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Coulter OR, Walker CD, Risher ML. Astrocyte-specific Ca 2+ activity: Mechanisms of action, experimental tools, and roles in ethanol-induced dysfunction. Biochem Cell Biol 2023; 101:410-421. [PMID: 36989534 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2023-0008] [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] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes are a subtype of non-neuronal glial cells that reside in the central nervous system. Astrocytes have extensive peripheral astrocytic processes that ensheathe synapses to form the tripartite synapse. Through a multitude of pathways, astrocytes can influence synaptic development and structural maturation, respond to neuronal signals, and modulate synaptic transmission. Over the last decade, strong evidence has emerged demonstrating that astrocytes can influence behavioral outcomes in various animal models of cognition. However, the full extent of how astrocytes influence brain function is still being revealed. Astrocyte calcium (Ca2+) signaling has emerged as an important driver of astrocyte-neuronal communication allowing intricate crosstalk through mechanisms that are still not fully understood. Here, we will review the field's current understanding of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling and discuss the sophisticated state-of-the-art tools and approaches used to continue unraveling astrocytes' interesting role in brain function. Using the field of pre-clinical ethanol (EtOH) studies in the context of alcohol use disorder, we focus on how these novel approaches have helped to reveal an important role for astrocyte Ca2+ function in regulating EtOH consumption and how astrocyte Ca2+ dysfunction contributes to the cognitive deficits that emerge after EtOH exposure in a rodent model.
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Affiliation(s)
- O R Coulter
- Department of Biomedical Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
| | - C D Walker
- Department of Biomedical Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
- Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Hershel 'Woody' Williams Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Huntington, WV 25704, USA
| | - M-L Risher
- Department of Biomedical Research, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
- Neurobiology Research Laboratory, Hershel 'Woody' Williams Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Huntington, WV 25704, USA
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2
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McGregor R, Matzeu A, Thannickal TC, Wu F, Cornford M, Martin-Fardon R, Siegel JM. Sensitivity of Hypocretin System to Chronic Alcohol Exposure: A Human and Animal Study. Neuroscience 2023; 522:1-10. [PMID: 37121379 PMCID: PMC10681027 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.04.018] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Human heroin addicts and mice administered morphine for a 2 week period show a greatly increased number of hypothalamic hypocretin (Hcrt or orexin) producing neurons with a concomitant reduction in Hcrt cell size. Male rats addicted to cocaine similarly show an increased number of detectable Hcrt neurons. These findings led us to hypothesize that humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) would show similar changes. We now report that humans with AUD have a decreased number and size of detectable Hcrt neurons. In addition, the intermingled melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons are reduced in size. We saw no change in the size and number of tuberomammillary histamine neurons in AUD. Within the Hcrt/MCH neuronal field we found that microglia cell size was increased in AUD brains. In contrast, male rats with 2 week alcohol exposure, sufficient to elicit withdrawal symptoms, show no change in the number or size of Hcrt, MCH and histamine neurons, and no change in the size of microglia. The present study indicates major differences between the response of Hcrt neurons to opioids and that to alcohol in human subjects with a history of substance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald McGregor
- Neuropsychiatric Institute and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095, USA; Neurobiology Research, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, Los Angele, California 91343, USA.
| | - Alessandra Matzeu
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, SR-107, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Thomas C Thannickal
- Neuropsychiatric Institute and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095, USA; Neurobiology Research, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, Los Angele, California 91343, USA
| | - Frank Wu
- Neuropsychiatric Institute and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095, USA; Neurobiology Research, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, Los Angele, California 91343, USA
| | - Marcia Cornford
- Department of Pathology, Harbor University of California, Los Angeles, Medical, Center, Torrance, CA 90509, USA
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Molecular Medicine, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, SR-107, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jerome M Siegel
- Neuropsychiatric Institute and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 90095, USA; Neurobiology Research, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, North Hills, Los Angele, California 91343, USA
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3
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Zhao H, Li X, Zheng Y, Zhu X, Qi X, Huang X, Bai S, Wu C, Sun G. Fasudil may alleviate alcohol-induced astrocyte damage by modifying lipid metabolism, as determined by metabonomics analysis. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15494. [PMID: 37304877 PMCID: PMC10252813 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol dependence is a chronic, relapsing encephalopathy characterized by compulsive craving for alcohol, loss of control over alcohol use, and the presence of negative emotions and physical discomfort when alcohol is unavailable. Harmful use of alcohol is one of the greatest risk factors for death, illness, and disability. Rho kinase inhibitors have neuroprotective effects. This study used metabonomics analysis to assess untreated astrocytes, astrocytes exposed to 75 mmol/L of alcohol, and astrocytes exposed to 75 mmol/L of alcohol and treated with 15 µg/mL fasudil for 24 h. One of the clearest differences between the alcohol-exposed and fasudil-treated alcohol-exposed groups was the abundance of lipids and lipid-like molecules, although glycerophospholipid metabolism was comparable in both groups. Our findings show that fasudil may alleviate alcohol-induced astrocyte damage by modifying lipid metabolism, providing a new approach for preventing and treating alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xintong Li
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongqi Zheng
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yichun Forestry Administration Central Hospital, Yichun, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Mudanjiang Medical College, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xunzhong Qi
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xinyan Huang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shunjie Bai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, Chongqing, China
| | - Chengji Wu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Guangtao Sun
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang, China
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4
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Brewton HW, Robinson SL, Thiele TE. Astrocyte expression in the extended amygdala of C57BL/6J mice is sex-dependently affected by chronic intermittent and binge-like ethanol exposure. Alcohol 2023; 108:55-64. [PMID: 36539069 PMCID: PMC10033386 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.12.001] [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: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Excessive ethanol drinking is a major problem within the United States, causing alterations in brain plasticity and neurocognitive function. Astrocytes are glial cells that regulate neurosynaptic plasticity, modulate neurochemicals, and monitor other homeostatic roles. Astrocytes have been found to play a part in modulating excessive ethanol consumption. The basolateral amygdala (BLA), central amygdala (CeA), and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) are brain regions that process stress, anxiety, and reward; they are also implicated in modulating ethanol intake. Little is understood, however, about how astrocyte expression in each region is modulated by chronic and binge-like ethanol drinking patterns. In the present report, we utilized two separate animal models of excessive drinking: chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) and "Drinking-in-the-dark" (DID). Following these paradigms, animal brains were processed through immunohistochemistry (IHC) and stained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Collected data illustrated a sex-dependent relationship between ethanol intake and GFAP immunoreactivity (IR) in the BLA and BNST, but not in the CeA. Specifically, CIE and DID ethanol drinking resulted in blunted GFAP-IR (specifically via GFAP-positive cell count) in the BLA and BNST, particularly in males. These findings may implicate sex-dependent ethanol-induced changes in BLA and BNST astrocytes, providing a potential therapeutic target for anxiety and stress disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honoreé W Brewton
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599-3270, United States
| | - Stacey L Robinson
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599-3270, United States; The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3270, United States
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599-3270, United States; The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3270, United States.
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5
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Carlson ER, Guerin SP, Nixon K, Fonken LK. The neuroimmune system - Where aging and excess alcohol intersect. Alcohol 2023; 107:153-167. [PMID: 36150610 PMCID: PMC10023388 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
As the percentage of the global population over age 65 grows, and with it a subpopulation of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), understanding the effect of alcohol on the aged brain is of utmost importance. Neuroinflammation is implicated in both natural aging as well as alcohol use, and its role in alterations to brain morphology and function may be exacerbated in aging individuals who drink alcohol to excess. The neuroimmune response to alcohol in aging is complex. The few studies investigating this issue have reported heightened basal activity and either hypo- or hyper-reactivity to an alcohol challenge. This review of preclinical research will first introduce key players of the immune system, then explore changes in neuroimmune function with aging or alcohol alone, with discussion of vulnerable brain regions, changes in cytokines, and varied reactions of microglia and astrocytes. We will then consider different levels of alcohol exposure, relevant animal models of AUD, and neuroimmune activation by alcohol across the lifespan. By identifying key findings, challenges, and targets for future research, we hope to bring more attention and resources to this underexplored area of inquiry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika R Carlson
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Steven P Guerin
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Kimberly Nixon
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States
| | - Laura K Fonken
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, United States.
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6
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Kruyer A, Kalivas PW, Scofield MD. Astrocyte regulation of synaptic signaling in psychiatric disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:21-36. [PMID: 35577914 PMCID: PMC9700696 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01338-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 15 years, the field of neuroscience has evolved toward recognizing the critical role of astroglia in shaping neuronal synaptic activity and along with the pre- and postsynapse is now considered an equal partner in tripartite synaptic transmission and plasticity. The relative youth of this recognition and a corresponding deficit in reagents and technologies for quantifying and manipulating astroglia relative to neurons continues to hamper advances in understanding tripartite synaptic physiology. Nonetheless, substantial advances have been made and are reviewed herein. We review the role of astroglia in synaptic function and regulation of behavior with an eye on how tripartite synapses figure into brain pathologies underlying behavioral impairments in psychiatric disorders, both from the perspective of measures in postmortem human brains and more subtle influences on tripartite synaptic regulation of behavior in animal models of psychiatric symptoms. Our goal is to provide the reader a well-referenced state-of-the-art understanding of current knowledge and predict what we may discover with deeper investigation of tripartite synapses using reagents and technologies not yet available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kruyer
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Peter W Kalivas
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
- Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Michael D Scofield
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
- Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
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7
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Khan KM, Bierlein-De La Rosa G, Biggerstaff N, Pushpavathi Selvakumar G, Wang R, Mason S, Dailey ME, Marcinkiewcz CA. Adolescent ethanol drinking promotes hyperalgesia, neuroinflammation and serotonergic deficits in mice that persist into adulthood. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 107:419-431. [PMID: 35907582 PMCID: PMC10289137 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.07.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescent alcohol use can permanently alter brain function and lead to poor health outcomes in adulthood. Emerging evidence suggests that alcohol use can predispose individuals to pain disorders or exacerbate existing pain conditions, but the underlying neural mechanisms are currently unknown. Here we report that mice exposed to adolescent intermittent access to ethanol (AIE) exhibit increased pain sensitivity and depressive-like behaviors that persist for several weeks after alcohol cessation and are accompanied by elevated CD68 expression in microglia and reduced numbers of serotonin (5-HT)-expressing neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). 5-HT expression was also reduced in the thalamus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and amygdala as well as the lumbar dorsal horn of the spinal cord. We further demonstrate that chronic minocycline administration after AIE alleviated hyperalgesia and social deficits, while chemogenetic activation of microglia in the DRN of ethanol-naïve mice reproduced the effects of AIE on pain and social behavior. Chemogenetic activation of microglia also reduced tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2) expression and was negatively correlated with the number of 5-HT-immunoreactive cells in the DRN. Taken together, these results indicate that microglial activation in the DRN may be a primary driver of pain, negative affect, and 5-HT depletion after AIE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanza M Khan
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, United States
| | | | - Natalie Biggerstaff
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, United States
| | | | - Ruixiang Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, United States
| | - Suzanne Mason
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, United States
| | - Michael E Dailey
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, United States; Department of Biology, University of Iowa, United States
| | - Catherine A Marcinkiewcz
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, United States; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, United States.
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8
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Kim HB, Lu Y, Oh SC, Morris J, Miyashiro K, Kim J, Eberwine J, Sul JY. Astrocyte ethanol exposure reveals persistent and defined calcium response subtypes and associated gene signatures. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102147. [PMID: 35716779 PMCID: PMC9293641 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocytes play a critical role in brain function, but their contribution during ethanol (EtOH) consumption remains largely understudied. In light of recent findings on the heterogeneity of astrocyte physiology and gene expression, an approach with the ability to identify subtypes and capture this heterogeneity is necessary. Here, we combined measurements of calcium signaling and gene expression to define EtOH-induced astrocyte subtypes. In the absence of a demonstrated EtOH receptor, EtOH is believed to have effects on the function of many receptors and downstream biological cascades that underlie calcium responsiveness. This mechanism of EtOH-induced calcium signaling is unknown and this study provides the first step in understanding the characteristics of cells displaying these observed responses. To characterize underlying astrocyte subtypes, we assessed the correlation between calcium signaling and astrocyte gene expression signature in response to EtOH. We found that various EtOH doses increased intracellular calcium levels in a subset of astrocytes, distinguishing three cellular response types and one nonresponsive subtype as categorized by response waveform properties. Furthermore, single-cell RNA-seq analysis of astrocytes from the different response types identified type-enriched discriminatory gene expression signatures. Combining single-cell calcium responses and gene expression analysis identified specific astrocyte subgroups among astrocyte populations defined by their response to EtOH. This result provides a basis for identifying the relationship between astrocyte susceptibility to EtOH and corresponding measurable markers of calcium signaling and gene expression, which will be useful to investigate potential subgroup-specific influences of astrocytes on the physiology and pathology of EtOH exposure in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Bum Kim
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Youtao Lu
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Seonkyung C Oh
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jacqueline Morris
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kevin Miyashiro
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Junhyong Kim
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; PENN Program in Single Cell Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - James Eberwine
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; PENN Program in Single Cell Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jai-Yoon Sul
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; PENN Program in Single Cell Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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Gillis RF, Palmour RM. mRNA expression analysis of the hippocampus in a vervet monkey model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. J Neurodev Disord 2022; 14:21. [PMID: 35305552 PMCID: PMC8934503 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-022-09427-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are common, yet preventable developmental disorders that stem from prenatal exposure to alcohol. This exposure leads to a wide array of behavioural and physical problems with a complex and poorly defined biological basis. Molecular investigations to date predominantly use rodent animal models, but because of genetic, developmental and social behavioral similarity, primate models are more relevant. We previously reported reduced cortical and hippocampal neuron levels in an Old World monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus) model with ethanol exposure targeted to the period of rapid synaptogenesis and report here an initial molecular study of this model. The goal of this study was to evaluate mRNA expression of the hippocampus at two different behavioural stages (5 months, 2 years) corresponding to human infancy and early childhood. Methods Offspring of alcohol-preferring or control dams drank a maximum of 3.5 g ethanol per kg body weight or calorically matched sucrose solution 4 days per week during the last 2 months of gestation. Total mRNA expression was measured with the Affymetrix GeneChip Rhesus Macaque Genome Array in a 2 × 2 study design that interrogated two independent variables, age at sacrifice, and alcohol consumption during gestation. Results and discussion Statistical analysis identified a preferential downregulation of expression when interrogating the factor ‘alcohol’ with a balanced effect of upregulation vs. downregulation for the independent variable ‘age’. Functional exploration of both independent variables shows that the alcohol consumption factor generates broad functional annotation clusters that likely implicate a role for epigenetics in the observed differential expression, while the variable age reliably produced functional annotation clusters predominantly related to development. Furthermore, our data reveals a novel connection between EFNB1 and the FASDs; this is highly plausible both due to the role of EFNB1 in neuronal development as well as its central role in craniofrontal nasal syndrome (CFNS). Fold changes for key genes were subsequently confirmed via qRT-PCR. Conclusion Prenatal alcohol exposure leads to global downregulation in mRNA expression. The cellular interference model of EFNB1 provides a potential clue regarding how genetically susceptible individuals may develop the phenotypic triad generally associated with classic fetal alcohol syndrome. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s11689-022-09427-z.
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Miguel-Hidalgo JJ. Astroglia in the Vulnerability and Maintenance of Alcohol Use Disorders. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 26:255-279. [PMID: 34888838 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-77375-5_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Changes induced in the morphology and the multiplicity of functional roles played by astrocytes in brain regions critical to the establishment and maintenance of alcohol abuse suggest that they make an important contribution to the vulnerability to alcohol use disorders. The understanding of the relevant mechanisms accounting for that contribution is complicated by the fact that alcohol itself acts directly on astrocytes altering their metabolism, gene expression, and plasticity, so that the ultimate result is a complex interaction of various cellular pathways, including intracellular calcium regulation, neuroimmune responses, and regulation of neurotransmitter and gliotransmitter release and uptake. The recent years have seen a steady increase in the characterization of several of the relevant mechanisms, but much remains to be done for a full understanding of the astrocytes' contribution to the vulnerability to alcohol dependence and abuse and for using that knowledge in designing effective therapies for AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Javier Miguel-Hidalgo
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.
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11
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Abstract
In the twentieth century, neuropsychiatric disorders have been perceived solely from a neurone-centric point of view, which considers neurones as the key cellular elements of pathological processes. This dogma has been challenged thanks to the better comprehension of the brain functioning, which, even if far from being complete, has revealed the complexity of interactions that exist between neurones and neuroglia. Glial cells represent a highly heterogeneous population of cells of neural (astroglia and oligodendroglia) and non-neural (microglia) origin populating the central nervous system. The variety of glia reflects the innumerable functions that glial cells perform to support functions of the nervous system. Aberrant execution of glial functions contributes to the development of neuropsychiatric pathologies. Arguably, all types of glial cells are implicated in the neuropathology; however, astrocytes have received particular attention in recent years because of their pleiotropic functions that make them decisive in maintaining cerebral homeostasis. This chapter describes the multiple roles of astrocytes in the healthy central nervous system and discusses the diversity of astroglial responses in neuropsychiatric disorders suggesting that targeting astrocytes may represent an effective therapeutic strategy.
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12
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Zhornitsky S, Chaudhary S, Le TM, Chen Y, Zhang S, Potvin S, Chao HH, van Dyck CH, Li CSR. Cognitive dysfunction and cerebral volumetric deficits in individuals with Alzheimer's disease, alcohol use disorder, and dual diagnosis. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2021; 317:111380. [PMID: 34482052 PMCID: PMC8579376 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2021.111380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiological surveys suggest that excessive drinking is associated with higher risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The present study utilized data from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center to examine cognition as well as gray/white matter and ventricular volumes among participants with AD and alcohol use disorder (AD/AUD, n = 52), AD only (n = 701), AUD only (n = 67), and controls (n = 1283). AUD diagnosis was associated with higher Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) in AD than in non-AD. AD performed worse on semantic fluency and Trail Making Test A + B (TMT A + B) and showed smaller total GMV, WMV, and larger ventricular volume than non-AD. AD had smaller regional GMV in the inferior/superior parietal cortex, hippocampal formation, occipital cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, and isthmus cingulate cortex than non-AD. AUD had significantly smaller somatomotor cortical GMV and showed a trend towards smaller volume in the hippocampal formation, relative to non-AUD participants. Misuse of alcohol has an additive effect on dementia severity among AD participants. Smaller hippocampal volume is a common feature of both AD and AUD. Although AD is associated with more volumetric deficits overall, AD and AUD are associated with atrophy in largely distinct brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Zhornitsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
| | - Shefali Chaudhary
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Thang M Le
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Stéphane Potvin
- Centre de recherche de l'Institut, Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Herta H Chao
- Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Christopher H van Dyck
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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13
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Lee KM, Talikoti A, Shelton K, Grotewiel M. Tyramine synthesis, vesicular packaging, and the SNARE complex function coordinately in astrocytes to regulate Drosophila alcohol sedation. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e13019. [PMID: 33538092 PMCID: PMC8225576 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Identifying mechanisms underlying alcohol-related behaviors could provide important insights regarding the etiology of alcohol use disorder. To date, most genetic studies on alcohol-related behavior in model organisms have focused on neurons, leaving the causal roles of glial mechanisms less comprehensively investigated. Here, we report our studies on the role of Tyrosine decarboxylase 2 (Tdc2), which converts tyrosine to the catecholamine tyramine, in glial cells in Drosophila alcohol sedation. Using genetic approaches that drove transgene expression constitutively in all glia, constitutively in astrocytes and conditionally in glia during adulthood, we found that knockdown and overexpression of Tdc2, respectively, increased and decreased the sensitivity to alcohol sedation in flies. Manipulation of the genes tyramine β-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase, which respectively synthesize octopamine and dopamine from tyramine and tyrosine, had no discernable effect on alcohol sedation, suggesting that Tdc2 affects alcohol sedation by regulating tyramine production. We also found that knockdown of the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) and disruption of the SNARE complex in all glia or selectively in astrocytes increased sensitivity to alcohol sedation and that both VMAT and the SNARE complex functioned downstream of Tdc2. Our studies support a model in which the synthesis of tyramine and vesicle-mediated release of tyramine from adult astrocytes regulates alcohol sedation in Drosophila. Considering that tyramine is functionally orthologous to norepinephrine in mammals, our results raise the possibility that gliotransmitter synthesis release could be a conserved mechanism influencing behavioral responses to alcohol as well as alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M. Lee
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Ananya Talikoti
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Keith Shelton
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Mike Grotewiel
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
- Virginia Commonwealth University Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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14
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Nwachukwu KN, Evans WA, Sides TR, Trevisani CP, Davis A, Marshall SA. Chemogenetic manipulation of astrocytic signaling in the basolateral amygdala reduces binge-like alcohol consumption in male mice. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1957-1972. [PMID: 33844860 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Binge drinking is a common occurrence in the United States, but a high concentration of alcohol in the blood has been shown to have reinforcing and reciprocal effects on the neuroimmune system in both dependent and non-dependent scenarios. The first part of this study examined alcohol's effects on the astrocytic response in the central amygdala and basolateral amygdala (BLA) in a non-dependent model. C57BL/6J mice were given access to either ethanol, water, or sucrose during a "drinking in the dark" paradigm, and astrocyte number and astrogliosis were measured using immunohistochemistry. Results indicate that non-dependent consumption increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) density but not the number of GFAP+ cells, suggesting that non-dependent ethanol is sufficient to elicit astrocyte activation. The second part of this study examined how astrocytes impacted behaviors and the neurochemistry related to alcohol using the chemogenetic tool, DREADDs (designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs). Transgenic GFAP-hM3Dq mice were administered clozapine N-oxide both peripherally, affecting the entire central nervous system (CNS), or directly into the BLA. In both instances, GFAP-Gq-signaling activation significantly reduced ethanol consumption and correlating blood ethanol concentrations. However, GFAP-Gq-DREADD activation throughout the CNS had more broad effects resulting in decreased locomotor activity and sucrose consumption. More targeted GFAP-Gq-signaling activation in the BLA only impacted ethanol consumption. Finally, a glutamate assay revealed that after GFAP-Gq-signaling activation glutamate concentrations in the amygdala were partially normalized to control levels. Altogether, these studies support the theory that astrocytes represent a viable target for alcohol use disorder therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kala N Nwachukwu
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - William A Evans
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred P. Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, High Point, NC, USA
| | - Tori R Sides
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Christopher P Trevisani
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred P. Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, High Point, NC, USA
| | - Ambryia Davis
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred P. Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, High Point, NC, USA
| | - S Alex Marshall
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, USA.,Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fred P. Wilson School of Pharmacy, High Point University, High Point, NC, USA.,Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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15
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O'Leary LA, Mechawar N. Implication of cerebral astrocytes in major depression: A review of fine neuroanatomical evidence in humans. Glia 2021; 69:2077-2099. [PMID: 33734498 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Postmortem investigations have implicated astrocytes in many neurological and psychiatric conditions. Multiple brain regions from individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) have lower expression levels of astrocyte markers and lower densities of astrocytes labeled for these markers, suggesting a loss of astrocytes in this mental illness. This paper reviews the general properties of human astrocytes, the methods to study them, and the postmortem evidence for astrocyte pathology in MDD. When comparing astrocyte density and morphometry studies, astrocytes are more abundant and smaller in human subcortical than cortical brain regions, and immunohistochemical labeling for the astrocyte markers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin (VIM) reveals fewer than 15% of all astrocytes that are present in cortical and subcortical regions, as revealed using other staining techniques. By combining astrocyte densities and morphometry, a model was made to illustrate that domain organization is mostly limited to GFAP-IR astrocytes. Using these markers and others, alterations of astrocyte densities appear more widespread than those for astrocyte morphologies throughout the brain of individuals having died with MDD. This review suggests how reduced astrocyte densities may relate to the association of depressive episodes in MDD with elevated S100 beta (S100B) cerebrospinal fluid serum levels. Finally, a potassium imbalance theory is proposed that integrates the reduced astrocyte densities generated from postmortem studies with a hypothesis for the antidepressant effects of ketamine generated from rodent studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Anuj O'Leary
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada.,Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Quebec, Canada.,Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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16
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Alvarez Cooper I, Beecher K, Chehrehasa F, Belmer A, Bartlett SE. Tumour Necrosis Factor in Neuroplasticity, Neurogenesis and Alcohol Use Disorder. Brain Plast 2020; 6:47-66. [PMID: 33680846 PMCID: PMC7903009 DOI: 10.3233/bpl-190095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is a pervasive and detrimental condition that involves changes in neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. Alcohol activates the neuroimmune system and alters the inflammatory status of the brain. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a well characterised neuroimmune signal but its involvement in alcohol use disorder is unknown. In this review, we discuss the variable findings of TNF's effect on neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. Acute ethanol exposure reduces TNF release while chronic alcohol intake generally increases TNF levels. Evidence suggests TNF potentiates excitatory transmission, promotes anxiety during alcohol withdrawal and is involved in drug use in rodents. An association between craving for alcohol and TNF is apparent during withdrawal in humans. While anti-inflammatory therapies show efficacy in reversing neurogenic deficit after alcohol exposure, there is no evidence for TNF's essential involvement in alcohol's effect on neurogenesis. Overall, defining TNF's role in alcohol use disorder is complicated by poor understanding of its variable effects on synaptic transmission and neurogenesis. While TNF may be of relevance during withdrawal, the neuroimmune system likely acts through a larger group of inflammatory cytokines to alter neuroplasticity and neurogenesis. Understanding the individual relevance of TNF in alcohol use disorder awaits a more comprehensive understanding of TNF's effects within the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignatius Alvarez Cooper
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Kate Beecher
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Fatemeh Chehrehasa
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Arnauld Belmer
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Selena E. Bartlett
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
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17
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Giacometti LL, Chandran K, Figueroa LA, Barker JM. Astrocyte modulation of extinction impairments in ethanol-dependent female mice. Neuropharmacology 2020; 179:108272. [PMID: 32801026 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rates of alcohol use disorders are increasing in women, and there is growing evidence that both the cognitive and biological consequences of alcohol dependence are distinct in women as compared to men. Despite this, the neurobehavioral outcomes of chronic alcohol exposure are poorly characterized in women and female animals. In this study, we find that ethanol dependence impaired extinction of reward seeking in a food conditioned place preference task in female mice. At the same time point, ethanol-dependent females exhibited astrocytic dysregulation as indicated by a brain region-specific reduction in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression. Using a chemogenetic strategy, we demonstrate that modulating astrocyte function via chemogenetic activation of Gq-signaling in nucleus accumbens astrocytes transiently rescued extinction in ethanol-dependent females without impacting basal reward seeking. These findings identify astrocyte function as a potential target for the restoration of behavioral flexibility following chronic alcohol exposure in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L Giacometti
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Kelsey Chandran
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Laura A Figueroa
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Barker
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.
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18
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Abstract
The pervasive and devastating nature of substance use disorders underlies the need for the continued development of novel pharmacotherapies. We now know that glia play a much greater role in neuronal processes than once believed. The various types of glial cells (e.g., astrocytes, microglial, oligodendrocytes) participate in numerous functions that are crucial to healthy central nervous system function. Drugs of abuse have been shown to interact with glia in ways that directly contribute to the pharmacodynamic effects responsible for their abuse potential. Through their effect upon glia, drugs of abuse also alter brain function resulting in behavioral changes associated with substance use disorders. Therefore, drug-induced changes in glia and inflammation within the central nervous system (neuroinflammation) have been investigated to treat various aspects of drug abuse and dependence. This article presents a brief overview of the effects of each of the major classes of addictive drugs on glia. Next, the paper reviews the pre-clinical and clinical studies assessing the effects that glial modulators have on abuse-related behavioral effects, such as pleasure, withdrawal, and motivation. There is a strong body of pre-clinical literature demonstrating the general effectiveness of several glia-modulating drugs in models of reward and relapse. Clinical studies have also yielded promising results, though not as robust. There is still much to disentangle regarding the integration between addictive drugs and glial cells. Improved understanding of the relationship between glia and the pathophysiology of drug abuse should allow for more precise exploration in the development and testing of glial-directed treatments for substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jermaine D. Jones
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA
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19
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De Santis S, Cosa-Linan A, Garcia-Hernandez R, Dmytrenko L, Vargova L, Vorisek I, Stopponi S, Bach P, Kirsch P, Kiefer F, Ciccocioppo R, Sykova E, Moratal D, Sommer WH, Canals S. Chronic alcohol consumption alters extracellular space geometry and transmitter diffusion in the brain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaba0154. [PMID: 32637601 PMCID: PMC7314532 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba0154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Already moderate alcohol consumption has detrimental long-term effects on brain function. However, how alcohol produces its potent addictive effects despite being a weak reinforcer is a poorly understood conundrum that likely hampers the development of successful interventions to limit heavy drinking. In this translational study, we demonstrate widespread increased mean diffusivity in the brain gray matter of chronically drinking humans and rats. These alterations appear soon after drinking initiation in rats, persist into early abstinence in both species, and are associated with a robust decrease in extracellular space tortuosity explained by a microglial reaction. Mathematical modeling of the diffusivity changes unveils an increased spatial reach of extrasynaptically released transmitters like dopamine that may contribute to alcohol's progressively enhanced addictive potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia De Santis
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
| | - Alejandro Cosa-Linan
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Raquel Garcia-Hernandez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
| | - Lesia Dmytrenko
- Institute of Experimental Medicine AS CR, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Lydia Vargova
- Institute of Experimental Medicine AS CR, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic
- Charles University, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, 150 06 Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | - Ivan Vorisek
- Charles University, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, 150 06 Prague 5, Czech Republic
| | | | - Patrick Bach
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Kirsch
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Falk Kiefer
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Eva Sykova
- Institute of Neuroimmunology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - David Moratal
- Center for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Wolfgang H. Sommer
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Santiago Canals
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Miguel Hernández, Sant Joan d’Alacant, Spain
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20
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King JA, Nephew BC, Choudhury A, Poirier GL, Lim A, Mandrekar P. Chronic alcohol-induced liver injury correlates with memory deficits: Role for neuroinflammation. Alcohol 2020; 83:75-81. [PMID: 31398460 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects over 15 million adults over age 18 in the United States, with estimated costs of 220 billion dollars annually - mainly due to poor quality of life and lost productivity, which in turn is intricately linked to cognitive dysfunction. AUD-induced neuroinflammation in the brain, notably the hippocampus, is likely to contribute to cognitive impairments. The neuroinflammatory mechanisms mediating the impact of chronic alcohol on the central nervous system, specifically cognition, require further study. We hypothesized that chronic alcohol consumption impairs memory and increases the inflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL6, MCP1, and IL1β in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex regions in the brain. Using the chronic-binge Gao-NIAAA alcohol mouse model of liver disease, representative of the drinking pattern common to human alcoholics, we investigated behavioral and neuroinflammatory parameters. Our data show that chronic alcohol intake elevated peripheral and brain alcohol levels, induced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT, a marker of liver injury), impaired memory and sensorimotor coordination, and increased inflammatory gene expression in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Interestingly, serum ALT and hippocampal IL6 correlated with memory impairment, suggesting an intrinsic relationship between neuroinflammation, cognitive decline, and liver disease. Overall, our results point to a likely liver-brain functional partnership and suggest that future strategies to alleviate hepatic and/or neuroinflammatory impacts of chronic AUD may result in improved cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean A King
- Center for Comparative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States; Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, United States.
| | - Benjamin C Nephew
- Center for Comparative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States; Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Asmita Choudhury
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Guillaume L Poirier
- Center for Comparative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Arlene Lim
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Pranoti Mandrekar
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States.
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21
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Abstract
There are vast literatures on the neural effects of alcohol and the neural effects of exercise. Simply put, exercise is associated with brain health, alcohol is not, and the mechanisms by which exercise benefits the brain directly counteract the mechanisms by which alcohol damages it. Although a degree of brain recovery naturally occurs upon cessation of alcohol consumption, effective treatments for alcohol-induced brain damage are badly needed, and exercise is an excellent candidate from a mechanistic standpoint. In this chapter, we cover the small but growing literature on the interactive neural effects of alcohol and exercise, and the capacity of exercise to repair alcohol-induced brain damage. Increasingly, exercise is being used as a component of treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUD), not because it reverses alcohol-induced brain damage, but because it represents a rewarding, alcohol-free activity that could reduce alcohol cravings and improve comorbid conditions such as anxiety and depression. It is important to bear in mind, however, that multiple studies attest to a counterintuitive positive relationship between alcohol intake and exercise. We therefore conclude with cautionary notes regarding the use of exercise to repair the brain after alcohol damage.
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22
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Melbourne JK, Thompson KR, Peng H, Nixon K. Its complicated: The relationship between alcohol and microglia in the search for novel pharmacotherapeutic targets for alcohol use disorders. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2019; 167:179-221. [PMID: 31601404 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2019.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder with wide-ranging health consequences. Alcohol targets the central nervous system producing neurodegeneration and subsequent cognitive and behavioral deficits, but the mechanisms behind these effects remain unclear. Recently, evidence has been mounting for the role of neuroimmune activation in the pathogenesis of AUDs, but our nascent state of knowledge about the interaction of alcohol with the neuroimmune system supports that the relationship is complicated. As the resident macrophage of the central nervous system, microglia are a central focus. Human and animal research on the interplay between microglia and alcohol in AUDs has proven to be complex, and though early research focused on a pro-inflammatory phenotype of microglia, the anti-inflammatory and homeostatic roles of microglia must be considered. How these new roles for microglia should be incorporated into our thinking about the neuroimmune system in AUDs is discussed in the context of developing novel pharmacotherapies for AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Melbourne
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Austin, TX, United States
| | - K Ryan Thompson
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Hui Peng
- University of Kentucky, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Kimberly Nixon
- The University of Texas at Austin, College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Austin, TX, United States.
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23
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Tyler RE, Kim SW, Guo M, Jang YJ, Damadzic R, Stodden T, Vendruscolo LF, Koob GF, Wang GJ, Wiers CE, Volkow ND. Detecting neuroinflammation in the brain following chronic alcohol exposure in rats: A comparison between in vivo and in vitro TSPO radioligand binding. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:1831-1842. [PMID: 30803059 PMCID: PMC10714130 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with neuroinflammation, which likely contributes to alcohol-related pathology. However, positron emission tomography (PET) studies using radioligands for the 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO), which is considered a biomarker of neuroinflammation, reported decreased binding in alcohol use disorder (AUD) participants compared to controls. In contrast, autoradiographic findings in alcohol exposed rats reported increases in TSPO radioligand binding. To assess if these discrepancies reflected differences between in vitro and in vivo methodologies, we compared in vitro autoradiography (using [3 H]PBR28 and [3 H]PK11195) with in vivo PET (using [11 C]PBR28) in male, Wistar rats exposed to chronic alcohol-vapor (dependent n = 10) and in rats exposed to air-vapor (nondependent n = 10). PET scans were obtained with [11 C]PBR28, after which rats were euthanized and the brains were harvested for autoradiography with [3 H]PBR28 and [3 H]PK11195 (n = 7 dependent and n = 7 nondependent), and binding quantified in hippocampus, thalamus, and parietal cortex. Autoradiography revealed significantly higher binding in alcohol-dependent rats for both radioligands in thalamus and hippocampus (trend level for [3 H]PBR28) compared to nondependent rats, and these group differences were stronger for [3 H]PK11195 than [3 H]PBR28. In contrast, PET measures obtained in the same rats showed no group difference in [11 C]PBR28 binding. Our in vitro data are consistent with neuroinflammation associated with chronic alcohol exposure. Failure to observe similar increases in [11 C]PBR28 binding in vivo suggests the possibility that a mechanism mediated by chronic alcohol exposure interferes with [11 C]PBR28 binding to TSPO in vivo. These data question the sensitivity of PBR28 PET as a methodology to assess neuroinflammation in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan E. Tyler
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sung Won Kim
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Min Guo
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yeon Joo Jang
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ruslan Damadzic
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tyler Stodden
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Leandro F. Vendruscolo
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - George F. Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Gene-Jack Wang
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Corinde E. Wiers
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland
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24
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Woodcock EA, Hillmer AT, Mason GF, Cosgrove KP. Imaging Biomarkers of the Neuroimmune System among Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2019; 5:125-146. [PMID: 31312635 DOI: 10.1159/000499621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
There is tremendous interest in the role of the neuroimmune system and inflammatory processes in substance use disorders (SUDs). Imaging biomarkers of the neuroimmune system in vivo provide a vital translational bridge between preclinical and clinical research. Herein, we examine two imaging techniques that measure putative indices of the neuroimmune system and review their application among SUDs. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of 18 kDa translocator protein availability is a marker associated with microglia. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy quantification of myo-inositol levels is a putative glial marker found in astrocytes. Neuroinflammatory responses are initiated and maintained by microglia and astrocytes, and thus represent important imaging markers. The goal of this review is to summarize neuroimaging findings from the substance use literature that report data using these markers and discuss possible mechanisms of action. The extant literature indicates abused substances exert diverse and complex neuroimmune effects. Moreover, drug effects may change across addiction stages, i.e. the neuroimmune effects of acute drug administration may differ from chronic use. This burgeoning field has considerable potential to improve our understanding and treatment of SUDs. Future research is needed to determine how targeting the neuroimmune system may improve treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Woodcock
- Departments of Psychiatry, and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Ansel T Hillmer
- Departments of Psychiatry, and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Graeme F Mason
- Departments of Psychiatry, and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Kelly P Cosgrove
- Departments of Psychiatry, and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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25
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Zahr NM, Pohl KM, Saranathan M, Sullivan EV, Pfefferbaum A. Hippocampal subfield CA2+3 exhibits accelerated aging in Alcohol Use Disorder: A preliminary study. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 22:101764. [PMID: 30904825 PMCID: PMC6434095 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The profile of brain structural dysmorphology of individuals with Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) involves disruption of the limbic system. In vivo imaging studies report hippocampal volume loss in AUD relative to controls, but only recently has it been possible to articulate different regions of this complex structure. Volumetric analysis of hippocampal regions rather than total hippocampal volume may augment differentiation of disease processes. For example, damage to hippocampal subfield cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) is often reported in Alzheimer's disease (AD), whereas deficits in CA4/dentate gyrus are described in response to stress and trauma. Two previous studies explored the effects of chronic alcohol use on hippocampal subfields: one reported smaller volume of the CA2+3 in alcohol-dependent subjects relative to controls, associated with years of alcohol consumption; the other, smaller volumes of presubiculum, subiculum, and fimbria in alcohol-dependent relative to control men. The current study, conducted in 24 adults with DSM5-diagnosed AUD (7 women, 53.7 ± 8.8) and 20 controls (7 women, 54.1 ± 9.3), is the first to use FreeSurfer 6.0, which provides state-of-the art hippocampal parcellation, to explore the sensitivity of hippocampal sufields to alcoholism. T1- and T2- images were collected on a GE MR750 system with a 32-channel Nova head coil. FreeSurfer 6.0 hippocampal subfield analysis produced 12 subfields: parasubiculum; presubiculum; subiculum; CA1; CA2+3; CA4; GC-ML-DG (Granule Cell (GC) and Molecular Layer (ML) of the Dentate Gyrus (DG)); molecular layer; hippocampus-amygdala-transition-area (HATA); fimbria; hippocampal tail; hippocampal fissure; and whole volume for left and right hippocampi. A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests comprising attention, memory and learning, visuospatial abilities, and executive functions was administered. Multiple regression analyses of raw volumetric data for each subfields by group, age, sex, hemisphere, and supratentorial volume (svol) showed significant effects of svol (p < .04) on nearly all structures (excluding tail and fissure). Volumes corrected for svol showed effects of age (fimbria, fissure) and group (subiculum, CA1, CA4, GC-ML-DG, HATA, fimbria); CA2+3 showed a diagnosis-by-age interaction indicating older AUD individuals had a smaller volume than would be expected for their age. There were no selective relations between hippocampal subfields and performance on neuropsychological tests, likely due to lack of statistical power. The current results concur with the previous study identifying CA2+3 as sensitive to alcoholism, extend them by identifying an alcoholism-age interaction, and suggest an imaging phenotype distinguishing AUD from AD and stress/trauma. Whether alcohol use disorders (AUD) compromise hippocampal volume is disputed. A 32-channel head coil acquired high-resolution images. The hippocampus was segmented using FreeSurfer 6.0. Several subregions showed volume deficits in AUD relative to healthy controls. Cornu Ammonis 2+3 showed a alcoholism-by-age interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M Zahr
- Neuroscience Program, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Rd., Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Kilian M Pohl
- Neuroscience Program, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Manojkumar Saranathan
- Department of Medical Imaging, University of Arizona College of Medicine, 1501 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
| | - Edith V Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Rd., Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Neuroscience Program, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 401 Quarry Rd., Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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Correspondence between cerebral glucose metabolism and BOLD reveals relative power and cost in human brain. Nat Commun 2019; 10:690. [PMID: 30741935 PMCID: PMC6370887 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08546-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The correspondence between cerebral glucose metabolism (indexing energy utilization) and synchronous fluctuations in blood oxygenation (indexing neuronal activity) is relevant for neuronal specialization and is affected by brain disorders. Here, we define novel measures of relative power (rPWR, extent of concurrent energy utilization and activity) and relative cost (rCST, extent that energy utilization exceeds activity), derived from FDG-PET and fMRI. We show that resting-state networks have distinct energetic signatures and that brain could be classified into major bilateral segments based on rPWR and rCST. While medial-visual and default-mode networks have the highest rPWR, frontoparietal networks have the highest rCST. rPWR and rCST estimates are generalizable to other indexes of energy supply and neuronal activity, and are sensitive to neurocognitive effects of acute and chronic alcohol exposure. rPWR and rCST are informative metrics for characterizing brain pathology and alternative energy use, and may provide new multimodal biomarkers of neuropsychiatric disorders. The brain primarily uses glucose to generate energy, but the relationship of neuronal activity to glucose utilization is not necessarily a simple linear one. Here, the authors introduce relative power (rPWR) and relative cost (rCST) as new metrics to quantify how brain activity relates to glucose consumption.
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Tobore TO. On the Neurobiological Role of Oxidative Stress in Alcohol-Induced Impulsive, Aggressive and Suicidal Behavior. Subst Use Misuse 2019; 54:2290-2303. [PMID: 31369300 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2019.1645179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Alcohol abuse is known to result in behavioral impairments (such as increased impulsivity, aggressive, and suicidal behavior), but the neurobiological basis for these behavioral impairments remains unknown. The objective of this review is to propose a neurobiological basis for alcohol-induced aggression, impulsivity, and suicidal behavior. Methods: Search was done by accessing PubMed/Medline, EBSCO, and PsycINFO databases. The search string used was "(Alcohol OR Alcoholism* OR Alcohol Abuse) AND (Behavior* OR Behavioral Impairment or Disorder) AND (Oxidative Stress OR Reactive Oxygen Species)." The electronic databases were searched for titles or abstracts containing these terms in all published articles between January 1, 1960, and May 31, 2019. The search was limited to studies published in English and other languages involving both animal and human subjects. Articles selected included randomized clinical trials (RCTs), observational studies, meta-analyses, and both systemic and narrative reviews, providing both quantitative and qualitative information with a measure of alcohol abuse or alcoholism as an outcome. Exclusion criteria were unpublished data of any form, including conference proceedings and dissertation. New key terms were identified (new term included: "Antioxidants, Neurotransmitters, Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA, Glutamate. Aggression, Impulsivity, Suicidal Behavior, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, limbic system, psychiatric disorders, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression. These new terms were searched with Alcohol or Alcoholism or Alcohol Abuse and Oxidative Stress separately resulting in the identification of over 3000 articles. 196 were included in this article. Results: Multiple lines of evidence indicate that oxidative stress (OS) plays a critical underlying role in alcohol toxicity and behavioral impairments. Conclusions/Importance: People diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety disorder, depression, and those with a personality high in psychoticism as measured by the P Scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, with comorbid alcohol abuse or alcohol use disorder (AUD), may display increased impulsivity, aggression, and suicidal behavior because of the potentiating effect of alcohol-induced OS on their elevated brain oxidative status. Antioxidant therapy should be an integral part of acute alcohol intoxication and AUD treatment. Further research is necessary to fully understand the relationship between OS and alcohol-induced behavioral impairments.
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28
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Linker KE, Cross SJ, Leslie FM. Glial mechanisms underlying substance use disorders. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 50:2574-2589. [PMID: 30240518 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Addiction is a devastating disorder that produces persistent maladaptive changes to the central nervous system, including glial cells. Although there is an extensive body of literature examining the neuronal mechanisms of substance use disorders, effective therapies remain elusive. Glia, particularly microglia and astrocytes, have an emerging and meaningful role in a variety of processes beyond inflammation and immune surveillance, and may represent a promising therapeutic target. Indeed, glia actively modulate neurotransmission, synaptic connectivity and neural circuit function, and are critically poised to contribute to addictive-like brain states and behaviors. In this review, we argue that glia influence the cellular, molecular, and synaptic changes that occur in neurons following drug exposure, and that this cellular relationship is critically modified following drug exposure. We discuss direct actions of abused drugs on glial function through immune receptors, such as Toll-like receptor 4, as well as other mechanisms. We highlight how drugs of abuse affect glia-neural communication, and the profound effects that glial-derived factors have on neuronal excitability, structure, and function. Recent research demonstrates that glia have brain region-specific functions, and glia in different brain regions have distinct contributions to drug-associated behaviors. We will also evaluate the evidence demonstrating that glial activation is essential for drug reward and drug-induced dopamine release, and highlight clinical evidence showing that glial mechanisms contribute to drug abuse liability. In this review, we synthesize the extensive evidence that glia have a unique, pivotal, and underappreciated role in the development and maintenance of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Linker
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - S J Cross
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - F M Leslie
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Hippocampal granule cell loss in human chronic alcohol abusers. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 120:63-75. [PMID: 30189262 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic alcohol abuse causes cognitive impairments associated with neurodegeneration and volume loss in the human hippocampus. Here, we hypothesize that alcohol reduces the number of granule cells in the human dentate gyrus and consequently contribute to the observed volume loss. Hippocampal samples were isolated from deceased donors with a history of chronic alcohol abuse and from controls with no alcohol overconsumption. From each case, a sample from the mid-portion of hippocampus was sectioned, immunostained for the neuronal nuclear marker NeuN, and counter stained with hematoxylin. Granule cell number and volume of granular cell layer in the dentate gyrus were estimated using stereology. We found a substantial reduction in granule cell number and also a significantly reduced volume of the granular cell layer of chronic alcohol abusers as compared to controls. In controls there was a slight age-related decline in the number of granule cells and volume of granular cell layer in line with previous studies. This was not observed among the alcoholics, possibly due to a larger impact of alcohol abuse than age on the degenerative changes in the dentate gyrus. Loss of neurons in the alcoholic group could either be explained by an increase of cell death or a reduced number of new cells added to the granular cell layer. However, there is no firm evidence for an increased neuronal death by chronic alcohol exposure, whereas a growing body of experimental data indicates that neurogenesis is impaired by alcohol. In a recent study, we reported that alcoholics show a reduced number of stem/progenitor cells and immature neurons in the dentate gyrus, hence that alcohol negatively affects hippocampal neurogenesis. The present results further suggest that such impairment of neurogenesis by chronic alcohol abuse also results in a net loss of granule cells in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus.
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30
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Pandey AK, Ardekani BA, Kamarajan C, Zhang J, Chorlian DB, Byrne KNH, Pandey G, Meyers JL, Kinreich S, Stimus A, Porjesz B. Lower Prefrontal and Hippocampal Volume and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Differences Reflect Structural and Functional Abnormalities in Abstinent Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:1883-1896. [PMID: 30118142 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is known to have adverse effects on brain structure and function. Multimodal assessments investigating volumetric, diffusion, and cognitive characteristics may facilitate understanding of the consequences of long-term alcohol use on brain circuitry, their structural impairment patterns, and their impact on cognitive function in AUD. METHODS Voxel- and surface-based volumetric estimations, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and neuropsychological tests were performed on 60 individuals: 30 abstinent individuals with AUD (DSM-IV) and 30 healthy controls. Group differences in the volumes of cortical and subcortical regions, fractional anisotropy (FA), axial and radial diffusivities (AD and RD, respectively), and performance on neuropsychological tests were analyzed, and the relationship among significantly different measures was assessed using canonical correlation. RESULTS AUD participants had significantly smaller volumes in left pars orbitalis, right medial orbitofrontal, right caudal middle frontal, and bilateral hippocampal regions, lower FA in 9 white matter (WM) regions, and higher FA in left thalamus, compared to controls. In AUD, lower FA in 6 of 9 WM regions was due to higher RD and due to lower AD in the left external capsule. AUD participants scored lower on problem-solving ability, visuospatial memory span, and working memory. Positive correlations of prefrontal cortical, left hippocampal volumes, and FA in 4 WM regions with visuospatial memory performance and negative correlation with lower problem-solving ability were observed. Significant positive correlation between age and FA was observed in bilateral putamen. CONCLUSIONS Findings showed specific structural brain abnormalities to be associated with visuospatial memory and problem-solving ability-related impairments observed in AUD. Higher RD in 6 WM regions suggests demyelination, and lower AD in left external capsule suggests axonal loss in AUD. The positive correlation between FA and age in bilateral putamen may reflect accumulation of iron depositions with increasing age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwini Kumar Pandey
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Babak Assai Ardekani
- Computational Neuroimaging Laboratories of the Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation (C-BIN), The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Jian Zhang
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - David Balin Chorlian
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Kelly Nicole-Helen Byrne
- Computational Neuroimaging Laboratories of the Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation (C-BIN), The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York
| | - Gayathri Pandey
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Jacquelyn Leigh Meyers
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Sivan Kinreich
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Arthur Stimus
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
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31
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Kim SW, Wiers CE, Tyler R, Shokri-Kojori E, Jang YJ, Zehra A, Freeman C, Ramirez V, Lindgren E, Miller G, Cabrera EA, Stodden T, Guo M, Demiral ŞB, Diazgranados N, Park L, Liow JS, Pike V, Morse C, Vendruscolo LF, Innis RB, Koob GF, Tomasi D, Wang GJ, Volkow ND. Influence of alcoholism and cholesterol on TSPO binding in brain: PET [ 11C]PBR28 studies in humans and rodents. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1832-1839. [PMID: 29777199 PMCID: PMC6046047 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0085-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Neuroinflammation appears to contribute to neurotoxicity observed with heavy alcohol consumption. To assess whether chronic alcohol results in neuroinflammation we used PET and [11C]PBR28, a ligand that binds to the 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO), to compare participants with an alcohol use disorder (AUD: n = 19) with healthy controls (HC: n = 17), and alcohol-dependent (n = 9) with -nondependent rats (n = 10). Because TSPO is implicated in cholesterol's transport for steroidogenesis, we investigated whether plasma cholesterol levels influenced [11C]PBR28 binding. [11C]PBR28 binding did not differ between AUD and HC. However, when separating by TSPO genotype rs6971, we showed that medium-affinity binders AUD participants showed lower [11C]PBR28 binding than HC in regions of interest (whole brain, gray and white matter, hippocampus, and thalamus), but no group differences were observed in high-affinity binders. Cholesterol levels inversely correlated with brain [11C]PBR28 binding in combined groups, due to a correlation in AUD participants. In rodents, we observed no differences in brain [11C]PBR28 uptake between alcohol-dependent and -nondependent rats. These findings, which are consistent with two previous [11C]PBR28 PET studies, may indicate lower activation of microglia in AUD, whereas failure to observe alcohol effects in the rodent model indicate that species differences do not explain the discrepancy with prior rodent autoradiographic studies reporting increases in TSPO binding with chronic alcohol. However, reduced binding in AUD participants could also reflect competition from endogenous TSPO ligands such as cholesterol; and since the rs6971 polymorphism affects the cholesterol-binding domain of TSPO this could explain why differences were observed only in medium-affinity binders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Won Kim
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Corinde E. Wiers
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Ryan Tyler
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Ehsan Shokri-Kojori
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Yeon Joo Jang
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Amna Zehra
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Clara Freeman
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Veronica Ramirez
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Elsa Lindgren
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Gregg Miller
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Cabrera
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Tyler Stodden
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Min Guo
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Şükrü B. Demiral
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Nancy Diazgranados
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Luke Park
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dMolecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Jeih-San Liow
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dMolecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Victor Pike
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dMolecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Cheryl Morse
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dMolecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Leandro F. Vendruscolo
- 0000 0000 9372 4913grid.419475.aNational Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224 USA
| | - Robert B. Innis
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dMolecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - George F. Koob
- 0000 0000 9372 4913grid.419475.aNational Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224 USA
| | - Dardo Tomasi
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Gene-Jack Wang
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Nora D. Volkow
- 0000 0001 2297 5165grid.94365.3dNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
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Wallauer MM, Huf F, Tortorelli LS, Rahmeier FL, Carvalho FB, Meurer RT, da Cruz Fernandes M. Morphological changes in the cerebellum as a result of ethanol treatment and cigarette smoke exposure: A study on astrogliosis, apoptosis and Purkinje cells. Neurosci Lett 2018; 672:70-77. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.02.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Orellana JA, Cerpa W, Carvajal MF, Lerma-Cabrera JM, Karahanian E, Osorio-Fuentealba C, Quintanilla RA. New Implications for the Melanocortin System in Alcohol Drinking Behavior in Adolescents: The Glial Dysfunction Hypothesis. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:90. [PMID: 28424592 PMCID: PMC5380733 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol dependence causes physical, social, and moral harms and currently represents an important public health concern. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), alcoholism is the third leading cause of death worldwide, after tobacco consumption and hypertension. Recent epidemiologic studies have shown a growing trend in alcohol abuse among adolescents, characterized by the consumption of large doses of alcohol over a short time period. Since brain development is an ongoing process during adolescence, short- and long-term brain damage associated with drinking behavior could lead to serious consequences for health and wellbeing. Accumulating evidence indicates that alcohol impairs the function of different components of the melanocortin system, a major player involved in the consolidation of addictive behaviors during adolescence and adulthood. Here, we hypothesize the possible implications of melanocortins and glial cells in the onset and progression of alcohol addiction. In particular, we propose that alcohol-induced decrease in α-MSH levels may trigger a cascade of glial inflammatory pathways that culminate in altered gliotransmission in the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens (NAc). The latter might potentiate dopaminergic drive in the NAc, contributing to increase the vulnerability to alcohol dependence and addiction in the adolescence and adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A Orellana
- Centro de Investigación y Estudio del Consumo de Alcohol en AdolescentesSantiago, Chile.,Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Neurología, Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Waldo Cerpa
- Centro de Investigación y Estudio del Consumo de Alcohol en AdolescentesSantiago, Chile.,Laboratorio de Función y Patología Neuronal, Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Maria F Carvajal
- Centro de Investigación y Estudio del Consumo de Alcohol en AdolescentesSantiago, Chile.,Unidad de Neurociencia, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - José M Lerma-Cabrera
- Centro de Investigación y Estudio del Consumo de Alcohol en AdolescentesSantiago, Chile.,Unidad de Neurociencia, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Eduardo Karahanian
- Centro de Investigación y Estudio del Consumo de Alcohol en AdolescentesSantiago, Chile.,Unidad de Neurociencia, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Universidad Autónoma de ChileSantiago, Chile
| | - Cesar Osorio-Fuentealba
- Centro de Investigación y Estudio del Consumo de Alcohol en AdolescentesSantiago, Chile.,Facultad de Kinesiología, Artes y Educación Física, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la EducaciónSantiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo A Quintanilla
- Centro de Investigación y Estudio del Consumo de Alcohol en AdolescentesSantiago, Chile.,Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Universidad Autónoma de ChileSantiago, Chile
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Abstract
Alcohol abuse and dependence are serious medical and economic problems in Western countries. Brain changes encountered in alcoholism are manifold and encompass brain atrophy, selective neuronal loss, astroglial, and microglial changes. Alcohol-related disorders are complex multifactorial disorders where the interaction of multiple genes and environment plays an important role in the pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Weis
- Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, Kepler University Hospital and School of Medicine, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria.
| | - Andreas Büttner
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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35
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Kalk NJ, Guo Q, Owen D, Cherian R, Erritzoe D, Gilmour A, Ribeiro AS, McGonigle J, Waldman A, Matthews P, Cavanagh J, McInnes I, Dar K, Gunn R, Rabiner EA, Lingford-Hughes AR. Decreased hippocampal translocator protein (18 kDa) expression in alcohol dependence: a [ 11C]PBR28 PET study. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e996. [PMID: 28072413 PMCID: PMC5545729 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Repeated withdrawal from alcohol is clinically associated with progressive cognitive impairment. Microglial activation occurring during pre-clinical models of alcohol withdrawal is associated with learning deficits. We investigated whether there was microglial activation in recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients (ADP), using [11C]PBR28 positron emission tomography (PET), selective for the 18kDa translocator protein (TSPO) highly expressed in activated microglia and astrocytes. We investigated the relationship between microglial activation and cognitive performance. Twenty healthy control (HC) subjects (45±13; M:F 14:6) and nine ADP (45±6, M:F 9:0) were evaluated. Dynamic PET data were acquired for 90 min following an injection of 331±15 MBq [11C]PBR28. Regional volumes of distribution (VT) for regions of interest (ROIs) identified a priori were estimated using a two-tissue compartmental model with metabolite-corrected arterial plasma input function. ADP had an ~20% lower [11C]PBR28 VT, in the hippocampus (F(1,24) 5.694; P=0.025), but no difference in VT in other ROIs. Hippocampal [11C]PBR28 VT was positively correlated with verbal memory performance in a combined group of HC and ADP (r=0.720, P<0.001), an effect seen in HC alone (r=0.738; P=0.001) but not in ADP. We did not find evidence for increased microglial activation in ADP, as seen pre-clinically. Instead, our findings suggest lower glial density or an altered activation state with lower TSPO expression. The correlation between verbal memory and [11C]PBR28 VT, raises the possibility that abnormalities of glial function may contribute to cognitive impairment in ADP.
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Affiliation(s)
- N J Kalk
- National Addictions Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, UK,National Addictions Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, 4 Windsor Walk, London SE5 8BB, UK. E-mail:
| | - Q Guo
- Neuroimaging Department, Kings College London, London, UK,Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - D Owen
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - R Cherian
- West London Mental Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - D Erritzoe
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - A Gilmour
- Centre for Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - A S Ribeiro
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - J McGonigle
- Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - A Waldman
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - P Matthews
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - J Cavanagh
- Institute of Health and Well-being, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - I McInnes
- Centre for Infection, Inflammation and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - K Dar
- Central and North West London NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - R Gunn
- Imanova Limited, London, UK
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36
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Glial and Neuroimmune Mechanisms as Critical Modulators of Drug Use and Abuse. Neuropsychopharmacology 2017; 42:156-177. [PMID: 27402494 PMCID: PMC5143481 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Drugs of abuse cause persistent alterations in synaptic plasticity that may underlie addiction behaviors. Evidence suggests glial cells have an essential and underappreciated role in the development and maintenance of drug abuse by influencing neuronal and synaptic functions in multifaceted ways. Microglia and astrocytes perform critical functions in synapse formation and refinement in the developing brain, and there is growing evidence that disruptions in glial function may be implicated in numerous neurological disorders throughout the lifespan. Linking evidence of function in health and under pathological conditions, this review will outline the glial and neuroimmune mechanisms that may contribute to drug-abuse liability, exploring evidence from opioids, alcohol, and psychostimulants. Drugs of abuse can activate microglia and astrocytes through signaling at innate immune receptors, which in turn influence neuronal function not only through secretion of soluble factors (eg, cytokines and chemokines) but also potentially through direct remodeling of the synapses. In sum, this review will argue that neural-glial interactions represent an important avenue for advancing our understanding of substance abuse disorders.
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37
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Adermark L, Bowers MS. Disentangling the Role of Astrocytes in Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 40:1802-16. [PMID: 27476876 PMCID: PMC5407469 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Several laboratories recently identified that astrocytes are critical regulators of addiction machinery. It is now known that astrocyte pathology is a common feature of ethanol (EtOH) exposure in both humans and animal models, as even brief EtOH exposure is sufficient to elicit long-lasting perturbations in astrocyte gene expression, activity, and proliferation. Astrocytes were also recently shown to modulate the motivational properties of EtOH and other strongly reinforcing stimuli. Given the role of astrocytes in regulating glutamate homeostasis, a crucial component of alcohol use disorder (AUD), astrocytes might be an important target for the development of next-generation alcoholism treatments. This review will outline some of the more prominent features displayed by astrocytes, how these properties are influenced by acute and long-term EtOH exposure, and future directions that may help to disentangle astrocytic from neuronal functions in the etiology of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Adermark
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 410, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - M. Scott Bowers
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 980126, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, PO Box 980126, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Faulk Center for Molecular Therapeutics, Northwestern University; Aptinyx,, Evanston, Il 60201, USA
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38
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Zahr NM. Structural and microstructral imaging of the brain in alcohol use disorders. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2016; 125:275-90. [PMID: 25307581 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-62619-6.00017-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), by enabling rigorous in vivo study of the longitudinal, dynamic course of alcoholism through periods of drinking, sobriety, and relapse, has enabled characterization of the effects of chronic alcoholism on the brain in the human condition. Importantly, MRI has distinguished alcohol-related brain effects that are permanent versus those that are reversible with abstinence. In support of postmortem neuropathologic studies showing degeneration of white matter, MRI has shown a specific vulnerability of brain white matter to chronic alcohol exposure by demonstrating white-matter volume deficits, yet not leaving selective gray-matter structures unscathed. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), by permitting microstructural characterization of white matter, has extended MRI findings in alcoholics. This review focuses on MRI and DTI findings in common concomitants of alcoholism, including Wernicke's encephalopathy, Korsakoff's syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy, central pontine myelinolysis, alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, alcoholic dementia, and Marchiafava-Bignami disease as a framework for findings in so-called "uncomplicated alcoholism," and also covers findings in abstinence and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie M Zahr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Neuroscience Program, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, USA.
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39
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Zhou T, Perry SF, Ming Y, Petryna S, Fluck V, Tatic-Lucic S. Separation and assisted patterning of hippocampal neurons from glial cells using positive dielectrophoresis. Biomed Microdevices 2015; 17:9965. [PMID: 26009274 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-015-9965-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we describe the separation of embryonic mouse hippocampal neurons from glial cells using a positive dielectrophoresis (DEP) process. Here, we have implemented a cell trapping-favorable, cell suspension solution with low conductivity. It enables positive dielectrophoresis for hippocampal neurons (thereby attracting them to the electrodes), while resulting in negative dielectrophoresis for glial cells (repelling them from the electrodes). We have systematically performed a mathematical simulation and analysis to anticipate the DEP frequency at which hippocampal neurons and glial cells are separated. Simulated DEP crossover frequencies have been experimentally verified, and new, refined glial dielectric and physical properties are suggested that better reflect the experimental results obtained. DEP movements of neurons and glial cells in targeted separation media were experimentally analyzed, under the specified electric signal. Additionally, we have confirmed our modeling results by selectively trapping neurons over electrodes on a custom-made, multi-electrode array (MEA), resulting in active recruitment of neurons over the stimulation and recording sites. This technique is a valuable addition to the toolbox for creating more functional and versatile multi-electrode arrays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Zhou
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, 18015, USA,
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40
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Elsayed M, Magistretti PJ. A New Outlook on Mental Illnesses: Glial Involvement Beyond the Glue. Front Cell Neurosci 2015; 9:468. [PMID: 26733803 PMCID: PMC4679853 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2015.00468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mental illnesses have long been perceived as the exclusive consequence of abnormalities in neuronal functioning. Until recently, the role of glial cells in the pathophysiology of mental diseases has largely been overlooked. However recently, multiple lines of evidence suggest more diverse and significant functions of glia with behavior-altering effects. The newly ascribed roles of astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia have led to their examination in brain pathology and mental illnesses. Indeed, abnormalities in glial function, structure and density have been observed in postmortem brain studies of subjects diagnosed with mental illnesses. In this review, we discuss the newly identified functions of glia and highlight the findings of glial abnormalities in psychiatric disorders. We discuss these preclinical and clinical findings implicating the involvement of glial cells in mental illnesses with the perspective that these cells may represent a new target for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha Elsayed
- Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pierre J Magistretti
- Laboratory of Neuroenergetics and Cellular Dynamics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanne, Switzerland; Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwal, Saudi Arabia; Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences, University of LausanneLausanne, Switzerland
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41
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Whittom A, Villarreal A, Soni M, Owusu-Duku B, Meshram A, Rajkowska G, Stockmeier CA, Miguel-Hidalgo JJ. Markers of apoptosis induction and proliferation in the orbitofrontal cortex in alcohol dependence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 38:2790-9. [PMID: 25421516 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol-dependent (ALC) subjects exhibit glial and neuronal pathology in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, in many patients, neurophysiological disturbances are not associated with catastrophic cell depletion despite prolonged alcohol abuse. It is still unclear how some relevant markers of a cell's propensity to degenerate or proliferate are changed in the PFC of ALC subjects without major neurological disorders. METHODS Levels of pro-apoptotic caspase 8 (C8), X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), direct IAP binding protein with low pI (DIABLO), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and density of cells immunoreactive for proliferation marker Ki-67 (Ki-67-IR) were measured postmortem in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of 29 subjects with alcohol dependence and 23 nonpsychiatric comparison subjects. RESULTS Alcohol subjects had significantly higher levels of the 14 kDa C8 fragment (C8-14), an indicator of C8 activation. However, there was no change in the levels of DIABLO, XIAP, or in the DIABLO/XIAP ratio. PCNA protein level and density of Ki-67-IR cells were not significantly changed in alcoholics, although PCNA levels were increased in older ALC subjects as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS Significant increase of a C8 activation indicator was found in alcoholism, but without significant changes in XIAP level, DIABLO/XIAP ratio, or Ki-67 labeling. These results would help to explain the absence of catastrophic cell loss in the PFC of many Brigman subjects, while still being consistent with an alcoholism-related vulnerability to slow decline in glial cells and neurons in the OFC of alcoholics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Whittom
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi
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42
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Coutts DJC, Harrison NL. Acetaldehyde, not ethanol, impairs myelin formation and viability in primary mouse oligodendrocytes. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 39:455-62. [PMID: 25703384 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive ethanol (EtOH) drinking is associated with white matter loss in the brain at all stages of life. Myelin-forming oligodendrocytes (OLs) are a major component of white matter, but their involvement in EtOH-mediated white matter loss is unclear. Myelination continues throughout the life with highest rates during fetal development and adolescence. However, little is known about the effects of EtOH and its principal metabolite acetaldehyde (ACD) on OLs at the cellular level. METHODS We compared the responses to different concentrations of EtOH or ACD by primary OLs in culture. RESULTS EtOH did not cause significant cell death at concentrations lower than 120 mM, even after 24 hours. In comparison, ACD was highly lethal at doses above 50 μM. High concentrations of EtOH (120 mM) and ACD (500 μM) for 24 hours did not reduce myelin in mature OLs. Myelin production and OL differentiation were significantly impaired by 7 days exposure to 500 or 50 μM ACD but not 120 mM EtOH. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that OLs are relatively resistant to EtOH, even at a concentration more than 4 times the typical blood EtOH concentrations associated with social drinking (10 to 30 mM). In contrast, OLs are much more sensitive to ACD than EtOH, particularly with long-term exposure. This suggests that part of white matter loss in response to EtOH, especially during high rates of myelin formation, may be due in part to the effects of its principal metabolite ACD.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J C Coutts
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University, New York, New York
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43
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Yang JY, Xue X, Tian H, Wang XX, Dong YX, Wang F, Zhao YN, Yao XC, Cui W, Wu CF. Role of microglia in ethanol-induced neurodegenerative disease: Pathological and behavioral dysfunction at different developmental stages. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 144:321-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2014.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 07/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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44
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Geil CR, Hayes DM, McClain JA, Liput DJ, Marshall SA, Chen KY, Nixon K. Alcohol and adult hippocampal neurogenesis: promiscuous drug, wanton effects. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2014; 54:103-13. [PMID: 24842804 PMCID: PMC4134968 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2014.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Revised: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis is now widely accepted as an important contributor to hippocampal integrity and function but also dysfunction when adult neurogenesis is affected in neuropsychiatric diseases such as alcohol use disorders. Excessive alcohol consumption, the defining characteristic of alcohol use disorders, results in a variety of cognitive and behavioral impairments related wholly or in part to hippocampal structure and function. Recent preclinical work has shown that adult neurogenesis may be one route by which alcohol produces hippocampal neuropathology. Alcohol is a pharmacologically promiscuous drug capable of interfering with adult neurogenesis through multiple mechanisms. This review will discuss the primary mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced changes in adult hippocampal neurogenesis including alcohol's effects on neurotransmitters, CREB and its downstream effectors, and the neurogenic niche.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kimberly Nixon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, United States.
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45
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Smith KL, John CS, Sypek EI, Ongür D, Cohen BM, Barry SM, Bechtholt AJ. Exploring the role of central astrocytic glutamate uptake in ethanol reward in mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2014; 38:1307-14. [PMID: 24655029 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcoholism is associated with specific brain abnormalities revealed through postmortem studies, including a reduction in glial cell number and dysregulated glutamatergic neurotransmission. Whether these abnormalities contribute to the etiology of alcoholism, are consequences of alcohol use, or both is still unknown. METHODS We investigated the role of astrocytic glutamate uptake in ethanol (EtOH) binge drinking in mice, using the "drinking in the dark" (DID) paradigm by blocking the astrocytic glutamate transporter (GLT-1) with intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of dihydrokainic acid (DHK). To determine whether astrocytic glutamate uptake regulates the conditioned rewarding effects of EtOH, we examined the effects of ICV DHK on the acquisition and expression of EtOH-induced conditioned place preference. RESULTS Blocking central astrocytic glutamate uptake selectively attenuated EtOH binge drinking behavior in mice. DHK did not alter the acquisition or expression of preference for EtOH-associated cues, indicating that reduced astrocytic glutamate trafficking may decrease binge-like drinking without altering the conditioned rewarding effects of EtOH. CONCLUSIONS Several alternative conclusions are plausible, however, interpreting these data in the context of the human literature, these findings suggest that the reduction of glia in the alcoholic brain may not be a predisposing factor to developing alcoholism and could be a consequence of EtOH toxicity that decreases excessive EtOH intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen L Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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46
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Savitz JB, Price JL, Drevets WC. Neuropathological and neuromorphometric abnormalities in bipolar disorder: view from the medial prefrontal cortical network. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 42:132-47. [PMID: 24603026 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Revised: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The question of whether BD is primarily a developmental disorder or a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder remains unresolved. Here, we review the morphometric postmortem and neuroimaging literature relevant to the neuropathology of bipolar disorder (BD). We focus on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) network, a key system in the regulation of emotional, behavioral, endocrine, and innate immunological responses to stress. We draw four main conclusions: the mPFC is characterized by (1) a decrease in volume, (2) reductions in neuronal size, and/or changes in neuronal density, (3) reductions in glial cell density, and (4) changes in gene expression. These data suggest the presence of dendritic atrophy of neurons and the loss of oligodendroglial cells in BD, although some data additionally suggest a reduction in the cell counts of specific subpopulations of GABAergic interneurons. Based on the weight of the postmortem and neuroimaging literature discussed herein, we favor a complex hypothesis that BD primarily constitutes a developmental disorder, but that additional, progressive, histopathological processes also are associated with recurrent or chronic illness. Conceivably BD may be best conceptualized as a progressive neurodevelopmental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan B Savitz
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA; Faculty of Community Medicine, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA.
| | - Joseph L Price
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wayne C Drevets
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK, USA; Janssen Pharmaceuticals of Johnson & Johnson, Inc., Titusville, NJ, USA
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Matsumoto I, Alexander-Kaufman K, Iwazaki T, Kashem MA, Matsuda-Matsumoto H. CNS proteomes in alcohol and drug abuse and dependence. Expert Rev Proteomics 2014; 4:539-52. [PMID: 17705711 DOI: 10.1586/14789450.4.4.539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Drugs of abuse, including alcohol, can induce dependency formation and/or brain damage in brain regions important for cognition. 'High-throughput' approaches, such as cDNA microarray and proteomics, allow the analysis of global expression profiles of genes and proteins. These technologies have recently been applied to human brain tissue from patients with psychiatric illnesses, including substance abuse/dependence and appropriate animal models to help understand the causes and secondary effects of these complex disorders. Although these types of studies have been limited in number and by proteomics techniques that are still in their infancy, several interesting hypotheses have been proposed. Focusing on CNS proteomics, we aim to review and update current knowledge in this rapidly advancing area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izuru Matsumoto
- University of Sydney, Discipline of Pathology, NSW, Australia.
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48
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Matsumoto H, Matsumoto I. Alcoholism: protein expression profiles in a human hippocampal model. Expert Rev Proteomics 2014; 5:321-31. [DOI: 10.1586/14789450.5.2.321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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49
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Meyerhoff DJ. Brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of alcohol use disorders. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2014; 125:313-37. [PMID: 25307583 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-62619-6.00019-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This chapter critically reviews brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H MRS) studies performed since 1994 in individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD). We describe the neurochemicals that can be measured in vivo at the most common magnetic field strengths, summarize our knowledge about their general brain functions, and briefly explain some basic human (1)H MRS methods. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal research of individuals in treatment and of treatment-naïve individuals with AUD are discussed and interpreted on the basis of reported neuropathology. As AUDs are highly comorbid with chronic cigarette smoking and illicit substance abuse, we also summarize reports on their respective influences on regional proton metabolite levels. After reviewing research on neurobiologic correlates of relapse and genetic influences on brain metabolite levels, we finish with suggestions on future directions for (1)H MRS studies in AUDs. The review demonstrates that brain metabolic alterations associated with AUDs as well as their cognitive correlates are not simply a consequence of chronic alcohol consumption. Future MR research of AUDs in general has to be better prepared - and supported - to study clinically complex relationships between personality characteristics, comorbidities, neurogenetics, lifestyle, and living environment, as all these factors critically affect an individual's neurometabolic profile. (1)H MRS is uniquely positioned to tackle these complexities by contributing to a comprehensive biopsychosocial profile of individuals with AUD: it can provide non-invasive biochemical information on select regions of the brain at comparatively low overall cost for the ultimate purpose of informing more efficient treatments of AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieter J Meyerhoff
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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50
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Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence indicate that mood disorders are associated with abnormalities in the brain's cellular composition, especially in glial cells. Considered inert support cells in the past, glial cells are now known to be important for brain function. Treatments for mood disorders enhance glial cell proliferation, and experimental stimulation of cell growth has antidepressant effects in animal models of mood disorders. These findings suggest that the proliferation and survival of glial cells may be important in the pathogenesis of mood disorders and may be possible targets for the development of new treatments. In this article we review the evidence for glial abnormalities in mood disorders, and we discuss glial cell biology and evidence from postmortem studies of mood disorders. The goal is not to carry out a comprehensive review but to selectively discuss existing evidence in support of an argument for the role of glial cells in mood disorders.
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