheinost D, Sinha R. Association of Prefrontal-Striatal Functional Pathology With Alcohol Abstinence Days at Treatment Initiation and Heavy Drinking After Treatment Initiation. Am J Psychiatry 2020; 177:1048-1059. [PMID: 32854534 PMCID: PMC7606814 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.19070703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with neuroadaptations in brain stress and reward circuits. It is not known whether such neuroadaptations are affected by number of days of alcohol abstinence and whether they influence heavy drinking during the early treatment phase. The authors used a novel functional MRI (fMRI) approach to assess brain responses during sustained exposure to standardized visual stimuli of stressful, alcohol cue, and neutral control images combined with prospective assessment of drinking outcomes during early outpatient treatment, in two related studies. METHODS In study 1, 44 treatment-entering patients with AUD and 43 demographically matched healthy control subjects participated in the fMRI experiment to identify dysfunctional responses associated with chronic alcohol abuse. In study 2, 69 treatment-entering patients with AUD were assessed for whether fMRI responses at treatment initiation were influenced by alcohol abstinence and were prospectively predictive of early heavy drinking outcomes. RESULTS Relative to control subjects, patients with AUD showed significant hyperreactivity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in response to neutral images, but significant hypoactivation in the vmPFC and ventral striatum in response to stress images and to alcohol cues relative to response to neutral images. In study 2, this specific prefrontal-ventral striatal dysfunction was associated with fewer days of alcohol abstinence and also predicted greater number heavy drinking days during the subsequent 2 weeks of treatment engagement. CONCLUSIONS Number of days of alcohol abstinence at treatment initiation significantly affected functional disruption of the prefrontal-striatal responses to stress images and to alcohol cues in patients with AUD, and the severity of this disruption in turn predicted greater heavy drinking during early treatment. Treatments that target this functional prefrontal-striatal pathology could improve early treatment outcomes in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara K Blaine
- Auburn University, Department of Psychology, Auburn, AL
| | - Stephanie Wemm
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT
| | - Nia Fogelman
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT
| | - Cheryl Lacadie
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, New Haven, CT
| | - Dongju Seo
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT
| | - Dustin Scheinost
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, New Haven, CT
| | - Rajita Sinha
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT,Address correspondence to: Rajita Sinha, Ph.D., Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Yale Stress Center, 2 Church Street South, Suite 209, New Haven, CT 06519.
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19
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Abstract
Addiction is commonly identified with habitual nonmedical self-administration of drugs. It is usually defined by characteristics of intoxication or by characteristics of withdrawal symptoms. Such addictions can also be defined in terms of the brain mechanisms they activate; most addictive drugs cause elevations in extracellular levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Animals unable to synthesize or use dopamine lack the conditioned reflexes discussed by Pavlov or the appetitive behavior discussed by Craig; they have only unconditioned consummatory reflexes. Burst discharges (phasic firing) of dopamine-containing neurons are necessary to establish long-term memories associating predictive stimuli with rewards and punishers. Independent discharges of dopamine neurons (tonic or pacemaker firing) determine the motivation to respond to such cues. As a result of habitual intake of addictive drugs, dopamine receptors expressed in the brain are decreased, thereby reducing interest in activities not already stamped in by habitual rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy A Wise
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA; .,Behavioral Genetics Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
| | - Mykel A Robble
- Behavioral Genetics Laboratory, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts 02478, USA;
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20
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Vena AA, Zandy SL, Cofresí RU, Gonzales RA. Behavioral, neurobiological, and neurochemical mechanisms of ethanol self-administration: A translational review. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 212:107573. [PMID: 32437827 PMCID: PMC7580704 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder has multiple characteristics including excessive ethanol consumption, impaired control over drinking behaviors, craving and withdrawal symptoms, compulsive seeking behaviors, and is considered a chronic condition. Relapse is common. Determining the neurobiological targets of ethanol and the adaptations induced by chronic ethanol exposure is critical to understanding the clinical manifestation of alcohol use disorders, the mechanisms underlying the various features of the disorder, and for informing medication development. In the present review, we discuss ethanol's interactions with a variety of neurotransmitter systems, summarizing findings from preclinical and translational studies to highlight recent progress in the field. We then describe animal models of ethanol self-administration, emphasizing the value, limitations, and validity of commonly used models. Lastly, we summarize the behavioral changes induced by chronic ethanol self-administration, with an emphasis on cue-elicited behavior, the role of ethanol-related memories, and the emergence of habitual ethanol seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley A Vena
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, United States of America
| | | | - Roberto U Cofresí
- Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, United States of America
| | - Rueben A Gonzales
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy and Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, United States of America.
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21
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Wu ZQ, Li K, Tian X, Zhou MX, Li ZJ. Schisandra chinensis water extract protects ethanol-induced neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Food Biochem 2020; 44:e13249. [PMID: 32524635 DOI: 10.1111/jfbc.13249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The protective effect of Schisandra chinensis water extract (SWE) on ethanol-induced neurotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans and the underlying mechanism were investigated. Young worms were exposed to ethanol or a mixture of ethanol and SWE for 24 hr. Locomotion ability, tissue ethanol concentration, free radical content, antioxidant enzyme activity, lifespan, and expression of key dopaminergic nervous system-related genes were evaluated. Ethanol affected the motion ability of worms and shortened their lifespan. Ethanol intake increased the tissue ethanol concentration, resulting in redox imbalance, and dopamine release and accumulation. SWE alleviated motility loss of C. elegans and extended their lifespan. It reduced the tissue ethanol concentration and free radical content, likely because it alleviated oxidative stress. Finally, SWE inhibited continuous dopamine excitement. These results suggest that SWE plays a protective role in dopaminergic neurons. It can be used to treat ethanol-induced neurotoxicity, and to investigate its potential mechanism. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Schisandra chinensis is a traditional functional food that has protective effects on the liver and brain. Although S. chinensis is found in some anti-alcohol products, the effects of S. chinensis on neurological and behavioral disorders caused by alcohol are rarely reported. The manuscript explored the protective effect of SWE on ethanol-induced nerve injury in Caenorhabditis elegans, and we preliminarily discussed the underlying mechanism. The results suggested that SWE can alleviate ethanol-induced neurotoxicity. Meanwhile, the results provide a theoretical basis for better use of S. chinensis to develop products to antagonize the side effects of alcohol. In addition, the method of using C. elegans model to evaluate the protective effect of S. chinensis on ethanol-induced nerve injury can provide practical reference for the screening and utilization of other plant functional components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Qin Wu
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Ke Li
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Xing Tian
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, PR China.,Department of Food and Drug Engineering, School of Pharmacy, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China
| | - Ming-Xi Zhou
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, PR China
| | - Zong-Jun Li
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, PR China
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22
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Verplaetse TL, Cosgrove KP, Tanabe J, McKee SA. Sex/gender differences in brain function and structure in alcohol use: A narrative review of neuroimaging findings over the last 10 years. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:309-323. [PMID: 32333417 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the last 10 years, rates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) have increased in women by 84% relative to a 35% increase in men. Rates of alcohol use and high-risk drinking have also increased in women by 16% and 58% relative to a 7% and 16% increase in men, respectively, over the last decade. This robust increase in drinking among women highlights the critical need to identify the underlying neural mechanisms that may contribute to problematic alcohol consumption across sex/gender (SG), especially given that many neuroimaging studies are underpowered to detect main or interactive effects of SG on imaging outcomes. This narrative review aims to explore the recent neuroimaging literature on SG differences in brain function and structure as it pertains to alcohol across positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and functional magnetic resonance imaging modalities in humans. Additional work using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, and event-related potentials to examine SG differences in AUD will be covered. Overall, current research on the neuroimaging of AUD, alcohol consumption, or risk of AUD is limited, and findings are mixed regarding the effect of SG on neurochemical, structural, and functional mechanisms associated with AUD. We address SG disparities in the neuroimaging of AUD and propose a call to action to include women in brain imaging research. Future studies are crucial to our understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of AUD across neural systems and the vulnerability for AUD among women and men.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelly P Cosgrove
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, Yale PET Center, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jody Tanabe
- Department of Radiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Sherry A McKee
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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23
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Voon V, Grodin E, Mandali A, Morris L, Doñamayor N, Weidacker K, Kwako L, Goldman D, Koob GF, Momenan R. Addictions NeuroImaging Assessment (ANIA): Towards an integrative framework for alcohol use disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:492-506. [PMID: 32298710 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol misuse and addiction are major international public health issues. Addiction can be characterized as a disorder of aberrant neurocircuitry interacting with environmental, genetic and social factors. Neuroimaging in alcohol misuse can thus provide a critical window into underlying neural mechanisms, highlighting possible treatment targets and acting as clinical biomarkers for predicting risk and treatment outcomes. This neuroimaging review on alcohol misuse in humans follows the Addictions Neuroclinical Assessment (ANA) that proposes incorporating three functional neuroscience domains integral to the neurocircuitry of addiction: incentive salience and habits, negative emotional states, and executive function within the context of the addiction cycle. Here we review and integrate multiple imaging modalities focusing on underlying cognitive processes such as reward anticipation, negative emotionality, cue reactivity, impulsivity, compulsivity and executive function. We highlight limitations in the literature and propose a model forward in the use of neuroimaging as a tool to understanding underlying mechanisms and potential clinical applicability for phenotyping of heterogeneity and predicting risk and treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Voon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute, Cambridge, UK; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Trust, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Erica Grodin
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, UK
| | - Alekhya Mandali
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Laurel Morris
- Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute, Cambridge, UK; Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nuria Doñamayor
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Laura Kwako
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, UK
| | - David Goldman
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, UK
| | - George F Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, UK
| | - Reza Momenan
- Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, UK
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24
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Cyders MA, Plawecki MH, Corbin W, King A, McCarthy DM, Ramchandani VA, Weafer J, O'Connor SJ. To Infuse or Ingest in Human Laboratory Alcohol Research. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:764-776. [PMID: 32056250 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Human alcohol laboratory studies use two routes of alcohol administration: ingestion and infusion. The goal of this paper was to compare and contrast these alcohol administration methods. The work summarized in this report was the basis of a 2019 Research Society on Alcoholism Roundtable, "To Ingest or Infuse: A Comparison of Oral and Intravenous Alcohol Administration Methods for Human Alcohol Laboratory Designs." We review the methodological approaches of each and highlight strengths and weaknesses pertaining to different research questions. We summarize methodological considerations to aid researchers in choosing the most appropriate method for their inquiry, considering exposure variability, alcohol expectancy effects, safety, bandwidth, technical skills, documentation of alcohol exposure, experimental variety, ecological validity, and cost. Ingestion of alcohol remains a common and often a preferable, methodological practice in alcohol research. Nonetheless, the main problem with ingestion is that even the most careful calculation of dose and control of dosing procedures yields substantial and uncontrollable variability in the participants' brain exposures to alcohol. Infusion methodologies provide precise exposure control but are technically complex and may be limited in ecological validity. We suggest that alcohol ingestion research may not be the same thing as alcohol exposure research; investigators should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages that the choice between ingestion and infusion of alcohol invokes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A Cyders
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University Purdue University - Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
| | - Martin H Plawecki
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
| | - William Corbin
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States
| | - Andrea King
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Denis M McCarthy
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Universtiy of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, United States
| | - Vijay A Ramchandani
- Section on Human Psychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Jessica Weafer
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States
| | - Sean J O'Connor
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
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25
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Cofresí RU, Bartholow BD, Piasecki TM. Evidence for incentive salience sensitization as a pathway to alcohol use disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:897-926. [PMID: 31672617 PMCID: PMC6878895 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The incentive salience sensitization (ISS) theory of addiction holds that addictive behavior stems from the ability of drugs to progressively sensitize the brain circuitry that mediates attribution of incentive salience (IS) to reward-predictive cues and its behavioral manifestations. In this article, we establish the plausibility of ISS as an etiological pathway to alcohol use disorder (AUD). We provide a comprehensive and critical review of evidence for: (1) the ability of alcohol to sensitize the brain circuitry of IS attribution and expression; and (2) attribution of IS to alcohol-predictive cues and its sensitization in humans and non-human animals. We point out gaps in the literature and how these might be addressed. We also highlight how individuals with different alcohol subjective response phenotypes may differ in susceptibility to ISS as a pathway to AUD. Finally, we discuss important implications of this neuropsychological mechanism in AUD for psychological and pharmacological interventions attempting to attenuate alcohol craving and cue reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto U Cofresí
- University of Missouri, Department of Psychological Sciences, Columbia, MO 65211, United States.
| | - Bruce D Bartholow
- University of Missouri, Department of Psychological Sciences, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Thomas M Piasecki
- University of Missouri, Department of Psychological Sciences, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
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26
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Hansson AC, Gründer G, Hirth N, Noori HR, Spanagel R, Sommer WH. Dopamine and opioid systems adaptation in alcoholism revisited: Convergent evidence from positron emission tomography and postmortem studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 106:141-164. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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27
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Spagnolo PA, Kimes A, Schwandt ML, Shokri-Kojori E, Thada S, Phillips KA, Diazgranados N, Preston KL, Herscovitch P, Tomasi D, Ramchandani VA, Heilig M. Striatal Dopamine Release in Response to Morphine: A [ 11C]Raclopride Positron Emission Tomography Study in Healthy Men. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 86:356-364. [PMID: 31097294 PMCID: PMC6699765 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.03.965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preclinical and human positron emission tomography studies have produced inconsistent results regarding the effects of opioids on mesolimbic dopamine (DA). Here, we quantify striatal DA release (measured by [11C]raclopride displacement) in response to an intravenous infusion of morphine, and its relationship with morphine-induced subjective effects, in healthy, nondependent opioid-experienced participants. METHODS Fifteen healthy male participants were initially included. Sessions were on separate days. On session 1, participants received intravenous morphine (10 mg/70 kg) in the clinic to ensure tolerability. Participants without adverse reactions (n = 10) then received intravenous morphine and placebo (saline) sessions, in counterbalanced order, while undergoing [11C]raclopride positron emission tomography scans. Subjective and physiological responses were assessed. Region-of-interest and voxelwise image analyses were used to assess changes in [11C]raclopride nondisplaceable binding potential. RESULTS Morphine produced marked subjective and physiological effects and induced a significant decrease in [11C]raclopride nondisplaceable binding potential, particularly in the nucleus accumbens and globus pallidus, where the change in [11C]raclopride nondisplaceable binding potential was approximately 9%. However, the subjective effects of morphine did not show a simple pattern of correlation with DA release. CONCLUSIONS This is, to our knowledge, the first study providing in vivo human evidence that DA transmission in the ventral striatum is affected by morphine. Further studies are required to fully delineate the DA contribution to the reinforcing effects of opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Primavera A Spagnolo
- Human Motor Control Section, National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Instutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alane Kimes
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Melanie L Schwandt
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Instutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ehsan Shokri-Kojori
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Instutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Shantalaxmi Thada
- Positron Emission Tomography Department, Clinical Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Karran A Phillips
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Nancy Diazgranados
- Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Instutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kenzie L Preston
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Peter Herscovitch
- Positron Emission Tomography Department, Clinical Center, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Dardo Tomasi
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Instutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Vijay A Ramchandani
- Section on Human Psychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Instutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
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28
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Starcke K, von Georgi R, Tiihonen TM, Laczika KF, Reuter C. Don't drink and chill: Effects of alcohol on subjective and physiological reactions during music listening and their relationships with personality and listening habits. Int J Psychophysiol 2019; 142:25-32. [PMID: 31173769 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.06.001] [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: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Recent research indicates that favorite music can induce chills and alters physiological reactions. People frequently listen to music when they drink alcohol, for example in bars or discotheques. Alcohol has numerous effects on emotions, peripheral physiological and neural reactions. We investigated whether alcohol intake influences chill experiences and physiological reactions during music listening. 39 participants took part in the study and were tested twice: Once in a sober condition and once when they had drunken alcohol. Participants listened to two pieces of music in each of the two conditions: A favorite self-selected song and a control-song that was selected by the research group. Participants had to indicate when they experienced a chill and electrodermal activity and heart rate were measured during music listening. In addition, participants filled out questionnaires concerning the big five personality dimensions, music listening habits and general chill experiences. Results indicate that participants experienced most chills when they were sober and listened to their self-selected song. Electrodermal activity was highest when participants were sober. In addition, alcohol intake led to a dedifferentiation in heart rate activity. After alcohol intake, participants had similar heart rates, no matter whether they listened to their self-selected song or to the control-song. Extraversion was negatively related with physiological reactions, while openness to experiences was positively related with physiological reactions. Music listening habits also showed various relationships with chill experiences and physiological reactions, while general chill experiences did not. We conclude that alcohol intake reduces subjective chill experiences during music listening and alters the physiological reactions to music. Music listening habits and personality seem to influence these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Starcke
- SRH University of Popular Arts, Potsdamer Straße 188, 10738 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Richard von Georgi
- SRH University of Popular Arts, Potsdamer Straße 188, 10738 Berlin, Germany
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29
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Fritz M, Klawonn AM, Zahr NM. Neuroimaging in alcohol use disorder: From mouse to man. J Neurosci Res 2019; 100:1140-1158. [PMID: 31006907 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
This article provides an overview of recent advances in understanding the effects of alcohol use disorders (AUD) on the brain from the perspective of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research in preclinical models and clinical studies. As a noninvasive investigational tool permitting assessment of morphological, metabolic, and hemodynamic changes over time, MRI offers insight into the dynamic course of alcoholism beginning with initial exposure through periods of binge drinking and escalation, sobriety, and relapse and has been useful in differential diagnosis of neurological diseases associated with AUD. Structural MRI has revealed acute and chronic effects of alcohol on both white and gray matter volumes. MR Spectroscopy, able to quantify brain metabolites in vivo, has shed light on biochemical alterations associated with alcoholism. Diffusion tensor imaging permits microstructural characterization of white matter fiber tracts. Functional MRI has allowed for elucidation of hemodynamic responses at rest and during task engagement. Positron emission tomography, a non-MRI imaging tool, has led to a deeper understanding of alcohol-induced receptor and neurotransmitter changes during various stages of drinking and abstinence. Together, such in vivo imaging tools have expanded our understanding of the dynamic course of alcoholism including evidence for regional specificity of the effects of AUD, hints at mechanisms underlying the shift from casual to compulsive use of alcohol, and profound recovery with sustained abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Fritz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Anna M Klawonn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Natalie M Zahr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.,Neuroscience Program, SRI International, Menlo Park, California
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30
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Kareken DA. Missing motoric manipulations: rethinking the imaging of the ventral striatum and dopamine in human reward. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 13:306-313. [PMID: 29374354 PMCID: PMC6062482 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-017-9822-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Human neuroimaging studies of natural rewards and drugs of abuse frequently assay the brain's response to stimuli that, through Pavlovian learning, have come to be associated with a drug's rewarding properties. This might be characterized as a 'sensorial' view of the brain's reward system, insofar as the paradigms are designed to elicit responses to a reward's (drug's) sight, aroma, or flavor. A different field of research nevertheless suggests that the mesolimbic dopamine system may also be critically involved in the motor behaviors provoked by such stimuli. This brief review and commentary surveys some of the preclinical data supporting this more "efferent" (motoric) view of the brain's reward system, and discusses what such findings might mean for how human brain imaging studies of natural rewards and drugs of abuse are designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Kareken
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 355 W 16th Street (GH 4700), Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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31
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Burns JA, Kroll DS, Feldman DE, Kure Liu C, Manza P, Wiers CE, Volkow ND, Wang GJ. Molecular Imaging of Opioid and Dopamine Systems: Insights Into the Pharmacogenetics of Opioid Use Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:626. [PMID: 31620026 PMCID: PMC6759955 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid use in the United States has steadily risen since the 1990s, along with staggering increases in addiction and overdose fatalities. With this surge in prescription and illicit opioid abuse, it is paramount to understand the genetic risk factors and neuropsychological effects of opioid use disorder (OUD). Polymorphisms disrupting the opioid and dopamine systems have been associated with increased risk for developing substance use disorders. Molecular imaging studies have revealed how these polymorphisms impact the brain and contribute to cognitive and behavioral differences across individuals. Here, we review the current molecular imaging literature to assess how genetic variations in the opioid and dopamine systems affect function in the brain's reward, cognition, and stress pathways, potentially resulting in vulnerabilities to OUD. Continued research of the functional consequences of genetic variants and corresponding alterations in neural mechanisms will inform prevention and treatment of OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie A Burns
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Danielle S Kroll
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Dana E Feldman
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | | | - Peter Manza
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Corinde E Wiers
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States.,National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Gene-Jack Wang
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, United States
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32
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Leurquin-Sterk G, Ceccarini J, Crunelle CL, Weerasekera A, de Laat B, Himmelreich U, Bormans G, Van Laere K. Cerebral dopaminergic and glutamatergic transmission relate to different subjective responses of acute alcohol intake: an in vivo multimodal imaging study. Addict Biol 2018; 23:931-944. [PMID: 28884874 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Converging preclinical evidence links extrastriatal dopamine release and glutamatergic transmission via the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) to the rewarding properties of alcohol. To date, human evidence is lacking on how and where in the brain these processes occur. Mesocorticolimbic dopamine release upon intravenous alcohol administration and mGluR5 availability were measured in 11 moderate social drinkers by single-session [18 F]fallypride and [18 F]FPEB positron emission tomography, respectively. Additionally, baseline and postalcohol glutamate and glutamine levels in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were measured by using proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. To investigate differences in reward domains linked to both neurotransmitters, regional imaging data were related to subjective alcohol responses. Alcohol induced significant [18 F]fallypride displacement in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), temporal and parietal cortices and thalamus (P < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons). Dopamine release in the ACC and orbitofrontal and ventromedial PFCs were correlated with subjective 'liking' and 'wanting' effects (P < 0.05). In contrast, baseline mGluR5 availability was positively correlated with the 'high' effect of alcohol in dorsolateral, ventrolateral and ventromedial PFCs and in the medial temporal lobe, thalamus and caudate nucleus (P < 0.05). Although neither proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy glutamate nor glutamine levels were affected by alcohol, baseline ACC glutamate levels were negatively associated with the alcohol 'liking' effect (P < 0.003). These data reveal new mechanistic understanding and differential neurobiological underpinnings of the effects of acute alcohol consumption on human behavior. Specifically, prefrontal dopamine release may encode alcohol 'liking' and 'wanting' effects in specific areas underlying value processing and motivation, whereas mGluR5 availability in distinct prefrontal-temporal-subcortical regions is more related to the alcohol 'high' effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Leurquin-Sterk
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology; University Hospitals Leuven; Belgium
| | - Jenny Ceccarini
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology; University Hospitals Leuven; Belgium
| | - Cleo Lina Crunelle
- Toxicological Center, University of Antwerp, Department of Psychiatry; University Hospital Brussels; Belgium
| | | | - Bart de Laat
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology; University Hospitals Leuven; Belgium
- MoSAIC, Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center; Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Department of Imaging and Pathology; Biomedical MRI/MoSAIC; Belgium
| | | | - Koen Van Laere
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging and Pathology; University Hospitals Leuven; Belgium
- MoSAIC, Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center; Belgium
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33
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Chumin EJ, Goñi J, Halcomb ME, Durazzo TC, Džemidžić M, Yoder KK. Differences in White Matter Microstructure and Connectivity in Nontreatment-Seeking Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:889-896. [PMID: 29543332 PMCID: PMC5919256 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been widely used to investigate the integrity of white matter (WM; indexed by fractional anisotropy [FA]) in alcohol dependence and cigarette smoking. These disorders are highly comorbid, yet cigarette use has often not been adequately controlled in neuroimaging studies of alcohol-dependent populations. In addition, information on WM deficits in currently drinking, nontreatment-seeking (NTS) individuals with alcohol dependence is limited. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate WM microstructural integrity in alcohol use disorder by comparing matched samples of cigarette smoking NTS and social drinkers (SD). METHODS Thirty-eight smoking NTS and 19 smoking SD subjects underwent DWI as well as structural magnetic resonance imaging. After an in-house preprocessing of the DWI data, FA images were analyzed with tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). FA obtained from the TBSS skeleton was tested for correlation with recent alcohol consumption. RESULTS Smoking NTS had lower FA relative to smoking SD, predominantly in the left hemisphere (p < 0.05, family-wise error rate corrected across FA skeleton). Across the full sample, FA and number of drinks per week were negatively related (ρ = -0.348, p = 0.008). Qualitative analyses of the structural connections through compromised WM as identified by TBSS showed differential connectivity of gray matter in NTS compared to SD subjects of left frontal, temporal, and parietal regions. CONCLUSIONS NTS subjects had lower WM FA than SD, indicating compromised WM integrity in the NTS population. The inverse relationship of entire WM skeleton FA with self-reported alcohol consumption supports previous evidence of a continuum of detrimental effects of alcohol consumption on WM. These results provide additional evidence that alcohol dependence is associated with reduced WM integrity in currently drinking NTS alcohol-dependent individuals, after controlling for the key variable of cigarette smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny J. Chumin
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Joaquín Goñi
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- School of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Meredith E. Halcomb
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Timothy C. Durazzo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Mario Džemidžić
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Karmen K. Yoder
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Dopaminergic Genetic Variation Influences Aripiprazole Effects on Alcohol Self-Administration and the Neural Response to Alcohol Cues in a Randomized Trial. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1247-1256. [PMID: 29362512 PMCID: PMC5916367 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) signaling regulates many aspects of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). However, clinical studies of dopaminergic medications, including the DA partial agonist aripiprazole (APZ), have been inconsistent, suggesting the possibility of a pharmacogenetic interaction. This study examined whether variation in DA-related genes moderated APZ effects on reward-related AUD phenotypes. The interacting effects of APZ and a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism in DAT1/SLC6A3 (the gene encoding the DA transporter (DAT)) were tested. In addition, interactions between APZ and a genetic composite comprising the DAT1 VNTR and functional polymorphisms in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), DRD2, and DRD4 were evaluated. Ninety-four non-treatment-seeking individuals with AUD were genotyped for these polymorphisms, randomized to APZ (titrated to 15 mg) or placebo for 8 days, and underwent an fMRI alcohol cue-reactivity task (day 7; n=81) and a bar lab paradigm (day 8). Primary outcomes were alcohol cue-elicited ventral striatal (VS) activation and the number of drinks consumed in the bar lab. DAT1 genotype significantly moderated medication effects, such that APZ, relative to placebo, reduced VS activation and bar-lab drinking only among carriers of the DAT1 9-repeat allele, previously associated with lower DAT expression and greater reward-related brain activation. The genetic composite further moderated medication effects, such that APZ reduced the primary outcomes more among individuals who carried a larger number of DAT1, COMT, DRD2, and DRD4 alleles associated with higher DA tone. Taken together, these data suggest that APZ may be a promising AUD treatment for individuals with a genetic predisposition to higher synaptic DA tone.
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35
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Kegeles LS, Horga G, Ghazzaoui R, Rosengard R, Ojeil N, Xu X, Slifstein M, Petrakis I, O'Malley SS, Krystal JH, Abi-Dargham A. Enhanced Striatal Dopamine Release to Expectation of Alcohol: A Potential Risk Factor for Alcohol Use Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2018; 3:591-598. [PMID: 29803635 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2018.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We used positron emission tomography imaging with [11C]raclopride to examine the effects of consumption of alcohol or placebo beverage by participants with alcohol use disorder (AUD) compared with healthy participants with and without family history of AUD. We sought to assess dopamine release following alcohol exposure in relation to AUD risk. METHODS Three groups were enrolled: participants with AUD (n = 15) and healthy participants with family history negative (n = 34) or positive (n = 16) for AUD. Participants consumed a placebo (n = 65) or alcohol (n = 63) beverage in counterbalanced order before positron emission tomography scanning (128 scans). Binding potential (BPND) in the two drink conditions and the percent change in BPND between conditions were evaluated across striatal subregions. Subjective effects of beverage consumption were rated. Effects of group, drink order, and sex were evaluated. RESULTS Alcohol resulted in greater dopamine release than did placebo in the ventral striatum (p < .001). There were no main effects of group, drink order, or sex on ventral striatum BPND or percent change in BPND. However, there was a drink order-by-group interaction (p = .02) whereby family history-positive participants who received placebo first had both lower placebo BPND and less difference between placebo and alcohol BPND than all other groups, consistent with expectation of alcohol powerfully evoking dopamine release in this group. Subjective responses showed the same order-by-group interaction. CONCLUSIONS Hyper-responsivity of the dopaminergic system in family history-positive participants to expectation of alcohol may contribute to the expression of familial risk for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrence S Kegeles
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York; Department of Radiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York.
| | - Guillermo Horga
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Rassil Ghazzaoui
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Rachel Rosengard
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Najate Ojeil
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Xiaoyan Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Mark Slifstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Ismene Petrakis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | | | - John H Krystal
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Anissa Abi-Dargham
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York; Department of Radiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
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Thiruchselvam T, Wilson AA, Boileau I, Le Foll B. A Preliminary Investigation of the Effect of Acute Alcohol on Dopamine Transmission as Assessed by [ 11 C]-(+)-PHNO. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1112-1119. [PMID: 28421623 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous positron emission tomography (PET) studies exploring the effect of acute alcohol on dopamine (DA) levels have yielded inconsistent results, with only some studies suggesting increased synaptic DA levels after an alcohol challenge. The D2 /D3 agonist radiotracer, [11 C]-(+)-propyl-hexahydro-naphtho-oxazin ([11 C]-(+)-PHNO), has greater sensitivity to synaptic DA fluctuation than previously used antagonist radiotracers and is in principle more suitable for imaging alcohol-induced changes in DA. Its high affinity for the D3 receptor also enables measuring changes in D3 -rich brain areas which have previously been unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate whether alcohol reduces [11 C]-(+)-PHNO binding in the striatum and in D3 -rich extra-striatal areas. METHODS Eight healthy drinkers underwent 2 [11 C]-(+)-PHNO PET scans following alcohol and placebo in a randomized, single-blind, crossover design. [11 C]-(+)-PHNO binding in the striatum and in the extra-striatal regions were compared between the 2 scans. RESULTS Acute alcohol administration did not significantly reduce [11 C]-(+)-PHNO binding in either the limbic striatum (d = 0.64), associative striatum (d < 0.20), or the sensorimotor striatum (d < 0.15). Similarly, there were no changes in binding in the D3 -rich areas of the ventral pallidum (d = 0.53), substantia nigra (d < 0.15), or globus pallidus (d < 0.15). However, greater percent change in [11 C]-(+)-PHNO binding (ΔBPND ) between scans was related to lower blood alcohol levels. CONCLUSIONS Using the agonist radiotracer, [11 C]-(+)-PHNO, our preliminary findings suggest that alcohol is not associated with robust changes in tracer binding in striatal or extra-striatal regions. However, we found that changes in [11 C]-(+)-PHNO binding following alcohol are dependent on blood alcohol levels suggesting that increases in DA may occur at lower stimulating doses. The effect of lower doses of alcohol on DA warrants further investigation in a larger study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thulasi Thiruchselvam
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alan A Wilson
- Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Isabelle Boileau
- Addiction Imaging Research Group, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Alcohol Research and Treatment Clinic, Addiction Medicine Services, Ambulatory Care and Structured Treatments, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Division of Brain and Therapeutics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Berridge KC, Robinson TE. Liking, wanting, and the incentive-sensitization theory of addiction. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 71:670-679. [PMID: 27977239 DOI: 10.1037/amp0000059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 609] [Impact Index Per Article: 87.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Rewards are both "liked" and "wanted," and those 2 words seem almost interchangeable. However, the brain circuitry that mediates the psychological process of "wanting" a particular reward is dissociable from circuitry that mediates the degree to which it is "liked." Incentive salience or "wanting," a form of motivation, is generated by large and robust neural systems that include mesolimbic dopamine. By comparison, "liking," or the actual pleasurable impact of reward consumption, is mediated by smaller and fragile neural systems, and is not dependent on dopamine. The incentive-sensitization theory posits the essence of drug addiction to be excessive amplification specifically of psychological "wanting," especially triggered by cues, without necessarily an amplification of "liking." This is because of long-lasting changes in dopamine-related motivation systems of susceptible individuals, called "neural sensitization." A quarter-century after its proposal, evidence has continued to grow in support the incentive-sensitization theory. Further, its scope is now expanding to include diverse behavioral addictions and other psychopathologies. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Volkow ND, Wiers CE, Shokri-Kojori E, Tomasi D, Wang GJ, Baler R. Neurochemical and metabolic effects of acute and chronic alcohol in the human brain: Studies with positron emission tomography. Neuropharmacology 2017; 122:175-188. [PMID: 28108358 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The use of Positron emission tomography (PET) to study the effects of acute and chronic alcohol on the human brain has enhanced our understanding of the mechanisms underlying alcohol's rewarding effects, the neuroadaptations from chronic exposure that contribute to tolerance and withdrawal, and the changes in fronto-striatal circuits that lead to loss of control and enhanced motivation to drink that characterize alcohol use disorders (AUD). These include studies showing that alcohol's reinforcing effects may result not only from its enhancement of dopaminergic, GABAergic and opioid signaling but also from its caloric properties. Studies in those suffering from an AUD have revealed significant alterations in dopamine (DA), GABA, cannabinoids, opioid and serotonin neurotransmission and in brain energy utilization (glucose and acetate metabolism) that are likely to contribute to compulsive alcohol taking, dysphoria/depression, and to alcohol-associated neurotoxicity. Studies have also evaluated the effects of abstinence on recovery of brain metabolism and neurotransmitter function and the potential value of some of these measures to predict clinical outcomes. Finally, PET studies have started to provide insights about the neuronal mechanisms by which certain genes contribute to the vulnerability to AUD. These findings have helped identify new strategies for prevention and treatment of AUD. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "Alcoholism".
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora D Volkow
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Corinde E Wiers
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Ehsan Shokri-Kojori
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Dardo Tomasi
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Gene-Jack Wang
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Ruben Baler
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
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Thiruchselvam T, Malik S, Le Foll B. A review of positron emission tomography studies exploring the dopaminergic system in substance use with a focus on tobacco as a co-variate. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2016; 43:197-214. [PMID: 27901585 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2016.1257633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
With the evolving sensitivity of positron emission tomography (PET) and the emergence of novel radiotracers, greater insight has been gained into the dopaminergic system as it relates to substance use. In this review, we summarize PET investigations from the last ten years that explore the dopaminergic system in tobacco, alcohol, stimulant, opiates, and cannabis addiction. In light of the prevalence of substance co-use, this review will also explore the effect of tobacco and other substance abuse co-morbidity on the dopaminergic system across study samples in the reviewed literature. In non-dependence, increased DA transmission following acute stimulant administration is a robust and consistent observation but is less detectable following acute alcohol and tobacco, where it likely represents a conditioned effect mediating reward expectation. Chronic drug exposure is generally associated with a hypo-functioning pre-synaptic dopamine system and lower D2/D3 receptor availability relative to healthy controls. Emerging evidence also shows that stimulant use disorders in particular may also be associated with greater D3 receptor availability relative to controls. A defined role for the dopaminergic system in cannabis and opiate use is yet to be elucidated. Future work is also needed to delineate the potential interactive effects of acute and chronic tobacco and substance co-use on the dopaminergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thulasi Thiruchselvam
- b Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute , Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto , ON , Canada
| | - Saima Malik
- b Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute , Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto , ON , Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- a Addiction Medicine Service, Ambulatory Care and Structured Treatments , Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto , ON , Canada.,b Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute , Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto , ON , Canada.,c Department of Family and Community Medicine , Pharmacology and Toxicology, Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.,d Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Center for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto , ON , Canada
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Ding ZM, Ingraham CM, Rodd ZA, McBride WJ. Alcohol drinking increases the dopamine-stimulating effects of ethanol and reduces D2 auto-receptor and group II metabotropic glutamate receptor function within the posterior ventral tegmental area of alcohol preferring (P) rats. Neuropharmacology 2016; 109:41-48. [PMID: 27260326 PMCID: PMC4970907 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Repeated local administration of ethanol (EtOH) sensitized the posterior ventral tegmental area (pVTA) to the local dopamine (DA)-stimulating effects of EtOH. Chronic alcohol drinking increased nucleus accumbens (NAC) DA transmission and pVTA glutamate transmission in alcohol-preferring (P) rats. The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of chronic alcohol drinking by P rats on the (a) sensitivity and response of the pVTA DA neurons to the DA-stimulating actions of EtOH, and (b) negative feedback control of DA (via D2 auto-receptors) and glutamate (via group II mGlu auto-receptors) release in the pVTA. EtOH (50 or 150 mg%) or the D2/3 receptor antagonist sulpiride (100 or 200 μM) was microinjected into the pVTA while DA was sampled with microdialysis in the NAC shell (NACsh). The mGluR2/3 antagonist LY341495 (1 or 10 μM) was perfused through the pVTA via reverse microdialysis and local extracellular glutamate and DA levels were measured. EtOH produced a more robust increase of NACsh DA in the 'EtOH' than 'Water' groups (e.g., 150 mg% EtOH: to ∼ 210 vs 150% of baseline). In contrast, sulpiride increased DA release in the NACsh more in the 'Water' than 'EtOH' groups (e.g., 200 μM sulpiride: to ∼ 190-240 vs 150-160% of baseline). LY341495 (at 10 μM) increased extracellular glutamate and DA levels in the 'Water' (to ∼ 150-180% and 180-230% of baseline, respectively) but not the 'EtOH' groups. These results indicate that alcohol drinking enhanced the DA-stimulating effects of EtOH, and attenuated the functional activities of D2 auto-receptors and group II mGluRs within the pVTA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng-Ming Ding
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
| | - Cynthia M Ingraham
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Zachary A Rodd
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - William J McBride
- Institute of Psychiatric Research, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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