1
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Przybysz KR, Shillinglaw JE, Wheeler SR, Glover EJ. Chronic ethanol exposure produces long-lasting, subregion-specific physiological adaptations in RMTg-projecting mPFC neurons. Neuropharmacology 2024; 259:110098. [PMID: 39117106 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110098] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Chronic ethanol exposure produces neuroadaptations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) that are thought to facilitate maladaptive behaviors that interfere with recovery from alcohol use disorder. Despite evidence that different cortico-subcortical projections play distinct roles in behavior, few studies have examined the physiological effects of chronic ethanol at the circuit level. The rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg) is functionally altered by chronic ethanol exposure. Our recent work identified dense input from the mPFC to the RMTg, yet the effects of chronic ethanol exposure on this circuitry is unknown. In the current study, we examined physiological changes after chronic ethanol exposure in prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) mPFC neurons projecting to the RMTg. Adult male Long-Evans rats were injected with fluorescent retrobeads into the RMTg and rendered dependent using a 14-day chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor exposure paradigm. Whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings were performed in fluorescently-labeled (RMTg-projecting) and -unlabeled (projection-undefined) layer 5 pyramidal neurons 7-10 days following ethanol exposure. CIE exposure significantly increased intrinsic excitability as well as spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sE/IPSCs) in RMTg-projecting IL neurons. In contrast, no lasting changes in excitability were observed in RMTg-projecting PL neurons, although a CIE-induced reduction in excitability was observed in projection-undefined PL neurons. CIE exposure also increased the frequency of sEPSCs in RMTg-projecting PL neurons. These data uncover novel subregion- and circuit-specific neuroadaptations in the mPFC following chronic ethanol exposure and reveal that the IL mPFC-RMTg projection is uniquely vulnerable to long-lasting effects of chronic ethanol exposure. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R Przybysz
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Joel E Shillinglaw
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Shannon R Wheeler
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Glover
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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2
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Uusi-Oukari M, Korpi ER. GABAergic mechanisms in alcohol dependence. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 175:75-123. [PMID: 38555121 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The target of alcohol's effect on the central nervous system has been sought for more than 50 years in the brain's GABA system. The behavioral and emotional effects of alcohol in humans and rodents are very similar to those of barbiturates and benzodiazepines, and GABAA receptors have been shown to be one of the sites of alcohol action. The mechanisms of GABAergic inhibition have been a hotspot of research but have turned out to be complex and controversial. Genetics support the involvement of some GABAA receptor subunits in the development of alcohol dependence and in alcohol use disorders (AUD). Since the effect of alcohol on the GABAA system resembles that of a GABAergic positive modulator, it may be possible to develop GABAergic drug treatments that could substitute for alcohol. The adaptation mechanisms of the GABA system and the plasticity of the brain are a big challenge for drug development: the drugs that act on GABAA receptors developed so far also may cause adaptation and development of additional addiction. Human polymorphisms should be studied further to get insight about how they affect receptor function, expression or other factors to make reasonable predictions/hypotheses about what non-addictive interventions would help in alcohol dependence and AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikko Uusi-Oukari
- Integrative Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Esa R Korpi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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3
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Shi L, Kang S, Choi CY, Noonan BL, Carrica LK, Liang NC, Gulley JM. Effects of combined exposure to ethanol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence on synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex of Long Evans rats. Neuropharmacology 2024; 242:109765. [PMID: 37863313 PMCID: PMC10872915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109765] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Significant exposure to alcohol or cannabis during adolescence can induce lasting disruptions of neuronal signaling in brain regions that are later to mature, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Considerably less is known about the effects of alcohol and cannabis co-use, despite its common occurrence. Here, we used male and female Long-Evans rats to investigate the effects of early-life exposure to ethanol, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or their combination on high frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced plasticity in the prelimbic region of the mPFC. Animals were injected daily from postnatal days 30-45 with vehicle or THC (escalating doses, 3-20 mg/kg) and allowed to drink vehicle (0.1% saccharin) or 10% ethanol immediately after each injection. In vitro brain slice electrophysiology was then used to record population responses of layer V neurons following HFS in layer II/III after 3-4 weeks of abstinence. We found that THC exposure reduced body weight gains observed in ad libitum fed rats, and reduced intake of saccharin and ethanol. Compared to controls, there was a significant reduction in HFS-induced long-term depression (LTD) in rats exposed to either drug alone, and an absence of LTD in rats exposed to the drug combination. Bath application of indiplon or AR-A014418, which enhance GABAA receptor function or inhibit glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), respectively, suggested the effects of ethanol, THC or their combination were due in part to lasting adaptations in GABA and GSK3β signaling. These results suggest the potential for long-lasting adaptations in mPFC output following co-exposure to alcohol and THC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyuan Shi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Shuo Kang
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Chan Young Choi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Brynn L Noonan
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Lauren K Carrica
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Nu-Chu Liang
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Joshua M Gulley
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
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4
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Dharavath RN, Pina-Leblanc C, Tang VM, Sloan ME, Nikolova YS, Pangarov P, Ruocco AC, Shield K, Voineskos D, Blumberger DM, Boileau I, Bozinoff N, Gerretsen P, Vieira E, Melamed OC, Sibille E, Quilty LC, Prevot TD. GABAergic signaling in alcohol use disorder and withdrawal: pathological involvement and therapeutic potential. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1218737. [PMID: 37929054 PMCID: PMC10623140 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1218737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol is one of the most widely used substances. Alcohol use accounts for 5.1% of the global disease burden, contributes substantially to societal and economic costs, and leads to approximately 3 million global deaths yearly. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) includes various drinking behavior patterns that lead to short-term or long-lasting effects on health. Ethanol, the main psychoactive molecule acting in alcoholic beverages, directly impacts the GABAergic system, contributing to GABAergic dysregulations that vary depending on the intensity and duration of alcohol consumption. A small number of interventions have been developed that target the GABAergic system, but there are promising future therapeutic avenues to explore. This review provides an overview of the impact of alcohol on the GABAergic system, the current interventions available for AUD that target the GABAergic system, and the novel interventions being explored that in the future could be included among first-line therapies for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Celeste Pina-Leblanc
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Victor M. Tang
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Addiction Division, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Mental Health Policy Research, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Matthew E. Sloan
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Addiction Division, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Neurosciences and Clinical Translation, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Mental Health Policy Research, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yuliya S. Nikolova
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Pangarov
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anthony C. Ruocco
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kevin Shield
- Institute of Mental Health Policy Research, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daphne Voineskos
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel M. Blumberger
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Isabelle Boileau
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nikki Bozinoff
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Philip Gerretsen
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Erica Vieira
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Osnat C. Melamed
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lena C. Quilty
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas D. Prevot
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute of CAMH, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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5
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Crofton EJ, O'Buckley TK, Bohnsack JP, Morrow AL, Herman MA. Divergent Population-Specific Effects of Chronic Ethanol Exposure on Excitability and Inhibitory Transmission in Male and Female Rat Central Amygdala. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7056-7068. [PMID: 37657933 PMCID: PMC10586533 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0717-23.2023] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is implicated in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and AUD-associated plasticity. The CeA is a primarily GABAergic nucleus that is subdivided into lateral and medial compartments with genetically diverse subpopulations. GABAA receptors are heteromeric pentamers with subunits conferring distinct physiological characteristics. GABAA receptor signaling in the CeA has been implicated in ethanol-associated plasticity; however, population-specific changes in inhibitory signaling and subunit expression remain unclear. Here, we combined electrophysiology with single-cell gene expression analysis of population markers and GABAA receptor subunits to examine population-specific changes in inhibitory control in male and female rats following chronic ethanol exposure. We found that chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal produced global changes in GABAA receptor subunit expression at the transcript and protein levels, increased excitability in female CeA neurons, and increased inhibitory synaptic transmission in male CeA neurons. When we examined CeA neurons at the single-cell level we found heterogenous populations, as previously reported. We observed ethanol-induced increases in excitability only in somatostatin neurons in the CeA of females, decreases in excitability only in the protein kinase C delta (PKCd) population in males, and ethanol-induced increases in inhibitory transmission in male PKCd and calbindin 2-expressing CeA neurons. There were no population-specific differences in GABAA receptor (Gabr) subunits in males but reduced GabrA5 expression in female somatostatin neurons. Collectively, these findings suggest that defined CeA populations display differential ethanol sensitivity in males and females, which may play a role in sex differences in vulnerability to AUD or expression of AUD pathology.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The CeA is involved in the effects of ethanol in the brain; however, the population-specific changes in CeA activity remain unclear. We used recordings of CeA neuronal activity and single-cell gene expression to examine population-specific changes in inhibitory control in male and female rats following chronic ethanol exposure and found sex- and population-specific effects of chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal. Specifically, female CeA neurons displayed increased excitability in the somatostatin CeA population, whereas male CeA neurons displayed increased inhibitory control in both PKCd and calbindin populations and decreased excitability in the PKCd population. These findings identify CeA populations that display differential sensitivity to ethanol exposure, which may contribute to sex differences in vulnerability to alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Crofton
- Departments of Psychiatry
- Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Emmanuel College, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
| | - Todd K O'Buckley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - John P Bohnsack
- Departments of Psychiatry
- Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - A Leslie Morrow
- Departments of Psychiatry
- Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Melissa A Herman
- Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
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6
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Shi L, Kang S, Choi CY, Noonan BL, Carrica LK, Liang NC, Gulley JM. Effects of combined exposure to ethanol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence on synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex of Long Evans rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.14.553087. [PMID: 37645740 PMCID: PMC10462006 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.14.553087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Significant exposure to alcohol or cannabis during adolescence can induce lasting disruptions of neuronal signaling in brain regions that are later to mature, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Considerably less is known about the effects of alcohol and cannabis co-use, despite its common occurrence. Here, we used male and female Long-Evans rats to investigate the effects of early-life exposure to ethanol, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or their combination on high frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced plasticity in the prelimbic region of the mPFC. Animals were injected daily from postnatal days 30 to 45 with vehicle or THC (escalating doses, 3-20 mg/kg) and allowed to drink vehicle (0.1% saccharin) or 10% ethanol immediately after each injection. In vitro brain slice electrophysiology was then used to record population responses of layer V neurons following HFS in layer II/III after 3-4 weeks of abstinence. We found that THC exposure reduced body weight gains observed in ad libitum fed rats, and reduced intake of saccharin and ethanol. Compared to controls, there was a significant reduction in HFS-induced long-term depression (LTD) in rats exposed to either drug alone, and an absence of LTD in rats exposed to the drug combination. Bath application of indiplon or AR-A014418, which enhance GABAA receptor function or inhibit glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), respectively, suggested the effects of ethanol, THC or their combination were due in part to lasting adaptations in GABA and GSK3β signaling. These results suggest the potential for long-lasting adaptations in mPFC output following co-exposure to alcohol and THC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyuan Shi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
| | - Shuo Kang
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
| | - Chan Young Choi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
| | - Brynn L. Noonan
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
| | | | - Nu-Chu Liang
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Joshua M. Gulley
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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7
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Varodayan FP, Pahng AR, Davis TD, Gandhi P, Bajo M, Steinman MQ, Kiosses WB, Blednov YA, Burkart MD, Edwards S, Roberts AJ, Roberto M. Chronic ethanol induces a pro-inflammatory switch in interleukin-1β regulation of GABAergic signaling in the medial prefrontal cortex of male mice. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 110:125-139. [PMID: 36863493 PMCID: PMC10106421 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimmune pathways regulate brain function to influence complex behavior and play a role in several neuropsychiatric diseases, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). In particular, the interleukin-1 (IL-1) system has emerged as a key regulator of the brain's response to ethanol (alcohol). Here we investigated the mechanisms underlying ethanol-induced neuroadaptation of IL-1β signaling at GABAergic synapses in the prelimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), an area responsible for integrating contextual information to mediate conflicting motivational drives. We exposed C57BL/6J male mice to the chronic intermittent ethanol vapor-2 bottle choice paradigm (CIE-2BC) to induce ethanol dependence, and conducted ex vivo electrophysiology and molecular analyses. We found that the IL-1 system regulates basal mPFC function through its actions at inhibitory synapses on prelimbic layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons. IL-1β can selectively recruit either neuroprotective (PI3K/Akt) or pro-inflammatory (MyD88/p38 MAPK) mechanisms to produce opposing synaptic effects. In ethanol naïve conditions, there was a strong PI3K/Akt bias leading to a disinhibition of pyramidal neurons. Ethanol dependence produced opposite IL-1 effects - enhanced local inhibition via a switch in IL-1β signaling to the canonical pro-inflammatory MyD88 pathway. Ethanol dependence also increased cellular IL-1β in the mPFC, while decreasing expression of downstream effectors (Akt, p38 MAPK). Thus, IL-1β may represent a key neural substrate in ethanol-induced cortical dysfunction. As the IL-1 receptor antagonist (kineret) is already FDA-approved for other diseases, this work underscores the high therapeutic potential of IL-1 signaling/neuroimmune-based treatments for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- F P Varodayan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center and Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - A R Pahng
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA; Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - T D Davis
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - P Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - M Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - M Q Steinman
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - W B Kiosses
- Microscopy Core Imaging Facility, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Y A Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - M D Burkart
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - S Edwards
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - A J Roberts
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - M Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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8
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Ornelas LC, Boero G, Van Voorhies K, O’Buckley TK, Besheer J, Morrow AL. Pharmacological administration of 3α,5α-THP into the nucleus accumbens core increases 3α,5α-THP expression and reduces alcohol self-administration. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:459-469. [PMID: 36587947 PMCID: PMC10234128 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol affects multiple circuits in the brain, mainly disrupting the delicate balance between inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission and excitatory glutamate signaling in brain areas involved in reward circuits. These include the amygdala, nucleus accumbens (Acb), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). This action impairs circuits that regulate behavioral control of craving and alcohol seeking and intake. Studies in both rodent models and postmortem human brain of patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) have highlighted the association between the loss of GABAergic inhibition and the development of addiction. The neurosteroid (3α,5α)-3-hydroxypregnan-20-one (3α,5α-THP) is a potent positive modulator of GABAA receptors. Chronic alcohol consumption reduces 3α,5α-THP levels, resulting in decreased GABA inhibition. We previously demonstrated that enhancing neurosteroid biosynthesis by overexpression of the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme P450scc decreased alcohol intake in male alcohol-preferring rats (P-rats). While most of the evidence of alcohol-induced alterations comes from studies in male subjects, some data show that females are more vulnerable to alcohol's effects than males. METHODS In this study, we investigated the ability of 3α,5α-THP direct infusions in two brain regions that contribute to alcohol reinforcement, the VTA and Acb core (AcbC), to regulate alcohol self-administration in female P-rats. RESULTS Administration of 3α,5α-THP into the AcbC increased 3α,5α-THP-positive cell expression in this area and reduced alcohol self-administration. By contrast, 3α,5α-THP infusion into the VTA did not significantly affect alcohol self-administration, though trends for a reduction were found. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that local increases in 3α,5α-THP in the AcbC may alter mesolimbic activity that drives a reduction in alcohol self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C. Ornelas
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Giorgia Boero
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Kalynn Van Voorhies
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Todd K. O’Buckley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - Joyce Besheer
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | - A. Leslie Morrow
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
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9
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Foster TC. Animal models for studies of alcohol effects on the trajectory of age-related cognitive decline. Alcohol 2023; 107:4-11. [PMID: 35504438 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
There is growing interest in understanding how ethanol use interacts with advancing age to influence the brain and cognition. Animal models are employed to investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases that underlie cognitive decline. However, all too often research on problems and diseases of the elderly are conducted in healthy young animals, providing little clinical relevance. The validity of animal models is discussed, and confounds due to age-related differences in anxiety, sensory-motor function, and procedural learning are highlighted in order to enhance the successful translation of preclinical results into clinical settings. The mechanism of action of ethanol on brain aging will depend on the dose, acute or chronic treatment, or withdrawal from treatment and the age examined. Due to the fact that humans experience alcohol use throughout life, important questions concern the effects of the dose and duration of ethanol treatment on the trajectory of cognitive function. Central to this research will be questions of the specificity of alcohol effects on cognitive functions and related brain regions that decline with age, as well as the interaction of alcohol with mechanisms or biomarkers of brain aging. Alternatively, moderate alcohol use may provide a source of reserve and resilience against brain aging. Longitudinal studies have the advantage of being sensitive to detecting the effects of treatment on the emergence of cognitive impairment in middle age and can minimize effects of stress/anxiety associated with the novelty of alcohol exposure and behavioral testing, which disproportionately influence aged animals. Finally, the effect of alcohol on senescent neurophysiology and biomarkers of brain aging are discussed. In particular, the interaction of age and effects of alcohol on inflammation, oxidative stress, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor function, and the balance of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
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10
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Gimenez-Gomez P, Le T, Martin GE. Modulation of neuronal excitability by binge alcohol drinking. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1098211. [PMID: 36866357 PMCID: PMC9971943 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1098211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug use poses a serious threat to health systems throughout the world. The number of consumers rises every year being alcohol the drug of abuse most consumed causing 3 million deaths (5.3% of all deaths) worldwide and 132.6 million disability-adjusted life years. In this review, we present an up-to-date summary about what is known regarding the global impact of binge alcohol drinking on brains and how it affects the development of cognitive functions, as well as the various preclinical models used to probe its effects on the neurobiology of the brain. This will be followed by a detailed report on the state of our current knowledge of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of binge drinking on neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity, with an emphasis on brain regions of the meso-cortico limbic neurocircuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Gimenez-Gomez
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
- The Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Timmy Le
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
- The Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Gilles E. Martin
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
- The Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
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11
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Zhan B, Zhu Y, Xia J, Li W, Tang Y, Beesetty A, Ye JH, Fu R. Comorbidity of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder: Animal Models and Associated Neurocircuitry. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010388. [PMID: 36613829 PMCID: PMC9820348 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders and frequently co-occur concomitantly. Individuals suffering from this dual diagnosis often exhibit increased symptom severity and poorer treatment outcomes than those with only one of these diseases. Lacking standard preclinical models limited the exploration of neurobiological mechanisms underlying PTSD and AUD comorbidity. In this review, we summarize well-accepted preclinical model paradigms and criteria for developing successful models of comorbidity. We also outline how PTSD and AUD affect each other bidirectionally in the nervous nuclei have been heatedly discussed recently. We hope to provide potential recommendations for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhan
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Yingxin Zhu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Jianxun Xia
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Yunkang School of Medicine and Health, Nanfang College, Guangzhou 510970, China
| | - Wenfu Li
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Ying Tang
- Department of Biology, School of Life Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Anju Beesetty
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Jiang-Hong Ye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
- Correspondence: (J.-H.Y.); (R.F.)
| | - Rao Fu
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
- Correspondence: (J.-H.Y.); (R.F.)
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12
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Fish KN, Joffe ME. Targeting prefrontal cortex GABAergic microcircuits for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2022; 14:936911. [PMID: 36105666 PMCID: PMC9465392 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2022.936911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing novel treatments for alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is of paramount importance for improving patient outcomes and alleviating the suffering related to the disease. A better understanding of the molecular and neurocircuit mechanisms through which alcohol alters brain function will be instrumental in the rational development of new efficacious treatments. Clinical studies have consistently associated the prefrontal cortex (PFC) function with symptoms of AUDs. Population-level analyses have linked the PFC structure and function with heavy drinking and/or AUD diagnosis. Thus, targeting specific PFC cell types and neural circuits holds promise for the development of new treatments. Here, we overview the tremendous diversity in the form and function of inhibitory neuron subtypes within PFC and describe their therapeutic potential. We then summarize AUD population genetics studies, clinical neurophysiology findings, and translational neuroscience discoveries. This study collectively suggests that changes in fast transmission through PFC inhibitory microcircuits are a central component of the neurobiological effects of ethanol and the core symptoms of AUDs. Finally, we submit that there is a significant and timely need to examine sex as a biological variable and human postmortem brain tissue to maximize the efforts in translating findings to new clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Max E. Joffe
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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13
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Yao H, Zhang D, Yu H, Shen H, Lan X, Liu H, Chen X, Wu X, Zhang G, Wang X. Chronic ethanol exposure induced anxiety‐like behaviour by altering gut microbiota and GABA system. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13203. [DOI: 10.1111/adb.13203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Yao
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Dalin Zhang
- Department of Thyroid Surgery The 1st Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University Shenyang China
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Hui Shen
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Xinze Lan
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Hao Liu
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Xiaohuan Chen
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Xu Wu
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Guohua Zhang
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- Department of Forensic Pathology China Medical University School of Forensic Medicine Shenyang Liaoning China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio‐evidence Sciences Shenyang Liaoning China
- China Medical University Center of Forensic Investigation Shenyang Liaoning China
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14
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El Khoueiry C, Alba-Delgado C, Antri M, Gutierrez-Mecinas M, Todd AJ, Artola A, Dallel R. GABAA and Glycine Receptor-Mediated Inhibitory Synaptic Transmission onto Adult Rat Lamina IIi PKCγ-Interneurons: Pharmacological but not Anatomical Specialization. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081356. [PMID: 35456035 PMCID: PMC9033052 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical allodynia (pain to normally innocuous tactile stimuli) is a widespread symptom of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Spinal or medullary dorsal horn (SDH or MDH) circuits mediating tactile sensation and pain need to interact in order to evoke mechanical allodynia. PKCγ-expressing (PKCγ+) interneurons and inhibitory controls within SDH/MDH inner lamina II (IIi) are pivotal in connecting touch and pain circuits. However, the relative contribution of GABA and glycine to PKCγ+ interneuron inhibition remains unknown. We characterized inhibitory inputs onto PKCγ+ interneurons by combining electrophysiology to record spontaneous and miniature IPSCs (sIPSCs, mIPSCs) and immunohistochemical detection of GABAARα2 and GlyRα1 subunits in adult rat MDH. While GlyR-only- and GABAAR-only-mediated mIPSCs/sIPSCs are predominantly recorded from PKCγ+ interneurons, immunohistochemistry reveals that ~80% of their inhibitory synapses possess both GABAARα2 and GlyRα1. Moreover, nearly all inhibitory boutons at gephyrin-expressing synapses on these cells contain glutamate decarboxylase and are therefore GABAergic, with around half possessing the neuronal glycine transporter (GlyT2) and therefore being glycinergic. Thus, while GABA and glycine are presumably co-released and GABAARs and GlyRs are present at most inhibitory synapses on PKCγ+ interneurons, these interneurons exhibit almost exclusively GABAAR-only and GlyR-only quantal postsynaptic inhibitory currents, suggesting a pharmacological specialization of their inhibitory synapses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne El Khoueiry
- Neuro-Dol, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (C.E.K.); (C.A.-D.); (M.A.)
| | - Cristina Alba-Delgado
- Neuro-Dol, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (C.E.K.); (C.A.-D.); (M.A.)
| | - Myriam Antri
- Neuro-Dol, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (C.E.K.); (C.A.-D.); (M.A.)
| | - Maria Gutierrez-Mecinas
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; (M.G.-M.); (A.J.T.)
| | - Andrew J. Todd
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK; (M.G.-M.); (A.J.T.)
| | - Alain Artola
- Neuro-Dol, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (C.E.K.); (C.A.-D.); (M.A.)
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (R.D.)
| | - Radhouane Dallel
- Neuro-Dol, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (C.E.K.); (C.A.-D.); (M.A.)
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (R.D.)
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15
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Crofton EJ, Zhu M, Curtis KN, Nolan GW, O’Buckley TK, Morrow AL, Herman MA. Medial prefrontal cortex-basolateral amygdala circuit dysfunction in chronic alcohol-exposed male rats. Neuropharmacology 2022; 205:108912. [PMID: 34883134 PMCID: PMC8800149 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol is a commonly used drug that can produce alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Few individuals with AUDs receive treatment and treatment options are complicated by issues with effectiveness and compliance. Alcohol has been shown to differentially affect specific brain regions and an improved understanding of circuit-specific dysregulation caused by alcohol is warranted. Previous work has implicated both the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) in alcohol-associated plasticity, however studies directly examining the impact of alcohol exposure on this circuit are lacking. The current study employed an optogenetic strategy to investigate the prelimbic mPFC to BLA circuit and changes in circuit activity following chronic intragastric ethanol exposure in male Sprague Dawley rats. We observed monosynaptic connections with light-evoked stimulation of mPFC terminals in the BLA with efficacy and short latency. We also found that mPFC-BLA projections are primarily glutamatergic under basal inhibitory control, with a lesser population of GABAergic projections. We examined optically-evoked glutamate currents in the BLA using repeated trains of stimulation that displayed accommodation, or a reduction in evoked current amplitude over repeated stimulations. We found that following chronic ethanol exposure mPFC-BLA glutamatergic connections were dysregulated such that there were decreases in overall function, notably in synaptic strength and accommodation, with no change in probability of evoked glutamate release. The lesser GABAergic component of the mPFC-BLA circuit was not altered by chronic ethanol exposure. Collectively these data indicate that mPFC-BLA circuitry is a significant target of alcohol-associated plasticity, which may contribute to pathological behavior associated with AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J. Crofton
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Emmanuel College, Boston, MA, USA
| | - ManHua Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Katelin N. Curtis
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Emmanuel College, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gavin W. Nolan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Emmanuel College, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Todd K. O’Buckley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - A. Leslie Morrow
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Melissa A. Herman
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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16
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Dao NC, Brockway DF, Suresh Nair M, Sicher AR, Crowley NA. Somatostatin neurons control an alcohol binge drinking prelimbic microcircuit in mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1906-1917. [PMID: 34112959 PMCID: PMC8429551 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01050-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Somatostatin (SST) neurons have been implicated in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, but their role in substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD), is not fully characterized. Here, we found that repeated cycles of alcohol binge drinking via the Drinking-in-the-Dark (DID) model led to hypoactivity of SST neurons in the prelimbic (PL) cortex by diminishing their action potential firing capacity and excitatory/inhibitory transmission dynamic. We examined their role in regulating alcohol consumption via bidirectional chemogenetic manipulation. Both hM3Dq-induced excitation and KORD-induced silencing of PL SST neurons reduced alcohol binge drinking in males and females, with no effect on sucrose consumption. Alcohol binge drinking disinhibited pyramidal neurons by augmenting SST neurons-mediated GABA release and synaptic strength onto other GABAergic populations and reducing spontaneous inhibitory transmission onto pyramidal neurons. Pyramidal neurons additionally displayed increased intrinsic excitability. Direct inhibition of PL pyramidal neurons via hM4Di was sufficient to reduce alcohol binge drinking. Together these data revealed an SST-mediated microcircuit in the PL that modulates the inhibitory dynamics of pyramidal neurons, a major source of output to subcortical targets to drive reward-seeking behaviors and emotional response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel C Dao
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Dakota F Brockway
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Malini Suresh Nair
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Avery R Sicher
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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17
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Sex- and subtype-specific adaptations in excitatory signaling onto deep-layer prelimbic cortical pyramidal neurons after chronic alcohol exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1927-1936. [PMID: 34035471 PMCID: PMC8429546 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01034-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Long-term alcohol use results in behavioral deficits including impaired working memory, elevated anxiety, and blunted inhibitory control that is associated with prefrontal cortical (PFC) dysfunction. Preclinical observations demonstrate multiple impairments in GABAergic neurotransmission onto deep-layer principal cells (PCs) in the prelimbic cortex that suggest dependence-related cortical dysfunction is the product of elevated excitability in these cells. Despite accumulating evidence showing alcohol-induced changes in interneuron signaling onto PCs differ between sexes, there is limited data explicitly evaluating sex-specific ethanol effects on excitatory signaling onto deep-layer PCs that may further contribute to deficits in PFC-dependent behaviors. To address this, we conducted electrophysiological and behavioral tests in both male and female Sprague-Dawley rats to evaluate the effects of chronic ethanol exposure. Among our observations, we report a marked enhancement in glutamatergic signaling onto deep-layer PCs in male, but not female, rats after alcohol exposure. This phenomenon was furthermore specific to a sub-class of PC, sub-cortically projecting Type-A cells, and coincided with enhanced anxiety-like behavior, but no observable deficit in working memory. In contrast, female rats displayed alcohol-induced facilitation in working memory performance with no change in expression of anxiety-like behavior. Together, these results suggest fundamental differences in alcohol effects on cell activity, cortical sub-circuits, and PFC-dependent behaviors across male and female rats.
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18
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Joffe ME, Winder DG, Conn PJ. Increased Synaptic Strength and mGlu 2/3 Receptor Plasticity on Mouse Prefrontal Cortex Intratelencephalic Pyramidal Cells Following Intermittent Access to Ethanol. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:518-529. [PMID: 33434325 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) is crucial for regulating craving and alcohol seeking in alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients and alcohol seeking in animal models. Maladaptive changes in volitional ethanol (EtOH) intake have been associated with PFC function, yet synaptic adaptations within PFC have not been consistently detected in voluntary drinking rodent models. At least 80% of the neurons in PFC are glutamatergic pyramidal cells. Pyramidal cells provide the predominant cortical output to several brain regions relevant to AUD, including structures within the telencephalon (IT: e.g., basal ganglia, amygdala, other neocortical regions) and outside the telencephalon (ET: e.g., lateral hypothalamus, midbrain monoaminergic structures, thalamus). METHODS In addition to their anatomical distinctions, studies from several laboratories have revealed that prefrontal cortical IT and ET pyramidal cells may be differentiated by specific electrophysiological parameters. These distinguishable parameters make it possible to readily classify pyramidal cells into separable subtypes. Here, we employed and validated the hyperpolarization sag ratio as a diagnostic proxy for separating ET (type A) and IT (type B) neurons. We recorded from deep-layer prelimbic PFC pyramidal cells of mice 1 day after 4 to 5 weeks of intermittent access (IA) EtOH exposure. RESULTS Membrane properties were not altered by IA EtOH, but excitatory postsynaptic strength onto IT type B neurons was selectively enhanced in slices from IA EtOH mice. The increased excitatory drive was accompanied by enhanced mGlu2/3 receptor plasticity on IT type B neurons, providing a potential translational approach to mitigate cognitive and motivational changes to PFC function related to binge drinking. CONCLUSIONS Together, these studies provide insight into the specific PFC neurocircuits altered by voluntary drinking. In addition, the findings provide an additional rationale for developing compounds that potentiate mGlu2 and/or mGlu3 receptor function as potential treatments for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max E Joffe
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - P Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
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19
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Wang N, Liu X, Li XT, Li XX, Ma W, Xu YM, Liu Y, Gao Q, Yang T, Wang H, Peng Y, Zhu XF, Guan YZ. 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone Alleviates Anxiety-Like Behavior Induced by Chronic Alcohol Exposure in Mice Involving Tropomyosin-Related Kinase B in the Amygdala. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:92-105. [PMID: 32895785 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02111-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use-associated disorders are highly comorbid with anxiety disorders; however, their mechanism remains unknown. The amygdala plays a central role in anxiety. We recently found that 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) significantly reduces withdrawal symptoms in a rat model of chronic intermittent alcohol (ethanol) exposure. This study aimed to determine the role of 7,8-DHF in regulating anxiety induced by chronic alcohol exposure and its associated underlying mechanism. Male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to chronic intermittent alcohol for 3 weeks followed by alcohol withdrawal for 12 h with or without 7,8-DHF administered intraperitoneally. All mice were tested using an open field test and elevated plus maze to assess anxiety-like behaviors. Synaptic activity and intrinsic excitability in basal and lateral amygdala (BLA) neurons were assessed using electrophysiological recordings. 7,8-DHF alleviated alcohol-induced anxiety-like behavior and attenuated alcohol-induced enhancement of activities in BLA pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, 7,8-DHF prevented alcohol withdrawal-evoked augmentation of glutamatergic transmission in the amygdala and had no effect on GABAergic transmission in the amygdala, as demonstrated by unaltered frequency and amplitude of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents. Microinjection of K252a, a tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) antagonist, into the BLA blocked the effects of 7,8-DHF on anxiety-like behavior and neuronal activity in the BLA. Our findings suggest that 7,8-DHF alleviates alcohol-induced anxiety-like behavior induced by chronic alcohol exposure through regulation of glutamate transmission involving TrKB in the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Wang
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China
| | - Xin-Tong Li
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated First Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, 154000, China
| | - Xin-Xin Li
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China
| | - Wei Ma
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China
| | - Yan-Min Xu
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China
| | - Yong Liu
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China
| | - Qing Gao
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China
| | - Hongxuan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510828, China
| | - Ying Peng
- Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510828, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Zhu
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China.
| | - Yan-Zhong Guan
- Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, 157011, China.
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20
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Bohnsack JP, Pandey SC. Histone modifications, DNA methylation, and the epigenetic code of alcohol use disorder. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 156:1-62. [PMID: 33461661 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite AUD's substantial contributions to lost economic productivity and quality of life, there are only a limited number of approved drugs for treatment of AUD in the United States. This chapter will update progress made on the epigenetic basis of AUD, with particular focus on histone post-translational modifications and DNA methylation and how these two epigenetic mechanisms interact to contribute to neuroadaptive processes leading to initiation, maintenance and progression of AUD pathophysiology. We will also evaluate epigenetic therapeutic strategies that have arisen from preclinical models of AUD and epigenetic biomarkers that have been discovered in human populations with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Peyton Bohnsack
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States.
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21
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Dao NC, Suresh Nair M, Magee SN, Moyer JB, Sendao V, Brockway DF, Crowley NA. Forced Abstinence From Alcohol Induces Sex-Specific Depression-Like Behavioral and Neural Adaptations in Somatostatin Neurons in Cortical and Amygdalar Regions. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:86. [PMID: 32536856 PMCID: PMC7266989 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Forced abstinence (FA) from alcohol has been shown to produce a variety of anxiety- and depression-like symptoms in animal models. Somatostatin (SST) neurons, a subtype of GABAergic neurons found throughout the brain, are a novel neural target with potential treatment implications in affective disorders, yet their role in alcohol use disorders (AUD) remains to be explored. Here, we examined the neuroadaptations of SST neurons during forced abstinence from voluntary alcohol consumption. Following 6 weeks of two-bottle choice alcohol consumption and protracted forced abstinence, male and female C57BL/6J mice exhibited a heightened, but sex-specific, depressive-like behavioral profile in the sucrose preference test (SPT) and forced swim test (FST), without changes in anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field test (OFT). FST-induced cFos expressions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST) were altered in FA-exposed female mice only, suggesting a sex-specific effect of forced abstinence on the neural response to acute stress. SST immunoreactivity in these regions was unaffected by forced abstinence, while differences were seen in SST/cFos co-expression in the vBNST. No differences in cFos or SST immunoreactivity were seen in the lateral central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) and the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Additionally, SST neurons in female mice displayed opposing alterations in the PFC and vBNST, with heightened intrinsic excitability in the PFC and diminished intrinsic excitability in the vBNST. These findings provide an overall framework of forced abstinence-induced neuroadaptations in these key brain regions involved in emotional regulation and processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel C Dao
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Malini Suresh Nair
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.,Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sarah N Magee
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - J Brody Moyer
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Veronica Sendao
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Dakota F Brockway
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.,Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.,Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.,Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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22
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Morrow AL, Boero G, Porcu P. A Rationale for Allopregnanolone Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders: Basic and Clinical Studies. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:320-339. [PMID: 31782169 PMCID: PMC7018555 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
For many years, research from around the world has suggested that the neuroactive steroid (3α,5α)-3-hydroxypregnan-20-one (allopregnanolone or 3α,5α-THP) may have therapeutic potential for treatment of various symptoms of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). In this critical review, we systematically address all the evidence that supports such a suggestion, delineate the etiologies of AUDs that are addressed by treatment with allopregnanolone or its precursor pregnenolone, and the rationale for treatment of various components of the disease based on basic science and clinical evidence. This review presents a theoretical framework for understanding how endogenous steroids that regulate the effects of stress, alcohol, and the innate immune system could play a key role in both the prevention and the treatment of AUDs. We further discuss cautions and limitations of allopregnanolone or pregnenolone therapy with suggestions regarding the management of risk and the potential for helping millions who suffer from AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Leslie Morrow
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Giorgia Boero
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Patrizia Porcu
- Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Cagliari, Italy
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23
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Hughes BA, Crofton EJ, O'Buckley TK, Herman MA, Morrow AL. Chronic ethanol exposure alters prelimbic prefrontal cortical Fast-Spiking and Martinotti interneuron function with differential sex specificity in rat brain. Neuropharmacology 2020; 162:107805. [PMID: 31589884 PMCID: PMC7027948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Chronic ethanol exposure results in numerous neurobiological adaptations that promote deficits in medial prefrontal cortical (mPFC) function associated with blunted inhibitory control and elevated anxiety during withdrawal. Studies exploring alcohol dependence-related changes in this region have largely investigated adaptations in glutamatergic signaling, with inhibitory neurotransmission remaining relatively understudied. To address this, we used biochemical and electrophysiological methods to evaluate the effects of ethanol on the activity of deep-layer prelimbic mPFC Fast-Spiking (FS) and Martinotti interneurons after chronic ethanol exposure in male and female rats. We report that chronic alcohol exposure significantly impairs FS neuron excitability in both males and females. Interestingly, we observed a marked sex difference in the baseline activity of Martinotti cells that furthermore displayed differential sex-specific responses to alcohol exposure. In addition, alcohol effects on Martinotti neuron excitability negatively correlated with hyperpolarization-activated currents mediated by hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide gated (HCN) channels, indicative of a causal relationship. Analysis of HCN1 protein expression also revealed a substantial sex difference, although no effect of ethanol on HCN1 protein expression was observed. Taken together, these findings further elucidate the complex adaptations that occur in the mPFC after chronic ethanol exposure and reveal fundamental differences in interneuron activity between sexes. Furthermore, this disparity may reflect innate differences in intracortical microcircuit function between male and female rats, and offers a tenable circuit-level explanation for sex-dependent behavioral responses to alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Hughes
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Crofton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Todd K O'Buckley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Melissa A Herman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - A Leslie Morrow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA.
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24
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Nunes PT, Kipp BT, Reitz NL, Savage LM. Aging with alcohol-related brain damage: Critical brain circuits associated with cognitive dysfunction. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2019; 148:101-168. [PMID: 31733663 PMCID: PMC7372724 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcoholism is associated with brain damage and impaired cognitive functioning. The relative contributions of different etiological factors, such as alcohol, thiamine deficiency and age vulnerability, to the development of alcohol-related neuropathology and cognitive impairment are still poorly understood. One reason for this quandary is that both alcohol toxicity and thiamine deficiency produce brain damage and cognitive problems that can be modulated by age at exposure, aging following alcohol toxicity or thiamine deficiency, and aging during chronic alcohol exposure. Pre-clinical models of alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) have elucidated some of the contributions of ethanol toxicity and thiamine deficiency to neuroinflammation, neuronal loss and functional deficits. However, the critical variable of age at the time of exposure or long-term aging with ARBD has been relatively ignored. Acute thiamine deficiency created a massive increase in neuroimmune genes and proteins within the thalamus and significant increases within the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Chronic ethanol treatment throughout adulthood produced very minor fluctuations in neuroimmune genes, regardless of brain region. Intermittent "binge-type" ethanol during the adolescent period established an intermediate neuroinflammatory response in the hippocampus and frontal cortex, that can persist into adulthood. Chronic excessive drinking throughout adulthood, adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure, and thiamine deficiency all led to a loss of the cholinergic neuronal phenotype within the basal forebrain, reduced hippocampal neurogenesis, and alterations in the frontal cortex. Only thiamine deficiency results in gross pathological lesions of the thalamus. The behavioral impairment following these types of treatments is hierarchical: Thiamine deficiency produces the greatest impairment of hippocampal- and prefrontal-dependent behaviors, chronic ethanol drinking ensues mild impairments on both types of tasks and adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure leads to impairments on frontocortical tasks, with sparing on most hippocampal-dependent tasks. However, our preliminary data suggest that as rodents age following adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure, hippocampal functional deficits began to emerge. A necessary requirement for the advancement of understanding the neural consequences of alcoholism is a more comprehensive assessment and understanding of how excessive alcohol drinking at different development periods (adolescence, early adulthood, middle-aged and aged) influences the trajectory of the aging process, including pathological aging and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polliana Toledo Nunes
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Brian T Kipp
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Nicole L Reitz
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Lisa M Savage
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, United States.
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