Blockade of dopamine d4 receptors attenuates reinstatement of extinguished nicotine-seeking behavior in rats

Exploring Structural Determinants of Bias among D4 Subtype-Selective Dopamine Receptor Agonists

The high affinity dopamine D₄ receptor ligand APH199 and derivatives thereof exhibit bias toward the G_i signaling pathway over β-arrestin recruitment compared to quinpirole. Based on APH199, two novel groups of D₄ subtype selective ligands were designed and evaluated, in which the original benzyl phenylsemicarbazide substructure was replaced by either a biphenylmethyl urea or a biphenyl urea moiety. Functional assays revealed a range of different bias profiles among the newly synthesized compounds, namely, with regard to efficacy, potency, and GRK2 dependency, in which bias factors range from 1 to over 300 and activation from 15% to over 98% compared to quinpirole. These observations demonstrate that within bias, an even more precise tuning toward a particular profile is possible, which─in a general sense─could become an important aspect in future drug development. Docking studies enabled further insight into the role of the ECL2 and the EPB in the emergence of bias, thereby taking advantage of the diversity of functionally selective D₄ agonists now available.

Double dissociation of perirhinal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and dopamine D2 receptors in modulation of object memory consolidation by nicotine, cocaine and their conditioned stimuli

There are indications that drug conditioned stimuli (CS) may activate neurochemical systems of memory modulation that are activated by the drugs themselves. To directly test this hypothesis, a cholinergic nicotinic receptor antagonist (mecamylamine; MEC: 0, 10 or 30 µg/side) and a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist (l-741,626: 0, 0.63, 2.5 µg/side) were infused in the perirhinal cortex (PRh) to block modulation of object recognition memory consolidation induced by 0.4 mg/kg nicotine, 20 mg/kg cocaine, or their CSs. To establish these CSs, male Sprague-Dawley rats were confined for 2 h in a chamber, the CS+, after injections of 0.4 mg/kg nicotine, or 20 mg/kg cocaine, and in another chamber, the CS-, after injections of vehicle. This was repeated over 10 days (5 drug/CS+ and 5 vehicle/CS- pairings in total). It was found that the memory enhancing action of post-sample nicotine was blocked by intra-PRh infusions of both MEC doses, and 30 µg/side MEC also blocked the memory enhancing action of the nicotine CS. Interestingly, intra-PRh MEC did not block the memory enhancing effect of cocaine, nor that of the cocaine CS. In contrast, the memory enhancing action of post-sample cocaine administration was blocked by both l-741,626 doses, and 2.5 µg/side also blocked the effect of the cocaine CS, but not the memory effects of nicotine or of the nicotine CS. This functional double dissociation strongly indicates that drug CSs modulate memory consolidation by activating neural systems that are activated by the drugs themselves.

Behavioural effects of APH199, a selective dopamine D4 receptor agonist, in animal models

RATIONALE

The dopamine D4 receptors (DRD4) play a key role in numerous brain functions and are involved in the pathogenesis of various psychiatric disorders. DRD4 ligands have been shown to moderate anxiety, reward and depression-like behaviours, and cognitive impairments. Despite a series of promising but ambiguous findings, the therapeutic advantages of DRD4 stimulation remain elusive.

OBJECTIVES

The investigation focused on the behavioural effects of the recently developed DRD4 agonist, APH199, to evaluate its impact on anxiety, anhedonia, behavioural despair, establishment and retrieval of alcohol reinforcement, and amphetamine (AMPH)-induced symptoms.

METHODS

Male C57BL/6 J mice and Sprague-Dawley rats were examined in five independent experiments. We assessed APH199 (0.1-5 mg/kg, i.p.) effects on a broad range of behavioural parameters in the open field (OF) test, conditioned place preference test (CPP), elevated plus maze (EPM), light-dark box (LDB), novelty suppressed feeding (NSF), forced swim test (FST), sucrose preference test (SPT), AMPH-induced hyperlocomotion test (AIH), and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response in AMPH-sensitized rats.

RESULTS

APH199 caused mild and sporadic anxiolytic and antidepressant effects in EPM and FST, but no remarkable impact on behaviour in other tests in mice. However, we found a significant increase in AMPH-induced hyperactivity, suggesting an exaggeration of the psychotic-like responses in the AMPH-sensitized rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data challenged the hypothesis of the therapeutic benefits of DRD4 agonists, pointing out a possible aggravation of psychosis. We suggest a need for further preclinical studies to ensure the safety of antipsychotics with DRD4 stimulating properties.

Dopamine D4 Receptor Is a Regulator of Morphine-Induced Plasticity in the Rat Dorsal Striatum

Long-term exposition to morphine elicits structural and synaptic plasticity in reward-related regions of the brain, playing a critical role in addiction. However, morphine-induced neuroadaptations in the dorsal striatum have been poorly studied despite its key function in drug-related habit learning. Here, we show that prolonged treatment with morphine triggered the retraction of the dendritic arbor and the loss of dendritic spines in the dorsal striatal projection neurons (MSNs). In an attempt to extend previous findings, we also explored whether the dopamine D4 receptor (D4R) could modulate striatal morphine-induced plasticity. The combined treatment of morphine with the D4R agonist PD168,077 produced an expansion of the MSNs dendritic arbors and restored dendritic spine density. At the electrophysiological level, PD168,077 in combination with morphine altered the electrical properties of the MSNs and decreased their excitability. Finally, results from the sustantia nigra showed that PD168,077 counteracted morphine-induced upregulation of μ opioid receptors (MOR) in striatonigral projections and downregulation of G protein-gated inward rectifier K+ channels (GIRK1 and GIRK2) in dopaminergic cells. The present results highlight the key function of D4R modulating morphine-induced plasticity in the dorsal striatum. Thus, D4R could represent a valuable pharmacological target for the safety use of morphine in pain management.

Recent findings leading to the discovery of selective dopamine D4 receptor ligands for the treatment of widespread diseases

Since its discovery, the dopamine D₄ receptor (D₄R) has been suggested to be an attractive target for the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases. Novel findings have renewed the interest in such a receptor as an emerging target for the management of different diseases, including cancer, Parkinson's disease, alcohol or substance use disorders, eating disorders, erectile dysfunction and cognitive deficits. The recently resolved crystal structures of D₄R in complexes with the potent ligands nemonapride and L-745870 strongly improved the knowledge on the molecular mechanisms involving the D₄R functions and may help medicinal chemists in drug design. This review is focused on the recent development of the subtype selective D₄R ligands belonging to classical or new chemotypes. Moreover, ligands showing functional selectivity toward G protein activation or β-arrestin recruitment and the effects of selective D₄R ligands on the above-mentioned diseases are discussed.

How do stupendous cannabinoids modulate memory processing via affecting neurotransmitter systems?

In the present study, we wanted to review the role of cannabinoids in learning and memory in animal models, with respect to their interaction effects with six principal neurotransmitters involved in learning and memory including dopamine, glutamate, GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), serotonin, acetylcholine, and noradrenaline. Cannabinoids induce a wide-range of unpredictable effects on cognitive functions, while their mechanisms are not fully understood. Cannabinoids in different brain regions and in interaction with different neurotransmitters, show diverse responses. Previous findings have shown that cannabinoids agonists and antagonists induce various unpredictable effects such as similar effect, paradoxical effect, or dualistic effect. It should not be forgotten that brain neurotransmitter systems can also play unpredictable roles in mediating cognitive functions. Thus, we aimed to review and discuss the effect of cannabinoids in interaction with neurotransmitters on learning and memory. In addition, we mentioned to the type of interactions between cannabinoids and neurotransmitter systems. We suggested that investigating the type of interactions is a critical neuropharmacological issue that should be considered in future studies.

Lack of dopamine D4 receptor participation in mouse hyperdopaminergic locomotor response

Chronic methamphetamine (METH) treatment induces behavioral sensitization in rodents. During this process, hyperactivation of the mesolimbic dopamine system plays a central role, and dopamine D2-like receptor-based antipsychotics are known to alleviate the behavioral hyperactivity. The atypical antipsychotic, clozapine (Clz), acts partially as a dopamine D4 receptor (D4R) antagonist and mitigates hyperdopaminergic drug addiction and/or comorbid psychotic symptoms; however, it remains unclear whether D4R blockade contributes to the therapeutic effects of Clz. Here, we evaluated the potential role of D4R in regulating hyperdopaminergia-induced behavioral hyperactivity in METH behavioral sensitization and dopamine transporter (DAT) knockdown (KD) mice. Clz or a D4R-selective antagonist, L-745,870, were co-administered to mice with daily METH in a METH sensitization model, and Clz or L-745,870 were administered alone in a DAT KD hyperactivity model. Locomotor activity and accumbal D4R expression were analyzed. Clz suppressed both the initiation and expression of METH behavioral sensitization, as well as DAT KD hyperactivity. However, repetitive Clz treatment induced tolerance to the suppression effect on METH sensitization initiation. In contrast, D4R inhibition by L-745,870 had no effect on METH sensitization or DAT KD hyperactivity. Accumbal D4R expression was similar between METH-sensitized mice with and without Clz co-treatment. In sum, our results suggest the mesolimbic D4R does not participate in behavioral sensitization encoded by hyperdopaminergia, a finding which likely extends to the therapeutic effects of Clz. Therefore, molecular targets other than D4R should be prioritized in the development of future therapeutics for treatment of hyperdopaminergia-dependent neuropsychiatric disorders.

Underlying Susceptibility to Eating Disorders and Drug Abuse: Genetic and Pharmacological Aspects of Dopamine D4 Receptors

The dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) has a predominant expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), brain area strictly involved in the modulation of reward processes related to both food and drug consumption. Additionally, the human DRD4 gene is characterized by a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in the exon 3 and, among the polymorphic variants, the 7-repeat (7R) allele appears as a contributing factor in the neurobiological mechanisms underlying drug abuse, aberrant eating behaviors and related comorbidities. The 7R variant encodes for a receptor with a blunted intracellular response to dopamine, and carriers of this polymorphism might be more tempted to enhance dopamine levels in the brain, through the overconsumption of drugs of abuse or palatable food, considering their reinforcing properties. Moreover, the presence of this polymorphism seems to increase the susceptibility of individuals to engage maladaptive eating patterns in response to negative environmental stimuli. This review is focused on the role of DRD4 and DRD4 genetic polymorphism in these neuropsychiatric disorders in both clinical and preclinical studies. However, further research is needed to better clarify the complex DRD4 role, by using validated preclinical models and novel compounds more selective for DRD4.

Dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) polymorphisms with reduced functional potency intensify atrophy in syndrome-specific sites of frontotemporal dementia

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to understand the impact of dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) polymorphisms on neurodegeneration in patients with dementia. We hypothesized that DRD4dampened-variants with reduced functional potency would be associated with greater atrophy in regions with higher receptor density. Given that DRD4 is concentrated in anterior regions of the limbic and cortical forebrain we anticipated genotype effects in patients with a more rostral pattern of neurodegeneration.

METHODS

337 subjects, including healthy controls, patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) underwent genotyping, structural MRI, and cognitive/behavioral testing. We conducted whole-brain voxel-based morphometry to examine the relationship between DRD4 genotypes and brain atrophy patterns within and across groups. General linear modeling was used to evaluate relationships between genotype and cognitive/behavioral measures.

RESULTS

DRD4 dampened-variants predicted gray matter atrophy in disease-specific regions of FTD in anterior cingulate, ventromedial prefrontal, orbitofrontal and insular cortices on the right greater than the left. Genotype predicted greater apathy and repetitive motor disturbance in patients with FTD. These results covaried with frontoinsular cortical atrophy. Peak atrophy patterned along regions of neuroanatomic vulnerability in FTD-spectrum disorders. In AD subjects and controls, genotype did not impact gray matter intensity.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that DRD4 polymorphisms with reduced functional potency exacerbate neuronal injury in sites of higher receptor density, which intersect with syndrome-specific regions undergoing neurodegeneration in FTD.

Neurobiological and Neurophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Nicotine Seeking and Smoking Relapse

Tobacco-related morbidity and mortality continue to be a significant public health concern. Unfortunately, current FDA-approved smoking cessation pharmacotherapies have limited efficacy and are associated with high rates of relapse. Therefore, a better understanding of the neurobiological and neurophysiological mechanisms that promote smoking relapse is needed to develop novel smoking cessation medications. Here, we review preclinical studies focused on identifying the neurotransmitter and neuromodulator systems that mediate nicotine relapse, often modeled in laboratory animals using the reinstatement paradigm, as well as the plasticity-dependent neurophysiological mechanisms that facilitate nicotine reinstatement. Particular emphasis is placed on how these neuroadaptations relate to smoking relapse in humans. We also highlight a number of important gaps in our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying nicotine reinstatement and critical future directions, which may lead toward the development of novel, target pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation.

Understanding the implications of the biobehavioral basis of nicotine addiction and its impact on the efficacy of treatment

INTRODUCTION

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. There are efficacious behavioral and pharmacological options for smoking cessation including three FDA approved therapies - nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline and bupropion. Nevertheless, uptake of smoking cessation treatments continues to be poor and there is a need for novel smoking cessation treatments. Areas covered: This article reviews the biobehavioral basis of nicotine addiction, its implications for smoking cessation treatments, the various neurotransmitter systems involved in nicotine addictive effects, and their potential therapeutic value. Included are discussions around the role of genetic factors in predicting response to pharmacotherapy and what we know about appropriate application of pharmacotherapy and behavioral interventions for tobacco use disorder. The evidence for harm reduction measures in individuals who are not willing or able to quit smoking is also reviewed. Expert commentary: Many neurotransmitter system targets have been investigated as a result of our understanding of the underlying neurobiology of tobacco use disorder, and there remain important targets that have yet to be fully explored. rTMS or combination therapies are proposed as possible novel strategies to improve smoking cessation.

Selective Inhibition of Amygdala Neuronal Ensembles Encoding Nicotine-Associated Memories Inhibits Nicotine Preference and Relapse

BACKGROUND

Nicotine craving and relapse often occurs after reactivation of nicotine reward memories. We recently developed a memory retrieval-reconsolidation interference procedure in which reactivating nicotine reward memories by acute exposure to nicotine (the unconditioned stimulus [UCS]) and then pharmacologically interfering with memory reconsolidation decreased relapse to nicotine seeking in rats and nicotine craving in smokers. Here, we investigated underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

In the first series of experiments, we trained rats for nicotine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) or nicotine self-administration and ventricularly microinjected them with the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin immediately after UCS-induced memory retrieval. In the second series of experiments, we used tyramide-amplified immunohistochemistry-fluorescence in situ hybridization to examine neural ensembles in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) reactivated by nicotine conditioned stimulus- or UCS-induced memory retrieval. We then used the Daun02 chemogenetic inactivation procedure to selectively inhibit the nicotine UCS-reactivated BLA neuronal ensembles.

RESULTS

Ventricular injections of the anisomycin immediately after nicotine UCS memory retrieval inhibited subsequent nicotine CPP and relapse to operant nicotine seeking after short or prolonged abstinence. More important, within BLA, distinct neuronal ensembles encoded pavlovian CPP and operant self-administration reward memories and nicotine (the UCS) injections in the home cage reactivated both neuronal ensembles. Daun02 chemogenetic inactivation of the nicotine-reactivated ensembles inhibited both nicotine CPP and relapse to nicotine seeking.

CONCLUSIONS

Results demonstrate that the nicotine UCS-induced memory retrieval manipulation reactivates multiple nicotine reward memories that are encoded by distinct BLA neuronal ensembles that play a role in nicotine preference and relapse.

Dopamine D4 receptor stimulation prevents nigrostriatal dopamine pathway activation by morphine: relevance for drug addiction

Morphine is one of the most effective drugs used for pain management, but it is also highly addictive. Morphine elicits acute and long-term adaptive changes at cellular and molecular level in the brain, which play a critical role in the development of tolerance, dependence and addiction. Previous studies indicated that the dopamine D₄ receptor (D₄ R) activation counteracts morphine-induced adaptive changes of the μ opioid receptor (MOR) signaling in the striosomes of the caudate putamen (CPu), as well as the induction of several Fos family transcription factors. Thus, it has been suggested that D₄ R could play an important role avoiding some of the addictive effects of morphine. Here, using different drugs administration paradigms, it is determined that the D₄ R agonist PD168,077 prevents morphine-induced activation of the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway and morphological changes of substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) dopamine neurons, leading to a restoration of dopamine levels and metabolism in the CPu. Results from receptor autoradiography indicate that D₄ R activation modulates MOR function in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) and the striosomes of the CPu, suggesting that these regions are critically involved in the modulation of SNc dopamine neuronal function through a functional D₄ R/MOR interaction. In addition, D₄ R activation counteracts the rewarding effects of morphine, as well as the development of hyperlocomotion and physical dependence without any effect on its analgesic properties. These results provide a novel role of D₄ R agonist as a pharmacological strategy to prevent the adverse effects of morphine in the treatment of pain.

Effect of Selective Inhibition of Reactivated Nicotine-Associated Memories With Propranolol on Nicotine Craving

IMPORTANCE

A relapse into nicotine addiction during abstinence often occurs after the reactivation of nicotine reward memories, either by acute exposure to nicotine (a smoking episode) or by smoking-associated conditioned stimuli (CS). Preclinical studies suggest that drug reward memories can undergo memory reconsolidation after being reactivated, during which they can be weakened or erased by pharmacological or behavioral manipulations. However, translational clinical studies using CS-induced memory retrieval-reconsolidation procedures to decrease drug craving reported inconsistent results.

OBJECTIVE

To develop and test an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)-induced retrieval-reconsolidation procedure to decrease nicotine craving among people who smoke.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A translational rat study and human study in an academic outpatient medical center among 96 male smokers (aged 18- 45 years) to determine the association of propranolol administration within the time window of memory reconsolidation (after retrieval of the nicotine-associated memories by nicotine UCS exposure) with relapse to nicotine-conditioned place preference (CPP) and operant nicotine seeking in rats, and measures of preference to nicotine-associated CS and nicotine craving among people who smoke.

INTERVENTION

The study rats were injected noncontingently with the UCS (nicotine 0.15 mg/kg, subcutaneous) in their home cage, and the human study participants administered a dose of propranolol (40 mg, per os; Zhongnuo Pharma).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Nicotine CPP and operant nicotine seeking in rats, and preference and craving ratings for newly learned and preexisting real-life nicotine-associated CS among people who smoke.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine male smokers completed the experiment and were included for statistical analysis: 24 in the group that received placebo plus 1 hour plus UCS, 23 who received propranolol plus 1 hour plus UCS, and 22 who received UCS plus 6 hours plus propranolol. In rat relapse models, propranolol injections administered immediately after nicotine UCS-induced memory retrieval inhibited subsequent nicotine CPP and operant nicotine seeking after short (CPP, d = 1.72, 95% CI, 0.63-2.77; operant seeking, d = 1.61, 95% CI, 0.59-2.60) or prolonged abstinence (CPP, d = 1.46, 95% CI, 0.42-2.47; operant seeking: d = 1.69, 95% CI, 0.66-2.69), as well as nicotine priming-induced reinstatement of nicotine CPP (d = 1.28, 95% CI, 0.27-2.26) and operant nicotine seeking (d = 1.61, 95% CI, 0.59-2.60) after extinction. Among the smokers, oral propranolol administered prior to nicotine UCS-induced memory retrieval decreased subsequent nicotine preference induced by newly learned nicotine CS (CS1, Cohen d = 0.61, 95% CI, 0.02-1.19 and CS2, d = 0.69, 95% CI, 0.10-1.28, respectively), preexisting nicotine CS (d = 0.57, 95% CI, -0.02 to 1.15), and nicotine priming (CS1, d = 0.82, 95% CI, 0.22-1.41 and CS2, d = 0.78, 95% CI, 0.18-1.37, respectively; preexisting nicotine CS, d = 0.92, 95% CI, 0.31-1.52), as well as nicotine craving induced by the preexisting nicotine CS (d = 0.64, 95% CI, 0.05-1.22), and nicotine priming (d = 1.15, 95% CI, 0.52-1.76).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In rat-to-human translational study, a novel UCS-induced memory retrieval-reconsolidation interference procedure inhibited nicotine craving induced by exposure to diverse nicotine-associated CS and nicotine itself. This procedure should be studied further in clinical trials.

Nicotine self-administration research: the legacy of Steven R. Goldberg and implications for regulation, health policy, and research

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

Steven R. Goldberg was a pioneering behavioral pharmacologist whose intravenous drug self-administration studies advanced the understanding of conditioned stimuli and schedules of reinforcement as determinants of pattern and persistence of drug-seeking behavior, and in particular, the importance of nicotine in tobacco use. His passing in 2014 led to invitations to contribute articles to psychopharmacology dedicated to his work.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this review are to summarize and put into historical perspective Goldberg's contributions to elucidate the reinforcing effects of nicotine and to summarize the implications of his research for medication development, tobacco regulation, and potential tobacco control policy options. This includes a review of intravenous nicotine self-administration research from the 1960s to 2016.

RESULTS

Goldberg's application of behavioral pharmacology methods to investigate nicotine reinforcement and the influence of schedule of reinforcement and conditioned stimuli on nicotine administration contributed to the conclusions of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Surgeon General, that nicotine met the criteria as a dependence-producing drug and cigarette smoking as a prototypic drug dependency or "addiction." Equally important, this work has been systematically extended to other species and applied to address a range of factors relevant to tobacco use, medication development, regulation, and public health policy.

CONCLUSIONS

Steven R. Goldberg was a pioneering scientist whose systematic application of the science of behavioral pharmacology advanced the understanding of tobacco and nicotine use and contributed to the scientific foundation for tobacco product regulation and potential public health tobacco control policy development.

Temporal Rewiring of Striatal Circuits Initiated by Nicotine

Drug addiction has been conceptualized as maladaptive recruitment of integrative circuits coursing through the striatum, facilitating drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior. The aim of this study was to define temporal neuroadaptations in striatal subregions initiated by 3 weeks of intermittent nicotine exposure followed by protracted abstinence. Enhanced rearing activity was assessed in motor activity boxes as a measurement of behavioral change induced by nicotine (0.36 mg/kg), whereas electrophysiological field potential recordings were performed to evaluate treatment effects on neuronal activity. Dopamine receptor mRNA expression was quantified by qPCR, and nicotine-induced dopamine release was measured in striatal subregions using in vivo microdialysis. Golgi staining was performed to assess nicotine-induced changes in spine density of medium spiny neurons. The data presented here show that a brief period of nicotine exposure followed by abstinence leads to temporal changes in synaptic efficacy, dopamine receptor expression, and spine density in a subregion-specific manner. Nicotine may thus initiate a reorganization of striatal circuits that continues to develop despite protracted abstinence. We also show that the response to nicotine is modulated in previously exposed rats even after 6 months of abstinence. The data presented here suggests that, even though not self-administered, nicotine may produce progressive neuronal alterations in brain regions associated with goal-directed and habitual performance, which might contribute to the development of compulsive drug seeking and the increased vulnerability to relapse, which are hallmarks of drug addiction.

The agranular and granular insula differentially contribute to gambling-like behavior on a rat slot machine task: effects of inactivation and local infusion of a dopamine D4 agonist on reward expectancy

RATIONALE

Rats, like humans, are susceptible to the reinforcing effects of reward-related stimuli presented within a compound stimulus array, putatively analogous to the so-called near-miss effect. We have previously demonstrated using a rodent slot machine task (rSMT) that the reward expectancy these stimuli elicit is critically mediated by the dopamine D4 receptor. D4 receptors are principally located in prefrontal regions activated during slot machine play in humans, such as the insular cortex. The insula has recently attracted considerable interest as it appears to play a crucial role in substance and behavioral addictions. However, the insula is a heterogeneous area, and the relative contributions of subregions to addictive behaviors are unclear.

METHODS

Male Long Evans rats were trained to perform the rSMT, and then bilateral cannula targeting either the granular or agranular insula were implanted. The effects of inactivation and local administration of a D4 agonist were investigated.

RESULTS

Temporary inactivation of the agranular, but not the granular insula impaired performance on the rSMT. In contrast, local infusion of the D4 agonist PD168077 into the agranular insula had no effect on task performance, but when administered into the granular insula, it improved animals' ability to differentiate winning from non-winning trials. The agranular insula may therefore modulate decision making when conflicting stimuli are present, potentially due to its role in generating a cohesive emotional percept based on both externally and internally generated signals, whereas the granular insular is not critical for this process. Nevertheless, D4 receptors within the granular insula may amplify the incentive salience of aversive environmental stimuli.

DISCUSSION

These data provide insight into the neurobiological mechanism underpinning maladaptive reward expectancy during gambling and provide further evidence that D4 receptors represent a potential target for developing pharmacotherapies for problem gambling.

A Novel Class of Dopamine D4 Receptor Ligands Bearing an Imidazoline Nucleus

Over the years, the 2-substituted imidazoline nucleus has been demonstrated to be a bioversatile structural motif. In this study, novel imidazoline derivatives bearing a 3- and/or 4-hydroxy- or methoxy-substituted phenyl ring, linked by an ethylene bridge to position 2 of an N-benzyl- or N-phenethyl-substituted imidazoline nucleus, were prepared and studied against D2 -like receptor subtypes. Binding studies highlighted that a set of N-phenethylimidazoline compounds are selective for D4 over D2 and D3 receptors. In functional assays, the 3-methoxy-substituted derivative, endowed with the highest D4 affinity value, and its 3-hydroxy analogue behaved as partial agonists with low intrinsic efficacy and as competitive D4 antagonists when tested in the presence of the D2 -like receptor agonist quinpirole. Molecular docking analysis, performed using a homology model of the human D4 receptor developed using the X-ray crystal structure of the antagonist-bound human D3 receptor as a template, was in accordance with the binding results and provided useful information for the design of novel imidazoline D4 receptor ligands based on this new scaffold.

Elucidating the role of D4 receptors in mediating attributions of salience to incentive stimuli on Pavlovian conditioned approach and conditioned reinforcement paradigms

The power of drug-associated cues to instigate drug 'wanting' and consequently promote drug seeking is a corner stone of contemporary theories of addiction. Gambling disorder has recently been added to the pantheon of addictive disorders due to the phenomenological similarities between the diseases. However, the neurobiological mechanism that may mediate increased sensitivity towards conditioned stimuli in addictive disorders is unclear. We have previously demonstrated using a rodent analogue of a simple slot machine that the dopamine D4 receptor is critically engaged in controlling animals' attribution of salience to stimuli associated with reward in this paradigm, and consequently may represent a target for the treatment of gambling disorder. Here, we investigated the role of acute administration of a D4 receptor agonist on animals' responsivity to conditioned stimuli on both a Pavlovian conditioned approach (autoshaping) and a conditioned reinforcement paradigm. Following training on one of the two tasks, separate cohorts of rats (male and female) were administered a dose of PD168077 shown to be maximally effective at precipitating errors in reward expectancy on the rat slot machine task (10mg/kg). However, augmenting the activity of the D4 receptors in this manner did not alter behaviour on either task. These data therefore provide novel evidence that the D4 receptor does not alter incentive motivation in response to cues on simple behavioural tasks.

Neuroscience of nicotine for addiction medicine: novel targets for smoking cessation medications

Morbidity and mortality associated with tobacco smoking constitutes a significant burden on healthcare budgets all over the world. Therefore, promoting smoking cessation is an important goal of health professionals and policy makers throughout the world. Nicotine is a major psychoactive component in tobacco that is largely responsible for the widespread addiction to tobacco. A majority of the currently available FDA-approved smoking cessation medications act via neuronal nicotinic receptors. These medications are effective in approximately half of all the smokers, who want to quit and relapse among abstinent smokers continues to be high. In addition to relapse among abstinent smokers, unpleasant effects associated with nicotine withdrawal are a major motivational factor in continued tobacco smoking. Over the last two decades, animal studies have helped in identifying several neural substrates that are involved in nicotine-dependent behaviors including those associated with nicotine withdrawal and relapse to tobacco smoking. In this review, first the role of specific brain regions/circuits that are involved in nicotine dependence will be discussed. Next, the review will describe the role of specific nicotinic receptor subunits in nicotine dependence. Finally, the review will discuss the role of classical neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, glutamate, and γ-aminobutyric acid) as well as endogenous opioid and endocannabinoid signaling in nicotine dependence. The nicotinic and nonnicotinic neural substrates involved in nicotine-dependent behaviors can serve as possible targets for future smoking cessation medications.

The Impact of Selective Dopamine D2, D3 and D4 Ligands on the Rat Gambling Task

Gambling is an addictive disorder with serious societal and personal costs. To-date, there are no approved pharmacological treatments for gambling disorder. Evidence suggests a role for dopamine in gambling disorder and thus may provide a therapeutic target. The present study therefore aimed to investigate the effects of selective antagonists and agonists of D2, D3 and D4 receptors in a rodent analogue of the Iowa gambling task used clinically. In this rat gambling task (rGT), animals are trained to associate different response holes with different magnitudes and probabilities of food pellet rewards and punishing time-out periods. As in the Iowa gambling task, the optimal strategy is to avoid the tempting high-risk high-reward options, and instead favor those linked to smaller per-trial rewards but also lower punishments, thereby maximizing the amount of reward earned over time. Administration of those selective ligands did not affect decision making under the rGT. Only the D4 drug had modest effects on latency measures suggesting that D4 may contribute in some ways to decision making under this task.

Nicotine and ethanol co-use in Long-Evans rats: Stimulatory effects of perinatal exposure to a fat-rich diet

Clinical studies demonstrate frequent co-existence of nicotine and alcohol abuse and suggest that this may result, in part, from the ready access to and intake of fat-rich diets. Whereas animal studies show that high-fat diet intake in adults can enhance the consumption of either nicotine or ethanol and that maternal consumption of a fat-rich diet during pregnancy increases operant responding for nicotine in offspring, little is known about the impact of dietary fat on the co-abuse of these two drugs. The goal of this study was to test in Long-Evans rats the effects of perinatal exposure to fat on the co-use of nicotine and ethanol, using a novel paradigm that involves simultaneous intravenous (IV) self-administration of these two drugs. Fat- vs. chow-exposed offspring were characterized and compared, first in terms of their nicotine self-administration behavior, then in terms of their nicotine/ethanol self-administration behavior, and lastly in terms of their self-administration of ethanol in the absence of nicotine. The results demonstrate that maternal consumption of fat compared to low-fat chow during gestation and lactation significantly stimulates nicotine self-administration during fixed-ratio testing. It also increases nicotine/ethanol self-administration during fixed-ratio and dose-response testing, with BEC elevated to 120 mg/dL, and causes an increase in breakpoint during progressive ratio testing. Of particular note is the finding that rats perinatally exposed to fat self-administer significantly more of the nicotine/ethanol mixture as compared to nicotine alone, an effect not evident in the chow-control rats. After removal of nicotine from the nicotine/ethanol mixture, this difference between the fat- and chow-exposed rats was lost, with both groups failing to acquire the self-administration of ethanol alone. Together, these findings suggest that perinatal exposure to a fat-rich diet, in addition to stimulating self-administration of nicotine, causes an even greater vulnerability to the excessive co-use of nicotine and ethanol.

Dopamine D3 receptors as a therapeutic target for methamphetamine dependence

BACKGROUND

Methamphetamine (MA) use disorders are major public health problems nationally and worldwide and treatment remains an unmet need.

OBJECTIVES

(1) To review preclinical and clinical studies identifying the dopamine D3 receptor as a therapeutic target for substance use disorders (SUDs), including MA dependence, (2) to consider buspirone (Buspar®) as a potential medication based on its dopamine D3 receptor antagonist properties, and (3) to evaluate the safety and initial efficacy of buspirone in a pilot study of MA-dependent individuals.

METHODS

Literature on the dopamine D3 receptor as a therapeutic target and on the potential of buspirone as a novel therapy for MA dependence was reviewed. The cardiovascular and subjective effects of intravenous MA challenge were assessed in five non-treatment seeking individuals. Participants met DSM-IV criteria for MA dependence and were treated subacutely (9 days) with buspirone (60 mg daily).

RESULTS

The literature identified the dopamine D3 receptor as a therapeutic target for MA dependence, a safe and approved medication, and a valuable opportunity to re-purpose buspirone for treating MA dependence and perhaps other SUDs. Pilot data (n = 5) indicated that buspirone is safe in MA-using individuals and comparison against historical placebo data from this laboratory suggested that at least some aspects of the subjective properties of MA may be diminished during buspirone treatment.

CONCLUSION

Future studies should include a small-scale, placebo-controlled Phase IIa trial of buspirone in MA dependence.

Neurobiological Bases of Cue- and Nicotine-induced Reinstatement of Nicotine Seeking: Implications for the Development of Smoking Cessation Medications

A better understanding of the neurobiological factors that contribute to relapse to smoking is needed for the development of efficacious smoking cessation medications. Reinstatement procedures allow the preclinical assessment of several factors that contribute to relapse in humans, including re-exposure to nicotine via tobacco smoking and the presentation of stimuli that were previously associated with nicotine administration (i.e., conditioned stimuli). This review provides an integrated discussion of the results of animal studies that used reinstatement procedures to assess the efficacy of pharmacologically targeting various neurotransmitter systems in attenuating the cue- and nicotine-induced reinstatement of nicotine seeking. The results of these animal studies have increased our understanding of the neurobiological processes that mediate the conditioned effects of stimuli that trigger reinstatement to nicotine seeking. Thus, these findings provide important insights into the neurobiological substrates that modulate relapse to tobacco smoking in humans and the ongoing search for novel efficacious smoking cessation medications.

Dopamine D3 receptors in the basolateral amygdala and the lateral habenula modulate cue-induced reinstatement of nicotine seeking

Dopamine D3 receptors are implicated in cue-induced relapse to drug seeking. We have previously shown that systemic administration of a selective D3 antagonist reduces cue-induced reinstatement of nicotine seeking in rats. The current study sought to investigate potential neural substrates mediating this effect. The D3 antagonist SB-277011-A (0.01-1 μg/0.5 μl/side) infused into the basolateral amygdala or the lateral habenula, but not the nucleus accumbens, significantly attenuated cue-induced reinstatement of nicotine seeking. Moreover, infusion of SB-277011-A (1 μg/0.5 μl/side) into the basolateral amygdala or lateral habenula had no effect on food self-administration. Together with the finding that systemic SB-277011-A had no effect on extinction responding, this suggests that the effects observed here were on reinstatement and cue seeking, and not due to nonspecific motor activation or contextual-modified residual responding. The further finding of binding of [(125)I]7-OH-PIPAT to D3 receptors in the lateral habenula and in the basolateral amygdala is consistent with an important role of D3 receptors in these areas in nicotine seeking. It was also found that systemic administration of the selective D2 antagonist L741626 decreased cue-induced reinstatement, consistent with a role of D2 and D3 receptors in modulating this behavior. The current study supports an important role for D3 receptors in the basolateral amygdala and lateral habenula in cue-induced reinstatement.

Role of cues and contexts on drug-seeking behaviour

Environmental stimuli are powerful mediators of craving and relapse in substance-abuse disorders. This review examined how animal models have been used to investigate the cognitive mechanisms through which cues are able to affect drug-seeking behaviour. We address how animal models can describe the way drug-associated cues come to facilitate the development and persistence of drug taking, as well as how these cues are critical to the tendency to relapse that characterizes substance-abuse disorders. Drug-associated cues acquire properties of conditioned reinforcement, incentive motivation and discriminative control, which allow them to influence drug-seeking behaviour. Using these models, researchers have been able to investigate the pharmacology subserving the behavioural impact of environmental stimuli, some of which we highlight. Subsequently, we examine whether the impact of drug-associated stimuli can be attenuated via a process of extinction, and how this question is addressed in the laboratory. We discuss how preclinical research has been translated into behavioural therapies targeting substance abuse, as well as highlight potential developments to therapies that might produce more enduring changes in behaviour.

Administration of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists ABT-089 and ABT-107 attenuates the reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior in rats

Current smoking cessation pharmacotherapies have modest efficacy, and most smokers relapse within the first few days after a quit attempt. Nicotine withdrawal-induced craving and cognitive impairments predict smoking relapse during abstinence and suggest that cognitive-enhancing drugs may prevent relapse. ABT-089 and ABT-107 are subtype-selective nAChR agonists that improve cognitive performance in laboratory animals. However, there are no studies examining the effects of ABT-089 and ABT-107 on nicotine self-administration and the reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior, an animal model of relapse in human smokers. The goal of the present study was to determine the effects of the α4β2*/α6β2* nAChR agonist ABT-089 and the α7 nAChR agonist ABT-107 on nicotine taking and seeking in rats. The effects of acute ABT-089 and ABT-107 pretreatment on nicotine self-administration and reinstatement were tested in male Sprague Dawley rats. Parallel studies of ABT-089 and ABT-107 on sucrose self-administration and reinstatement were tested in separate groups of rats to determine if the effects of these drug treatments generalized to other reinforced behaviors. Nicotine and sucrose self-administration behaviors were not altered following acute administration of ABT-089 (0, 0.12, 1.2 and 12.0mg/kg) or ABT-107 (0, 0.03 and 0.3mg/kg). In contrast, both ABT-089 and ABT-107 pretreatment dose-dependently attenuated nicotine reinstatement. These effects were reinforcer-specific as no effects of ABT-089 or ABT-107 pretreatment on sucrose seeking were noted. Taken together, these findings suggest that ABT-089 and ABT-107 do not affect nicotine consumption, but may reduce the likelihood that a smoking lapse will lead to relapse.

Therapeutic doses of buspirone block D3 receptors in the living primate brain

Dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) antagonists may be effective medications for multiple substance use disorders (SUDs). However, no selective D3R antagonists are currently available for clinical testing. Buspirone, originally characterized as a 5-HT1A partial agonist and used as an anxiolytic, also binds to D3R and D4R with high affinity, with lower affinity to D2R, and interferes with cocaine reward. Here we used PET with [11C]PHNO (D3R-preferring radioligand), [11C]raclopride (D2R/D3R radioligand) and [11C]NNC-112 (D1R radioligand) to measure occupancy of oral and parenteral buspirone in the primate brain. Intramuscular buspirone (0.19 and 0.5 mg/kg) blocked both [11C]PHNO and [11C]raclopride binding to striatum, exhibiting high occupancy (50-85%) at 15 min and rapid wash-out over 2-6 h. In contrast, oral buspirone (3 mg/kg) significantly blocked [11C]PHNO binding in D3-rich regions (globus pallidum and midbrain) at 3 h, but had minimal effects on [11C]raclopride binding (28-37% at 1 h and 10% at 3 h). Buspirone did not block [11C]NNC-112. Our findings provide evidence that i.m. buspirone blocks D3R and D2R, whereas oral buspirone is more selective towards D3R blockade in vivo, consistent with extensive first pass metabolism and supporting the hypothesis that its metabolites (5- and 6'-hydroxybuspirone) merit evaluation for treating SUDs. They also indicate that for oral buspirone to achieve greater than 80% sustained D3R occupancy, as might be needed to treat addiction, higher doses (at least three-fold) than those used to treat anxiety (maximal 60 mg) will be required. Nonetheless, based on previous clinical studies, these doses would be safe and well tolerated.

Donepezil, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, attenuates nicotine self-administration and reinstatement of nicotine seeking in rats

Nicotine craving and cognitive impairments represent core symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and predict relapse in abstinent smokers. Current smoking cessation pharmacotherapies have limited efficacy in preventing relapse and maintaining abstinence during withdrawal. Donepezil is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that has been shown previously to improve cognition in healthy non-treatment-seeking smokers. However, there are no studies examining the effects of donepezil on nicotine self-administration and/or the reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior in rodents. The present experiments were designed to determine the effects of acute donepezil administration on nicotine taking and the reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior, an animal model of relapse in abstinent human smokers. Moreover, the effects of acute donepezil administration on sucrose self-administration and sucrose seeking were also investigated in order to determine whether donepezil's effects generalized to other reinforced behaviors. Acute donepezil administration (1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated nicotine, but not sucrose self-administration maintained on a fixed-ratio 5 schedule of reinforcement. Donepezil administration also dose-dependently attenuated the reinstatement of both nicotine- and sucrose-seeking behaviors. Commonly reported adverse effects of donepezil treatment in humans are nausea and vomiting. However, at doses required to attenuate nicotine self-administration in rodents, no effects of donepezil on nausea/malaise as measured by pica were observed. Collectively, these results indicate that increased extracellular acetylcholine levels are sufficient to attenuate nicotine taking and seeking in rats and that these effects are not due to adverse malaise symptoms such as nausea.

A selective role for dopamine D₄ receptors in modulating reward expectancy in a rodent slot machine task

BACKGROUND

Cognitive distortions regarding gambling outcomes confer vulnerability to pathological gambling. Using a rat slot machine task (rSMT), we previously demonstrated that the nonspecific D₂ agonist quinpirole enhances erroneous expectations of reward on near-miss trials, suggesting a pivotal role for the D₂ receptor family in mediating the near-miss effect. Identifying which receptor subtype is involved could facilitate treatment development for compulsive slot machine play.

METHODS

Thirty-two male Long Evans rats learned the rSMT. Three flashing lights could be set to on or off. A win was signaled if all three lights were set to on, whereas any other light pattern indicated a loss. Rats then chose between responding on the collect lever, which delivered 10 sugar pellets on win trials but a 10-second time penalty on loss trials, or to start a new trial instead. Performance was assessed following systemic administration of selective D₂, D₃, and D₄ receptor ligands.

RESULTS

The selective D₂ antagonist L-741,626, the D₃ antagonist SB-277011-A, and the D₃ agonist PD128,907 had no effect. In contrast, the selective D₄ agonist PD168077 partially mimicked quinpirole's effects, increasing erroneous collect responses on nonwin trials, whereas the D₄ antagonist L-745,870 improved the error rate. L-745,870 was also the only antagonist that could attenuate the deleterious effects of quinpirole.

CONCLUSIONS

The dopamine D₄ receptor is critically involved in signaling reward expectancy in the rSMT. The ability of L-745,870 to reduce the classification of losses as wins suggests that D₄ antagonists could be effective in treating problematic slot machine play.

Identification of a new selective dopamine D4 receptor ligand

The dopamine D4 receptor has been shown to play key roles in certain CNS pathologies including addiction to cigarette smoking. Thus, selective D4 ligands may be useful in treating some of these conditions. Previous studies in our laboratory have indicated that the piperazine analog of haloperidol exhibits selective and increased affinity to the DAD4 receptor subtype, in comparison to its piperidine analog. This led to further exploration of the piperazine moiety to identify new agents that are selective at the D4 receptor. Compound 27 (KiD4=0.84 nM) was the most potent of the compounds tested. However, it only had moderate selectivity for the D4 receptor. Compound 28 (KiD4=3.9 nM) while not as potent, was more discriminatory for the D4 receptor subtype. In fact, compound 28 has little or no binding affinity to any of the other four DA receptor subtypes. In addition, of the 23 CNS receptors evaluated, only two, 5HT1AR and 5HT2BR, have binding affinity constants better than 100 nM (Ki <100 nM). Compound 28 is a potentially useful D4-selective ligand for probing disease treatments involving the D4 receptor, such as assisting smoking cessation, reversing cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and treating erectile dysfunction. Thus, further optimization, functional characterization and evaluation in animal models may be warranted.

Dopamine D4 receptors in psychostimulant addiction

Since the cloning of the D4 receptor in the 1990s, interest has been building in the role of this receptor in drug addiction, given the importance of dopamine in addiction. Like the D3 receptor, the D4 receptor has limited distribution within the brain, suggesting it may have a unique role in drug abuse. However, compared to the D3 receptor, few studies have evaluated the importance of the D4 receptor. This may be due, in part, to the relative lack of compounds selective for the D4 receptor; the early studies were mainly conducted in mice lacking the D4 receptor. In this review, we summarize the literature on the structure and localization of the D4 receptor before reviewing the data from D4 knockout mice that used behavioral models relevant to the understanding of stimulant use. We also present evidence from more recent pharmacological studies using selective D4 agonists and antagonists and animal models of drug-seeking and drug-taking. The data summarized here suggest a role for D4 receptors in relapse to stimulant use. Therefore, treatments based on antagonism of the D4 receptor may be useful treatments for relapse to nicotine, cocaine, and amphetamine use.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) agonists as promising new medications for drug addiction: preclinical evidence

This review examines the growing literature on the role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in addiction. There are two subtypes of PPAR receptors that have been studied in addiction: PPAR-α and PPAR-γ. The role of each PPAR subtype in common models of addictive behavior, mainly pre-clinical models, is summarized. In particular, studies are reviewed that investigated the effects of PPAR-α agonists on relapse, sensitization, conditioned place preference, withdrawal and drug intake, and effects of PPAR-γ agonists on relapse, withdrawal and drug intake. Finally, studies that investigated the effects of PPAR agonists on neural pathways of addiction are reviewed. Taken together these preclinical data indicate that PPAR agonists are promising new medications for drug addiction treatment.

Stimulation of nicotine reward and central cholinergic activity in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed perinatally to a fat-rich diet

RATIONALE

While clinical studies show maternal consumption of palatable fat-rich diets during pregnancy to negatively impact the children's behaviors and increase their vulnerability to drug abuse, the precise behavioral and neurochemical mechanisms mediating these phenomena have yet to be examined.

OBJECTIVE

The study examined in rats whether gestational exposure to a high-fat diet (HFD) can increase the offspring's propensity to use nicotine and whether disturbances in central nicotinic cholinergic signaling accompany this behavioral effect.

METHODS

Rat offspring exposed perinatally to a HFD or chow diet were characterized in terms of their nicotine self-administration behavior in a series of operant response experiments and the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and density of nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) in different brain areas.

RESULT

Perinatal HFD compared to chow exposure increased nicotine-self administration behavior during fixed ratio and dose-response testing and caused an increase in breakpoint using progressive ratio testing, while nicotine seeking in response to nicotine prime-induced reinstatement was reduced. This behavioral change induced by the HFD was associated with a significant reduction in activity of AChE in the midbrain, hypothalamus, and striatum and increased density of β2-nAChRs in the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra and of α7-nAChRs in the lateral and ventromedial hypothalamus.

CONCLUSIONS

Perinatal exposure to a HFD increases the vulnerability of the offspring to excessive nicotine use by enhancing its reward potential, and these behavioral changes are accompanied by a stimulation of nicotinic cholinergic signaling in mesostriatal and hypothalamic brain areas important for reinforcement and consummatory behavior.

Nicotine modulation of adolescent dopamine receptor signaling and hypothalamic peptide response

Adolescence is a sensitive developmental period for limbic and dopamine systems that coincides with the typical age for onset of tobacco use. We have previously shown that a 4-day, low-dose nicotine (0.06 mg/kg) pretreatment enhances locomotor and penile response to the D2-like agonist, quinpirole (0.4 mg/kg), in adolescent but not adult rats. The present study is designed to determine mechanisms underlying this effect. Nicotine enhancement of adolescent quinpirole-induced locomotion was mediated by D2 receptors (D2Rs) since it was blocked by the D2R antagonist, L-741,626, but not by the D3R and D4R antagonists, NGB 2904 and L-745,870. Enhancement of quinpirole-induced erectile response was blocked by both L-741,626 and NGB 2904, indicating involvement of D3Rs. Whereas D2R binding was unaffected by adolescent nicotine pretreatment, effector coupling in the striatum was increased, as determined by GTPγS binding. Nicotine pretreatment enhanced quinpirole-induced c-fos mRNA expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei in adolescents only. Adolescent nicotine pretreatment enhanced c-fos mRNA expression in corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) cells of the paraventricular nucleus, and enhancement of penile erection was blocked by the CRF-1 receptor antagonist, CP 376,396. These findings suggest that adolescent dopamine and CRF systems are vulnerable to alteration by nicotine. This is the first evidence for a role of CRF in adolescent erectile response.

Effects of chronic buspirone treatment on nicotine and concurrent nicotine+cocaine self-administration

Nicotine dependence and cocaine abuse are major public health problems, and most cocaine abusers also smoke cigarettes. An ideal pharmacotherapy would reduce both cigarette smoking and cocaine abuse. Buspirone (Buspar) is a clinically available, non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic medication that acts on serotonin and dopamine systems. In preclinical studies, it reduced cocaine self-administration following both acute and chronic treatment in rhesus monkeys. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of chronic buspirone treatment on self-administration of intravenous (IV) nicotine and IV nicotine+cocaine combinations. Five cocaine-experienced adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained to self-administer nicotine or nicotine+cocaine combinations, and food pellets (1 g) during four 1-h daily sessions under a second-order schedule of reinforcement (FR 2 (VR16:S)). Each nicotine+cocaine combination maintained significantly higher levels of drug self-administration than nicotine or cocaine alone (P<0.05-0.001). Buspirone (0.032-0.56 mg/kg/h) was administered IV through one lumen of a double-lumen catheter every 20 min for 23 h each day, for 7-10 consecutive days. Each 7-10-day sequence of buspirone treatment was followed by saline-control treatment for at least 3 days until food- and drug-maintained responding returned to baseline. Buspirone dose-dependently reduced responding maintained by nicotine alone (0.001-0.1 mg/kg/inj; P<0.01) and by nicotine (0.001 or 0.0032 mg/kg/inj)+cocaine combinations (0.0032 mg/kg/inj; P<0.05-0.001) with no significant effects on food-maintained responding. We conclude that buspirone selectively attenuates the reinforcing effects of nicotine alone and nicotine+cocaine polydrug combinations in a nonhuman primate model of drug self-administration.

Electrical stimulation of the insular region attenuates nicotine-taking and nicotine-seeking behaviors

Pharmacological inactivation of the granular insular cortex is able to block nicotine-taking and -seeking behaviors in rats. In this study, we explored the potential of modulating activity in the insular region using electrical stimulation. Animals were trained to self-administer nicotine (0.03 mg/kg per infusion) under a fixed ratio-5 (FR-5) schedule of reinforcement followed by a progressive ratio (PR) schedule. Evaluation of the effect of stimulation in the insular region was performed on nicotine self-administration under FR-5 and PR schedules, as well on reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior induced by nicotine-associated cues or nicotine-priming injections. The effect of stimulation was also examined in brain slices containing insular neurons. Stimulation significantly attenuated nicotine-taking, under both schedules of reinforcement, as well as nicotine-seeking behavior induced by cues and priming. These effects appear to be specific to nicotine-associated behaviors, as stimulation did not have any effect on food-taking behavior. They appear to be anatomically specific, as stimulation surrounding the insular region had no effect on behavior. Stimulation of brain slices containing the insular region was found to inactivate insular neurons. Our results suggest that deep brain stimulation to modulate insular activity should be further explored.

Modification of cocaine self-administration by buspirone (buspar®): potential involvement of D3 and D4 dopamine receptors

Converging lines of evidence indicate that elevations in synaptic dopamine levels play a pivotal role in the reinforcing effects of cocaine, which are associated with its abuse liability. This evidence has led to the exploration of dopamine receptor blockers as pharmacotherapy for cocaine addiction. While neither D1 nor D2 receptor antagonists have proven effective, medications acting at two other potential targets, D3 and D4 receptors, have yet to be explored for this indication in the clinic. Buspirone, a 5-HT1A partial agonist approved for the treatment of anxiety, has been reported to also bind with high affinity to D3 and D4 receptors. In view of this biochemical profile, the present research was conducted to examine both the functional effects of buspirone on these receptors and, in non-human primates, its ability to modify the reinforcing effects of i.v. cocaine in a behaviourally selective manner. Radioligand binding studies confirmed that buspirone binds with high affinity to recombinant human D3 and D4 receptors (∼98 and ∼29 nm respectively). Live cell functional assays also revealed that buspirone, and its metabolites, function as antagonists at both D3 and D4 receptors. In behavioural studies, doses of buspirone that had inconsistent effects on food-maintained responding (0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg i.m.) produced a marked downward shift in the dose-effect function for cocaine-maintained behaviour, reflecting substantial decreases in self-administration of one or more unit doses of i.v. cocaine in each subject. These results support the further evaluation of buspirone as a candidate medication for the management of cocaine addiction.

Extinction bursts in rats trained to self-administer nicotine or food in 1-h daily sessions

Extinction bursts are characterized by a temporary increase in responding when drug access is withheld from rats trained to self-administer drugs of abuse. Thus far, one study has examined extinction bursts for nicotine self-administration using a 23-h access paradigm [1]. Here we examined extinction bursts using previously published and unpublished data in which rats were trained to self-administer nicotine (0.03mg/kg/infusion) or food pellets (as a comparator) in 1-h sessions under an FR5 schedule of reinforcement followed by 1-h extinction sessions. Analysis of response rates during nicotine self-administration (NSA) was indicative of a loading phase, as response rates were significantly higher at the beginning of the session, which was not observed for food self-administration. At the start of extinction for both food and nicotine, although sessional response rates did not increase, there was an increase in response rate during the first 5-min of the first extinction session relative to self-administration. This transient extinction burst following nicotine was observed in a minority of subjects and correlated with the number of nicotine infusions obtained during self-administration. This transient extinction burst following food was observed in all subjects. Nicotine and food produce more transient extinction bursts compared to other drugs of abuse and only for a minority of animals in the case of nicotine. This study supports the presence of a loading phase in rats trained to self-administer nicotine in 1-r daily sessions and the presence of a transient extinction burst.

Galantamine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and positive allosteric modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, attenuates nicotine taking and seeking in rats

Current smoking cessation pharmacotherapies have limited efficacy in preventing relapse and maintaining abstinence during withdrawal. Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor that also acts as a positive allosteric modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Galantamine has recently been shown to reverse nicotine withdrawal-induced cognitive impairments in mice, which suggests that galantamine may function to prevent relapse in human smokers. However, there are no studies examining whether galantamine administration modulates nicotine self-administration and/or reinstatement of nicotine seeking in rodents. The present experiments were designed to determine the effects of galantamine administration on nicotine taking and reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior, an animal model of relapse. Moreover, the effects of galantamine on sucrose-maintained responding and sucrose seeking were also examined to determine whether galantamine's effects generalized to other reinforced behaviors. An inverted U-shaped dose-response curve was obtained when animals self-administered different unit doses of nicotine with the highest responding for 0.03 mg/kg per infusion of nicotine. Acute galantamine administration (5.0 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuated nicotine self-administration when animals were maintained on either a fixed-ratio 5 (FR5) or progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. Galantamine administration also attenuated the reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior. No significant effects of galantamine on sucrose self-administration or sucrose reinstatement were noted. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have also been shown to produce nausea and vomiting in humans. However, at doses required to attenuate nicotine self-administration, no effects of galantamine on nausea/malaise as measured by pica were noted. These results indicate that increased extracellular acetylcholine levels and/or nicotinic acetylcholine receptor stimulation is sufficient to attenuate nicotine taking and seeking in rats and that these effects are reinforcer selective and not due to adverse malaise symptoms such as nausea.

Medication discovery for addiction: translating the dopamine D3 receptor hypothesis

The dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) has been investigated as a potential target for medication development to treat substance use disorders (SUDs) with a particular focus on cocaine and methamphetamine. Currently, there are no approved medications to treat cocaine and methamphetamine addiction and thus developing pharmacotherapeutics to complement existing behavioral strategies is a fundamental goal. Novel compounds with high affinity and D3R selectivity have been evaluated in numerous animal models of drug abuse and favorable outcomes in nonhuman primate models of self-administration and relapse have provided compelling evidence to advance these agents into the clinic. One approach is to repurpose drugs that share the D3R mechanism and already have clinical utility, and to this end buspirone has been identified as a viable candidate for clinical trials. A second, but substantially more resource intensive and risky approach involves the development of compounds that exclusively target D3R, such as GSK598809 and PG 619. Clinical investigation of these drugs or other novel D3R-selective agents will provide a better understanding of the role D3R plays in addiction and whether or not antagonists or partial agonists that are D3R selective are effective in achieving abstinence in this patient population.

Nicotine-taking and nicotine-seeking in C57Bl/6J mice without prior operant training or food restriction

The ability to examine genetically engineered mice in a chronic intravenous (IV) nicotine self-administration paradigm will be a powerful tool for investigating the contribution of specific genes to nicotine reinforcement and more importantly, to relapse behavior. Here we describe a reliable model of nicotine-taking and -seeking behavior in male C57BL/6J mice without prior operant training or food restriction. Mice were allowed to self-administer either nicotine (0.03mg/kg/infusion) or saline in 2-h daily sessions under fixed ratio 1 (FR1) followed by FR2 schedules of reinforcement. In the nicotine group, a dose-response curve was measured after the nose-poke behavior stabilized. Subsequently, nose-poke behavior was extinguished and ability of cue presentations, priming injections of nicotine, or intermittent footshock to reinstate responding was assessed in both groups. C57BL/6J mice given access to nicotine exhibited high levels of nose-poke behavior and self-administered a high number of infusions as compared to mice given access to saline. After this acquisition phase, changing the unit-dose of nicotine resulted in a flat dose-response curve for nicotine-taking and subsequently reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior was achieved by both nicotine-associated light cue presentation and intermittent footshock. Nicotine priming injections only triggered significant reinstatement on the second consecutive day of priming. In contrast, mice previously trained to self-administer saline did not increase their responding under those conditions. These results demonstrate the ability to produce nicotine-taking and nicotine-seeking behavior in naive C57BL/6J mice without both prior operant training and food restriction. Future work will utilize these models to evaluate nicotine-taking and relapsing behavior in genetically-altered mice.