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Hopf FW. Nucleus accumbens shell cholinergic interneurons potently drive binge alcohol drinking: A commentary on Sharma et al., 2024. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024. [PMID: 38811254 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Woodward Hopf
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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2
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Dilly GA, Blednov YA, Warden AS, Ezerskiy L, Fleischer C, Plotkin JD, Patil S, Osterndorff-Kahanek EA, Mayfield J, Mayfield RD, Homanics GE, Messing RO. Knockdown of Tlr3 in dorsal striatum reduces ethanol consumption and acute functional tolerance in male mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:437-448. [PMID: 38499210 PMCID: PMC11007683 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Systemic activation of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) signaling using poly(I:C), a TLR3 agonist, drives ethanol consumption in several rodent models, while global knockout of Tlr3 reduces drinking in C57BL/6J male mice. To determine if brain TLR3 pathways are involved in drinking behavior, we used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate a Tlr3 floxed (Tlr3F/F) mouse line. After sequence confirmation and functional validation of Tlr3 brain transcripts, we injected Tlr3F/F male mice with an adeno-associated virus expressing Cre recombinase (AAV5-CMV-Cre-GFP) to knockdown Tlr3 in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, or dorsal striatum (DS). Only Tlr3 knockdown in the DS decreased two-bottle choice, every-other-day (2BC-EOD) ethanol consumption. DS-specific deletion of Tlr3 also increased intoxication and prevented acute functional tolerance to ethanol. In contrast, poly(I:C)-induced activation of TLR3 signaling decreased intoxication in male C57BL/6J mice, consistent with its ability to increase 2BC-EOD ethanol consumption in these mice. We also found that TLR3 was highly colocalized with DS neurons. AAV5-Cre transfection occurred predominantly in neurons, but there was minimal transfection in astrocytes and microglia. Collectively, our previous and current studies show that activating or inhibiting TLR3 signaling produces opposite effects on acute responses to ethanol and on ethanol consumption. While previous studies, however, used global knockout or systemic TLR3 activation (which alter peripheral and brain innate immune responses), the current results provide new evidence that brain TLR3 signaling regulates ethanol drinking. We propose that activation of TLR3 signaling in DS neurons increases ethanol consumption and that a striatal TLR3 pathway is a potential target to reduce excessive drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey A Dilly
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Yuri A Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Anna S Warden
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Lubov Ezerskiy
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Caleb Fleischer
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Jesse D Plotkin
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Shruti Patil
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | | | - Jody Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Departments of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Neurobiology, and Pharmacology & Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States
| | - Robert O Messing
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States; Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
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3
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Starski P, Morningstar MD, Katner SN, Frasier RM, De Oliveira Sergio T, Wean S, Lapish CC, Hopf FW. Neural Activity in the Anterior Insula at Drinking Onset and Licking Relates to Compulsion-Like Alcohol Consumption. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1490232023. [PMID: 38242696 PMCID: PMC10904088 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1490-23.2023] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Much remains unknown about the etiology of compulsion-like alcohol drinking, where consumption persists despite adverse consequences. The role of the anterior insula (AIC) in emotion, motivation, and interoception makes this brain region a likely candidate to drive challenge-resistant behavior, including compulsive drinking. Indeed, subcortical projections from the AIC promote compulsion-like intake in rats and are recruited in heavy-drinking humans during compulsion for alcohol, highlighting the importance of and need for more information about AIC activity patterns that support aversion-resistant responding. Single-unit activity was recorded in the AIC from 15 male rats during alcohol-only and compulsion-like consumption. We found three sustained firing phenotypes, sustained-increase, sustained-decrease, and drinking-onset cells, as well as several firing patterns synchronized with licking. While many AIC neurons had session-long activity changes, only neurons with firing increases at drinking onset had greater activity under compulsion-like conditions. Further, only cells with persistent firing increases maintained activity during pauses in licking, suggesting roles in maintaining drive for alcohol during breaks. AIC firing was not elevated during saccharin drinking, similar to lack of effect of AIC inhibition on sweet fluid intake in many studies. In addition, we observed subsecond changes in AIC neural activity tightly entrained to licking. One lick-synched firing pattern (determined for all licks in a session) predicted compulsion-like drinking, while a separate lick-associated pattern correlated with greater consumption across alcohol intake conditions. Collectively, these data provide a more integrated model for the role of AIC firing in compulsion-like drinking, with important relevance for how the AIC promotes sustained motivated responding more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Starski
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
| | - Mitch D Morningstar
- Department of Psychology, IU-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
| | - Simon N Katner
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
| | - Raizel M Frasier
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
| | | | - Sarah Wean
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
| | - Christopher C Lapish
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, IU School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
| | - F Woodward Hopf
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis 46202, Indiana
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4
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Handel SN, Smith RJ. Making and breaking habits: Revisiting the definitions and behavioral factors that influence habits in animals. J Exp Anal Behav 2024; 121:8-26. [PMID: 38010353 PMCID: PMC10842199 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.889] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Habits have garnered significant interest in studies of associative learning and maladaptive behavior. However, habit research has faced scrutiny and challenges related to the definitions and methods. Differences in the conceptualizations of habits between animal and human studies create difficulties for translational research. Here, we review the definitions and commonly used methods for studying habits in animals and humans and discuss potential alternative ways to assess habits, such as automaticity. To better understand habits, we then focus on the behavioral factors that have been shown to make or break habits in animals, as well as potential mechanisms underlying the influence of these factors. We discuss the evidence that habitual and goal-directed systems learn in parallel and that they seem to interact in competitive and cooperative manners. Finally, we draw parallels between habitual responding and compulsive drug seeking in animals to delineate the similarities and differences in these behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia N Handel
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Rachel J Smith
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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5
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Timme NM, Ardinger CE, Weir SDC, Zelaya-Escobar R, Kruger R, Lapish CC. Non-consummatory behavior signals predict aversion-resistant alcohol drinking in head-fixed mice. Neuropharmacology 2024; 242:109762. [PMID: 37871677 PMCID: PMC10872650 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109762] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
A key facet of alcohol use disorder is continuing to drink alcohol despite negative consequences (so called "aversion-resistant drinking"). In this study, we sought to assess the degree to which head-fixed mice exhibit aversion-resistant drinking and to leverage behavioral analysis techniques available in head-fixture to relate non-consummatory behaviors to aversion-resistant drinking. We assessed aversion-resistant drinking in head-fixed female and male C57BL/6 J mice. We adulterated 20% (v/v) alcohol with varying concentrations of the bitter tastant quinine to measure the degree to which mice would continue to drink despite this aversive stimulus. We recorded high-resolution video of the mice during head-fixed drinking, tracked body parts with machine vision tools, and analyzed body movements in relation to consumption. Female and male head-fixed mice exhibited heterogenous levels of aversion-resistant drinking. Additionally, non-consummatory behaviors, such as paw movement and snout movement, were related to the intensity of aversion-resistant drinking. These studies demonstrate that head-fixed mice exhibit aversion-resistant drinking and that non-consummatory behaviors can be used to assess perceived aversiveness in this paradigm. Furthermore, these studies lay the groundwork for future experiments that will utilize advanced electrophysiological techniques to record from large populations of neurons during aversion-resistant drinking to understand the neurocomputational processes that drive this clinically relevant behavior. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Timme
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
| | - Cherish E Ardinger
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Seth D C Weir
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rachel Zelaya-Escobar
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rachel Kruger
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Christopher C Lapish
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, MSB 5035, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Stark Neuroscience Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th St, NB 414, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
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6
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Baltz ET, Renteria R, Gremel CM. Chronic alcohol exposure differentially alters calcium activity of striatal cell populations during actions. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 8:100128. [PMID: 37842013 PMCID: PMC10569208 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) can induce long lasting alterations to executive function. This includes altered action control, which can manifest as dysfunctional goal-directed control. Cortical and striatal circuits mediate goal-directed control over behavior, and prior research has found chronic alcohol disrupts these circuits. In particular, prior in vivo and ex vivo work have identified alterations to function and activity of dorsal medial striatum (DMS), which is necessary for goal-directed control. However, unknown is whether these alterations manifest as altered activity of select DMS populations during behavior. Here we examine effects of prior chronic alcohol exposure on calcium activity modulation during action-related behaviors via fiber photometry of genetically-identified DMS populations including the direct and indirect output pathways, and fast-spiking interneurons. We find that prior chronic alcohol exposure leads to increased calcium modulation of the direct pathway during action related behavior. In contrast, prior chronic alcohol exposure led to decreased calcium activity modulation of the indirect pathway and the fast-spiking interneuron population around action-related events. Together, our findings suggest an imbalance in striatal activity during action control. This disruption may contribute to the altered goal-directed control previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily T. Baltz
- The Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Rafael Renteria
- Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Christina M. Gremel
- The Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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7
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Timme NM, Ardinger CE, Weir SDC, Zelaya-Escobar R, Kruger R, Lapish CC. Non-Consummatory Behavior Signals Predict Aversion-Resistant Alcohol Drinking in Head-Fixed Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.20.545767. [PMID: 37873153 PMCID: PMC10592797 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.20.545767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
A key facet of alcohol use disorder is continuing to drink alcohol despite negative consequences (so called "aversion-resistant drinking"). In this study, we sought to assess the degree to which head-fixed mice exhibit aversion-resistant drinking and to leverage behavioral analysis techniques available in head-fixture to relate non-consummatory behaviors to aversion-resistant drinking. We assessed aversion-resistant drinking in head-fixed female and male C57BL/6J mice. We adulterated 20% (v/v) alcohol with varying concentrations of the bitter tastant quinine to measure the degree to which mice would continue to drink despite this aversive stimulus. We recorded high-resolution video of the mice during head-fixed drinking, tracked body parts with machine vision tools, and analyzed body movements in relation to consumption. Female and male head-fixed mice exhibited heterogenous levels of aversion-resistant drinking. Additionally, non-consummatory behaviors, such as paw movement and snout movement, were related to the intensity of aversion-resistant drinking. These studies demonstrate that head-fixed mice exhibit aversion-resistant drinking and that non-consummatory behaviors can be used to assess perceived aversiveness in this paradigm. Furthermore, these studies lay the groundwork for future experiments that will utilize advanced electrophysiological techniques to record from large populations of neurons during aversion-resistant drinking to understand the neurocomputational processes that drive this clinically relevant behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. Timme
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Cherish E. Ardinger
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Seth D. C. Weir
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rachel Zelaya-Escobar
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rachel Kruger
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St, LD 124, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Christopher C. Lapish
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 635 Barnhill Drive, MSB 5035, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- Stark Neuroscience Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15 St, NB 414, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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8
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Rezayof A, Ghasemzadeh Z, Sahafi OH. Addictive drugs modify neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity to impair memory formation through neurotransmitter imbalances and signaling dysfunction. Neurochem Int 2023; 169:105572. [PMID: 37423274 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105572] [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: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Drug abuse changes neurophysiological functions at multiple cellular and molecular levels in the addicted brain. Well-supported scientific evidence suggests that drugs negatively affect memory formation, decision-making and inhibition, and emotional and cognitive behaviors. The mesocorticolimbic brain regions are involved in reward-related learning and habitual drug-seeking/taking behaviors to develop physiological and psychological dependence on the drugs. This review highlights the importance of specific drug-induced chemical imbalances resulting in memory impairment through various neurotransmitter receptor-mediated signaling pathways. The mesocorticolimbic modifications in the expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB) impair reward-related memory formation following drug abuse. The contributions of protein kinases and microRNAs (miRNAs), along with the transcriptional and epigenetic regulation have also been considered in memory impairment underlying drug addiction. Overall, we integrate the research on various types of drug-induced memory impairment in distinguished brain regions and provide a comprehensive review with clinical implications addressing the upcoming studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameneh Rezayof
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Zahra Ghasemzadeh
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Oveis Hosseinzadeh Sahafi
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
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9
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Arnold ME, Schank JR. Aversion-associated drug and alcohol seeking in females. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101095. [PMID: 37558185 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Compulsive drug intake is characterized by the continuation of use regardless of negative consequences. This is modeled preclinically using procedures where a negative stimulus is delivered contingently with consumption of the reinforcer. In humans, women and men exhibit different drug taking behavior as it pertains to overall use, withdrawal symptoms, and rate of dependence. In substance use research, females have often been excluded from many studies due to concerns that circulating sex hormones may affect drug seeking behavior. However, the more recent inclusion of females in preclinical studies has identified interesting sex differences in aversion-resistant intake of drugs and alcohol. This review will serve to summarize key findings in aversion-related intake of alcohol, psychostimulants, and opioids in females by examining studies that have included female subjects. Further discussion will examine the effect of intake model, neuroanatomical pathways, and sex hormones in the expression of aversion-resistant drug and alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda E Arnold
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Jesse R Schank
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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10
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Starski PA, De Oliveira Sergio T, Hopf FW. Using lickometry to infer differential contributions of salience network regions during compulsion-like alcohol drinking. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 7:100102. [PMID: 38736902 PMCID: PMC11086682 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder extracts substantial personal, social and clinical costs, and continued intake despite negative consequences (compulsion-like consumption) can contribute strongly. Here we discuss lickometry, a simple method where lick times are determined across a session, while analysis across many aspects of licking can offer important insights into underlying psychological and action strategies, including their brain mechanisms. We first describe studies implicating anterior insula (AIC) and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPF) in compulsion-like responding for alcohol, then review work suggesting that AIC/ventral frontal cortex versus dMPF regulate different aspects of behavior (oral control and overall response strategy, versus moment-to-moment action organization). We then detail our lickometer work comparing alcohol-only drinking (AOD) and compulsion-like drinking under moderate- or higher-challenge (ModChD or HiChD, using quinine-alcohol). Many studies have suggested utilization of one of two main strategies, with higher motivation indicated by more bouts, and greater palatability suggested by longer, faster bouts. Instead, ModChD shows decreased variability in many lick measures, which is unexpected but consistent with the suggested importance of automaticity for addiction. Also surprising is that HiChD retains several behavior changes seen with ModChD, reduced tongue variability and earlier bout start, even though intake is otherwise disrupted. Since AIC-related measures are retained under both moderate- and higher-challenge, we propose a novel hypothesis that AIC sustains overall commitment regardless of challenge level, while disordered licking during HiChD mirrors the effects of dMPF inhibition. Thus, while AIC provides overall drive despite challenge, the ability to act is ultimately determined within the dMPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A. Starski
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Indianapolis IN, USA
| | | | - Frederic W. Hopf
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Indianapolis IN, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis IN, USA
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11
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Schreiner DC, Wright A, Baltz ET, Wang T, Cazares C, Gremel CM. Chronic alcohol exposure alters action control via hyperactive premotor corticostriatal activity. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112675. [PMID: 37342908 PMCID: PMC10468874 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112675] [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: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) alters decision-making control over actions, but disruptions to the responsible neural circuit mechanisms are unclear. Premotor corticostriatal circuits are implicated in balancing goal-directed and habitual control over actions and show disruption in disorders with compulsive, inflexible behaviors, including AUD. However, whether there is a causal link between disrupted premotor activity and altered action control is unknown. Here, we find that mice chronically exposed to alcohol (chronic intermittent ethanol [CIE]) showed impaired ability to use recent action information to guide subsequent actions. Prior CIE exposure resulted in aberrant increases in the calcium activity of premotor cortex (M2) neurons that project to the dorsal medial striatum (M2-DMS) during action control. Chemogenetic reduction of this CIE-induced hyperactivity in M2-DMS neurons rescued goal-directed action control. This suggests a direct, causal relationship between chronic alcohol disruption to premotor circuits and decision-making strategy and provides mechanistic support for targeting activity of human premotor regions as a potential treatment in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew C Schreiner
- Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Andrew Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Emily T Baltz
- The Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Tianyu Wang
- Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Christian Cazares
- The Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Christina M Gremel
- Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; The Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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12
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Baker M, Kang S, Hong SI, Song M, Yang MA, Peyton L, Essa H, Lee SW, Choi DS. External globus pallidus input to the dorsal striatum regulates habitual seeking behavior in male mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4085. [PMID: 37438336 PMCID: PMC10338526 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39545-8] [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: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The external globus pallidus (GPe) coordinates action-selection through GABAergic projections throughout the basal ganglia. GPe arkypallidal (arky) neurons project exclusively to the dorsal striatum, which regulates goal-directed and habitual seeking. However, the role of GPe arky neurons in reward-seeking remains unknown. Here, we identified that a majority of arky neurons target the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). Using fiber photometry, we found that arky activities were higher during random interval (RI; habit) compared to random ratio (RR; goal) operant conditioning. Support vector machine analysis demonstrated that arky neuron activities have sufficient information to distinguish between RR and RI behavior. Genetic ablation of this arkyGPe→DLS circuit facilitated a shift from goal-directed to habitual behavior. Conversely, chemogenetic activation globally reduced seeking behaviors, which was blocked by systemic D1R agonism. Our findings reveal a role of this arkyGPe→DLS circuit in constraining habitual seeking in male mice, which is relevant to addictive behaviors and other compulsive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Baker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Seungwoo Kang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Sa-Ik Hong
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Minryung Song
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsu Abel Yang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Lee Peyton
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Hesham Essa
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Sang Wan Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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13
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Patton MS, Sheats SH, Siclair AN, Mathur BN. Alcohol potentiates multiple GABAergic inputs to dorsal striatum fast-spiking interneurons. Neuropharmacology 2023; 232:109527. [PMID: 37011784 PMCID: PMC10122715 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Parvalbumin-expressing dorsal striatal fast-spiking interneurons, comprising ∼1% of the total dorsal striatal neuronal population, are necessary for the expression of compulsive-like ethanol consumption mice. Fast-spiking interneurons are driven to fire by glutamatergic inputs derived primarily from the cortex. However, these neurons also receive substantial GABAergic input from two sources: the globus pallidus and the reticular nucleus of the thalamus. How ethanol modulates inhibitory input onto fast-spiking neurons is unclear and, more broadly, alcohol effects on GABAergic synaptic transmission onto GABAergic interneurons are understudied. Examining this, we found that acute bath application of ethanol (50 mM) potentiated GABAergic transmission from both the globus pallidus and the reticular nucleus of the thalamus onto fast-spiking interneurons in mouse of both sexes. This ethanol-induced potentiation required postsynaptic calcium and was not accompanied by a sustained change in presynaptic GABA release probability. Examining whether this ethanol effect persisted following chronic intermittent ethanol exposure, we found attenuated acute-ethanol potentiation of GABAergic transmission from both the globus pallidus and the reticular nucleus of the thalamus onto striatal fast-spiking interneurons. These data underscore the impact of ethanol on GABAergic signaling in the dorsal striatum and support the notion that ethanol may disinhibit the dorsolateral striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Patton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Samuel H Sheats
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Allison N Siclair
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Brian N Mathur
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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14
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Walker LC, Pinares-Garcia P, Lawrence AJ. How the brain regulates alcohol intake. eLife 2022; 11:82453. [PMID: 36102385 PMCID: PMC9473685 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A neural pathway involved in goal-oriented behaviours becomes dysregulated during binge drinking and alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh C Walker
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne
| | | | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne
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15
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Haggerty DL, Munoz B, Pennington T, Viana Di Prisco G, Grecco GG, Atwood BK. The role of anterior insular cortex inputs to dorsolateral striatum in binge alcohol drinking. eLife 2022; 11:77411. [PMID: 36098397 PMCID: PMC9470166 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
How does binge drinking alcohol change synaptic function, and do these changes maintain binge consumption? The anterior insular cortex (AIC) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) are brain regions implicated in alcohol use disorder. In male, but not female mice, we found that binge drinking alcohol produced glutamatergic synaptic adaptations selective to AIC inputs within the DLS. Photoexciting AIC→DLS circuitry in male mice during binge drinking decreased alcohol, but not water consumption and altered alcohol drinking mechanics. Further, drinking mechanics alone from drinking session data predicted alcohol-related circuit changes. AIC→DLS manipulation did not alter operant, valence, or anxiety-related behaviors. These findings suggest that alcohol-mediated changes at AIC inputs govern behavioral sequences that maintain binge drinking and may serve as a circuit-based biomarker for the development of alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Haggerty
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Braulio Munoz
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Taylor Pennington
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Gonzalo Viana Di Prisco
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Gregory G Grecco
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States.,Medical Scientist Training Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
| | - Brady K Atwood
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States.,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, United States
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16
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Ferranti AS, Johnson KA, Winder DG, Conn PJ, Joffe ME. Prefrontal cortex parvalbumin interneurons exhibit decreased excitability and potentiated synaptic strength after ethanol reward learning. Alcohol 2022; 101:17-26. [PMID: 35227826 PMCID: PMC9117490 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is intimately associated with behavioral characteristics of alcohol use disorders, including high motivation to drink and difficulty with moderation. Thus, continued mechanistic research investigating PFC cells and targets altered by ethanol experiences should inform translational efforts to craft new, efficacious treatments. Inhibitory interneurons expressing parvalbumin (PV-INs) comprise only a minor fraction of cells within the PFC, yet these cells are indispensable for coordinating PFC ensemble function, oscillatory activity, and subcortical output. Based on this, PV-INs represent an exciting target for the rational design of breakthrough treatments for alcohol use disorders. Here, we assessed experience-dependent physiological adaptations via ethanol place conditioning. By manipulating the timing of administration relative to conditioning sessions, equivalent ethanol exposure can form either rewarding or aversive memories in different individuals. Here, we found that female mice and male mice on a C57BL/6J background display conditioned place preference (CPP) or aversion (CPA) to an intoxicating dose of ethanol (2 g/kg, intraperitoneal [i.p.]) without overt differences between sexes. Ethanol reward learning was associated with decreased PV-IN excitability in deep layer prelimbic PFC, whereas PV-INs from CPA mice were not different from controls. Furthermore, PV-INs from mice in the CPP group, but not the CPA group, displayed potentiated excitatory synaptic strength that emerged during 1 week of abstinence. Taken together, these findings illustrate that synaptic and intrinsic adaptations associated with ethanol can depend on an individual's experience. These studies provide further context and support for PFC PV-INs as intriguing targets for modulating alcohol associations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kari A. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814
| | - Danny G. Winder
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - P. Jeffrey Conn
- Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN
| | - Max E. Joffe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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17
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Ochi R, Ueno F, Sakuma M, Tani H, Tsugawa S, Graff-Guerrero A, Uchida H, Mimura M, Oshima S, Matsushita S, Nakajima S. Patterns of functional connectivity alterations induced by alcohol reflect somatostatin interneuron expression in the human cerebral cortex. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7896. [PMID: 35550587 PMCID: PMC9098480 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12035-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute alcohol administration affects functional connectivity, yet the underlying mechanism is unknown. Previous work suggested that a moderate dose of alcohol reduces the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) interneurons, thereby leading to a state of pyramidal disinhibition and hyperexcitability. The present study aims to relate alcohol-induced changes in functional connectivity to regional genetic markers of GABAergic interneurons. Healthy young adults (N = 15, 5 males) underwent resting state functional MRI scanning prior to alcohol administration, immediately and 90 min after alcohol administration. Functional connectivity density mapping was performed to quantify alcohol-induced changes in resting brain activity between conditions. Patterns of differences between conditions were related to regional genetic markers that express the primary GABAergic cortical interneuron subtypes (parvalbumin, somatostatin, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 3A) obtained from the Allen Human Brain Atlas. Acute alcohol administration increased local functional connectivity density within the visual cortex, sensorimotor cortex, thalamus, striatum, and cerebellum. Patterns of alcohol-induced changes in local functional connectivity density inversely correlated with somatostatin cortical gene expression. These findings suggest that somatostatin-expressing interneurons modulate alcohol-induced changes in functional connectivity in healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Ochi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Ueno
- Multimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mutsuki Sakuma
- National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tani
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Sakiko Tsugawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Ariel Graff-Guerrero
- Multimodal Imaging Group, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Hiroyuki Uchida
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Masaru Mimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Shunji Oshima
- Sustainable Technology Laboratories, Asahi Quality and Innovations, Ltd., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Sachio Matsushita
- National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Nakajima
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.
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18
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McKeon PN, Bunce GW, Patton MH, Chen R, Mathur BN. Cortical control of striatal fast-spiking interneuron synchrony. J Physiol 2022; 600:2189-2202. [PMID: 35332539 PMCID: PMC9058232 DOI: 10.1113/jp282850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Electrical synapses between striatal fast-spiking interneurons in adult mice occur in ∼8% of assayed pairs. Coincident, convergent cortical input onto fast-spiking interneurons significantly contributes to fast-spiking interneuron synchrony Electrical synapses between fast-spiking interneurons provide only minor enhancement of fast-spiking interneuron synchrony. These results suggest a mechanism by which adult mouse fast-spiking interneurons of the striatum synchronize in the face of declining expression of the electrical synapse-forming connexin-36 protein. ABSTRACT Inhibitory fast-spiking interneurons in the dorsal striatum regulate actions and action strategies, including habits. Fast-spiking interneurons are widely believed to synchronize their firing due to the electrical synapses formed between these neurons. However, neuronal modeling data suggest convergent cortical input may also drive synchrony in fast-spiking interneuron networks. To better understand how fast-spiking interneuron synchrony arises, we performed dual whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology experiments to inform a simple Bayesian network modeling cortico-fast-spiking interneuron circuitry. Dual whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology revealed that while responsivity to corticostriatal input activation was high in fast-spiking interneurons, few of these neurons exhibited electrical coupling in adult mice. In simulations of a cortico-fast-spiking interneuron network informed by these data, the degree of glutamatergic cortical convergence onto fast-spiking interneurons significantly increased fast-spiking interneuron synchronization while manipulations of electrical coupling between these neurons exerted relatively little impact. These results suggest that the primary source of functional coordination of fast-spiking interneuron activity in adulthood arises from convergent corticostriatal input activation. Abstract figure legend Dual whole-cell patch clamp recordings of dorsal striatal fast-spiking interneurons (FSIs; red circles) rarely (8 percentage) form electrical synapses with other FSIs in adult mouse. In a two-layer in silico model of cortical pyramidal neuron (gray triangles) input to FSIs using empirically defined cortico-FSI synaptic weights, synchronous FSI-FSI activity (in the absence of abundant electrical synapses) is achievable by convergent cortical pyramidal excitation of FSIs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige N McKeon
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Garrett W Bunce
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mary H Patton
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Rong Chen
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brian N Mathur
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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19
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Brown RM, Dayas C, James M, Smith RJ. New directions in modelling dysregulated reward seeking for food and drugs. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 132:1037-1048. [PMID: 34736883 PMCID: PMC8816817 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral models are central to behavioral neuroscience. To study the neural mechanisms of maladaptive behaviors (including binge eating and drug addiction), it is essential to develop and utilize appropriate animal models that specifically focus on dysregulated reward seeking. Both food and cocaine are typically consumed in a regulated manner by rodents, motivated by reward and homeostatic mechanisms. However, both food and cocaine seeking can become dysregulated, resulting in binge-like consumption and compulsive patterns of intake. The speakers in this symposium for the 2021 International Behavioral Neuroscience Meeting utilize behavioral models of dysregulated reward-seeking to investigate the neural mechanisms of binge-like consumption, enhanced cue-driven reward seeking, excessive motivation, and continued use despite negative consequences. In this review, we outline examples of maladaptive patterns of intake and explore recent animal models that drive behavior to become dysregulated, including stress exposure and intermittent access to rewards. Lastly, we explore select behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying dysregulated reward-seeking for both food and drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn M Brown
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, 3052, Australia.,Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic, 3052, Australia.,Correspondence: Morgan James, Department of Psychiatry, 683 Hoes Ln West, Office 164, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854 USA, Ph: +1 732 235 4767, , Robyn M Brown, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Medical Building (B181), Level 8, The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010 Australia, Ph: +61401007008,
| | - Christopher Dayas
- School of Biomedical Sciences & Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia,Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia
| | - Morgan James
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA,Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA,Correspondence: Morgan James, Department of Psychiatry, 683 Hoes Ln West, Office 164, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854 USA, Ph: +1 732 235 4767, , Robyn M Brown, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Medical Building (B181), Level 8, The University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010 Australia, Ph: +61401007008,
| | - Rachel J Smith
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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20
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Egervari G, Siciliano CA, Whiteley EL, Ron D. Alcohol and the brain: from genes to circuits. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:1004-1015. [PMID: 34702580 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.09.006] [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: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use produces wide-ranging and diverse effects on the central nervous system. It influences intracellular signaling mechanisms, leading to changes in gene expression, chromatin remodeling, and translation. As a result of these molecular alterations, alcohol affects the activity of neuronal circuits. Together, these mechanisms produce long-lasting cellular adaptations in the brain that in turn can drive the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorder (AUD). We provide an update on alcohol research, focusing on multiple levels of alcohol-induced adaptations, from intracellular changes to changes in neural circuits. A better understanding of how alcohol affects these diverse and interlinked mechanisms may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and to the development of much-needed novel and efficacious treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabor Egervari
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Epigenetics Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA.
| | - Ellanor L Whiteley
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Dorit Ron
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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21
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Marti‐Prats L, Belin‐Rauscent A, Fouyssac M, Puaud M, Cocker PJ, Everitt BJ, Belin D. Baclofen decreases compulsive alcohol drinking in rats characterized by reduced levels of GAT-3 in the central amygdala. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e13011. [PMID: 33527681 PMCID: PMC8603926 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
While most individuals with access to alcohol drink it recreationally, some vulnerable individuals eventually lose control over their intake and progressively develop compulsive alcohol drinking and decreased interest in alternative sources of reinforcement, two key features of addiction. The neural and molecular mechanisms underlying this vulnerability to switch from controlled to compulsive alcohol intake have not been fully elucidated. It has been shown that rats having reduced levels of expression of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter, GAT-3, in the amygdala tend to persist in seeking and drinking alcohol even when adulterated with quinine, suggesting that pharmacological interventions aimed at restoring GABA homeostasis in these individuals may provide a targeted treatment to limit compulsive alcohol drinking. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen, which decreases GABA release, specifically reduces compulsive alcohol drinking in vulnerable individuals. In a large cohort of Sprague-Dawley rats allowed to drink alcohol under an intermittent two-bottle choice procedure, a cluster of individuals was identified that persisted in drinking alcohol despite adulteration with quinine or when an alternative ingestive reinforcer, saccharin, was available. In these rats, which were characterized by decreased GAT-3 mRNA levels in the central amygdala, acute baclofen administration (1.5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) resulted in a decrease in compulsive drinking. These results indicate that low GAT-3 mRNA levels in the central amygdala may represent an endophenotype of vulnerability to develop a compulsive drinking of alcohol that is shown here to be mitigated by baclofen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maxime Fouyssac
- Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Mickaël Puaud
- Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Paul J Cocker
- Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Barry J Everitt
- Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - David Belin
- Department of Psychology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
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22
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Rangel-Barajas C, Boehm SL, Logrip ML. Altered excitatory transmission in striatal neurons after chronic ethanol consumption in selectively bred crossed high alcohol-preferring mice. Neuropharmacology 2021; 190:108564. [PMID: 33857521 PMCID: PMC8293703 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genetic predisposition to heavy drinking is a risk factor for alcohol misuse. We used selectively bred crossed high alcohol-preferring (cHAP) mice to study sex differences in alcohol drinking and its effect on glutamatergic activity in dorsolateral (DLS) and dorsomedial (DMS) striatum. We performed whole-cell patch-clamp recording in neurons from male and female cHAP mice with 5-week alcohol drinking history and alcohol-naïve controls. In DMS, alcohol-naïve males' neurons displayed lower cell capacitance and higher membrane resistance than females' neurons, both effects reversed by drinking. Conversely, in DLS neurons, drinking history increased capacitance only in males and changed membrane resistance only in females. Altered biophysical membrane properties were accompanied by disrupted glutamatergic transmission. Drinking history increased spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current (sEPSC) amplitude in DMS and frequency in DLS female neurons, compared to alcohol-naïve females, without effect in males. Acute ethanol differentially impacted DMS and DLS neurons by sex and drinking history. In DMS, acute alcohol significantly increased sEPSC frequency only in neurons from alcohol-naïve females, an effect that disappeared after drinking history. In DLS, acute alcohol had opposing effects in males and females based on drinking history. Estrous cycle also impacted DMS and DLS neurons differently: sEPSC amplitudes were higher in DMS cells from drinking history than alcohol-naïve females, whereas estrous cycle, not drinking history, modified DLS firing rate. Our data show sex differences in cHAP ethanol consumption and neurophysiology, suggesting differential dysregulation of glutamatergic drive onto DMS and DLS after chronic ethanol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Rangel-Barajas
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Stephen L Boehm
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Marian L Logrip
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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23
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Bauer MR, McVey MM, Boehm SL. Three Weeks of Binge Alcohol Drinking Generates Increased Alcohol Front-Loading and Robust Compulsive-Like Alcohol Drinking in Male and Female C57BL/6J Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:650-660. [PMID: 33496972 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current models of compulsive-like quinine-adulterated alcohol (QuA) drinking in mice, if improved, could be more useful for uncovering the neural mechanisms of compulsive-like alcohol drinking. The purpose of these experiments was to further characterize and improve the validity of a model of compulsive-like QuA drinking in C57BL/6J mice. We sought to determine whether compulsive-like alcohol drinking could be achieved following 2 or 3 weeks of Drinking-in-the-Dark (DID), whether it provides evidence for a robust model of compulsive-like alcohol drinking by inclusion of a water control group and use of a highly concentrated QuA solution, whether repeated QuA exposures alter compulsive-like drinking, and whether there are sex differences in compulsive-like alcohol drinking. METHODS Male and Female C57BL/6J mice were allowed free access to either 20% alcohol or tap water for 2 hours each day for approximately 3 weeks. After 2 or 3 weeks, the mice were given QuA (500 μM) and the effect of repeated QuA drinking sessions on compulsive-like alcohol drinking was assessed. 3-minute front-loading, 2 hour binge-drinking, and blood alcohol concentrations were determined. RESULTS Compulsive-like QuA drinking was achieved after 3 weeks, but not 2 weeks, of daily alcohol access as determined by alcohol history mice consuming significantly more QuA than water history mice and drinking statistically nondifferent amounts of QuA than nonadulterated alcohol at baseline. Thirty-minute front-loading of QuA revealed that alcohol history mice front-loaded significantly more QuA than water history mice, but still found the QuA solution aversive. Repeated QuA exposures did not alter these patterns, compulsive-like drinking did not differ by sex, and BACs for QuA drinking were at the level of a binge. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that compulsive-like QuA drinking can be robustly achieved following 3 weeks of DID and male and female C57BL/6J mice do not differ in compulsive-like alcohol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith R Bauer
- Department of Psychology, Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Megan M McVey
- Department of Psychology, Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Stephen L Boehm
- Department of Psychology, Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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24
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Nahar L, Delacroix BM, Nam HW. The Role of Parvalbumin Interneurons in Neurotransmitter Balance and Neurological Disease. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:679960. [PMID: 34220586 PMCID: PMC8249927 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.679960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
While great progress has been made in the understanding of neurological illnesses, the pathologies, and etiologies that give rise to these diseases still remain an enigma, thus, also making treatments for them more challenging. For effective and individualized treatment, it is beneficial to identify the underlying mechanisms that govern the associated cognitive and behavioral processes that go awry in neurological disorders. Parvalbumin fast-spiking interneurons (Pv-FSI) are GABAergic cells that are only a small fraction of the brain's neuronal network, but manifest unique cellular and molecular properties that drastically influence the downstream effects on signaling and ultimately change cognitive behaviors. Proper brain functioning relies heavily on neuronal communication which Pv-FSI regulates, excitatory-inhibitory balances and GABAergic disinhibition between circuitries. This review highlights the depth of Pv-FSI involvement in the cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, as it pertains to expression, neurotransmission, role in neurological disorders, and dysfunction, as well as cognitive behavior and reward-seeking. Recent research has indicated that Pv-FSI play pivotal roles in the molecular pathophysiology and cognitive-behavioral deficits that are core features of many psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer's disease, and drug addiction. This suggests that Pv-FSI could be viable targets for treatment of these disorders and thus calls for further examination of the undeniable impact Pv-FSI have on the brain and cognitive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lailun Nahar
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Blake M Delacroix
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, United States
| | - Hyung W Nam
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA, United States
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