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Li Q, Yu ZP, Li YG, Tang ZH, Hu YF, Wang MJ, Shen HW. Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing of orbitofrontal cortex in rat model of methamphetamine-induced sensitization. Neurosci Lett 2024; 841:137953. [PMID: 39214331 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2024.137953] [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: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The behavioral sensitization, characterized by escalated behavioral responses triggered by recurrent exposure to psychostimulants, involves neurobiological mechanisms that are brain-region and cell-type specific. Enduring neuroadaptive changes have been observed in response to methamphetamine (METH) within the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the cell-type specific transcriptional alterations in response to METH sensitization remain understudied. In this study, we utilized Single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) to profile the gene expression changes in the OFC of a rat METH sensitization model. The analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) unveiled cell-type specific transcriptional reactions associated with METH sensitization, with the most significant alterations documented in microglial cells. Bioinformatic investigations revealed that distinct functional and signaling pathways enriched in microglia-specific DEGs majorly involved in macroautophagy processes and the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate ionotropic glutamate receptors (NMDAR). To validate the translational relevance of our findings, we analyzed our snRNA-seq data in conjunction with a transcriptomic study of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and a large-scale Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) from multiple externalizing phenotypes related to drug addiction. The validation analysis confirmed the consistent expression changes of key microglial DEGs in human METH addiction. Moreover, the integration with GWAS data revealed associations between addiction risk genes and the DEGs observed in specific cell types, particularly microglia and excitatory neurons. Our study highlights the importance of cell-type specific transcriptional alterations in the OFC in the context of METH sensitization and their potential translational relevance to human drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Li
- Department of Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, 818 Fenghua Rd, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Zhi-Peng Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, 818 Fenghua Rd, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China; Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Ningbo University, 818 Fenghua Rd, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Yan-Guo Li
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Zi-Hang Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, 818 Fenghua Rd, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Yong-Feng Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, 818 Fenghua Rd, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China
| | - Ma-Jie Wang
- Department of psychiatry, Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201, China
| | - Hao-Wei Shen
- Department of Pharmacology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, 818 Fenghua Rd, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315211, China; Department of psychiatry, Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315201, China.
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Lee JG, Li Y, Kim NJ, Jang HB, Yang CH, Kim HY, Yoon SS, Chang S, Jeong SJ, Kim SC, Sa BS, Lee BH. A synergistic effect of herb and acupuncture on the methamphetamine. Integr Med Res 2024; 13:101052. [PMID: 39219986 PMCID: PMC11364119 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2024.101052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Herbal medicine Ja-Geum-Jeong (JGJ) has been used for the treatment of detoxification in Eastern Asia. However, the mechanisms involved are not clearly defined. The purpose of the present study was to investigate if herb medication inhibits Methamphetamine (METH)'s reinforcing effect and also examined if a combination of herb medication and acupuncture produces a synergistic effect on METH. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given acute METH intraperitoneally and the locomotor activity and ultrasonic vocalization (USV) calls were measured. Rats were administered JGJ orally and acupuncture was given at HT7 or SI5. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists were injected into the Central amygdala (CeA) to investigate a possible neuroscientific mechanism. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) were measured to immunohistochemically and electrically confirm the behavioral data. Results Locomotor activity and USV calls were increased by METH (P < 0.05) and these increases were inhibited by JGJ (P < 0.05). Also, JGJ had no effect on the normal group given saline, and acupuncture at SI5 acupoint, but not at HT7 acupoint, produced a synergistic effect when combined with JGJ (P < 0.05). The JGJ's inhibition was blocked by the inactivation of CeA (P < 0.05), and MSG mimicked JGJ (P < 0.05). TH and FSCV measures showed the same pattern with the behavioral data (P < 0.05). Conclusion Results of the present study suggest that JGJ had inhibitory effects on the METH which was mediated through the activation of CeA and that combination of acupuncture and herb produced synergistic effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Gyeom Lee
- Department of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Herbal Convergence on Liver Disease, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuchi Li
- China Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, PR China
| | - Nam Jun Kim
- Department of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Herbal Convergence on Liver Disease, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Han Byeol Jang
- Department of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Herbal Convergence on Liver Disease, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Chae Ha Yang
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Young Kim
- Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Shoon Yoon
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Suchan Chang
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon-Ju Jeong
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Chan Kim
- Research Center for Herbal Convergence on Liver Disease, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
- Department of Herbal Formula, College of Biomedical Science, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Bok Suk Sa
- Chung Shin Herbal Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong Hyo Lee
- Department of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
- Research Center for Herbal Convergence on Liver Disease, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan, Republic of Korea
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3
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Campbell RR, Lobo MK. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychostimulant use. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2023; 83:102786. [PMID: 37776675 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102786] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Rates of individuals struggling with psychostimulant use disorder (PSUD), defined as chronic use of psychostimulants despite negative consequences, are growing rapidly over the last few decades. However, there are no current pharmacotherapeutics to aid individuals in maintaining drug abstinence. Identifying the underlying neurobiological mechanisms that promote persistent craving and taking of psychostimulants is critical to creating novel pharmacological treatments for PSUD. Psychostimulant use dysregulates processes within the brain that are responsible for decision-making, reward, and memory formation to drive future drug-seeking. Here, we describe novel findings and theories on how psychostimulants impact mechanisms related to transcription, mitochondrial function, and synaptic plasticity within the reward system to drive drug-seeking. We also highlight work examining how psychostimulants impact neural networks through rewiring circuitry to drive addiction-related behaviors. Overall, this review aims to feature the latest progress in understanding the biological basis of PSUD and promising mechanisms for PSUD pharmacotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rianne R Campbell
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. https://twitter.com/RianneThoughts
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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4
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Miao B, Xing X, Bazylianska V, Madden P, Moszczynska A, Zhang B. Methamphetamine-induced region-specific transcriptomic and epigenetic changes in the brain of male rats. Commun Biol 2023; 6:991. [PMID: 37758941 PMCID: PMC10533900 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05355-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychostimulant methamphetamine (METH) is neurotoxic to the brain and, therefore, its misuse leads to neurological and psychiatric disorders. The gene regulatory network (GRN) response to neurotoxic METH binge remains unclear in most brain regions. Here we examined the effects of binge METH on the GRN in the nucleus accumbens, dentate gyrus, Ammon's horn, and subventricular zone in male rats. At 24 h after METH, ~16% of genes displayed altered expression and over a quarter of previously open chromatin regions - parts of the genome where genes are typically active - showed shifts in their accessibility. Intriguingly, most changes were unique to each area studied, and independent regulation between transcriptome and chromatin accessibility was observed. Unexpectedly, METH differentially impacted gene activity and chromatin accessibility within the dentate gyrus and Ammon's horn. Around 70% of the affected chromatin-accessible regions in the rat brain have conserved DNA sequences in the human genome. These regions frequently act as enhancers, ramping up the activity of nearby genes, and contain mutations linked to various neurological conditions. By sketching out the gene regulatory networks associated with binge METH in specific brain regions, our study offers fresh insights into how METH can trigger profound, region-specific molecular shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benpeng Miao
- Department of Developmental Biology, Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Center for Genomic Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Xiaoyun Xing
- Department of Genetics, Center for Genomic Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Viktoriia Bazylianska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Pamela Madden
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Anna Moszczynska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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5
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He T, Chen W, Fan Y, Xu X, Guo H, Li N, Lu X, Ge F, Guan X. A novel cholinergic projection from the lateral parabrachial nucleus and its role in methamphetamine-primed conditioned place preference. Brain Commun 2022; 4:fcac219. [PMID: 36213311 PMCID: PMC9536296 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcac219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug relapse is a big clinical challenge in the treatment of addiction, but its neural circuit mechanism is far from being fully understood. Here, we identified a novel cholinergic pathway from choline acetyltransferase-positive neurons in the external lateral parabrachial nucleus (eLPBChAT) to the GABAergic neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeAGABA) and explored its role in methamphetamine priming-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference. The anatomical structure and functional innervation of the eLPBChAT–CeAGABA pathway were investigated by various methods such as fluorescent micro-optical sectioning tomography, virus-based neural tracing, fibre photometry, patch-clamp and designer receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug. The role of the eLPBChAT–CeAGABA pathway in methamphetamine relapse was assessed using methamphetamine priming-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference behaviours in male mice. We found that the eLPBChAT neurons mainly projected to the central nucleus of the amygdala. A chemogenetic activation of the eLPBChAT neurons in vitro or in vivo triggered the excitabilities of the CeAGABA neurons, which is at least in part mediated via the cholinergic receptor system. Most importantly, the chemogenetic activation of either the eLPBChAT neurons or the eLPBChAT neurons that project onto the central nucleus of the amygdala decreased the methamphetamine priming-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference in mice. Our findings revealed a previously undiscovered cholinergic pathway of the eLPBChAT–CeAGABA and showed that the activation of this pathway decreased the methamphetamine priming-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Hao Guo
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Nanqin Li
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xue Lu
- Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Feifei Ge
- Correspondence may also be addressed to: Feifei Ge, PhD E-mail:
| | - Xiaowei Guan
- Correspondence to: Xiaowei Guan, MD, PhD Department of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine 138 Xianlin Rd, Nanjing, China E-mail:
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6
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Wang H, Dong X, Awan MUN, Bai J. Epigenetic mechanisms involved in methamphetamine addiction. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:984997. [PMID: 36091781 PMCID: PMC9458865 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.984997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH) is an illicit psychostimulant that is widely abused. The molecular mechanism of METH addiction is complicated and still unknown. METH causes the release of the neurotransmitters including dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine and serotonin, which activate various brain areas in the central nervous system. METH also induces synaptic plasticity and pathological memory enhancement. Epigenetics plays the important roles in regulating METH addiction. This review will briefly summarize the studies on epigenetics involved in METH addiction.
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7
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Anderson EM, Taniguchi M. Epigenetic Effects of Addictive Drugs in the Nucleus Accumbens. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:828055. [PMID: 35813068 PMCID: PMC9260254 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.828055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance use induces long-lasting behavioral changes and drug craving. Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic gene regulation contributes to the development and expression of these long-lasting behavioral alterations. Here we systematically review extensive evidence from rodent models of drug-induced changes in epigenetic regulation and epigenetic regulator proteins. We focus on histone acetylation and histone methylation in a brain region important for drug-related behaviors: the nucleus accumbens. We also discuss how experimentally altering these epigenetic regulators via systemically administered compounds or nucleus accumbens-specific manipulations demonstrate the importance of these proteins in the behavioral effects of drugs and suggest potential therapeutic value to treat people with substance use disorder. Finally, we discuss limitations and future directions for the field of epigenetic studies in the behavioral effects of addictive drugs and suggest how to use these insights to develop efficacious treatments.
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8
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Differential and long-lasting changes in neurotransmission in the amygdala of male Wistar rats during extended amphetamine abstinence. Neuropharmacology 2022; 210:109041. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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9
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Reply to: Multiple Comparisons and Inappropriate Statistical Testing Lead to Spurious Sex Differences in Gene Expression. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:e3-e5. [PMID: 34674832 PMCID: PMC9163995 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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10
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Epigenetic Regulatory Dynamics in Models of Methamphetamine-Use Disorder. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12101614. [PMID: 34681009 PMCID: PMC8535492 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (METH)-use disorder (MUD) is a very serious, potentially lethal, biopsychosocial disease. Exposure to METH causes long-term changes to brain regions involved in reward processing and motivation, leading vulnerable individuals to engage in pathological drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior that can remain a lifelong struggle. It is crucial to elucidate underlying mechanisms by which exposure to METH leads to molecular neuroadaptive changes at transcriptional and translational levels. Changes in gene expression are controlled by post-translational modifications via chromatin remodeling. This review article focuses on the brain-region specific combinatorial or distinct epigenetic modifications that lead to METH-induced changes in gene expression.
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11
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Campbell RR, Chen S, Beardwood JH, López AJ, Pham LV, Keiser AM, Childs JE, Matheos DP, Swarup V, Baldi P, Wood MA. Cocaine induces paradigm-specific changes to the transcriptome within the ventral tegmental area. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1768-1779. [PMID: 34155331 PMCID: PMC8357835 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01031-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
During the initial stages of drug use, cocaine-induced neuroadaptations within the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are critical for drug-associated cue learning and drug reinforcement processes. These neuroadaptations occur, in part, from alterations to the transcriptome. Although cocaine-induced transcriptional mechanisms within the VTA have been examined, various regimens and paradigms have been employed to examine candidate target genes. In order to identify key genes and biological processes regulating cocaine-induced processes, we employed genome-wide RNA-sequencing to analyze transcriptional profiles within the VTA from male mice that underwent one of four commonly used paradigms: acute home cage injections of cocaine, chronic home cage injections of cocaine, cocaine-conditioning, or intravenous-self administration of cocaine. We found that cocaine alters distinct sets of VTA genes within each exposure paradigm. Using behavioral measures from cocaine self-administering mice, we also found several genes whose expression patterns corelate with cocaine intake. In addition to overall gene expression levels, we identified several predicted upstream regulators of cocaine-induced transcription shared across all paradigms. Although distinct gene sets were altered across cocaine exposure paradigms, we found, from Gene Ontology (GO) term analysis, that biological processes important for energy regulation and synaptic plasticity were affected across all cocaine paradigms. Coexpression analysis also identified gene networks that are altered by cocaine. These data indicate that cocaine alters networks enriched with glial cell markers of the VTA that are involved in gene regulation and synaptic processes. Our analyses demonstrate that transcriptional changes within the VTA depend on the route, dose and context of cocaine exposure, and highlight several biological processes affected by cocaine. Overall, these findings provide a unique resource of gene expression data for future studies examining novel cocaine gene targets that regulate drug-associated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rianne R Campbell
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- UC Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Siwei Chen
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Joy H Beardwood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- UC Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Alberto J López
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lilyana V Pham
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- UC Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Ashley M Keiser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jessica E Childs
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- UC Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Dina P Matheos
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- UC Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Vivek Swarup
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Pierre Baldi
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Institute for Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Marcelo A Wood
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, School of Biological Sciences University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
- UC Irvine Center for Addiction Neuroscience, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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12
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Sepulveda M, Manning EE, Gogos A, Hale M, van den Buuse M. Long-term effects of young-adult methamphetamine on dorsal raphe serotonin systems in mice: Role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Brain Res 2021; 1762:147428. [PMID: 33737066 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
To assess the long-term effects of chronic adolescent methamphetamine (METH) treatment on the serotonin system in the brain, we used serotonin-1A receptor (5-HT1A) and serotonin transporter (SERT) autoradiography, and quantitative tryptophan-hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) immunohistochemistry in the raphe nuclei of mice. Because of the modulatory role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on the serotonin system and the effects of METH, we included both BDNF heterozygous (HET) mice and wildtype (WT) controls. Male and female mice of both genotypes were treated with an escalating METH dose regimen from the age of 6-9 weeks. At least two weeks later, acute locomotor hyperactivity induced by a 5 mg/kg D-amphetamine challenge was significantly enhanced in METH-pretreated mice, showing long-term sensitisation. METH pretreatment caused a small, but significant decrease of 5-HT1A receptor binding in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of males independent of genotype, but there were no changes in the median raphe nucleus (MRN) or in SERT binding density. METH treatment reduced the number of TPH2 positive cells in ventral subregions of the rostral and medial DRN independent of genotype. METH treatment selectively reduced DRN cell counts in BDNF HET mice compared to wildtype mice in medial and caudal ventrolateral subregions previously associated with panic-like behaviour. The data increase our understanding of the long-term and selective effects of METH on brain serotonin systems. These findings could be relevant for some of the psychosis-like symptoms associated with long-term METH use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Sepulveda
- Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Elizabeth E Manning
- Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Andrea Gogos
- Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Matthew Hale
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Australia; College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
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13
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Altshuler RD, Yang ES, Garcia KT, Davis IR, Olaniran A, Haile M, Razavi S, Li X. Role of orbitofrontal cortex in incubation of oxycodone craving in male rats. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12927. [PMID: 32570285 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
One of the main challenges in treating opioid-use disorders is relapse during abstinence, triggered by re-exposure to drug-associated cues. Previous studies have demonstrated that drug-seeking in rats progressively increases over time during withdrawal (incubation of drug craving). Here, we used male rats and examined neural mechanisms underlying incubation of craving to oxycodone, a commonly abused prescription opioid, and we focused on orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a brain region previously implicated in incubation of heroin craving. We first used neuronal activity marker Fos and measured neuronal activation in OFC (ventral and lateral OFC) associated with day-1 and day-15 relapse tests. Next, we determined the effect of pharmacological reversible inactivation of OFC on incubated oxycodone seeking on withdrawal day 15. Finally, we determined the effect of reversible inactivation of OFC on nonincubated oxycodone seeking on withdrawal day 1. We found that lever presses during relapse tests were higher on withdrawal day 15 than on withdrawal day 1 (incubation of oxycodone craving). Incubation of oxycodone craving is accompanied with a time-dependent increase of Fos protein expression in both ventral and lateral OFC. Lastly, OFC inactivation decreased oxycodone seeking on withdrawal day 15 but had no effect on withdrawal day 1. Together with the previous heroin study, results here show that OFC plays a critical role in incubation of opioid craving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D. Altshuler
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Eddy S. Yang
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Kristine T. Garcia
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Ian R. Davis
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Adedayo Olaniran
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Meron Haile
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Syrus Razavi
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology University of Maryland College Park College Park MD USA
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14
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Abstract
A growing body of evidence from the past 15 years implicates epigenetic mechanisms in the behavioral effects of addictive drugs. The main focus of these studies has been epigenetic mechanisms of psychomotor sensitization and drug reinforcement, as assessed by the conditioned place preference and drug self-administration procedures. Some of these studies have documented long-lasting changes in the expression of epigenetic enzymes and molecules that persist for weeks after the last drug exposure. These observations have inspired more recent investigations on the epigenetic mechanisms of relapse to drug seeking after prolonged abstinence. Here, we review studies that have examined epigenetic mechanisms (e.g., histone modifications, chromatin remodeler-associated modifications, and DNA methylation) that contribute to relapse to cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, morphine, heroin, nicotine, or alcohol seeking, as assessed in rodent models. We first provide a brief overview of studies that have examined persistent epigenetic changes in the brain after prolonged abstinence from noncontingent drug exposure or drug self-administration. Next, we review studies on the effect of either systemic or brain site-specific epigenetic manipulations on the reinstatement of drug-conditioned place preference after extinction of the learned preference, the reinstatement of drug seeking after operant drug self-administration and extinction of the drug-reinforced responding, and the incubation of drug craving (the time-dependent increase in drug seeking after cessation of drug self-administration). We conclude by discussing the implications of these studies for understanding mechanisms contributing to persistent relapse vulnerability after prolonged abstinence. We also discuss the implications of these results for translational research on the potential use of systemically administered epigenetic enzyme inhibitors for relapse prevention in human drug users.
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15
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Murray CH, Christian DT, Milovanovic M, Loweth JA, Hwang EK, Caccamise AJ, Funke JR, Wolf ME. mGlu5 function in the nucleus accumbens core during the incubation of methamphetamine craving. Neuropharmacology 2021; 186:108452. [PMID: 33444640 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have demonstrated that negative allosteric modulators (NAM) of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) reduce cocaine and methamphetamine seeking in extinction-reinstatement animal models of addiction. Less is known about effects of mGlu5 NAMs in abstinence models, particularly for methamphetamine. We used the incubation of drug craving model, in which cue-induced craving progressively intensifies after withdrawal from drug self-administration, to conduct the first studies of the following aspects of mGlu5 function in the rat nucleus accumbens (NAc) core during abstinence from methamphetamine self-administration: 1) functionality of the major form of synaptic depression in NAc medium spiny neurons, which is induced postsynaptically via mGlu5 and expressed presynaptically via cannabinoid type 1 receptors (CB1Rs), 2) mGlu5 surface expression and physical associations between mGlu5, Homer proteins, and diacylglycerol lipase-α, and 3) the effect of systemic and intra-NAc core administration of the mGlu5 NAM 3-((2-methyl-4-)ethynyl)pyridine (MTEP) on expression of incubated methamphetamine craving. We found that mGlu5/CB1R-dependent synaptic depression was lost during the rising phase of methamphetamine incubation but then recovered, in contrast to its persistent impairment during the plateau phase of incubation of cocaine craving. Furthermore, whereas the cocaine-induced impairment was accompanied by reduced mGlu5 levels and mGlu5-Homer associations, this was not the case for methamphetamine. Systemic MTEP reduced incubated methamphetamine seeking, but also reduced inactive hole nose-pokes and locomotion, while intra-NAc core MTEP had no significant effects. These findings provide the first insight into the role of mGlu5 in the incubation of methamphetamine craving and reveal differences from incubation of cocaine craving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor H Murray
- Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
| | - Daniel T Christian
- Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
| | - Mike Milovanovic
- Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
| | - Jessica A Loweth
- Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
| | - Eun-Kyung Hwang
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
| | - Aaron J Caccamise
- Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
| | - Jonathan R Funke
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
| | - Marina E Wolf
- Department of Neuroscience, The Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, 3333 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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16
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Altshuler RD, Lin H, Li X. Neural mechanisms underlying incubation of methamphetamine craving: A mini-review. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 199:173058. [PMID: 33250444 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cue-induced drug craving and seeking progressively increases during abstinence. This "incubation of drug craving" phenomenon has been observed in both laboratory animals and humans. Preclinical studies identified several neural mechanisms underlying incubation of drug craving after forced abstinence, primarily focusing on cocaine. Recently, studies started focusing on another powerful psychostimulant, methamphetamine (Meth), and developed new incubation procedures (choice-induced and punishment-induced abstinence). Here, we review mechanistic studies at the circuit, synaptic and molecular levels on incubation of Meth craving. First, we provide an overview of neural adaptations associated with prolonged forced abstinence after extended-access Meth self-administration. Next, we review studies examining the causal roles of discrete brain regions and associated circuits, glutamate transmission, histone deacetylase 5 and oxytocin in incubation of Meth craving after forced abstinence. Lastly, we review causal and correlational studies examining the mechanisms underlying incubation of Meth craving after choice-induced voluntary abstinence and punishment-induced abstinence, respectively. We conclude by discussing the translational potential of these mechanistic studies in Meth relapse prevention in human drug users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel D Altshuler
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America
| | - Hongyu Lin
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, United States of America.
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17
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Li X, Davis IR, Lofaro OM, Zhang J, Cimbro R, Rubio FJ. Distinct gene alterations between Fos-expressing striatal and thalamic neurons after withdrawal from methamphetamine self-administration. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01378. [PMID: 31364821 PMCID: PMC6749486 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methamphetamine (Meth) seeking progressively increases after withdrawal (incubation of Meth craving). We previously demonstrated a role of anterior intralaminar nucleus of thalamus (AIT) to dorsomedial striatum (DMS) projections in this incubation. Here, we examined molecular alterations in DMS and AIT neurons activated (identified by neuronal activity marker Fos) during "incubated" Meth-seeking relapse test after prolonged withdrawal. METHODS We trained male rats to self-administer Meth or saline (control condition) for 10 days (6 hr/day). Using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, we examined gene expression in Fos-positive (activated during a 2-hr relapse test) and Fos-negative (nonactivated) DMS and AIT neurons. RESULTS In DMS, we found increased mRNA expressions of immediate early genes (IEGs) (Arc, Egr1, Npas4, Fosb), Trkb, glutamate receptors subunits (Gria3, Grin1, Grin2b, Grm1), and epigenetic enzymes (Hdac3, Hdac5, Crebbp) in Fos-positive neurons, compared with Fos-negative neurons. In AIT, we found that fewer genes (Egr1, Fosb, TrkB, Grin1, and Hdac5) exhibited increased mRNA expression in Fos-positive neurons. Unexpectedly, in both brain regions, gene alterations described above also occurred in drug-naïve saline self-administration control rats. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrated that transcriptional regulations in Fos-positive neurons activated during the relapse tests are brain region-specific but are not uniquely associated with drug exposure during the self-administration training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland
| | - Ian R Davis
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland
| | - Olivia M Lofaro
- Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
| | - Raffaello Cimbro
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - F Javier Rubio
- Intramural Research Program, NIDA, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, Maryland
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18
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AMPA receptor and metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 adaptations in the nucleus accumbens core during incubation of methamphetamine craving. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1534-1541. [PMID: 31146278 PMCID: PMC6785134 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0425-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cue-induced drug craving progressively intensifies after withdrawal from self-administration of cocaine, methamphetamine, and other drugs of abuse, a phenomenon termed incubation of craving. For cocaine and methamphetamine, expression of incubated craving ultimately depends on strengthening of nucleus accumbens (NAc) synapses through an accumulation of high conductance Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors (CP-AMPARs) that is detectable with electrophysiological approaches. This study sought to further characterize glutamate receptor adaptations in NAc core during methamphetamine incubation. Previous biochemical studies revealed that the CP-AMPARs accumulating after cocaine incubation are mainly homomeric GluA1 receptors and that their accumulation is reflected by increased cell surface GluA1. Here, for methamphetamine, we observed no significant change in surface or total GluA1 (GluA2 and GluA3 were also unchanged). Nonetheless, GluA1 translation was elevated after incubation of methamphetamine craving, as recently found for cocaine. Additionally, for cocaine, we previously observed a withdrawal-dependent decrease in mGlu1 surface expression that precedes and enables CP-AMPAR accumulation and incubation of craving, reflecting weakening of mGlu1-dependent mechanisms that normally limit synaptic CP-AMPAR levels in the NAc core. Here, we observed no change in surface or total mGlu1 protein or its coupling to Homer scaffolding proteins after methamphetamine withdrawal, nor did elevation of mGlu1 tone through repeated injections of an mGlu1-positive allosteric modulator delay incubation of craving. These findings suggest a common role for increased GluA1 translation, but not decreased mGlu1 function, in the incubation of methamphetamine and cocaine craving. We speculate that increased GluA1 translation near synapses may drive formation and synaptic insertion of homomeric GluA1 receptors in the absence of detectable changes in GluA1 protein levels.
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19
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Jacobskind JS, Rosinger ZJ, Brooks ML, Zuloaga DG. Stress-induced neural activation is altered during early withdrawal from chronic methamphetamine. Behav Brain Res 2019; 366:67-76. [PMID: 30902659 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Chronic methamphetamine (MA) use can lead to increased symptoms of depression and anxiety during abstinence. Less is known about the specific brain regions that are altered following repeated MA that may be associated with these behavioral perturbations. Furthermore, MA has been reported to recruit and activate microglia in the brain, which may exacerbate stress-associated behavioral changes. In the present study, male and female mice were injected with MA (5 mg/kg) or saline once daily for 10 days, and during early withdrawal were assessed for alterations in immediate early gene (c-Fos) responses to a forced swim stressor. Chronic MA exposure increased floating and decreased swim time in the forced swim test in male and female mice tested 48 h after the final dose, indicating elevated depressive-like behavior. Furthermore, assessment of nest building, a measure of distress or despair-like behavior, revealed a sex-specific effect with only MA-treated females showing impairments. The c-Fos response to forced swim was attenuated by prior MA exposure in the central amygdala, CA3 hippocampal region, prefrontal cortex, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST). In the BST this attenuation occurred only in males. Neither the total number of microglia or activated microglia were altered by chronic MA exposure in regions examined. The primary findings indicate that chronic MA exposure attenuates activation of select stress-associated brain regions, a dysregulation that might contribute to alterations in mood-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason S Jacobskind
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Zachary J Rosinger
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Morgan L Brooks
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States
| | - Damian G Zuloaga
- University at Albany, Department of Psychology, Albany, NY 12222, United States.
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20
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Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Persistence of Drug Memories: Melting Transcriptomes. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:860-861. [PMID: 30466505 PMCID: PMC6338210 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
| | - R Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
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