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Sardari M, Mohammadpourmir F, Hosseinzadeh Sahafi O, Rezayof A. Neuronal biomarkers as potential therapeutic targets for drug addiction related to sex differences in the brain: Opportunities for personalized treatment approaches. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 134:111068. [PMID: 38944334 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111068] [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: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Biological sex disparities manifest at various stages of drug addiction, including craving, substance abuse, abstinence, and relapse. These discrepancies are underpinned by notable distinctions in neurobiological substrates, encompassing brain structures, functions, and neurotransmitter systems implicated in drug addiction. Neuronal biomarkers, such as neurotransmitters, signaling proteins, and genes may be associated with the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment outcomes in both biological sexes afflicted by drug abuse. Sex differences in the neural reward system, mainly through dopaminergic transmission during drug abuse, can be attributed to modifications in neurotransmitter systems and signaling pathways. This results in distinct patterns of neural activation and responsiveness to addictive substances in males and females. Sex hormones, the estrus/menstrual cycle, and cerebral neurochemistry contribute to the progression of psychological and physiological dependence in both male and female individuals grappling with addiction. Moreover, the alteration of sex hormone balance and neurotransmitter release plays a pivotal role in substance use disorders, subsequently modulating cognitive functions pertinent to reward, including memory formation, decision-making, and locomotor activity. Comparative investigations reveal distinctions in brain region volume, gene expression, neuronal firing, and circuitry in substance use disorders affecting individuals of both biological sexes. This review examines prevalent substance use disorders to elucidate the impact of sex hormones as therapeutic biomarkers on the mesocorticolimbic neurotransmitter systems via diverse mechanisms within the addicted brain. We underscore the imperative necessity of considering these variations to gain a deeper comprehension of addiction mechanisms and potentially discern sex-specific neuronal biomarkers for tailored therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Sardari
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farina Mohammadpourmir
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Oveis Hosseinzadeh Sahafi
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Ameneh Rezayof
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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Peart DR, Claridge EV, Karlovcec JM, El Azali R, LaDouceur KE, Sikic A, Thomas A, Stone AP, Murray JE. Generalization of a positive-feature interoceptive morphine occasion setter across the rat estrous cycle. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105541. [PMID: 38583235 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105541] [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: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Interoceptive stimuli elicited by drug administration acquire conditioned modulatory properties of the induction of conditioned appetitive behaviours by exteroceptive cues. This effect may be modeled using a drug discrimination task in which the drug stimulus is trained as a positive-feature (FP) occasion setter (OS) that disambiguates the relation between an exteroceptive light conditioned stimulus (CS) and a sucrose unconditioned stimulus (US). We previously reported that females are less sensitive to generalization of a FP morphine OS than males, so we investigated the role of endogenous ovarian hormones in this difference. METHODS Male and female rats received intermixed injections of 3.2 mg/kg morphine or saline before each daily training session. Training consisted of 8 presentations of the CS, each followed by access to sucrose on morphine, but not saline sessions. Following acquisiton, rats were tested for generalization of the morphine stimulus to 0, 1.0, 3.2, and 5.4 mg/kg morphine. Female rats were monitored for estrous cyclicity using vaginal cytology throughout the study. RESULTS Both sexes acquired stable drug discrimination. A gradient of generalization was measured across morphine doses and this behaviour did not differ by sex, nor did it differ across the estrous cycle in females. CONCLUSIONS Morphine generalization is independent of fluctuations in levels of sex and endogenous gonadal hormones in females under these experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davin R Peart
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Collaborative Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Ella V Claridge
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jessica M Karlovcec
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Collaborative Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Rita El Azali
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Collaborative Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Kathleen E LaDouceur
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Collaborative Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Anita Sikic
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Collaborative Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Abina Thomas
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Adiia P Stone
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Collaborative Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer E Murray
- Department of Psychology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; Collaborative Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
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Ma S, Chen T, Jia W, Liu J, Ding S, Li P, Gan H, Zhang D, Shao S, Poo MM, Zhao M, Sun B, Jiang J. Enhanced Beta2-band Oscillations Denote Auditory Hallucination in Schizophrenia Patients and a Monkey Model of Psychosis. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:325-338. [PMID: 37612582 PMCID: PMC10912066 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01100-2] [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: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
An electroencephalographic (EEG) signature of auditory hallucinations (AHs) is important for facilitating the diagnosis and treatment of AHs in schizophrenia. We recorded EEG from 25 schizophrenia patients with recurrent AHs. During the period of AHs, EEG recordings exhibited significantly elevated beta2-band power in the temporal region, as compared to those recorded in the absence of AHs or during stimulation with verbal sounds. We further generated methamphetamine-treated rhesus monkeys exhibiting psychosis-like behaviors, including repetitive sudden searching actions in the absence of external intrusion, suggesting the occurrence of AHs. Epidural EEG beta2-band power in the temporal region of these monkeys was enhanced immediately after methamphetamine treatment and positively correlated with the frequency of sudden searching actions. Thus, the enhancement of temporal beta2-band oscillations represents a signature for AHs in both patients and a monkey model of psychosis, and this monkey model can be used for developing closed-loop neuromodulation approaches for the treatment of refractory AHs in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Ma
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200020, China
| | - Tianzhen Chen
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Wenjun Jia
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-inspired Technology, Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200020, China
| | - Shihan Ding
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Puzhe Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Hong Gan
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Dapeng Zhang
- Fuyang Third People's Hospital, Fuyang Mental Health Center, Fuyang, 236052, China
| | - Shuxin Shao
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Mu-Ming Poo
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-inspired Technology, Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 201602, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Min Zhao
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- Institute of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, CAS Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- Institute of Psychological and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Bomin Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200020, China.
| | - Jian Jiang
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-inspired Technology, Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 201602, China.
- Shanghai Quanlan Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201602, China.
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Menéndez-Delmestre R, Agosto-Rivera JL, González-Segarra AJ, Segarra AC. Cocaine sensitization in male rats requires activation of estrogen receptors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.07.579327. [PMID: 38370714 PMCID: PMC10871307 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.07.579327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Gonadal steroids play a modulatory role in cocaine use disorders, and are responsible for many sex differences observed in the behavioral response to cocaine. In females, it is well established that estradiol enhances the behavioral response to cocaine. In males, we have recently shown that testosterone enhances sensitization to cocaine but its mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. The current study investigated the contribution of DHT, a non-aromatizable androgen, and of estradiol, in regulating cocaine-induced sensitization in male rats. Gonadectomized (GDX) male rats treated with estradiol sensitized to repeated cocaine administration, while GDX rats treated with DHT did not, implicating estradiol in cocaine sensitization. Furthermore, intact male rats treated with the antiestrogen ICI 182,780 did not show sensitization to repeated cocaine. This study demonstrates the pivotal role of estradiol in cocaine-induced neuroplasticity and neuroadaptations in the rodent brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raissa Menéndez-Delmestre
- Physiology Department, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 365067, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-5067
| | - José L. Agosto-Rivera
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, PO Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931-3360
| | - Amanda J González-Segarra
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027
| | - Annabell C. Segarra
- Physiology Department, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 365067, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-5067
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Smith MA, Pearson T, Ballard SL, Camp JD, Sharp JL. The effects of gonadal hormones on heroin Self-Administration in male gonadectomized rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:171-179. [PMID: 37833541 PMCID: PMC11135215 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06471-y] [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: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous studies have shown that gonadal hormones influence opioid self-administration in female rodents, but very few studies have examined these effects in male rodents. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of chronic hormone treatment on intravenous heroin self-administration in gonadectomized male rats using both physiological and supraphysiological doses of testosterone, estradiol, or progesterone. METHODS Gonadectomized male rats were surgically implanted with intravenous catheters and trained to self-administer heroin on a fixed ratio (FR1) schedule of reinforcement. Using a between-subjects design, rats were treated daily with testosterone (0.175 or 1.75 mg, sc), estradiol (0.0005 or 0.005 mg, sc), progesterone, (0.0125 or 0.125 mg, sc), or their vehicles. After 14 days of chronic treatment, a dose-effect curve was determined for heroin (0.0003-0.03 mg/kg/infusion) over the course of one week. RESULTS Neither testosterone nor estradiol altered responding maintained by heroin. In contrast, the high dose of progesterone (0.125 mg) reduced responding maintained by all doses of heroin to saline-control levels. This dose of progesterone did not reduce responding maintained by food on a progressive ratio schedule in either food-restricted or food-sated rats. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that exogenous progesterone or a pharmacologically active metabolite selectively decreases heroin intake in male rodents, which may have therapeutic implications for men with opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA.
| | - Tallia Pearson
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Shannon L Ballard
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Jacob D Camp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Jessica L Sharp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
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Sneddon EA, Masters BM, Shi H, Radke AK. Removal of the ovaries suppresses ethanol drinking and promotes aversion-resistance in C57BL/6J female mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:2607-2616. [PMID: 37653347 PMCID: PMC11170684 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06456-x] [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: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Female rodents consume more ethanol (EtOH) than males and exhibit greater aversion-resistant drinking in some paradigms. Ovarian hormones promote EtOH drinking but the contribution of ovarian hormones to aversion-resistant drinking has not been assessed. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the role of ovarian hormones to aversion-resistant drinking in female mice in a drinking in the dark (DID) task. METHODS Female C57BL/6 J mice first underwent an ovariectomy (OVX, n = 16) or sham (SHAM, n = 16) surgery. Four weeks following surgery, mice underwent a DID paradigm where they were given access to water and 15% EtOH 3 h into the dark cycle for up to 4 h across 15 drinking sessions. To assess frontloading behavior, bottles were weighed at 30 min, 2 h, and 4 h. Aversion-resistance was tested by adding escalating concentrations of quinine (0, 100, 250, and 500 µM) to the 15% EtOH bottle on sessions 16 - 19. RESULTS Removal of the ovaries reduced EtOH consumption in OVX subjects. When assessing aversion-resistant EtOH drinking, mice with ovarian hormones (SHAM) reduced consumption of 250 and 500 µM quinine in EtOH, while OVX subjects exhibited aversion-resistance at all quinine concentrations. OVX mice had greater frontloading for quinine + EtOH at higher concentrations of quinine. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that circulating ovarian hormones may be protective against the development of aversion-resistant EtOH drinking and call for further investigation of the role of ovarian hormones in models of addictive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Sneddon
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, 90 N Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Brianna M Masters
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, 90 N Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Haifei Shi
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, 90 N Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, USA
| | - Anna K Radke
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, 90 N Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA.
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Towers EB, Williams IL, Qillawala EI, Rissman EF, Lynch WJ. Sex/Gender Differences in the Time-Course for the Development of Substance Use Disorder: A Focus on the Telescoping Effect. Pharmacol Rev 2023; 75:217-249. [PMID: 36781217 PMCID: PMC9969523 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.121.000361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex/gender effects have been demonstrated for multiple aspects of addiction, with one of the most commonly cited examples being the "telescoping effect" where women meet criteria and/or seek treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) after fewer years of drug use as compared with men. This phenomenon has been reported for multiple drug classes including opioids, psychostimulants, alcohol, and cannabis, as well as nonpharmacological addictions, such as gambling. However, there are some inconsistent reports that show either no difference between men and women or opposite effects and a faster course to addiction in men than women. Thus, the goals of this review are to evaluate evidence for and against the telescoping effect in women and to determine the conditions/populations for which the telescoping effect is most relevant. We also discuss evidence from preclinical studies, which strongly support the validity of the telescoping effect and show that female animals develop addiction-like features (e.g., compulsive drug use, an enhanced motivation for the drug, and enhanced drug-craving/vulnerability to relapse) more readily than male animals. We also discuss biologic factors that may contribute to the telescoping effect, such as ovarian hormones, and its neurobiological basis focusing on the mesolimbic dopamine reward pathway and the corticomesolimbic glutamatergic pathway considering the critical roles these pathways play in the rewarding/reinforcing effects of addictive drugs and SUD. We conclude with future research directions, including intervention strategies to prevent the development of SUD in women. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: One of the most widely cited gender/sex differences in substance use disorder (SUD) is the "telescoping effect," which reflects an accelerated course in women versus men for the development and/or seeking treatment for SUD. This review evaluates evidence for and against a telescoping effect drawing upon data from both clinical and preclinical studies. We also discuss the contribution of biological factors and underlying neurobiological mechanisms and highlight potential targets to prevent the development of SUD in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Blair Towers
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
| | - Ivy L Williams
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
| | - Emaan I Qillawala
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
| | - Emilie F Rissman
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
| | - Wendy J Lynch
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
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Arunogiri S, Crossin R, Rizzo D, Walker L, Ridley K, Gurvich C. A systematic review of the effect of ovarian sex hormones on stimulant use in females. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e13079. [PMID: 34374475 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Stimulant use disorder is associated with significant global health burden. Despite evidence for sex differences in the development and maintenance of stimulant use disorder, few studies have focused on mechanisms underpinning distinct trajectories in females versus males, including the effect of the ovarian sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. This review aimed to identify and synthesise the existing preclinical and clinical literature on the effect of ovarian sex hormones on stimulant consumption in females. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature identified 1593 articles, screened using the following inclusion criteria: (1) adult female humans or animals, (2) using stimulant drugs, (3) ovarian sex hormones were administered exogenously OR were measured in a validated manner and (4) with stimulant consumption as an outcome measure. A total of 50 studies (3 clinical and 47 preclinical) met inclusion criteria. High-estrogen (low progesterone) phases of the menstrual/estrus cycle were associated with increased stimulant use in preclinical studies, while there were no clinical studies examining estrogen and stimulant consumption. Consistent preclinical evidence supported progesterone use reducing stimulant consumption, which was also identified in one clinical study. The review was limited by inconsistent data reporting across studies and different protocols across preclinical laboratory paradigms. Importantly, almost all studies examined cocaine use, with impact on methamphetamine use a significant gap in the existing evidence. Given the safety and tolerability profile of progesterone, further research is urgently needed to address this gap, to explore the potential therapeutic utility of progesterone as a treatment for stimulant use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Arunogiri
- Monash Addiction Research Centre and Eastern Health Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Monash University Richmond Victoria Australia
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Monash University and the Alfred Hospital Melbourne Victoria Australia
- Turning Point, Eastern Health Richmond Victoria Australia
| | - Rose Crossin
- Department of Population Health University of Otago Christchurch New Zealand
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Davinia Rizzo
- Monash Addiction Research Centre and Eastern Health Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Monash University Richmond Victoria Australia
- Turning Point, Eastern Health Richmond Victoria Australia
| | - Leigh Walker
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria Australia
| | - Kelly Ridley
- West Australian Country Health Service Albany Western Australia Australia
| | - Caroline Gurvich
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Monash University and the Alfred Hospital Melbourne Victoria Australia
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Martin EL, Doncheck EM, Reichel CM, McRae-Clark AL. Consideration of sex as a biological variable in the translation of pharmacotherapy for stress-associated drug seeking. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100364. [PMID: 34345636 PMCID: PMC8319013 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is a frequent precipitant of relapse to drug use. Pharmacotherapies targeting a diverse array of neural systems have been assayed for efficacy in attenuating stress-induced drug-seeking in both rodents and in humans, but none have shown enough evidence of utility to warrant routine use in the clinic. We posit that a critical barrier in effective translation is inattention to sex as a biological variable at all phases of the research process. In this review, we detail the neurobiological systems implicated in stress-induced relapse to cocaine, opioids, methamphetamine, and cannabis, as well as the pharmacotherapies that have been used to target these systems in rodent models, the human laboratory, and in clinical trials. In each of these areas we additionally describe the potential influences of biological sex on outcomes, and how inattention to fundamental sex differences can lead to biases during drug development that contribute to the limited success of large clinical trials. Based on these observations, we determine that of the pharmacotherapies discussed only α2-adrenergic receptor agonists and oxytocin have a body of research with sufficient consideration of biological sex to warrant further clinical evaluation. Pharmacotherapies that target β-adrenergic receptors, other neuroactive peptides, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neuroactive steroids, and the endogenous opioid and cannabinoid systems require further assessment in females at the preclinical and human laboratory levels before progression to clinical trials can be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Martin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Doncheck
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Carmela M Reichel
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Aimee L McRae-Clark
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
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10
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Knouse MC, Briand LA. Behavioral sex differences in cocaine and opioid use disorders: The role of gonadal hormones. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:358-366. [PMID: 34214512 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Females are more vulnerable than males to many aspects of cocaine use disorder. This vulnerability also translates to opioid use disorder, with females exhibiting stronger behavioral responses than males to drugs such as heroin and morphine. While there is evidence for many overlapping neural mechanisms underlying cocaine and opioid abuse, there is also a breadth of evidence indicating divergent effects of the drugs on synaptic plasticity. This makes it unclear whether the behavioral sex differences seen in substance use disorder across different drugs of abuse rely on the same mechanisms. Ovarian hormones have consistently been implicated as drivers of the behavioral sex differences in cocaine taking and seeking. While there are far fewer studies on the role of ovarian hormones in opioid use disorder, the existing data suggest that ovarian hormones may not drive these behavioral effects in the same manner as in cocaine use disorder. This review highlights evidence that behavioral sex differences in substance use disorder might be driven by different mechanisms depending on drug class.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa A Briand
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, United States; Neuroscience Program, Temple University, United States.
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11
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Bakhti-Suroosh A, Nesil T, Lynch WJ. Tamoxifen Blocks the Development of Motivational Features of an Addiction-Like Phenotype in Female Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:253. [PMID: 31780909 PMCID: PMC6856674 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Women become addicted sooner after initiating cocaine use as compared to men. Preclinical studies reveal a similar vulnerability in females, with findings from ovariectomized rats suggesting that estradiol mediates the enhanced vulnerability. However, since ovariectomy depletes not only estradiol, but all ovarian hormones, its role in a physiological context is not clear. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine the role of estradiol in the development of an addiction-like phenotype in ovary-intact females treated chronically with the selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator tamoxifen. We hypothesized that tamoxifen, by antagonizing ERs, would block the development of an addiction-like phenotype as defined by an enhanced motivation for cocaine (assessed under a progressive-ratio schedule), and a heightened vulnerability to relapse (assessed under an extinction/cue-induced reinstatement procedure). Effects were examined following extended access cocaine self-administration (24-h/day; 4-discrete trials/h; 1.5 mg/kg/infusion) and 14-days of abstinence, conditions optimized for inducing an addiction-like phenotype. As predicted, motivation for cocaine was increased following extended-access self-administration and protracted abstinence in the vehicle (sesame oil) and no-injection control groups, but not in the tamoxifen group indicating that ER signaling is critical for the development of this feature of an addiction-like phenotype. Surprisingly, the increase in motivation for cocaine following abstinence was also attenuated in the vehicle group as compared to no-injection controls suggesting that oil/injections also affected its development. Contrary to our hypothesis, tamoxifen did not decrease vulnerability to relapse as this group responded at similar levels during initial extinction sessions and cue-induced reinstatement testing as compared to controls. Tamoxifen did, however, impair extinction learning as this group took longer to extinguish as compared to controls. Taken together, these findings indicate that estradiol is critical for the extinction of drug-associated cues and the development of motivational features of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anousheh Bakhti-Suroosh
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Tanseli Nesil
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Wendy J Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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12
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Strajhar P, Vizeli P, Patt M, Dolder PC, Kratschmar DV, Liechti ME, Odermatt A. Effects of lisdexamfetamine on plasma steroid concentrations compared with d-amphetamine in healthy subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 186:212-225. [PMID: 30381248 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The novel d-amphetamine prodrug lisdexamfetamine is applied to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). d-Amphetamine releases dopamine and norepinephrine and stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which may contribute to its reinforcing effects and risk of abuse. However, no data is currently available on the effects of lisdexamfetamine on circulating steroids. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study evaluated the effects of equimolar doses of d-amphetamine (40 mg) and lisdexamfetamine (100 mg) and placebo on circulating steroids in 24 healthy subjects. Plasma steroid and d-amphetamine levels were determined up to 24 h. Delayed increase and peak levels of plasma d-amphetamine concentrations were observed following lisdexamfetamine treatment compared with d-amphetamine administration, however the maximal concentrations and total exposure (area under the curve [AUC]) were similar. Lisdexamfetamine and d-amphetamine significantly enhanced plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, glucocorticoids (cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone, 11-dehydrocorticosterone, and 11-deoxycortisol), androgens (dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and Δ4-androstene-3,17-dione [androstenedione]), and progesterone (only in men) compared with placebo. Steroid concentration-time curves were shifted to later time points due to a non-significantly later onset following lisdexamfetamine administration than after d-amphetamine, however maximal plasma steroid concentrations and AUCs did not differ between the active treatments. None of the active treatments altered plasma levels of the mineralocorticoids aldosterone and 11-deoxycorticosterone or the androgen testosterone compared with placebo. The effects of the amphetamines on glucocorticoid production were similar to those that were previously reported for methylphenidate (60 mg) but weaker than those for the serotonin releaser 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 125 mg) or direct serotonin receptor agonist lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD; 0.2 mg). Lisdexamfetamine produced comparable HPA axis activation and had similar pharmacokinetics than d-amphetamine, except for a delayed time of onset. Thus, serotonin (MDMA, LSD) may more effectively stimulate the HPA axis than dopamine and norepinephrine (D-amphetamine).
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Strajhar
- Division of Molecular and Systems Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Vizeli
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Patt
- Division of Molecular and Systems Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Patrick C Dolder
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Denise V Kratschmar
- Division of Molecular and Systems Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias E Liechti
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Alex Odermatt
- Division of Molecular and Systems Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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13
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Bedwell JS, Spencer CC, Chirino CA, O’Donnell JP. The Sweet Taste Test: Relationships with Anhedonia Subtypes, Personality Traits, and Menstrual Cycle Phases. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-019-09717-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Abstract
An increasing emphasis has been placed on the development and use of animal models of addiction that capture defining features of human drug addiction, including escalation/binge drug use, enhanced motivation for the drug, preference for the drug over other reward options, use despite negative consequences, and enhanced drug-seeking/relapse vulnerability. The need to examine behavior in both males and females has also become apparent given evidence demonstrating that the addiction process occurs differently in males and females. This review discusses the procedures that are used to model features of addiction in animals, as well as factors that influence their development. Individual differences are also discussed, with a particular focus on sex differences. While no one procedure consistently produces all characteristics, different models have been developed to focus on certain characteristics. A history of escalating/binge patterns of use appears to be critical for producing other features characteristic of addiction, including an enhanced motivation for the drug, enhanced drug seeking, and use despite negative consequences. These characteristics tend to emerge over abstinence, and appear to increase rather than decrease in magnitude over time. In females, these characteristics develop sooner during abstinence and/or following less drug exposure as compared to males, and for psychostimulant addiction, may require estradiol. Although preference for the drug over other reward options has been demonstrated in non-human primates, it has been more difficult to establish in rats. Future research is needed to define the parameters that optimally induce each of these features of addiction in the majority of animals. Such models are essential for advancing our understanding of human drug addiction and its treatment in men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy J Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
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15
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Czoty PW, Stoops WW, Rush CR. Evaluation of the "Pipeline" for Development of Medications for Cocaine Use Disorder: A Review of Translational Preclinical, Human Laboratory, and Clinical Trial Research. Pharmacol Rev 2017; 68:533-62. [PMID: 27255266 DOI: 10.1124/pr.115.011668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocaine use disorder is a persistent public health problem for which no widely effective medications exist. Self-administration procedures, which have shown good predictive validity in estimating the abuse potential of drugs, have been used in rodent, nonhuman primate, and human laboratory studies to screen putative medications. This review assessed the effectiveness of the medications development process regarding pharmacotherapies for cocaine use disorder. The primary objective was to determine whether data from animal and human laboratory self-administration studies predicted the results of clinical trials. In addition, the concordance between laboratory studies in animals and humans was assessed. More than 100 blinded, randomized, fully placebo-controlled studies of putative medications for cocaine use disorder were identified. Of the 64 drugs tested in these trials, only 10 had been examined in both human and well-controlled animal laboratory studies. Within all three stages, few studies had been conducted for each drug and when multiple studies had been conducted conclusions were sometimes contradictory. Overall, however, there was good concordance between animal and human laboratory results when the former assessed chronic drug treatment. Although only seven of the ten reviewed drugs showed fully concordant results across all three types of studies reviewed, the analysis revealed several subject-related, procedural, and environmental factors that differ between the laboratory and clinical trial settings that help explain the disagreement for other drugs. The review closes with several recommendations to enhance translation and communication across stages of the medications development process that will ultimately speed the progress toward effective pharmacotherapeutic strategies for cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul W Czoty
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (P.W.C.); and University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky (W.W.S., C.R.R.)
| | - William W Stoops
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (P.W.C.); and University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky (W.W.S., C.R.R.)
| | - Craig R Rush
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (P.W.C.); and University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky (W.W.S., C.R.R.)
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16
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Carroll ME, Collins M, Kohl EA, Johnson S, Dougen B. Sex and menstrual cycle effects on chronic oral cocaine self-administration in rhesus monkeys: Effects of a nondrug alternative reward. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:2973-84. [PMID: 27318989 PMCID: PMC4935578 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4343-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In previous studies, female monkeys self-administered more oral phencyclidine (PCP) than males, and PCP intake differed by phase of menstrual cycle. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine sex and hormonal influences on oral cocaine self-administration in male and female rhesus monkeys in the follicular vs. luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, with concurrent access to an alternative nondrug reward, saccharin (SACC) vs. water. MATERIALS AND METHODS Concurrent access to cocaine (0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mg/ml) and SACC or water was available from two drinking spouts under concurrent fixed-ratio (FR) 2, 4, and 8 schedules during daily 3-h sessions. RESULTS Cocaine deliveries were similar in males and females in the females' luteal phase, but cocaine deliveries were higher in females during the follicular phase than the luteal phase and compared to males. When SACC was available, cocaine deliveries were reduced in females in the follicular phase of the cycle, and cocaine intake (mg/kg) was reduced in males and in females' follicular and luteal phases. CONCLUSIONS Access to concurrent SACC (vs. water) reduced cocaine intake (mg/kg) in males and in females during both menstrual phases, and the magnitude of the reduction in cocaine intake was greatest during the females' follicular phase. Thus, a nondrug alternative reward, SACC, is a viable alternative treatment for reducing cocaine's rewarding effects on male and female monkeys, and reductions in cocaine seeking were optimal in the females' luteal phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn E Carroll
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Molly Collins
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Emily A Kohl
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Seth Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Ben Dougen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
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17
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Strajhar P, Schmid Y, Liakoni E, Dolder PC, Rentsch KM, Kratschmar DV, Odermatt A, Liechti ME. Acute Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide on Circulating Steroid Levels in Healthy Subjects. J Neuroendocrinol 2016; 28:12374. [PMID: 26849997 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-2A (5-HT2A ) receptor agonist that is used recreationally worldwide. Interest in LSD research in humans waned after the 1970s, although the use of LSD in psychiatric research and practice has recently gained increasing attention. LSD produces pronounced acute psychedelic effects, although its influence on plasma steroid levels over time has not yet been characterised in humans. The effects of LSD (200 μg) or placebo on plasma steroid levels were investigated in 16 healthy subjects using a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study design. Plasma concentration-time profiles were determined for 15 steroids using liquid-chromatography tandem mass-spectrometry. LSD increased plasma concentrations of the glucocorticoids cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone compared to placebo. The mean maximum concentration of LSD was reached at 1.7 h. Mean peak psychedelic effects were reached at 2.4 h, with significant alterations in mental state from 0.5 h to > 10 h. Mean maximal concentrations of cortisol and corticosterone were reached at 2.5 h and 1.9 h, and significant elevations were observed 1.5-6 h and 1-3 h after drug administration, respectively. LSD also significantly increased plasma concentrations of the androgen dehydroepiandrosterone but not other androgens, progestogens or mineralocorticoids compared to placebo. A close relationship was found between plasma LSD concentrations and changes in plasma cortisol and corticosterone and the psychotropic response to LSD, and no clockwise hysteresis was observed. In conclusion, LSD produces significant acute effects on circulating steroids, especially glucocorticoids. LSD-induced changes in circulating glucocorticoids were associated with plasma LSD concentrations over time and showed no acute pharmacological tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Strajhar
- Division of Molecular and Systems Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Y Schmid
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - E Liakoni
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - P C Dolder
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - K M Rentsch
- Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - D V Kratschmar
- Division of Molecular and Systems Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - A Odermatt
- Division of Molecular and Systems Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - M E Liechti
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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18
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Carroll ME, Smethells JR. Sex Differences in Behavioral Dyscontrol: Role in Drug Addiction and Novel Treatments. Front Psychiatry 2016; 6:175. [PMID: 26903885 PMCID: PMC4745113 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to discuss recent findings related to sex differences in behavioral dyscontrol that lead to drug addiction, and clinical implications for humans are discussed. This review includes research conducted in animals and humans that reveals fundamental aspects of behavioral dyscontrol. The importance of sex differences in aspects of behavioral dyscontrol, such as impulsivity and compulsivity, is discussed as major determinants of drug addiction. Behavioral dyscontrol during adolescence is also an important consideration, as this is the time of onset for drug addiction. These vulnerability factors additively increase drug-abuse vulnerability, and they are integral aspects of addiction that covary and interact with sex differences. Sex differences in treatments for drug addiction are also reviewed in terms of their ability to modify the behavioral dyscontrol that underlies addictive behavior. Customized treatments to reduce behavioral dyscontrol are discussed, such as (1) using natural consequences such as non-drug rewards (e.g., exercise) to maintain abstinence, or using punishment as a consequence for drug use, (2) targeting factors that underlie behavioral dyscontrol, such as impulsivity or anxiety, by repurposing medications to relieve these underlying conditions, and (3) combining two or more novel behavioral or pharmacological treatments to produce additive reductions in drug seeking. Recent published work has indicated that factors contributing to behavioral dyscontrol are an important target for advancing our knowledge on the etiology of drug abuse, intervening with the drug addiction process and developing novel treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John R. Smethells
- Program in PharmacoNeuroImmunology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Park SJ, Yi B, Lee HS, Oh WY, Na HK, Lee M, Yang M. To quit or not: Vulnerability of women to smoking tobacco. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, ENVIRONMENTAL CARCINOGENESIS & ECOTOXICOLOGY REVIEWS 2016; 34:33-56. [PMID: 26669465 DOI: 10.1080/10590501.2015.1131539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Tobacco smoking is currently on the rise among women, and can pose a greater health risk. In order to understand the nature of the increase in smoking prevalence among women, we focused on the vulnerability of women to smoking behaviors--smoking cessation or tobacco addiction--and performed a systematic review of the socioeconomic and intrinsic factors as well as tobacco ingredients that affect women's susceptibility to smoking tobacco. We observed that nicotine and other tobacco components including cocoa-relatives, licorice products, and menthol aggravate tobacco addiction in women rather than in men. Various genetic and epigenetic alterations in dopamine pathway and the pharmaco-kinetics and -dynamic factors of nicotine also showed potential evidences for high susceptibility to tobacco addiction in women. Therefore, we suggest systemic approaches to prevent tobacco smoking-related health risks, considering gene-environment-gender interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Jung Park
- a Research Center for Cell Fate Control, College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Bitna Yi
- b Department of Neurosurgery , Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford , California , USA
| | - Ho-Sun Lee
- a Research Center for Cell Fate Control, College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Yeon Oh
- a Research Center for Cell Fate Control, College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Kyung Na
- a Research Center for Cell Fate Control, College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Minjeong Lee
- a Research Center for Cell Fate Control, College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Mihi Yang
- a Research Center for Cell Fate Control, College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University , Seoul , Republic of Korea
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20
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Kuhn C. Emergence of sex differences in the development of substance use and abuse during adolescence. Pharmacol Ther 2015; 153:55-78. [PMID: 26049025 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2015.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Substance use and abuse begin during adolescence. Male and female adolescent humans initiate use at comparable rates, but males increase use faster. In adulthood, more men than women use and abuse addictive drugs. However, some women progress more rapidly from initiation of use to entry into treatment. In animal models, adolescent males and females consume addictive drugs similarly. However, reproductively mature females acquire self-administration faster, and in some models, escalate use more. Sex/gender differences exist in neurobiologic factors mediating both reinforcement (dopamine, opioids) and aversiveness (CRF, dynorphin), as well as intrinsic factors (personality, psychiatric co-morbidities) and extrinsic factors (history of abuse, environment especially peers and family) which influence the progression from initial use to abuse. Many of these important differences emerge during adolescence, and are moderated by sexual differentiation of the brain. Estradiol effects which enhance both dopaminergic and CRF-mediated processes contribute to the female vulnerability to substance use and abuse. Testosterone enhances impulsivity and sensation seeking in both males and females. Several protective factors in females also influence initiation and progression of substance use including hormonal changes of pregnancy as well as greater capacity for self-regulation and lower peak levels of impulsivity/sensation seeking. Same sex peers represent a risk factor more for males than females during adolescence, while romantic partners increase risk for women during this developmental epoch. In summary, biologic factors, psychiatric co-morbidities as well as personality and environment present sex/gender-specific risks as adolescents begin to initiate substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Kuhn
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Box 3813, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States.
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21
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Gould RW, Duke AN, Nader MA. PET studies in nonhuman primate models of cocaine abuse: translational research related to vulnerability and neuroadaptations. Neuropharmacology 2014; 84:138-51. [PMID: 23458573 PMCID: PMC3692588 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2012] [Revised: 01/07/2013] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The current review highlights the utility of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to study the neurobiological substrates underlying vulnerability to cocaine addiction and subsequent adaptations following chronic cocaine self-administration in nonhuman primate models of cocaine abuse. Environmental (e.g., social rank) and sex-specific influences on dopaminergic function and sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of cocaine are discussed. Cocaine-related cognitive deficits have been hypothesized to contribute to high rates of relapse and are described in nonhuman primate models. Lastly, the long-term consequences of cocaine on neurobiology are discussed. PET imaging and longitudinal, within-subject behavioral studies in nonhuman primates have provided a strong framework for designing pharmacological and behavioral treatment strategies to aid drug-dependent treatment seekers. Non-invasive PET imaging will allow for individualized treatment strategies. Recent advances in radiochemistry of novel PET ligands and other imaging modalities can further advance our understanding of stimulant use on the brain. This article is part of the Special Issue Section entitled 'Neuroimaging in Neuropharmacology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Gould
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Angela N Duke
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1083, USA.
| | - Michael A Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1083, USA.
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22
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Seibert J, Hysek CM, Penno CA, Schmid Y, Kratschmar DV, Liechti ME, Odermatt A. Acute effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and methylphenidate on circulating steroid levels in healthy subjects. Neuroendocrinology 2014; 100:17-25. [PMID: 24903002 DOI: 10.1159/000364879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') and methylphenidate are widely used psychoactive substances. MDMA primarily enhances serotonergic neurotransmission, and methylphenidate increases dopamine but has no serotonergic effects. Both drugs also increase norepinephrine, resulting in sympathomimetic properties. Here we studied the effects of MDMA and methylphenidate on 24-hour plasma steroid profiles. 16 healthy subjects (8 men, 8 women) were treated with single doses of MDMA (125 mg), methylphenidate (60 mg), MDMA + methylphenidate, and placebo on 4 separate days using a cross-over study design. Cortisol, cortisone, corticosterone, 11-dehydrocorticosterone, aldosterone, 11-deoxycorticosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, and testosterone were repeatedly measured up to 24 h using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy. MDMA significantly increased the plasma concentrations of cortisol, corticosterone, 11-dehydrocorticosterone, and 11-deoxycorticosterone and also tended to moderately increase aldosterone levels compared with placebo. MDMA also increased the sum of cortisol + cortisone and the cortisol/cortisone ratio, consistent with an increase in glucocorticoid production. MDMA did not alter the levels of cortisone, DHEA, DHEAS, androstenedione, or testosterone. Methylphenidate did not affect any of the steroid concentrations, and it did not change the effects of MDMA on circulating steroids. In summary, the serotonin releaser MDMA has acute effects on circulating steroids. These effects are not observed after stimulation of the dopamine and norepinephrine systems with methylphenidate. The present findings support the view that serotonin rather than dopamine and norepinephrine mediates the acute pharmacologically induced stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in the absence of other stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Seibert
- Swiss Center for Applied Human Toxicology and Division of Molecular and Systems Toxicology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Bayer J, Bandurski P, Sommer T. Differential modulation of activity related to the anticipation of monetary gains and losses across the menstrual cycle. Eur J Neurosci 2013; 38:3519-26. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Revised: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 07/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Janine Bayer
- Department of Systems Neuroscience; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf; Martinistr. 52 Hamburg 20246 Germany
| | - Pia Bandurski
- Department of Systems Neuroscience; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf; Martinistr. 52 Hamburg 20246 Germany
| | - Tobias Sommer
- Department of Systems Neuroscience; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf; Martinistr. 52 Hamburg 20246 Germany
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Carroll ME, Kohl EA, Johnson KM, LaNasa RM. Increased impulsive choice for saccharin during PCP withdrawal in female monkeys: influence of menstrual cycle phase. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 227:413-24. [PMID: 23344553 PMCID: PMC3656971 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2963-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Accepted: 12/27/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In previous studies with male and female rhesus monkeys, withdrawal of access to oral phencyclidine (PCP) self-administration reduced responding for food under a high fixed-ratio (FR) schedule more in males than females, and with a delay discounting (DD) task with saccharin (SACC) as the reinforcer impulsive choice for SACC increased during PCP withdrawal more in males than females. OBJECTIVES The goal of the present study was to examine the effect of PCP (0.25 or 0.5 mg/ml) withdrawal on impulsive choice for SACC in females during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. MATERIALS AND METHODS In component 1, PCP and water were available from two drinking spouts for 1.5 h sessions under concurrent FR 16 schedules. In component 2, a SACC solution was available for 45 min under a DD schedule. Monkeys had a choice of one immediate SACC delivery (0.6 ml) or six delayed SACC deliveries, and the delay was increased by 1 s after a response on the delayed lever and decreased by 1 s after a response on the immediate lever. There was then a 10-day water substitution phase, or PCP withdrawal, that occurred during the mid-follicular phase (days 7-11) or the late luteal phase (days 24-28) of the menstrual cycle. Access to PCP and concurrent water was then restored, and the PCP withdrawal procedure was repeated over several follicular and luteal menstrual phases. RESULTS PCP deliveries were higher during the luteal (vs follicular) phase. Impulsive choice was greater during the luteal (vs follicular) phase during withdrawal of the higher PCP concentration. CONCLUSIONS PCP withdrawal was associated with elevated impulsive choice for SACC, especially in the luteal (vs follicular) phase of the menstrual cycle in female monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn E Carroll
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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Van Swearingen AED, Sanchez CL, Frisbee SM, Williams A, Walker QD, Korach KS, Kuhn CM. Estradiol replacement enhances cocaine-stimulated locomotion in female C57BL/6 mice through estrogen receptor alpha. Neuropharmacology 2013; 72:236-49. [PMID: 23608737 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2013] [Revised: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Psychostimulant effects are enhanced by ovarian hormones in women and female rodents. Estradiol increases behavioral responses to psychostimulants in women and female rats, although the underlying mechanism is unknown. This study utilized mice to investigate the time frame and receptor mediation of estradiol's enhancement of cocaine-induced behavior as mice enable parallel use of genetic, surgical and pharmacological methods. The spontaneous behavior of Sham and Ovariectomized (Ovx) female wildtype (WT) mice was determined during habituation to a novel environment and after cocaine administration. Ovx mice were replaced with vehicle (sesame oil) or 17β-estradiol (E2) for 2 days or 30 min prior to a cocaine challenge to investigate the time course of E2's effects. To examine receptor mediation of estradiol effects, Ovx mice replaced for 2 days with either the ERα-selective agonist PPT or the ERβ-selective agonist DPN were compared to Sham mice, and mice lacking either ERα (αERKO) or ERβ (βERKO) were compared to WT littermates. Ovx mice exhibited fewer ambulations during habituation than Sham females. Cocaine-induced increases in behavioral ratings were greater in Sham than in Ovx mice. Two days but not 30 min of E2 replacement in Ovx mice increased cocaine responses to Sham levels. PPT replacement also increased the cocaine response relative to vehicle- or DPN- treated Ovx mice. αERKO mice displayed modestly attenuated behavioral responses to novelty and cocaine compared to αWT littermates, but no behavioral differences were found between βERKO and βWT mice. These results suggest that E2 enhances cocaine-stimulated locomotion in mice predominantly through ERα.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E D Van Swearingen
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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Cooper ZD, Foltin RW, Evans SM. Effects of menstrual cycle phase on cocaine self-administration in rhesus macaques. Horm Behav 2013; 63:105-13. [PMID: 23098805 PMCID: PMC3540131 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2012] [Revised: 10/10/2012] [Accepted: 10/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological findings suggest that men and women vary in their pattern of cocaine use resulting in differences in cocaine dependence and relapse rates. Preclinical laboratory studies have demonstrated that female rodents are indeed more sensitive to cocaine's reinforcing effects than males, with estrous cycle stage as a key determinant of this effect. The current study sought to extend these findings to normally cycling female rhesus macaques, a species that shares a nearly identical menstrual cycle to humans. Dose-dependent intravenous cocaine self-administration (0.0125, 0.0250, and 0.0500 mg/kg/infusion) using a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement was determined across the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle was divided into 5 discrete phases - menses, follicular, periovulatory, luteal, and late luteal phases - verified by the onset of menses and plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone. Dependent variables including number of infusions self-administered per session, progressive ratio breakpoint, and cocaine intake were analyzed according to cocaine dose and menstrual cycle phase. Analysis of plasma hormone levels verified phase-dependent fluctuations of estradiol and progesterone, with estrogen levels peaking during the periovulatory phase, and progesterone peaking during the luteal phase. Progressive ratio breakpoint, infusions self-administered, and cocaine intake did not consistently vary based on menstrual cycle phase. These findings demonstrate that under the current experimental parameters, the reinforcing effects of cocaine did not vary across the menstrual cycle in a systematic fashion in normally cycling rhesus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziva D Cooper
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Substance Use Research Center, 1051 Riverside Dr., Unit 66, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Smith MA, Lynch WJ. Exercise as a potential treatment for drug abuse: evidence from preclinical studies. Front Psychiatry 2012; 2:82. [PMID: 22347866 PMCID: PMC3276339 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2011] [Accepted: 12/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies reveal that individuals who engage in regular aerobic exercise are less likely to use and abuse illicit drugs. Until recently, very few studies had examined the causal influences that mediate this relationship, and it was not clear whether exercise was effective at reducing substance use and abuse. In the past few years, several preclinical studies have revealed that exercise reduces drug self-administration in laboratory animals. These studies have revealed that exercise produces protective effects in procedures designed to model different transitional phases that occur during the development of, and recover from, a substance use disorder (e.g., acquisition, maintenance, escalation, and relapse/reinstatement of drug use). Moreover, recent studies have revealed several behavioral and neurobiological consequences of exercise that may be responsible for its protective effects in these assays. Collectively, these studies have provided convincing evidence to support the development of exercise-based interventions to reduce compulsive patterns of drug intake in clinical and at-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson CollegeDavidson, NC, USA
| | - Wendy J. Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of VirginiaCharlottesville, VA, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Harriet de Wit
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, S Maryland Avenue, MC3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA, Tel: +1 773 702 1537, Fax: +1 773 834 7698, E-mail:
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