1
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Borrego MB, Chan AE, Ozburn AR. Regulation of alcohol drinking by ventral striatum and extended amygdala circuitry. Neuropharmacology 2022; 212:109074. [PMID: 35487273 PMCID: PMC9677601 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is a complex psychiatric disorder that can be modeled in rodents using a number of drinking paradigms. Drinking-in-the-dark (DID) is widely used to model the binge/intoxication stage of addiction, and chronic intermittent ethanol vapor procedures (CIE) are used to induce dependence and model withdrawal/negative affect induced escalation of drinking. We discuss experiments showing the ventral striatum (vStr) and extended amygdala (EA) are engaged in response to ethanol in rodents through c-Fos/Fos immunoreactivity studies. We also discuss experiments in rodents that span a wide variety of techniques where the function of vStr and EA structures are changed following DID or CIE, and the role of neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems studies in these ethanol-related outcomes. We note where signaling systems converge across regions and paradigms and where there are still gaps in the literature. Dynorphin/κ-opioid receptor (KOR) signaling, as well as corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)/CRF receptor signaling were found to be important regulators of drinking behaviors across brain regions and drinking paradigms. Future research will require that females and a variety of rodent strains are used in preclinical experiments in order to strengthen the generalizability of findings and improve the likelihood of success for testing potential therapeutics in human laboratory studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa B Borrego
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Amy E Chan
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Angela R Ozburn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA; VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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2
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Tabbara RI, Li Z, Fletcher PJ, Lê AD. The serotonin 2C receptor agonist lorcaserin, alone and in combination with the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone, attenuates binge-like ethanol drinking. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e13040. [PMID: 33928736 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The serotonin (5-HT) system has been implicated in the pathophysiology of alcohol (ethanol; EtOH) use disorders. Lorcaserin, a 5-HT2C receptor agonist, attenuates drug self-administration in animal models. We investigated the effects of lorcaserin on EtOH intake using the drinking-in-the-dark (DID) procedure, an animal model of binge-like drinking. We compared the effects of lorcaserin to those of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug naltrexone and examined the effects of combining lorcaserin and naltrexone. To examine whether effects were specific for EtOH, we examined the effects of lorcaserin and naltrexone, administered alone and in combination, on saccharin intake. Adult male C57BL/6J mice received EtOH access (20% v/v) for 2 h in the home-cage during the first 3 days of the DID procedure, beginning 3 h into the dark cycle. On day 4, mice were injected with lorcaserin, naltrexone, or a combination of lorcaserin and naltrexone prior to a 4-h EtOH access. Intake was measured at 2 and 4 h. Lorcaserin reduced EtOH intake in a dose-dependent fashion over the 2- and 4-h measurement periods. Naltrexone also reduced EtOH intake when administered alone, with dose-dependent effects being more pronounced over 2 h rather than the full 4-h session. Combining lorcaserin and naltrexone reduced binge-like EtOH drinking to a greater extent than either drug alone. A similar pattern of results was obtained for saccharin intake. These results suggest that lorcaserin and naltrexone can have additive effects on binge-like EtOH drinking. They also support continued research into the therapeutic potential of lorcaserin for alcohol use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayane I. Tabbara
- Section of Biopsychology and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Toronto ON Canada
- Department of Psychology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Zhaoxia Li
- Section of Biopsychology and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Toronto ON Canada
| | - Paul J. Fletcher
- Section of Biopsychology and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Toronto ON Canada
- Department of Psychology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Department of Psychiatry University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Anh D. Lê
- Department of Psychiatry University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
- Neurobiology of Alcohol Laboratory and Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Toronto ON Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
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3
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Sharfman N, Gilpin NW. The Role of Melanocortin Plasticity in Pain-Related Outcomes After Alcohol Exposure. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:764720. [PMID: 34803772 PMCID: PMC8599269 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.764720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The global COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the rates and dangers of alcohol misuse in adults and adolescents in the US and globally. Alcohol exposure during adolescence causes persistent molecular, cellular, and behavioral changes that increase the risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD) into adulthood. It is established that alcohol abuse in adulthood increases the likelihood of pain hypersensitivity and the genesis of chronic pain, and humans report drinking alcohol to relieve pain symptoms. However, the longitudinal effects of alcohol exposure on pain and the underlying CNS signaling that mediates it are understudied. Specific brain regions mediate pain effects, alcohol effects, and pain-alcohol interactions, and neural signaling in those brain regions is modulated by neuropeptides. The CNS melanocortin system is sensitive to alcohol and modulates pain sensitivity, but this system is understudied in the context of pain-alcohol interactions. In this review, we focus on the role of melanocortin signaling in brain regions sensitive to alcohol and pain, in particular the amygdala. We also discuss interactions of melanocortins with other peptide systems, including the opioid system, as potential mediators of pain-alcohol interactions. Therapeutic strategies that target the melanocortin system may mitigate the negative consequences of alcohol misuse during adolescence and/or adulthood, including effects on pain-related outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Sharfman
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States.,Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States.,Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States.,Southeast Louisiana VA Healthcare System (SLVHCS), New Orleans, LA, United States
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4
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Grigsby KB, Savarese AM, Metten P, Mason BJ, Blednov YA, Crabbe JC, Ozburn AR. Effects of Tacrolimus and Other Immune Targeting Compounds on Binge-Like Ethanol Drinking in High Drinking in the Dark Mice. Neurosci Insights 2020; 15:2633105520975412. [PMID: 33294845 PMCID: PMC7705291 DOI: 10.1177/2633105520975412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
High Drinking in the Dark (HDID-1) mice represent a unique genetic risk model of binge-like drinking and a novel means of screening potential pharmacotherapies to treat alcohol use disorders (AUDs). We tested the effects of tacrolimus (0, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg), sirolimus (0, 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA; 0, 75, 150, and 225 mg/kg), and secukinumab (0, 5, 20, and 60 mg/kg) on binge-like ethanol intake (2-day, "Drinking in the Dark" [DID]) and blood alcohol levels (BALs) in HDID-1 mice. Tacrolimus reduced ethanol intake and BALs. Tacrolimus had no effect on water intake, but reduced saccharin intake. There was no effect of sirolimus, PEA, or secukinumab on ethanol intake or BALs. These results compare and contrast with previous work addressing these compounds or their targeted mechanisms of action on ethanol drinking, highlighting the importance of screening a wide range of models and genotypes to inform the role of neuroimmune signaling in AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kolter B Grigsby
- Portland Alcohol Research Center,
Department of Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University and VA
Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Antonia M Savarese
- Portland Alcohol Research Center,
Department of Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University and VA
Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Pamela Metten
- Portland Alcohol Research Center,
Department of Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University and VA
Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Barbara J Mason
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The
Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yuri A Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcoholism and
Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - John C Crabbe
- Portland Alcohol Research Center,
Department of Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University and VA
Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Angela R Ozburn
- Portland Alcohol Research Center,
Department of Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University and VA
Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
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Pozhidayeva DY, Farris SP, Goeke CM, Firsick EJ, Townsley KG, Guizzetti M, Ozburn AR. Chronic Chemogenetic Stimulation of the Nucleus Accumbens Produces Lasting Reductions in Binge Drinking and Ameliorates Alcohol-Related Morphological and Transcriptional Changes. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E109. [PMID: 32085427 PMCID: PMC7071376 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10020109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Binge drinking is a dangerous pattern of behavior. We tested whether chronically manipulating nucleus accumbens (NAc) activity (via clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) and Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD)) could produce lasting effects on ethanol binge-like drinking in mice selectively bred to drink to intoxication. We found chronically increasing NAc activity (4 weeks, via CNO and the excitatory DREADD, hM3Dq) decreased binge-like drinking, but did not observe CNO-induced changes in drinking with the inhibitory DREADD, hM4Di. The CNO/hM3Dq-induced reduction in ethanol drinking persisted for at least one week, suggesting adaptive neuroplasticity via transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms. Therefore, we defined this plasticity at the morphological and transcriptomic levels. We found that chronic binge drinking (6 weeks) altered neuronal morphology in the NAc, an effect that was ameliorated with CNO/hM3Dq. Moreover, we detected significant changes in expression of several plasticity-related genes with binge drinking that were ameliorated with CNO treatment (e.g., Hdac4). Lastly, we found that LMK235, an HDAC4/5 inhibitor, reduced binge-like drinking. Thus, we were able to target specific molecular pathways using pharmacology to mimic the behavioral effects of DREADDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dar’ya Y. Pozhidayeva
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (D.Y.P.); (C.M.G.); (K.G.T.); (M.G.)
- Research & Development, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
- Chemistry Department, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207, USA
| | - Sean P. Farris
- College of Natural Sciences, Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX 78712, USA;
| | - Calla M. Goeke
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (D.Y.P.); (C.M.G.); (K.G.T.); (M.G.)
- Research & Development, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
| | - Evan J. Firsick
- Research & Development, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
| | - Kayla G. Townsley
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (D.Y.P.); (C.M.G.); (K.G.T.); (M.G.)
- Research & Development, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
| | - Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (D.Y.P.); (C.M.G.); (K.G.T.); (M.G.)
- Research & Development, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
| | - Angela R. Ozburn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (D.Y.P.); (C.M.G.); (K.G.T.); (M.G.)
- Research & Development, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA;
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Walter TJ, Navarro M, Thiele TE, Pedersen C, Kampov-Polevoy A, Garbutt JC. A Preliminary, Open-Label Study of Naltrexone and Bupropion Combination Therapy for Treating Binge Drinking in Human Subjects. Alcohol Alcohol 2020; 55:56-62. [PMID: 31746964 PMCID: PMC9431639 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agz076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS The combination of bupropion and naltrexone has shown efficacy in reducing binge drinking in animal models. This study assessed the tolerability and potential utility of combined naltrexone and bupropion in reducing binge drinking in human subjects. METHODS This preliminary study employed an open-label, single-arm, 12-week, prospective design. Twelve men and women who exhibited a minimum of five (men) or three (women) binge drinking episodes per month over the past 3 months were recruited. All subjects received both bupropion-extended release 300 mg/day and naltrexone 50 mg/day and were monitored throughout the 3-month treatment period. Binge drinking was assessed using the timeline follow-back method. RESULTS Treatment with combined naltrexone and bupropion reduced the average number of drinks per binge drinking day from 7.8 drinks to 6.4 drinks and reduced the average percentage of binge drinking days per month from 19% (5.7 days/month) to 5% (1.5 days/month). Naltrexone and bupropion were generally well tolerated, with insomnia, headache and nausea/diarrhea being the most common side effects. Six subjects elected to stay on medication after the trial. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that combined naltrexone and bupropion therapy should be further investigated for tolerability and efficacy in reducing binge drinking in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Jordan Walter
- Pharmacology Department, University of North Carolina, 120 Mason Farm Road, 4010 Genetic Medicine Building, Campus Box 7365, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Montserrat Navarro
- Psychology & Neuroscience Department, University of North Carolina, 235 E Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, 104 Manning Drive, CB #7178, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Psychology & Neuroscience Department, University of North Carolina, 235 E Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, 104 Manning Drive, CB #7178, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Cort Pedersen
- Psychiatry Department, University of North Carolina, 101 Manning Drive, Ste 7160, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Alexey Kampov-Polevoy
- Psychiatry Department, University of North Carolina, 101 Manning Drive, Ste 7160, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - J C Garbutt
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, 104 Manning Drive, CB #7178, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Psychiatry Department, University of North Carolina, 101 Manning Drive, Ste 7160, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
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7
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Neasta J, Darcq E, Jeanblanc J, Carnicella S, Ben Hamida S. GPCR and Alcohol-Related Behaviors in Genetically Modified Mice. Neurotherapeutics 2020; 17:17-42. [PMID: 31919661 PMCID: PMC7007453 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00828-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest class of cell surface signaling receptors and regulate major neurobiological processes. Accordingly, GPCRs represent primary targets for the treatment of brain disorders. Several human genetic polymorphisms affecting GPCRs have been associated to different components of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Moreover, GPCRs have been reported to contribute to several features of alcohol-related behaviors in animal models. Besides traditional pharmacological tools, genetic-based approaches mostly aimed at deleting GPCR genes provided substantial information on how key GPCRs drive alcohol-related behaviors. In this review, we summarize the alcohol phenotypes that ensue from genetic manipulation, in particular gene deletion, of key GPCRs in rodents. We focused on GPCRs that belong to fundamental neuronal systems that have been shown as potential targets for the development of AUD treatment. Data are reviewed with particular emphasis on alcohol reward, seeking, and consumption which are behaviors that capture essential aspects of AUD. Literature survey indicates that in most cases, there is still a gap in defining the intracellular transducers and the functional crosstalk of GPCRs as well as the neuronal populations in which their signaling regulates alcohol actions. Further, the implication of only a few orphan GPCRs has been so far investigated in animal models. Combining advanced pharmacological technologies with more specific genetically modified animals and behavioral preclinical models is likely necessary to deepen our understanding in how GPCR signaling contributes to AUD and for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémie Neasta
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, University of Montpellier, 34093, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Darcq
- Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Jérôme Jeanblanc
- Research Group on Alcohol and Pharmacodependences-INSERM U1247, University of Picardie Jules Verne, 80025, Amiens, France
| | - Sebastien Carnicella
- INSERM U1216, Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences (GIN), University of Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Sami Ben Hamida
- Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 Boulevard LaSalle, Montreal, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Canada.
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8
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Lerma-Cabrera JM, Carvajal F, Garbutt JC, Navarro M, Thiele TE. The melanocortin system as a potential target for treating alcohol use disorders: A review of pre-clinical data. Brain Res 2019; 1730:146628. [PMID: 31891691 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The melanocortin (MC) system consists of neuropeptides that are cleaved from the polypeptide precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC). In the brain, MC neuropeptides signal primarily through the MC-3 and MC-4 receptors, which are widely expressed throughout the brain. While the MC system has been largely studied for its role in food intake and body weight regulation, converging evidence has emerged over approximately the last 20-years showing that alcohol (ethanol), and other drugs of abuse influence the central MC system, and that manipulating MC receptor signalling modulates ethanol intake. Although there is divergent evidence, the wealth of data appears to suggest that activating MC signalling, primarily through the MC-4 receptor, is protective against excessive ethanol consumption. In the present review, we first describe the MC system and then detail how ethanol exposure and consumption alters central MC and MC-receptor expression and levels. This is followed by a review of the data, from pharmacological and genetic studies, which show that manipulations of MC receptor activity alter ethanol intake. We then briefly highlight studies implicating a role for the MC system in modulating neurobiological responses and intake of other drugs of abuse, including amphetamine, cocaine and opioids. Finally, we introduce relatively new observations that the drug, bupropion (BUP), a drug that activates central MC activity, significantly reduces ethanol intake in rodent models when administered alone and in combination with the non-selective opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone. Phase II clinical trials are currently underway to assess the efficacy of BUP as a treatment for alcohol use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James C Garbutt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Montserrat Navarro
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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Navarro M, Luhn KL, Kampov-Polevoy AB, Garbutt JC, Thiele TE. Bupropion, Alone and in Combination with Naltrexone, Blunts Binge-Like Ethanol Drinking and Intake Following Chronic Intermittent Access to Ethanol in Male C57BL/6J Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:783-790. [PMID: 30817015 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Regular binge drinking is associated with numerous adverse consequences, yet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only 4 medications for the treatment of alcohol use disorders, and none have been specifically targeted for treating binge drinking. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of the dopamine/norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor, bupropion (BUP), alone and in combination with naltrexone (NAL), to reduce binge-like and chronic ethanol (EtOH) intake in mice. While BUP is an FDA-approved drug that is currently used to treat depression and nicotine dependence, there has been only limited investigation to assess the ability of BUP to reduce EtOH intake. METHODS Male C57BL/6J mice were tested with 20% (v/v) EtOH using "drinking in the dark" (DID) procedures to model binge-like EtOH intake and following intermittent access to EtOH (IAE). In Experiment 1, mice were given intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 0, 20, or 40 mg/kg BUP 30 minutes before DID testing; in Experiment 2, mice were given i.p. injection of vehicle, BUP (20 mg/kg), NAL (3 mg/kg), or BUP + NAL (20 and 3 mg/kg, respectively) 30 minutes before DID testing; and in Experiment 3, mice were given i.p. injection of 0, 20, 40, or 60 mg/kg BUP 30 minutes before EtOH access after mice had 16 weeks of IAE. RESULTS BUP dose dependently blunted EtOH intake with DID procedures and after 16 weeks of IAE. Administration of subthreshold doses of BUP + NAL also reduced binge-like EtOH intake. Finally, BUP failed to reduce consumption of a 3% (w/v) sucrose solution. CONCLUSIONS BUP, alone and in combination with NAL, may represent a novel approach to treating binge EtOH intake. We are currently assessing the efficacy of BUP to curb binge drinking in a phase II clinical trial experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Navarro
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kendall L Luhn
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Alexey B Kampov-Polevoy
- The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - James C Garbutt
- The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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10
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Flores-Bastías O, Karahanian E. Neuroinflammation produced by heavy alcohol intake is due to loops of interactions between Toll-like 4 and TNF receptors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors and the central melanocortin system: A novel hypothesis and new therapeutic avenues. Neuropharmacology 2018; 128:401-407. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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11
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Bowen MT, Neumann ID. Rebalancing the Addicted Brain: Oxytocin Interference with the Neural Substrates of Addiction. Trends Neurosci 2017; 40:691-708. [PMID: 29128108 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Drugs that act on the brain oxytocin (OXT) system may provide a much-needed treatment breakthrough for substance-use disorders. Targeting the brain OXT system has the potential to treat addiction to all major classes of addictive substance and to intervene across all stages of the addiction cycle. Emerging evidence suggests that OXT is able to interfere with such a wide range of addictive behaviours for such a wide range of addictive substances by rebalancing core neural systems that become dysregulated over the course of addiction. By improving our understanding of these interactions between OXT and the neural substrates of addiction, we will not only improve our understanding of addiction, but also our ability to effectively treat these devastating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael T Bowen
- The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Psychology, Sydney, NSW, Australia; The University of Sydney, Brain and Mind Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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12
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Carvajal F, Lerma-Cabrera JM, Alcaraz-Iborra M, Navarro M, Thiele TE, Cubero I. Nucleus Accumbens MC4-R Stimulation Reduces Food and Ethanol Intake in Adult Rats Regardless of Binge-Like Ethanol Exposure during Adolescence. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:167. [PMID: 28936166 PMCID: PMC5594710 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The melanocortin (MC) system regulates feeding and ethanol consumption. Recent evidence shows that melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4-R) stimulation within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) elicits anorectic responses and reduces ethanol consumption and ethanol palatability in adult rats. Ethanol exposure during adolescence causes long-lasting changes in neural pathways critically involved in neurobehavioral responses to ethanol. In this regard, binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence reduces basal alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and alters the levels of agouti-related peptide (AgRP) in hypothalamic and limbic areas. Given the protective role of MC against excessive ethanol consumption, disturbances in the MC system induced by binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence might contribute to excessive ethanol consumption during adulthood. In the present study, we evaluated whether binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence leads to elevated ethanol intake and/or eating disturbance during adulthood. Toward that aim, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with ethanol (3 g/kg i.p.; BEP group) or saline (SP group) for 14 days (PND 25 to PND 38). On PND73, all the groups were given access to 20% ethanol on an intermittent schedule. Our results showed that adult rats given intermittent access (IAE) to 20% ethanol achieved high spontaneous ethanol intake that was not significantly enhanced by binge-like ethanol pretreatment during adolescence. However, BEP group exhibited an increase in food intake without a parallel increase in body weight (BW) relative to SP group suggesting caloric efficiency disturbance. Additionally, we evaluated whether binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence alters the expected reduction in feeding and ethanol consumption following NAc shell administration of a selective MC4-R agonist in adult rats showing high rates of ethanol consumption. For that, animals in each pretreatment condition (SP and BEP) were divided into three subgroups and given bilateral NAc infusions of the selective MC4-R agonist cyclo(NH-CH2-CH2-CO-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Glu)-NH2 (0, 0.75 or 1.5 μg). Results revealed that MC4-R stimulation within the NAc reduced feeding and ethanol intake in high ethanol-drinking adult rats, regardless of previous binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence, which adds new evidence regarding the dual ability of MC compounds to control excessive ethanol and food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Carvajal
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidad Autonoma de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - José M Lerma-Cabrera
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidad Autonoma de ChileSantiago, Chile.,Department of Psychology, University of OviedoOviedo, Spain
| | | | - Montserrat Navarro
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Inmaculada Cubero
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidad Autonoma de ChileSantiago, Chile.,Department of Psychology, University of AlmeriaAlmeria, Spain
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13
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Crabbe JC, Ozburn AR, Metten P, Barkley-Levenson A, Schlumbohm JP, Spence SE, Hack WR, Huang LC. High Drinking in the Dark (HDID) mice are sensitive to the effects of some clinically relevant drugs to reduce binge-like drinking. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2017; 160:55-62. [PMID: 28827047 PMCID: PMC5603423 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a serious public health need for better understanding of alcohol use disorder disease mechanisms and for improved treatments. At this writing, only three drugs are approved by the Food and Drug Administration as medications to treat alcohol use disorders - disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate. Binge drinking is a form of abusive alcohol drinking defined by the NIAAA as a drinking to blood alcohol levels (BALs)>0.08% during a period of approximately 2h. To model genetic risk for binge-like drinking, we have used selective breeding to create a unique animal model, High Drinking in the Dark (HDID) mice. Behavioral characterization of HDID mice has revealed that HDID mice exhibit behavioral impairment after drinking, withdrawal after a single binge-drinking session, and escalate their intake in response to induction of successive cycles of dependence. Notably, HDID mice do not exhibit altered tastant preference or alcohol clearance rates. We therefore asked whether drugs of known clinical relevance could modulate binge-like ethanol drinking in HDID mice, reasoning that this characterization of HDID responses should inform future use of this genetic animal model for screening and development of novel potential therapeutics. METHODS We tested the efficacy of acamprosate and naltrexone to reduce binge-like drinking in HDID mice. Additionally, we tested the GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen, based on recent pre-clinical and clinical studies demonstrating that it reduces alcohol drinking. We elected not to include disulfiram due to its more limited clinical usage. Mice were tested after acute doses of drugs in the limited-access Drinking in the Dark (DID) paradigm. RESULTS HDID mice were sensitive to the effects of acamprosate and baclofen, but not naltrexone. Both drugs reduced binge-like drinking. However, naltrexone failed to reduce drinking in HDID mice. Thus, HDID mice may represent a useful model for screening novel compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Crabbe
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
| | - Angela R Ozburn
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Pamela Metten
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Amanda Barkley-Levenson
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jason P Schlumbohm
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Stephanie E Spence
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Wyatt R Hack
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Lawrence C Huang
- Portland Alcohol Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR 97239, USA
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14
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-eighth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2015 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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15
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Navarro M. The Role of the Melanocortin System in Drug and Alcohol Abuse. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2017; 136:121-150. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2017.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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16
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Kasten CR, Boehm SL. Preclinical Medication Development: New Targets and New Drugs. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 40:1418-24. [PMID: 27177689 PMCID: PMC4930385 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea R. Kasten
- Department of Psychology and Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University – Purdue University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Stephen L. Boehm
- Department of Psychology and Indiana Alcohol Research Center, Indiana University – Purdue University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202
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