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Donato S, Meredith LR, Nieto SJ, Bujarski S, Ray LA. Medication development for AUD: A systematic review of clinical trial methodology. Alcohol 2024; 120:194-203. [PMID: 38972367 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Refining clinical trial methodology has become increasingly important as study design is shown to influence treatment efficacy. To maximize the efficiency of randomized clinical trials (RCTs), researchers aim to establish standardized practices. The goal of this systematic review is to describe methodological practices of clinical trials for alcohol use disorder (AUD) over the past 40 years. To achieve this goal, a PubMed search was conducted in April 2023 for RCTs on AUD medications published between July 2018 through April 2023. Resulting studies were combined with a previous search from 1985 through 2018. Inclusion criteria for the RCT studies were: (1) a randomized controlled trial, (2) double or single blinded, (3) placebo or active control condition, (4) alcohol use as the primary endpoint, (5) 4 or more weeks of treatment, and (6) 12 or more weeks of follow-up. In total, methodological data from 139 RCTs representing 19 medications and spanning the past four decades were summarized. Results indicated that the most common medications tested were naltrexone (k = 42), acamprosate (k = 24), and baclofen (k = 11). On average, participants were 74% male and consumed 226 drinks per month pre-randomization. The median length of treatment was 12 weeks (IQR = 12-16; min = 4 max = 52) and the median follow-up duration was 12.5 weeks (IQR: 12-26; min = 7 max = 104). There were two broad domains of outcomes (i.e., abstinence and heavy drinking), with most studies featuring outcomes from both domains (k = 87; 63%). Reporting practices were summarized by decade, revealing an increased enrollment of females, better reporting of race and ethnicity data, and less studies requiring pre-trial abstinence. This review summarizes the current state of the literature on randomized clinical trials for AUD including effect sizes for individual studies and summaries of key methodological features across this representative set of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Donato
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - L R Meredith
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - S J Nieto
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - S Bujarski
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - L A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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2
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Miliano C, Natividad LA, Quello S, Stoolmiller M, Gregus AM, Buczynski MW, Mason BJ. The Predictive Value of Plasma Bioactive Lipids on Craving in Human Volunteers With Alcohol Use Disorder. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100368. [PMID: 39282655 PMCID: PMC11400622 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by alcohol seeking and consumption despite negative consequences. Despite the availability of multiple treatments, patients continue to exhibit high relapse rates. Thus, biomarkers that can identify patients at risk for heightened craving are urgently needed. Mounting preclinical and clinical evidence implicates perturbations in bioactive lipid signaling in the neurobiology of craving in AUD. We hypothesize that these lipids are potential biomarkers for predicting alcohol craving in patients with AUD. Methods This study used archival deidentified clinical data and corresponding plasma specimens from 157 participants in 3 clinical studies of AUD. We evaluated plasma levels of 8 lipid species as predictors of craving in response to in vivo alcohol and affective cues during abstinence. Results Participants were 109 men and 48 women who met DSM-5 criteria for severe AUD. We found that plasma levels of 12- and 15-HETE, 12/15-lipoxygenase-produced proinflammatory lipids, and palmitoylethanolamide, an anti-inflammatory fatty acid amide hydrolase-regulated lipid metabolite, were differentially correlated with alcohol craving during abstinence, predicting higher craving independent of demographics, alcohol use history, and multiple therapeutic treatments. Conclusions Our findings highlight the promise of these lipid metabolites as biomarkers of heightened alcohol craving. The results open a novel opportunity for further research and clinical evaluation of these biomarkers to optimize existing treatments and develop new therapeutics for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Miliano
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Luis A. Natividad
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Susan Quello
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | | | - Ann M. Gregus
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Matthew W. Buczynski
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Barbara J. Mason
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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3
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He YX, Liu MN, Wang YY, Wu H, Wei M, Xue JY, Zou Y, Zhou X, Chen H, Li Z. Hovenia dulcis: a Chinese medicine that plays an essential role in alcohol-associated liver disease. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1337633. [PMID: 38650630 PMCID: PMC11033337 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1337633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Globally, alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) has become an increased burden for society. Disulfirams, Benzodiazepines (BZDs), and corticosteroids are commonly used to treat ALD. However, the occurrence of side effects such as hepatotoxicity and dependence, impedes the achievement of desirable and optimal therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more effective and safer treatments. Hovenia dulcis is an herbal medicine promoting alcohol removal clearance, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties. Hovenia dulcis has a variety of chemical components such as dihydromyricetin, quercetin and beta-sitosterol, which can affect ALD through multiple pathways, including ethanol metabolism, immune response, hepatic fibrosis, oxidative stress, autophagy, lipid metabolism, and intestinal barrier, suggesting its promising role in the treatment of ALD. Thus, this work aims to comprehensively review the chemical composition of Hovenia dulcis and the molecular mechanisms involved in the process of ALD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Xiang He
- The Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Digestive System Diseases of Luzhou City, Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Meng-Nan Liu
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yang-Yang Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Digestive System Diseases of Luzhou City, Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Hao Wu
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Mei Wei
- The Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Digestive System Diseases of Luzhou City, Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Jin-Yi Xue
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuan Zou
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Digestive System Diseases of Luzhou City, Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Hui Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Digestive System Diseases of Luzhou City, Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhi Li
- The Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Prevention and Treatment of Digestive System Diseases of Luzhou City, Affiliated Traditional Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
- Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
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4
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Cheng Y, Magnard R, Langdon AJ, Lee D, Janak PH. Chronic Ethanol Exposure Produces Persistent Impairment in Cognitive Flexibility and Decision Signals in the Striatum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.10.584332. [PMID: 38585868 PMCID: PMC10996555 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.10.584332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Lack of cognitive flexibility is a hallmark of substance use disorders and has been associated with drug-induced synaptic plasticity in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS). Yet the possible impact of altered plasticity on real-time striatal neural dynamics during decision-making is unclear. Here, we identified persistent impairments induced by chronic ethanol (EtOH) exposure on cognitive flexibility and striatal decision signals. After a substantial withdrawal period from prior EtOH vapor exposure, male, but not female, rats exhibited reduced adaptability and exploratory behavior during a dynamic decision-making task. Reinforcement learning models showed that prior EtOH exposure enhanced learning from rewards over omissions. Notably, neural signals in the DMS related to the decision outcome were enhanced, while those related to choice and choice-outcome conjunction were reduced, in EtOH-treated rats compared to the controls. These findings highlight the profound impact of chronic EtOH exposure on adaptive decision-making, pinpointing specific changes in striatal representations of actions and outcomes as underlying mechanisms for cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Cheng
- Department Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Robin Magnard
- Department Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Angela J. Langdon
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Daeyeol Lee
- Department Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Patricia H. Janak
- Department Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
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5
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Wallden M, Dahlberg G, Månflod J, Knez R, Winkvist M, Zetterström A, Andersson K, Hämäläinen MD, Nyberg F. Evaluation of 6 years of eHealth data in the alcohol use disorder field indicates improved efficacy of care. Front Digit Health 2024; 5:1282022. [PMID: 38250054 PMCID: PMC10796677 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2023.1282022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Predictive eHealth tools will change the field of medicine, however long-term data is scarce. Here, we report findings on data collected over 6 years with an AI-based eHealth system for supporting the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Methods Since the deployment of Previct Alcohol, structured data has been archived in a data warehouse, currently comprising 505,641 patient days. The frequencies of relapse and caregiver-patient messaging over time was studied. The effects of both introducing an AI-driven relapse prediction tool and the COVID-19 pandemic were analyzed. Results The relapse frequency per patient day among Previct Alcohol users was 0.28 in 2016, 0.22 in 2020 and 0.25 in 2022 with no drastic change during COVID-19. When a relapse was predicted, the actual occurrence of relapse in the days immediately after was found to be above average. Additionally, there was a noticeable increase in caregiver interactions following these predictions. When caregivers were not informed of these predictions, the risk of relapse was found to be higher compared to when the prediction tool was actively being used. The prediction tool decreased the relapse risk by 9% for relapses that were of short duration and by 18% for relapses that lasted more than 3 days. Conclusions The eHealth system Previct Alcohol allows for high resolution measurements, enabling precise identifications of relapse patterns and follow up on individual and population-based alcohol use disorder treatment. eHealth relapse prediction aids the caregiver to act timely, which reduces, delays, and shortens relapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mats Wallden
- Skillsta Teknik Design och Kvalitet AB, Vänge, Sweden
| | | | - Johan Månflod
- Region Uppsala, Needle Exchange Programme, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rajna Knez
- School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
- Skaraborg Hospital, Skövde, Sweden
| | | | | | - Karl Andersson
- Skillsta Teknik Design och Kvalitet AB, Vänge, Sweden
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Fred Nyberg
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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6
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White B, Sirohi S. A Complex Interplay between Nutrition and Alcohol use Disorder: Implications for Breaking the Vicious Cycle. Curr Pharm Des 2024; 30:1822-1837. [PMID: 38797900 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128292367240510111746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Approximately 16.5% of the United States population met the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder (SUD) in 2021, including 29.5 million individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Individuals with AUD are at increased risk for malnutrition, and impairments in nutritional status in chronic alcohol users can be detrimental to physical and emotional well-being. Furthermore, these nutritional deficiencies could contribute to the never-ending cycle of alcoholism and related pathologies, thereby jeopardizing the prospects of recovery and treatment outcomes. Improving nutritional status in AUD patients may not only compensate for general malnutrition but could also reduce adverse symptoms during recovery, thereby promoting abstinence and successful treatment of AUD. In this review, we briefly summarize alterations in the nutritional status of people with addictive disorders, in addition to the underlying neurobiological mechanisms and clinical implications regarding the role of nutritional intervention in recovery from alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke White
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Division of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA
| | - Sunil Sirohi
- Laboratory of Endocrine and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Division of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, LA 70125, USA
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7
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Dharavath RN, Pina-Leblanc C, Tang VM, Sloan ME, Nikolova YS, Pangarov P, Ruocco AC, Shield K, Voineskos D, Blumberger DM, Boileau I, Bozinoff N, Gerretsen P, Vieira E, Melamed OC, Sibille E, Quilty LC, Prevot TD. GABAergic signaling in alcohol use disorder and withdrawal: pathological involvement and therapeutic potential. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1218737. [PMID: 37929054 PMCID: PMC10623140 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1218737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol is one of the most widely used substances. Alcohol use accounts for 5.1% of the global disease burden, contributes substantially to societal and economic costs, and leads to approximately 3 million global deaths yearly. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) includes various drinking behavior patterns that lead to short-term or long-lasting effects on health. Ethanol, the main psychoactive molecule acting in alcoholic beverages, directly impacts the GABAergic system, contributing to GABAergic dysregulations that vary depending on the intensity and duration of alcohol consumption. A small number of interventions have been developed that target the GABAergic system, but there are promising future therapeutic avenues to explore. This review provides an overview of the impact of alcohol on the GABAergic system, the current interventions available for AUD that target the GABAergic system, and the novel interventions being explored that in the future could be included among first-line therapies for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Celeste Pina-Leblanc
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Victor M. Tang
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Addiction Division, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Mental Health Policy Research, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Matthew E. Sloan
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Addiction Division, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Mental Health Policy Research, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yuliya S. Nikolova
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Pangarov
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anthony C. Ruocco
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kevin Shield
- Institute of Mental Health Policy Research, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daphne Voineskos
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel M. Blumberger
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Isabelle Boileau
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nikki Bozinoff
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Philip Gerretsen
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Erica Vieira
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Osnat C. Melamed
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lena C. Quilty
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas D. Prevot
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Ma J, Xiong F, Li Z, Dong G, Sun X, Yin W, Cai H. The effect of chronic alcohol exposure on spatial memory and BDNF-TrkB- PLCγ1 signaling in the hippocampus of male and female mice. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16660. [PMID: 37303582 PMCID: PMC10248118 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol is a commonly used drug worldwide, and abuse of alcohol has become a serious public health problem. Alcohol consumption over time can cause cognitive deficits and memory impairment, which is thought to be associated with changes in the hippocampus. Given previously known effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in regulating synaptic plasticity and learning and memory, we investigated the effect of chronic alcohol consumption on spatial memory impairment in both sexes and changes in BDNF signaling in the hippocampus. After 4 weeks of intermittent access to 20% alcohol, memory impairment in both male and female mice was evaluated using the Morris water maze and the expression of BDNF, TrkB, phosphorylation of PLCγ1 (p-PLCγ1) and PLCγ1 in the hippocampus was examined using Western blot. As expected, females spent longer escape latencies during the training phase, and both sexes spent shorter time in the target quadrant. Furthermore, after 4 weeks 20% alcohol exposure, we found significantly decreased expression levels of BDNF in the hippocampus of female mice but increased levels in male mice. TrkB and PLCγ1 expression showed no significant change in the hippocampus of both sexes. These findings suggest that chronic alcohol exposure may induce spatial memory impairment in both sexes and opposite changes in expression of BDNF and p-PLCγ1 in the hippocampus of males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Hongxing Cai
- Corresponding author. .Department of Forensic Science, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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9
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Pareek T, Overton JS, Nguyen LT, Rahman MT, Sharmin D, Cook JM, Platt DM. Modeling cue-exposure therapy for alcohol use disorder in rhesus monkeys: Effects of putative cognitive enhancers. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 243:109735. [PMID: 36549228 PMCID: PMC9852009 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cue-exposure therapy (CET) is an effective approach for anxiety-related disorders, but its effectiveness for substance use disorders is less clear. One potential means of improving CET outcomes is to include a cognitive-enhancing pharmacotherapy. This study evaluated d-cycloserine (DCS) and RY-023, putative cognitive enhancers targeting glutamate and GABA systems, respectively, in a monkey model of CET for alcohol use disorder. METHODS Male rhesus monkeys (n = 4) underwent multiple cycles of the CET procedure. During baseline (Phase 1), monkeys self-administered an ethanol solution under a fixed-ratio schedule and limited access conditions such that every 5th response in a 3-h session resulted in 30-s access to a drinking spout and a change in ethanol-paired cue lights from white to red. Behavior then was extinguished (Phase 2) by omitting the ethanol solution yet retaining the ethanol-paired stimulus lights. Monkeys also received injections of vehicle, DCS (3 mg/kg), a partial agonist at the glycine modulatory site on glutamatergic NMDA receptors, or the α5GABAA receptor-selective inverse agonist RY-023 (0.03 or 0.3 mg/kg). Once responding declined, monkeys underwent a cue reactivity test (Phase 3), and then returned to self-administration the following day to assess reacquisition (Phase 4). RESULTS Through multiple cycles, self-administration remained stable. Compared to vehicle, DCS facilitated extinction of ethanol seeking (Phase 2) and delayed reacquisition of ethanol self-administration (Phase 4). In contrast, RY-023 facilitated extinction (Phase 2) and reduced cue reactivity (Phase 3). CONCLUSIONS Adjunctive pharmacotherapy can improve CET outcomes, but the choice of pharmacotherapy should be dependent on the outcome of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Pareek
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
| | - John S Overton
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
| | - Luat T Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
| | - Md Toufiqur Rahman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Dishary Sharmin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - James M Cook
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Donna M Platt
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA; Center for Innovation and Discovery in Addictions, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA.
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10
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Yang W, Singla R, Maheshwari O, Fontaine CJ, Gil-Mohapel J. Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics. Biomedicines 2022; 10:1192. [PMID: 35625928 PMCID: PMC9139063 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) encompasses the dysregulation of multiple brain circuits involved in executive function leading to excessive consumption of alcohol, despite negative health and social consequences and feelings of withdrawal when access to alcohol is prevented. Ethanol exerts its toxicity through changes to multiple neurotransmitter systems, including serotonin, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, acetylcholine, and opioid systems. These neurotransmitter imbalances result in dysregulation of brain circuits responsible for reward, motivation, decision making, affect, and the stress response. Despite serious health and psychosocial consequences, this disorder still remains one of the leading causes of death globally. Treatment options include both psychological and pharmacological interventions, which are aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and/or promoting abstinence while also addressing dysfunctional behaviours and impaired functioning. However, stigma and social barriers to accessing care continue to impact many individuals. AUD treatment should focus not only on restoring the physiological and neurological impairment directly caused by alcohol toxicity but also on addressing psychosocial factors associated with AUD that often prevent access to treatment. This review summarizes the impact of alcohol toxicity on brain neurocircuitry in the context of AUD and discusses pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies currently available to treat this addiction disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waisley Yang
- Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada; (W.Y.); (R.S.)
| | - Rohit Singla
- Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada; (W.Y.); (R.S.)
| | - Oshin Maheshwari
- Psychiatry Residency Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8W 3P5, Canada;
| | | | - Joana Gil-Mohapel
- Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada; (W.Y.); (R.S.)
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada;
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11
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N 6-substituated adenosine analog J4 attenuates anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:887-895. [PMID: 35102423 PMCID: PMC9063204 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06079-8] [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] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Withdrawal from chronic alcohol exposure produces various physical and mental withdrawal symptoms. Activation of adenosine receptors is known to inhibit withdrawal-induced excitation. However, limited studies investigate how adenosine analogs may prove helpful tools to alleviate alcohol withdrawal-related affective behaviors. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the effects of J4 compared with saline using the mice vapor or voluntary ethanol drinking model on behavioral endpoints representing ethanol-withdrawal negative emotionality commonly observed during abstinence from chronic alcohol use. METHODS We subjected C57BL/6 J mice to chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure schedule to investigate how 72-h withdrawal from alcohol alters affective-like behavior. Next, we determined how treatment with J4, a second-generation adenosine analog, influenced affective behaviors produced by alcohol withdrawal. Finally, we determined how J4 treatment alters voluntary ethanol drinking using the two-bottle-choice drinking paradigm. RESULTS Our results show that 72-h withdrawal from chronic intermittent ethanol exposure produces limited affective-like disturbances in male C57BL/6 J mice exposed to 4 cycles ethanol vapor. Most importantly, J4 treatment irrespective of ethanol exposure decreases innate anxiety-like behavior in mice. CONCLUSIONS Withdrawal from chronic intermittent ethanol exposure and subsequent behavioral testing 72 h later produces minimal affective-like behavior. J4 treatment did however reduce marble-burying behavior and increased time spent in open arms of the elevated plus maze, suggesting J4 may be useful as a general anxiolytic.
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12
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Gupta S, Mukhopadhyay S, Mitra A. Therapeutic potential of GHSR-1A antagonism in alcohol dependence, a review. Life Sci 2022; 291:120316. [PMID: 35016882 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1A (GHSR-1A) is a functional receptor of orexigenic peptide ghrelin and is highly expressed in mesolimbic dopaminergic systems that regulate incentive value of artificial reward in substance abuse. Interestingly, GHSR-1A has also shown ligand-independent constitutive activity. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the growing concerns worldwide as it involves complex neuro-psycho-endocrinological interactions. Positive correlation of acylated ghrelin and alcohol-induced human brain response in the right and left ventral striatum are evident. In the last decade, the beneficial effects of ghrelin receptor (GHSR-1A) antagonism to suppress artificial reward circuitries and induce self-control for alcohol consumption have drawn significant attention from researchers. In this updated review, we summarize the available recent preclinical, clinical, and experimental data to discuss functional, molecular actions of central ghrelin-GHSR-1A signaling in different craving levels for alcohol as well as to promote "GHSR-1A antagonism" as one of the potential therapies in early abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyasi Gupta
- Department of Zoology, Triveni Devi Bhalotia College, Raniganj, Paschim Bardhaman 713 347, West Bengal, India
| | - Sanchari Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Hombegowda Nagar, Bengaluru 560029, India
| | - Arkadeep Mitra
- Department of Zoology, City College, 102/1, Raja Rammohan Sarani, Kolkata 700 009, West Bengal, India.
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13
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Flores-Bonilla A, De Oliveira B, Silva-Gotay A, Lucier KW, Richardson HN. Shortening time for access to alcohol drives up front-loading behavior, bringing consumption in male rats to the level of females. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:51. [PMID: 34526108 PMCID: PMC8444481 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00395-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Incentives to promote drinking (“happy hour”) can encourage faster rates of alcohol consumption, especially in women. Sex differences in drinking dynamics may underlie differential health vulnerabilities relating to alcohol in women versus men. Herein, we used operant procedures to model the happy hour effect and gain insight into the alcohol drinking dynamics of male and female rats. Methods Adult male and female Wistar rats underwent operant training to promote voluntary drinking of 10% (w/v) alcohol (8 rats/sex). We tested how drinking patterns changed after manipulating the effort required for alcohol (fixed ratio, FR), as well as the length of time in which rats had access to alcohol (self-administration session length). Rats were tested twice within the 12 h of the dark cycle, first at 2 h (early phase of the dark cycle, “early sessions”) and then again at 10 h into the dark cycle (late phase of the dark cycle, “late sessions”) with an 8-h break between the two sessions in the home cage. Results Adult females consumed significantly more alcohol (g/kg) than males in the 30-min sessions with the FR1 schedule of reinforcement when tested late in the dark cycle. Front-loading of alcohol was the primary factor driving higher consumption in females. Changing the schedule of reinforcement from FR1 to FR3 reduced total consumption. Notably, this manipulation had minimal effect on front-loading behavior in females, whereas front-loading behavior was significantly reduced in males when more effort was required to access alcohol. Compressing drinking access to 15 min to model a happy hour drove up front-loading behavior, generating alcohol drinking patterns in males that were similar to patterns in females (faster drinking and higher intake). Conclusions This strategy could be useful for exploring sex differences in the neural mechanisms underlying alcohol drinking and related health vulnerabilities. Our findings also highlight the importance of the time of testing for detecting sex differences in drinking behavior. Voluntary alcohol drinking is higher in adult female rats compared to adult male rats. This sex difference is most pronounced in the later phase of the dark cycle, and when the operant effort is minimal (when 1 lever press gives 1 reward: fixed ratio 1, FR1). Higher alcohol intake in females is primarily due to “front-loading”, or the rapid consumption of alcohol within the first 5 min of access. Increasing the effort required to obtain alcohol from FR1 to FR3 dampens front-loading drinking behavior, resulting in similar levels of total intake in males and females. Compressing the time of access to 15 min drives up front-loading to such a degree that rats end up consuming more alcohol in total than they do in 30-min sessions. In males, this increase in drinking is large enough that it eliminates the sex difference in total alcohol intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Flores-Bonilla
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Barbara De Oliveira
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Andrea Silva-Gotay
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Kyle W Lucier
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Heather N Richardson
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA. .,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
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14
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Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and family functioning are inextricably bound, and families are impacted negatively by AUD, but families show substantial improvements with AUD recovery. Family members can successfully motivate a person with AUD to initiate changes in drinking or to seek AUD treatment. During recovery, family members can provide active support for recovery. Several couple- or family-involved treatments for AUD have been developed and tested in rigorous efficacy trials. Efficacious treatments based in family systems theory or cognitive behavioral approaches focus on the concerned family member alone, or they engage the couple or family as a unit in the treatment. However, most treatments have been studied in fairly homogeneous, heterosexual, White, non-Hispanic populations, limiting the potential generalizability of these treatments. Substantial gaps remain in our understanding of family processes associated with the initiation and maintenance of AUD recovery among adults. This review outlines the existing literature and describes opportunities for future research to address knowledge gaps in understanding the mechanisms by which these treatments are efficacious, use of family-based treatments with diverse populations, integration of pharmacotherapies with family-involved treatment, role of families in recovery-oriented systems of care, and how to improve treatment development and dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara S. McCrady
- Department of Psychology and Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Julianne C. Flanagan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina,Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina
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15
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Ray LA, Grodin EN, Leggio L, Bechtholt AJ, Becker H, Ewing SWF, Jentsch JD, King AC, Mason BJ, O’Malley S, MacKillop J, Heilig M, Koob GF. The future of translational research on alcohol use disorder. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12903. [PMID: 32286721 PMCID: PMC7554164 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In March 2019, a scientific meeting was held at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Luskin Center to discuss approaches to expedite the translation of neurobiological insights to advances in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). A guiding theme that emerged was that while translational research in AUD is clearly a challenge, it is also a field ripe with opportunities. Herein, we seek to summarize and disseminate the recommendations for the future of translational AUD research using four sections. First, we briefly review the current landscape of AUD treatment including the available evidence-based treatments and their uptake in clinical settings. Second, we discuss AUD treatment development efforts from a translational science viewpoint. We review current hurdles to treatment development as well as opportunities for mechanism-informed treatment. Third, we consider models of translational science and public health impact. Together, these critical insights serve as the bases for a series of recommendations and future directions. Towards the goal of improving clinical care and population health for AUD, scientists are tasked with bolstering the clinical applicability of their research findings so as to expedite the translation of knowledge into patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara A. Ray
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Erica N. Grodin
- University of California Los Angeles, Department of Psychology, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research and National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; Medication Development Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD; Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Anita J. Bechtholt
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Division of Treatment and Recovery Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Howard Becker
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science; Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina; Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Sarah W. Feldstein Ewing
- Oregon Health and Science University, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - J. David Jentsch
- Binghamton University, Department of Psychology, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Andrea C. King
- University of Chicago, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Barbara J. Mason
- The Scripps Research Institute, Pearson Center for Alcoholism and Addiction Research, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - James MacKillop
- McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Peter Boris Center for Addictions Research, Hamilton, ON, CAN
| | - Markus Heilig
- Linkoping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - George F. Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA; National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA
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16
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Alcohol. Alcohol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-816793-9.00001-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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17
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Koob GF, Powell P, White A. Addiction as a Coping Response: Hyperkatifeia, Deaths of Despair, and COVID-19. Am J Psychiatry 2020; 177:1031-1037. [PMID: 33135468 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2020.20091375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- George F Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Md. (all authors); National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Md. (Koob)
| | - Patricia Powell
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Md. (all authors); National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Md. (Koob)
| | - Aaron White
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Md. (all authors); National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, Md. (Koob)
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18
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Abstract
Sex differences may play a critical role in modulating how chronic or heavy alcohol use impacts the brain to cause the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). AUD is a multifaceted and complex disorder driven by changes in key neurobiological structures that regulate executive function, memory, and stress. A three-stage framework of addiction (binge/intoxication; withdrawal/negative affect; preoccupation/anticipation) has been useful for conceptualizing the complexities of AUD and other addictions. Initially, alcohol drinking causes short-term effects that involve signaling mediated by several neurotransmitter systems such as dopamine, corticotropin releasing factor, and glutamate. With continued intoxication, alcohol leads to dysfunctional behaviors that are thought to be due in part to alterations of these and other neurotransmitter systems, along with alterations in neural pathways connecting prefrontal and limbic structures. Using the three-stage framework, this review highlights examples of research examining sex differences in drinking and differential modulation of neural systems contributing to the development of AUD. New insights addressing the role of sex differences in AUD are advancing the field forward by uncovering the complex interactions that mediate vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Heather N Richardson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
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19
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Hartmann MC, Haney MM, Smith CG, Kumar V, Rosenwasser AM. Affective Disruption During Forced Ethanol Abstinence in C57BL/6J and C57BL/6NJ Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:2019-2030. [PMID: 32862442 PMCID: PMC11060412 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In alcohol-dependent individuals, acute alcohol withdrawal results in severe physiological disruption, including potentially lethal central nervous system hyperexcitability. Although benzodiazepines successfully mitigate such symptoms, this treatment does not significantly reduce recidivism rates in postdependent individuals. Instead, persistent affective disturbances that often emerge weeks to months after initial detoxification appear to play a significant role in relapse risk; however, it remains unclear whether genetic predispositions contribute to their emergence, severity, and/or duration. Interestingly, significant genotypic and phenotypic differences have been observed among distinct C57BL/6 (B6) substrains, and, in particular, C57BL/6J (B6J) mice have been found to reliably exhibit higher voluntary ethanol (EtOH) intake and EtOH preference compared to several C57BL/6N (B6N)-derived substrains. To date, however, B6 substrains have not been directly compared on measures of acute withdrawal severity or affective-behavioral disruption during extended abstinence. METHODS Male and female B6J and B6NJ mice were exposed to either a 7-day chronic intermittent EtOH vapor (CIE) protocol or to ordinary room air in inhalation chambers. Subsequently, blood EtOH concentrations and handling-induced convulsions were evaluated during acute withdrawal, and mice were then tested weekly for affective behavior on the sucrose preference test, light-dark box test, and forced swim test throughout 4 weeks of (forced) abstinence. RESULTS Despite documented differences in voluntary EtOH intake between these substrains, we found little evidence for substrain differences in either acute withdrawal or long-term abstinence between B6J and B6NJ mice. CONCLUSIONS In B6J and B6NJ mice, both the acute and long-term sequelae of EtOH withdrawal are dependent on largely nonoverlapping gene networks relative to those underlying voluntary EtOH drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Hartmann
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Megan M. Haney
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Caitlin G. Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Vivek Kumar
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA
| | - Alan M. Rosenwasser
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
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20
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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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21
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Somkuwar SS, Mandyam CD. Individual Differences in Ethanol Drinking and Seeking Behaviors in Rats Exposed to Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure is Associated with Altered CaMKII Autophosphorylation in the Nucleus Accumbens Shell. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9120367. [PMID: 31835746 PMCID: PMC6955871 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9120367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure (CIE) in rodents produces reliable and high blood ethanol concentration and behavioral symptoms associated with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder (AUD)—for example, escalation of operant ethanol self-administration, a feature suggestive of transition from recreational to addictive use, is a widely replicated behavior in rats that experience CIE. Herein, we present evidence from a subset of rats that do not demonstrate escalation of ethanol self-administration following seven weeks of CIE. These low responders (LR) maintain low ethanol self-administration during CIE, demonstrate lower relapse to drinking during abstinence and reduced reinstatement of ethanol seeking triggered by ethanol cues when compared with high responders (HR). We examined the blood ethanol levels in LR and HR rats during CIE and show higher levels in LR compared with HR. We also examined peak corticosterone levels during CIE and show that LR rats have higher levels compared with HR rats. Lastly, we evaluated the levels of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in the nucleus accumbens shell and reveal that the activity of CaMKII, which is autophosphorylated at site Tyr-286, is significantly reduced in HR rats compared with LR rats. These findings demonstrate that dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity and plasticity-related proteins regulating molecular memory in the nucleus accumbens shell are associated with higher ethanol-drinking and -seeking in HR rats. Future mechanistic studies should evaluate CaMKII autophosphorylation-dependent remodeling of glutamatergic synapses in the ventral striatum as a plausible mechanism for the CIE-induced enhanced ethanol drinking and seeking behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chitra D Mandyam
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
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22
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Development and validation of an assay for a novel ghrelin receptor inverse agonist PF-5190457 and its major hydroxy metabolite (PF-6870961) by LC-MS/MS in human plasma. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2019; 1130-1131:121820. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2019.121820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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23
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Design of a randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of oxytocin to enhance alcohol behavioral couple therapy. Contemp Clin Trials 2019; 82:1-8. [PMID: 31063869 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Combining pharmacological interventions with evidence-based behavioral interventions may help optimize treatment outcomes for alcohol use disorder (AUD). While several effective behavioral interventions for AUD have been developed, the vast majority target individual patients, despite evidence that behavioral interventions for couples have the ability to outperform individual treatments for AUD. Alcohol Behavioral Couples Therapy (ABCT) is an evidence-based behavioral intervention for couples that has been shown to significantly reduce AUD severity as well as improve relationship functioning. Accumulating evidence suggests that the neuropeptide oxytocin has the ability to reduce alcohol craving and consumption, symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal, and ameliorate neurobiological deficits associated with AUD. Furthermore, oxytocin has demonstrated the ability to increase prosocial behavior and cognition, and restore sensitivity to natural rewards such as interpersonal relationships. No study to date has examined the ability of oxytocin to enhance ABCT. Thus, the primary objective of this Phase II study is to examine the effects of oxytocin versus placebo in combination with ABCT in reducing AUD severity and improving relationship functioning. We also will utilize neuroimaging techniques before and after treatment to investigate the underlying pathophysiology of AUD among couples and identify prognostic indicators of treatment outcome. The findings from this study might provide critical new information to help inform clinical practice and accelerate research on the pharmacological treatment of AUD.
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24
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Farokhnia M, Faulkner ML, Piacentino D, Lee MR, Leggio L. Ghrelin: From a gut hormone to a potential therapeutic target for alcohol use disorder. Physiol Behav 2019; 204:49-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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25
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Berro LF, Rüedi-Bettschen D, Cook JE, Golani LK, Li G, Jahan R, Rashid F, Cook JM, Rowlett JK, Platt DM. GABA A Receptor Subtypes and the Abuse-Related Effects of Ethanol in Rhesus Monkeys: Experiments with Selective Positive Allosteric Modulators. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:791-802. [PMID: 30861153 PMCID: PMC6601614 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have investigated α1GABAA and α5GABAA receptor mechanisms in the behavioral effects of ethanol (EtOH) in monkeys. However, genetic studies in humans and preclinical studies with mutant mice suggest a role for α2GABAA and/or α3GABAA receptors in the effects of EtOH. The development of novel positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) with functional selectivity (i.e., selective efficacy) at α2GABAA and α3GABAA receptors allows for probing of these subtypes in preclinical models of the discriminative stimulus and reinforcing effects of EtOH in rhesus macaques. METHODS In discrimination studies, subjects were trained to discriminate EtOH (2 g/kg, intragastrically) from water under a fixed-ratio (FR) schedule of food delivery. In oral self-administration studies, subjects were trained to self-administer EtOH (2% w/v) or sucrose (0.3 to 1% w/v) under an FR schedule of solution availability. RESULTS In discrimination studies, functionally selective PAMs at α2GABAA and α3GABAA (HZ-166) or α3GABAA (YT-III-31) receptors substituted fully (maximum percentage of EtOH-lever responding ≥80%) for the discriminative stimulus effects of EtOH without altering response rates. Full substitution for EtOH also was engendered by a nonselective PAM (triazolam), an α5GABAA -preferring PAM (QH-ii-066) and a PAM at α2GABAA , α3GABAA , and α5GABAA receptors (L-838417). A partial (MRK-696) or an α1GABAA -preferring (zolpidem) PAM only engendered partial substitution (i.e., ~50 to 60% EtOH-lever responding). In self-administration studies, pretreatments with the functionally selective PAMs at α2GABAA and α3GABAA (XHe-II-053 and HZ-166) or α3GABAA (YT-III-31 and YT-III-271) receptors increased EtOH, but not sucrose, drinking at doses that had few, or no, observable sedative-motor effects. CONCLUSIONS Our results confirm prior findings regarding the respective roles of α1GABAA and α5GABAA receptors in the discriminative stimulus effects of EtOH and, further, suggest a key facilitatory role for α3GABAA and potentially α2GABAA receptors in several abuse-related effects of EtOH in monkeys. Moreover, they reveal a potential role for these latter subtypes in EtOH's sedative effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lais F. Berro
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Daniela Rüedi-Bettschen
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Jemma E. Cook
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Lalit K. Golani
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
| | - Guanguan Li
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
| | - Rajwana Jahan
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
| | - Farjana Rashid
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
| | - James M. Cook
- University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA
| | - James K. Rowlett
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA 70433, USA
| | - Donna M. Platt
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
- Department of Neurobiology & Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
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26
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Effect of intranasal oxytocin on alcohol withdrawal syndrome: A randomized placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial. Drug Alcohol Depend 2019; 197:95-101. [PMID: 30784955 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In a pilot study, intranasal oxytocin was demonstrated to reduce the benzodiazepine dose needed to relieve withdrawal symptoms during alcohol detoxification. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of oxytocin and placebo during a three-day period of alcohol detoxification at an addiction treatment center in Norway. METHODS Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 40 patients fulfilling criteria for ICD-10 diagnosis of alcohol dependence (F10.2), admitted for alcohol detoxification and withdrawal treatment. The benzodiazepine oxazepam was given as symptom-triggered treatment based on the scores of the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol revised (CIWA-Ar) scale. Participants were randomized to receive either intranasal oxytocin (24 IU twice daily) or placebo. PRIMARY OUTCOME Oxazepam dose required to complete a three-day course of detoxification. SECONDARY OUTCOMES Scores of the CIWA-Ar, the 10-item Hopkins Symptom Check List (HSCL-10), and self-reported total number of hours of sleep. RESULTS The mean total oxazepam dose (± standard deviation) was 56.8 ± 72.8 mg in the oxytocin group and 79.0 ± 122.9 in the placebo group (p = 0.490; difference -22.3 mg; 95% confidence interval (CI) -86.9 to +42.4 mg). The findings were inconclusive as to whether a difference in the CIWA-Ar score (5.94 ± 3.86 vs. 6.48 ± 3.92; p = 0.665) or in any of the other secondary outcomes was present. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION Compared to placebo, intranasal oxytocin did not significantly reduce the oxazepam dose needed to complete a 3-day course of alcohol detoxification and withdrawal treatment.
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Bacopa monnieri abrogates alcohol abstinence-induced anxiety-like behavior by regulating biochemical and Gabra1, Gabra4, Gabra5 gene expression of GABAA receptor signaling pathway in rats. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 111:1417-1428. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.01.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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Affiliation(s)
- R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 2500 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
| | - George F Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852, United States.
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29
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Erickson EK, Grantham EK, Warden AS, Harris RA. Neuroimmune signaling in alcohol use disorder. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2018; 177:34-60. [PMID: 30590091 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2018.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a widespread disease with limited treatment options. Targeting the neuroimmune system is a new avenue for developing or repurposing effective pharmacotherapies. Alcohol modulates innate immune signaling in different cell types in the brain by altering gene expression and the molecular pathways that regulate neuroinflammation. Chronic alcohol abuse may cause an imbalance in neuroimmune function, resulting in prolonged perturbations in brain function. Likewise, manipulating the neuroimmune system may change alcohol-related behaviors. Psychiatric disorders that are comorbid with AUD, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and other substance use disorders, may also have underlying neuroimmune mechanisms; current evidence suggests that convergent immune pathways may be involved in AUD and in these comorbid disorders. In this review, we provide an overview of major neuroimmune cell-types and pathways involved in mediating alcohol behaviors, discuss potential mechanisms of alcohol-induced neuroimmune activation, and present recent clinical evidence for candidate immune-related drugs to treat AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K Erickson
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-01095, USA.
| | - Emily K Grantham
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-01095, USA
| | - Anna S Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-01095, USA
| | - R A Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-01095, USA
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30
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Zhou Y, Kreek MJ. Involvement of Activated Brain Stress Responsive Systems in Excessive and "Relapse" Alcohol Drinking in Rodent Models: Implications for Therapeutics. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2018; 366:9-20. [PMID: 29669731 PMCID: PMC5988024 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.117.245621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Addictive diseases, including addiction to alcohol, pose massive public health costs. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease caused by both the direct effects induced by drugs and persistent neuroadaptations at the molecular, cellular, and behavioral levels. These drug-type specific neuroadaptations are brought on largely by the reinforcing effects of drugs on the central nervous system and environmental stressors. Results from animal experiments have demonstrated important interactions between alcohol and stress-responsive systems. Addiction to specific drugs such as alcohol, psychostimulants, and opioids shares some common direct or downstream effects on the brain's stress-responsive systems, including arginine vasopressin and its V1b receptors, dynorphin and the κ-opioid receptors, pro-opiomelanocortin/β-endorphin and the μ-opioid receptors, and the endocannabinoids. Further study of these systems through laboratory-based and translational research could lead to the discovery of novel treatment targets and the early optimization of interventions (for example, combination) for the pharmacologic therapy of alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhou
- Laboratory of Biology of Addictive Diseases, Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- Laboratory of Biology of Addictive Diseases, Rockefeller University, New York, New York
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31
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Cata-Preta EG, Serra YA, Moreira-Junior EDC, Reis HS, Kisaki ND, Libarino-Santos M, Silva RRR, Barros-Santos T, Santos LC, Barbosa PCR, Costa JL, Oliveira-Lima AJ, Berro LF, Marinho EAV. Ayahuasca and Its DMT- and β-carbolines - Containing Ingredients Block the Expression of Ethanol-Induced Conditioned Place Preference in Mice: Role of the Treatment Environment. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:561. [PMID: 29896106 PMCID: PMC5986901 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic beverage produced from the decoction of Banisteriopsis caapi (Bc) and Psychotria viridis (Pv), β-carboline- and N,N-dimethyltryptamine(DMT)-containing plants, respectively. Accumulating evidence suggests that ayahuasca may have therapeutic effects on ethanol abuse. It is not known, however, whether its effects are dependent on the presence of DMT or if non-DMT-containing components would have therapeutic effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rewarding properties of ayahuasca (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg, orally), Bc (132, 440, and 1320 mg/kg, orally) and Pv (3.75, 12.5 and 37.5 mg/kg, i.p.) extracts and their effects on ethanol (1.8 g/kg, i.p.) reward using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in male mice. Animals were conditioned with ayahuasca, Bc or Pv extracts during 8 sessions. An intermediate, but not a high, dose of ayahuasca induced CPP in mice. Bc and Pv did not induce CPP. Subsequently, the effects of those extracts were tested on the development of ethanol-induced CPP. Ayahuasca, Bc or Pv were administered before ethanol injections during conditioning sessions. While Bc and Pv exerted no effects on ethanol-induced CPP, pretreatment with ayahuasca blocked the development of CPP to ethanol. Finally, the effects of a post-ethanol-conditioning treatment with ayahuasca, Bc or Pv on the expression of ethanol-induced CPP were tested. Animals were conditioned with ethanol, and subsequently treated with either ayahuasca, Bc or Pv in the CPP environment previously associated with saline or ethanol for 6 days. Animals were then reexposed to ethanol and ethanol-induced CPP was quantified on the following day. Treatment with all compounds in the ethanol-paired environment blocked the expression of ethanol-induced CPP. Administration of an intermediate, but not a high, dose of ayahuasca and Bc, as well as Pv administration, in the saline-paired compartment blocked the expression of ethanol-induced CPP. The present study sheds light into the components underlying the therapeutic effects of ayahuasca on ethanol abuse, indicating that ayahuasca and its plant components can decrease ethanol reward at doses that do not exert abuse liability. Importantly, the treatment environment seems to influence the therapeutic effects of ayahuasca and Bc, providing important insights into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yasmim A. Serra
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | | | - Henrique S. Reis
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Natali D. Kisaki
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | | | - Raiany R. R. Silva
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Thaísa Barros-Santos
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Lucas C. Santos
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - Paulo C. R. Barbosa
- Department of Philosophy and Human Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Brazil
| | - José L. Costa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Lais F. Berro
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
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Ch’Ng SS, Lawrence AJ. Investigational drugs for alcohol use disorders: a review of preclinical data. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2018; 27:459-474. [DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2018.1472763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah S Ch’Ng
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Beggiato S, Borelli AC, Tomasini MC, Castelli MP, Pintori N, Cacciaglia R, Loche A, Ferraro L. In Vitro Functional Characterization of GET73 as Possible Negative Allosteric Modulator of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:327. [PMID: 29674969 PMCID: PMC5895880 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study was aimed to further characterize the pharmacological profile of N-[4-(trifluoromethyl) benzyl]-4-methoxybutyramide (GET73), a putative negative allosteric modulator (NAM) of metabotropic glutamate subtype 5 receptor (mGluR5) under development as a novel medication for the treatment of alcohol dependence. This aim has been accomplished by means of a series of in vitro functional assays. These assays include the measure of several down-stream signaling [intracellular Ca++ levels, inositol phosphate (IP) formation and CREB phosphorylation (pCREB)] which are generally affected by mGluR5 ligands. In particular, GET73 (0.1 nM-10 μM) was explored for its ability to displace the concentration-response curve of some mGluR5 agonists/probes (glutamate, L-quisqualate, CHPG) in different native preparations. GET73 produced a rightward shift of concentration-response curves of glutamate- and CHPG-induced intracellular Ca++ levels in primary cultures of rat cortical astrocytes. The compound also induced a rightward shift of concentration response curve of glutamate- and L-quisqualate-induced increase in IP turnover in rat hippocampus slices, along with a reduction of CHPG (10 mM)-induced increase in IP formation. Moreover, GET73 produced a rightward shift of concentration-response curve of glutamate-, CHPG- and L-quisqualate-induced pCREB levels in rat cerebral cortex neurons. Although the engagement of other targets cannot be definitively ruled out, these data support the view that GET73 acts as an mGluR5 NAM and support the significance of further investigating the possible mechanism of action of the compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Beggiato
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,IRET Foundation, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea C Borelli
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,IRET Foundation, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria C Tomasini
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,IRET Foundation, Bologna, Italy
| | - M Paola Castelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.,Center of Excellence "Neurobiology of Addiction", University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Nicholas Pintori
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | | | - Luca Ferraro
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,IRET Foundation, Bologna, Italy.,LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 and Oligodendrogenesis: Significance in Alcohol Use Disorders. Brain Sci 2017; 7:brainsci7100131. [PMID: 29035306 PMCID: PMC5664058 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci7100131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Revised: 10/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcoholism is a chronic relapsing disorder with few therapeutic strategies that address the core pathophysiology. Brain tissue loss and oxidative damage are key components of alcoholism, such that reversal of these phenomena may help break the addictive cycle in alcohol use disorder (AUD). The current review focuses on platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1), a key modulator of the cerebral endothelial integrity and neuroinflammation, and a targetable transmembrane protein whose interaction within AUD has not been well explored. The current review will elaborate on the function of PECAM-1 in physiology and pathology and infer its contribution in AUD neuropathology. Recent research reveals that oligodendrocytes, whose primary function is myelination of neurons in the brain, are a key component in new learning and adaptation to environmental challenges. The current review briefly introduces the role of oligodendrocytes in healthy physiology and neuropathology. Importantly, we will highlight the recent evidence of dysregulation of oligodendrocytes in the context of AUD and then discuss their potential interaction with PECAM-1 on the cerebral endothelium.
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