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De Oliveira Sergio T, Darevsky D, Kellner J, de Paula Soares V, de Cassia Albino M, Maulucci D, Wean S, Hopf FW. Sex- and estrous-related response patterns for alcohol depend critically on the level of compulsion-like challenge. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 133:111008. [PMID: 38641236 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder is a substantial social and economic burden. During the last years, the number of women with drinking problems has been increasing, and one main concern is that they are particularly more vulnerable to negative consequences of alcohol. However, little is known about female-specific response patterns for alcohol, and potential underlying differences in brain mechanisms, including for compulsion-like alcohol drinking (when intake persists despite adverse consequences). We used lickometry to assess behavioral microstructure in adult Wistar male and female rats (n = 28-30) during alcohol-only drinking or moderate- or higher-challenge alcohol compulsion (10 or 60 mg/l quinine in alcohol, respectively). Estrous stages were determined and related to drinking levels and patterns of responding to alcohol, as was ovariectomy. Our findings showed that females (where we didn't determine estrus stage) had similar total licks in a session as males, but significantly longer licking bouts under alcohol-only and moderate-challenge, suggesting greater persistence. Further, greater intake under alcohol-only and moderate-challenge was related to faster licking in males, while female consumption was not related to licking speed. Thus, females could have increased persistence without greater vigor, unlike males. However, under higher-challenge, faster licking did predict higher intake in females, similar to males. To better understand female higher-challenge responding, we examined drinking in relation to phases of the estrous cycle. Higher-challenge had longer bouts only in late diestrus. In addition, ovariectomy led to longer bouts only under higher-challenge, suggesting that conditions with reduced hormone levels could increase female persistence for alcohol under higher-challenge. However, ovariectomy also reduced alcohol-only and moderate-challenge drinking but did not reduce bout length. Thus, intake level and response strategy could be regulated somewhat differently by ovarian hormones. Finally, moderate-challenge licking speed was less variable during early diestrus, and we previously showed more stereotyped responding specifically under moderate-challenge in males. By combining behavioral microstructure and sex- and estrus-related changes in drinking patterns, our results suggest that females have greater persistence for alcohol under lower-challenge drinking, while late diestrus and ovariectomy unmasked greater persistence under higher-challenge. Together, our novel insights could help develop more effective and personalized treatments for problematic alcohol use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thatiane De Oliveira Sergio
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSOM), Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, IUSOM, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - David Darevsky
- University of California at Berkeley-UCSF Graduate Program in Bioengineering, USA; UCSF Medical Scientist Training Program, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jacob Kellner
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSOM), Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, IUSOM, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Vanessa de Paula Soares
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology, Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Maryelle de Cassia Albino
- Laboratory of Psychopharmacology, Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Danielle Maulucci
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSOM), Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, IUSOM, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Sarah Wean
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSOM), Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, IUSOM, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Frederic W Hopf
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSOM), Indianapolis, IN, USA; Stark Neuroscience Research Institute, IUSOM, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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2
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Iyer V, Saberi SA, Pacheco R, Sizemore EF, Stockman S, Kulkarni A, Cantwell L, Thakur GA, Hohmann AG. Negative allosteric modulation of CB 1 cannabinoid receptor signaling suppresses opioid-mediated tolerance and withdrawal without blocking opioid antinociception. Neuropharmacology 2024; 257:110052. [PMID: 38936657 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
The direct blockade of CB1 cannabinoid receptors produces therapeutic effects as well as adverse side-effects that limit their clinical potential. CB1 negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) represent an indirect approach to decrease the affinity and/or efficacy of orthosteric cannabinoid ligands or endocannabinoids at CB1. We recently reported that GAT358, a CB1-NAM, blocked opioid-induced mesocorticolimbic dopamine release and reward via a CB1-allosteric mechanism of action. Whether a CB1-NAM dampens opioid-mediated therapeutic effects such as analgesia or alters other unwanted opioid side-effects remain unknown. Here, we characterized the effects of GAT358 on nociceptive behaviors in the presence and absence of morphine in male rats. We examined the impact of GAT358 on formalin-evoked pain behavior and Fos protein expression, a marker of neuronal activation, in the lumbar spinal cord. We also assessed the impact of GAT358 on morphine-induced slowing of colonic transit, tolerance, and withdrawal behaviors in male mice. GAT358 attenuated morphine antinociceptive tolerance without blocking acute antinociception and reduced morphine-induced slowing of colonic motility without impacting fecal boli production. GAT358 also produced antinociception in the presence and absence of morphine in the formalin model of inflammatory nociception and reduced the number of formalin-evoked Fos protein-like immunoreactive cells in the lumbar spinal cord. Finally, GAT358 mitigated the somatic signs of naloxone-precipitated, but not spontaneous, opioid withdrawal following chronic morphine dosing. Our results support the therapeutic potential of CB1-NAMs as novel drug candidates aimed at preserving opioid-mediated analgesia while preventing their unwanted side-effects. Our studies also uncover previously unrecognized antinociceptive properties associated with an arrestin-biased CB1-NAM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishakh Iyer
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Shahin A Saberi
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Romario Pacheco
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Emily Fender Sizemore
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Sarah Stockman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Abhijit Kulkarni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lucas Cantwell
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ganesh A Thakur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrea G Hohmann
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA; Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.
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3
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Raizel MF, de Oliveira Sergio T, Starski PA, Hopf FW. Heart rate variability: A primer for alcohol researchers. Alcohol 2024:S0741-8329(24)00085-5. [PMID: 38906390 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Problem alcohol drinking remains a major cost and burden for society. Also, rates of problem drinking in women have dramatically increased in recent decades, and women are at risk for more alcohol problems and comorbidities. The purpose of this commentary is to discuss the potential utility of cardiac measures, including heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV), as markers of individual and sex differences in the drive to drink alcohol. We recently used cardiac telemetry in female and male adult rats to determine whether different cardiac markers, including HR and HRV, would differently predict alcohol and anxiety-like behavior across the sexes. Indeed, female behaviors related to HRV measures that indicate more parasympathetic (PNS) influence (the "rest and digest" system). In contrast, male behaviors are associated more with sympathetic (SNS) indicators (the activation system). Remarkably, similar sex differences in PNS versus SNS engagement under challenge are seen in human studies, suggesting strong cross-species convergence in differential autonomic regulation in females and males. Here, we describe the larger challenges that alcohol addiction presents, and how HRV measures may provide new biomarkers to help enhance development of more individualized and sex-specific treatments. We briefly explain the physiological systems underlying cardiac PNS and SNS states, and how specific HRV metrics are defined and validated, especially why particular HRV measures are considered to reflect more PNS versus SNS influence. Finally, we describe hormonal influences and sex differences in brain circuits related to cardiac autonomic regulation. Together, these findings show that HR and HRV have potential for uncovering key underlying mechanisms of sex and individual differences in autonomic drivers, which could guide more personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Frasier Raizel
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana University School of Medicine, Medical Scientist Training Program, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Thatiane de Oliveira Sergio
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Phillip A Starski
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - F Woodward Hopf
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
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4
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De Oliveira Sergio T, Jane Smith R, Wean SE, Engleman EA, Hopf FW. Greater inhibition of female rat binge alcohol intake by adrenergic receptor blockers using a novel Two-Shot rat binge drinking model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14029. [PMID: 38890353 PMCID: PMC11189554 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64565-9] [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: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Binge drinking (BD) contributes strongly to the harms of alcohol use disorder. Most rodent models do not result in binge-level blood alcohol concentrations (BACs), and to better understand individual and sex differences in neurobiological mechanisms related to BD, the use of outbred rat strains would be valuable. Here, we developed a novel BD model where after 3+ months of intermittent access to 20% alcohol Wistar rats drank, twice a week, with two 5-min intake (what we called Two-shot) separated by a 10-min break. Our findings showed during Two-Shot that most animals reached ≥ 80 mg% BAC levels (when briefly food-restricted). However, when increasing alcohol concentrations from 20 to 30%, 40%, or 50%, rats titrated to similar intake levels, suggesting rapid sensing of alcohol effects even when front-loading. Two-Shot drinking was reduced in both sexes by naltrexone (1 mg/kg), validating intake suppression by a clinical therapeutic agent for human problem drinking. Further, both propranolol (β-adrenergic receptor antagonist) and prazosin (α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist) reduced female but not male BD at the lower dose. Thus, our results provide a novel model for BD in outbred rats and suggest that female binging is more sensitive to adrenergic modulation than males, perhaps providing a novel sex-related therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thatiane De Oliveira Sergio
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th Street, NB 300E, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Rebecca Jane Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th Street, NB 300E, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Sarah E Wean
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th Street, NB 300E, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Eric A Engleman
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th Street, NB 300E, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Frederic W Hopf
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, 320 W. 15th Street, NB 300E, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA.
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Kim DH, Loke H, Thompson J, Hill R, Sundram S, Lee J. The dopamine D2-like receptor and the Y-chromosome gene, SRY, are reciprocally regulated in the human male neuroblastoma M17 cell line. Neuropharmacology 2024; 251:109928. [PMID: 38552780 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Hyun Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia
| | - Hannah Loke
- Centre for Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia
| | - James Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia
| | - Rachel Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia
| | - Suresh Sundram
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia; Mental Health Program, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia
| | - Joohyung Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia; Centre for Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168, Australia.
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6
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Vendruscolo LF, Vendruscolo JCM, Whiting KE, Acri JB, Volkow ND, Koob GF. The mGlu5 receptor negative allosteric modulator mavoglurant reduces escalated cocaine self-administration in male and female rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06634-5. [PMID: 38869515 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06634-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is a brain disorder for which there is no Food and Drug Administration-approved pharmacological treatment. Evidence suggests that glutamate and metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlu5) play critical roles in synaptic plasticity, neuronal development, and psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVE In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the mGlu5 receptor is functionally involved in intravenous cocaine self-administration and assessed the effects of sex and cocaine exposure history. METHODS We used a preclinical model of CUD in rats that were allowed long access (LgA; 6 h/day) or short access (ShA; 1 h/day) to intravenous cocaine (750 µg/kg/infusion [0.1 ml]) self-administration. Rats received acute intraperitoneal or oral administration of the mGlu5 receptor negative allosteric modulator mavoglurant (1, 3, and 10 mg/kg) or vehicle. RESULTS Both intraperitoneal and oral mavoglurant administration dose-dependently reduced intravenous cocaine self-administration in the first hour and in the entire 6 h session in rats in the LgA group, with no effect on locomotion. In the ShA group, mavoglurant decreased locomotion but had no effects on cocaine self-administration. We did not observe significant sex × treatment interactions. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the mGlu5 receptor is involved in escalated cocaine self-administration. These findings support the development of clinical trials of mavoglurant to evaluate its potential therapeutic benefits for CUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Stress and Addiction Neuroscience Unit, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, BRC Room 08A727, 251 Bayview Blvd, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
| | - Janaina C M Vendruscolo
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Kimberly E Whiting
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Jane B Acri
- Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Nora D Volkow
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
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7
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Macatee RJ, Cannon MJ, Schermitzler BS, Preston TJ, Afshar K. Biological sex and hormonal contraceptive associations with drug cue reactivity in cannabis use disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 174:121-128. [PMID: 38626562 PMCID: PMC11195151 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
Biological sex differences in Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) progression, cannabis withdrawal severity, and pharmacotherapy response have been reported, suggesting that CUD mechanisms may differ by sex. Drug cue reactivity is an established predictor of drug use behavior, but the literature on sex differences in drug cue reactivity is mixed, including in CUD. One possible moderator of sex differences in drug cue reactivity is hormonal contraceptive (HC) use. The aim of the present study was to test whether sex differences in neural cannabis cue reactivity and craving varied by female HC use in a CUD sample. As part of a larger study, 152 adults reporting frequent cannabis use completed a drug cue reactivity task during electrocenphalogram recording. Late positive potential (LPP) amplitude modulation by cannabis cues was used to measure neural cue reactivity. Craving after the cue reactivity task was also assessed. Males (n = 74) and naturally-cycling females (n = 26), who did not differ from each other, showed significantly greater LPP enhancement to cannabis vs. neutral cues compared to HC-using females (n = 52), an effect mostly driven by neutral cues. Craving was significantly higher in naturally-cycling but not HC-using females compared to males, but only in covariate-unadjusted analyses. Exploratory analyses of HC and menstrual phase characteristics indicate a progesterone-related mechanism may underlie HC effects on cannabis cue reactivity. The present study's results suggest that mixed findings on drug cue reactivity sex differences may be due to variability in HC use, which has implications for sex-specific models of CUD progression and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kaveh Afshar
- Auburn University, Department of Psychological Sciences, USA
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8
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Maddern XJ, Walker LC, Anversa RG, Lawrence AJ, Campbell EJ. Understanding sex differences and the translational value of models of persistent substance use despite negative consequences. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2024; 213:107944. [PMID: 38825163 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2024.107944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Persistent substance use despite negative consequences is a key facet of substance use disorder. The last decade has seen the preclinical field adopt the use of punishment to model adverse consequences associated with substance use. This has largely involved the pairing of drug use with either electric foot shock or quinine, a bitter tastant. Whilst at face value, these punishers may model aspects of the physical and psychological consequences of substance use, such models are yet to assist the development of approved medications for treatment. This review discusses progress made with animal models of punishment to understand the behavioral consequences of persistent substance use despite negative consequences. We highlight the importance of examining sex differences, especially when the behavioral response to punishment changes following drug exposure. Finally, we critique the translational value these models provide for the substance use disorder field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier J Maddern
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Leigh C Walker
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Roberta G Anversa
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Erin J Campbell
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Brain Neuromodulation Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.
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9
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Sharp BM, Leng S, Huang J, Jones C, Chen H. Inbred rat heredity and sex affect oral oxycodone self-administration and augmented intake in long sessions: correlations with anxiety and novelty-seeking. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.26.568753. [PMID: 38076806 PMCID: PMC10705287 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.26.568753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Oxycodone abuse begins with prescription oral oxycodone, yet vulnerability factors determining abuse are largely undefined. We evaluated genetic vulnerability in a rat model of oral oxycodone self-administration (SA): increasing oxycodone concentration/session (0.025-0.1mg/ml; 1,4,16-h) followed by extinction and reinstatement. Active licks and oxycodone intake were greater in females than males during 4-h and 16-h sessions (p< 0.001). Each sex increased intake during 16-h vs 4-h sessions (p<2e-16), but a subset of strains dramatically augmented intake at 16-h (p=0.0005). Heritability (h 2) of active licks/4-h at increasing oxycodone dose ranged from 0.30-0.53. Under a progressive ratio schedule, breakpoints were strain-dependent (p<2e-16). Cued reinstatement was greater in females (p<0.001). Naive rats were assessed by elevated plus maze (EPM), open field (OF) and novel object interaction (NOI). We correlated these behaviors with 28 parameters of oxycodone SA. Anxiety-defining EPM traits were most associated with SA in both sexes, whereas more OF and NOI traits were SA-associated in males. Sex and heredity are major determinants of motivation to take and seek oxycodone; intake augments dramatically during extended access in specific strains; and pleiotropic genes affect anxiety and multiple SA parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burt M Sharp
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163
| | - Shuangying Leng
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163
| | - Jun Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science and Toxicology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163
| | - Caroline Jones
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science and Toxicology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163
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10
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Sergio TDO, Smith RJ, Wean SE, Engleman EA, Hopf FW. Greater inhibition of female rat binge alcohol intake by adrenergic receptor blockers using a novel Two-Shot rat binge drinking model. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4402198. [PMID: 38853968 PMCID: PMC11160926 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4402198/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Binge drinking (BD) contributes strongly to the harms of alcohol use disorder. Most rodent models do not result in binge-level blood alcohol concentrations (BACs), and to better understand individual and sex differences in neurobiological mechanisms related to BD, the use of outbred rat strains would be valuable. Here, we developed a novel BD model where after 3+ months of intermittent access to 20% alcohol Wistar rats drank, twice a week, with two 5-minute intake (what we called Two-shot) separated by a 10-minute break. Our findings showed during Two-Shot that most animals reached ≥ 80mg% BAC levels (when briefly food-restricted). However, when increasing alcohol concentrations from 20% to 30%, 40%, or 50%, rats titrated to similar intake levels, suggesting rapid sensing of alcohol effects even when front-loading. Two-Shot drinking was reduced in both sexes by naltrexone (1mg/kg), validating intake suppression by a clinical therapeutic agent. Further, both propranolol (β adrenergic receptor antagonist) and prazosin (α1 adrenergic receptor antagonist) reduced female but not male BD at the lower dose. Thus, our results provide a novel model for BD in outbred rats and suggest that female binging is more sensitive to adrenergic modulation than males, perhaps providing a novel sex-related therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca Jane Smith
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Indianapolis IN
| | - Sarah E Wean
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Indianapolis IN
| | - Eric A Engleman
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Indianapolis IN
| | - Frederic W Hopf
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Indianapolis IN
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11
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Hagarty DP, Dawoud A, Brea Guerrero A, Phillips K, Strong CE, Jennings SD, Crawford M, Martinez K, Csernecky O, Saland SK, Kabbaj M. Exploring ketamine's reinforcement, cue-induced reinstatement, and nucleus accumbens cFos activation in male and female long evans rats. Neuropharmacology 2024; 255:110008. [PMID: 38797243 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Ketamine (KET), a non-competitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has rapid onset of antidepressant effects in Treatment-Resistant Depression patients and repeated infusions are required to sustain its antidepressant properties. However, KET is an addictive drug, and so more preclinical and clinical research is needed to assess the safety of recurring treatments in both sexes. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the reinforcing properties of various doses of KET (0-, 0.125-, 0.25-, 0.5 mg/kg/infusion) and assess KET's cue-induced reinstatement and neuronal activation in both sexes of Long Evans rats. Neuronal activation was assessed using the protein expression of the immediate early gene cFos in the nucleus accumbens (Nac), an important brain area implicated in reward, reinforcement and reinstatement to most drug-related cues. Our findings show that KET has reinforcing effects in both male and female rats, albeit exclusively at the highest two doses (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg/infusion). Furthermore, we noted sex differences, particularly at the highest dose of ketamine, with female rats displaying a higher rate of self-administration. Interestingly, all groups that self-administered KET reinstated to drug-cues. Following drug cue-induced reinstatement test in rats exposed to KET (0.25 mg/kg/infusion) or saline, there was higher cFos protein expression in KET-treated animals compared to saline controls, and higher cFos expression in the core compared to the shell subregions of the Nac. As for reinstatement, there were no notable sex differences reported for cFos expression in the Nac. These findings reveal some sex and dose dependent effects in KET's reinforcing properties and that KET at all doses induced similar reinstatement in both sexes. This study also demonstrated that cues associated with ketamine induce comparable neuronal activation in the Nac of both male and female rats. This work warrants further research into the potential addictive properties of KET, especially when administered at lower doses which are now being used in the clinic for treating various psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin P Hagarty
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Adam Dawoud
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Alfonso Brea Guerrero
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Kaynas Phillips
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Caroline E Strong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Sarah Dollie Jennings
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Michelle Crawford
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Katherine Martinez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Olivia Csernecky
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Samantha K Saland
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
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12
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Berry MM, Miller B, Kelsen S, Cockrell C, Kohtz AS. Sex differences in hippocampal β-adrenergic receptor subtypes drive retrieval, retention, and learning of cocaine-associated memories. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1379866. [PMID: 38807929 PMCID: PMC11130369 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1379866] [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: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Drug seeking behavior occurs in response to environmental contexts and drug-associated cues. The presence of these pervasive stimuli impedes abstinence success. β-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) have a long-standing historical implication in driving processes associated with contextual memories, including drug-associated memories in substance use disorders. However, sex differences in the role of β-adrenergic receptors in drug memories remain unknown. Hypothesis Prior reports indicate a selective role for β2-ARs in retrieval and retention of contextual drug memories in males, and substantial sex differences exist in the expression of β-ARs of male and female rats. Therefore, we hypothesized that there are sex differences in selective recruitment of β-ARs during different stages of memory encoding and retrieval. Methods The role of β-ARs in driving retrieval and learning of contextual cocaine memories was investigated using cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) in adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were infused directly to the dorsal hippocampus with Propranolol (β1 and β2) or ICI-118,551 (β1) and/or Betaxolol (β2), immediately prior to testing (retrieval), or paired to each cocaine (10 mg/kp, IP) conditioning session (learning). Results In males, administration of either β1, β2, or combined β1 and β2-ARs before the initial CPP testing reduced the expression of a CPP compared to vehicle administration. In females, β2-ARs transiently decreased CPP memories, whereas β1 had long lasting but not immediate effects to decrease CPP memories. Additionally, β1 and combined β1 and β2-ARs had immediate and persistent effects to decrease CPP memory expression. DG Fos + neurons predicted cocaine CPP expression in males, whereas CA1 and CA3 Fos + neurons predicted cocaine CPP expression in females. Conclusion There are significant sex differences in the role of dorsal hippocampus β-ARs in the encoding and expression of cocaine conditioned place preference. Furthermore, sub regions of the dorsal hippocampus appear to activate differently between male and female rats during CPP. Therefore DG, CA3, and CA1 may have separate region- and sex-specific impacts on driving drug- associated, or context-associated cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie M. Berry
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobiology and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Beau Miller
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobiology and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi College, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Silvia Kelsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobiology and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Carlee Cockrell
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobiology and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi College, Jackson, MS, United States
| | - Amy Stave Kohtz
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Neurobiology and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
- Center for Innovation and Discovery in Addictions, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States
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13
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Valentino RJ, Nair SG, Volkow ND. Neuroscience in addiction research. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:453-459. [PMID: 37947883 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-023-02713-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The prevention and treatment of addiction (moderate to severe substance use disorder-SUD) have remained challenging because of the dynamic and complex interactions between multiple biological and social determinants that shape SUD. The pharmacological landscape is ever changing and the use of multiple drugs is increasingly common, requiring an unraveling of pharmacological interactions to understand the effects. There are different stages in the trajectory from drug use to addiction that are characterized by distinct cognitive and emotional features. These are directed by different neurobiological processes that require identification and characterization including those that underlie the high co-morbidity with other disorders. Finally, there is substantial individual variability in the susceptibility to develop SUD because there are multiple determinants, including genetics, sex, developmental trajectories and times of drug exposures, and psychosocial and environmental factors including commercial determinants that influence drug availability. Elucidating how these factors interact to determine risk is essential for identifying the biobehavioral basis of addiction and developing prevention and treatment strategies. Basic research is tasked with addressing each of these challenges. The recent proliferation of technological advances that allow for genetic manipulation, visualization of molecular reactions and cellular activity in vivo, multiscale whole brain mapping across the life span, and the mining of massive data sets including multimodality human brain imaging are accelerating our ability to understand how the brain functions and how drugs influence it. Here, we highlight how the application of these tools to the study of addiction promises to illuminate its neurobiological basis and guide strategies for prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita J Valentino
- National Institute On Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Sunila G Nair
- National Institute On Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nora D Volkow
- National Institute On Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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14
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Grodin EN, Kirsch D, Belnap M, Ray LA. Sex differences in neural response to an acute stressor in individuals with an alcohol use disorder. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:843-854. [PMID: 38652235 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and stress influence overlapping neural circuits in the brain. The literature is mixed regarding the presence of sex differences in the neural response to acute stressors, and this issue has not been examined in individuals with AUD. We validated a stress functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm in individuals with AUD and tested for sex differences. METHODS Twenty-five treatment-seeking individuals with AUD (15M/10F) were recruited to participate in the neuroimaging study linked to a clinical trial of ibudilast (NCT03594435). To assess social-evaluative stress, participants completed the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST). Whole brain and amygdala region-of-interest analyses were conducted. Subjective ratings of anxiety and distress were collected. Repeated measures ANCOVAs were performed to evaluate the effect of stress on anxiety and distress and to evaluate sex differences. RESULTS There were trend-level effects of stress on anxiety ratings and amygdala activation (p's = 0.06). There was a significant effect of stress in the bilateral thalamus, ventral tegmental area, and paracingulate (Z's > 4.09, p's < 0.03). There was a trend-level effect of sex on subjective ratings of stress (p's = 0.07). Females had higher amygdala activation in response to stress (p = 0.02). Females also had greater activation than males in the precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, and right inferior frontal gyrus during acute stress (Z's > 3.56, p's < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS This study provides an initial validation of the MIST in a sample of individuals with AUD. It also provides preliminary evidence of sex differences in the response to social-evaluative stress, which is important, given the relevance of stress and negative emotionality as motivators for alcohol use in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica N Grodin
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Dylan Kirsch
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Malia Belnap
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Lara A Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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15
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García-Cabrerizo R, Cryan JF. A gut (microbiome) feeling about addiction: Interactions with stress and social systems. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 30:100629. [PMID: 38584880 PMCID: PMC10995916 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100629] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, an increasing attention has given to the intricate and diverse connection of microorganisms residing in our gut and their impact on brain health and central nervous system disease. There has been a shift in mindset to understand that drug addiction is not merely a condition that affects the brain, it is now being recognized as a disorder that also involves external factors such as the intestinal microbiota, which could influence vulnerability and the development of addictive behaviors. Furthermore, stress and social interactions, which are closely linked to the intestinal microbiota, are powerful modulators of addiction. This review delves into the mechanisms through which the microbiota-stress-immune axis may shape drug addiction and social behaviors. This work integrates preclinical and clinical evidence that demonstrate the bidirectional communication between stress, social behaviors, substance use disorders and the gut microbiota, suggesting that gut microbes might modulate social stress having a significance in drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén García-Cabrerizo
- IUNICS, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
- Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - John F. Cryan
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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16
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Carlini LE, Fernandez AC, Mellinger JL. Sex and gender in alcohol use disorder and alcohol-associated liver disease in the United States: A narrative review. Hepatology 2024:01515467-990000000-00864. [PMID: 38683562 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Over the last 20 years, there has been an alarming increase in alcohol use and AUD prevalence among women, narrowing the historical gender gap. Concurrently, there has also been a significant rise in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) prevalence, severity, and mortality among women. Despite this, there are no recent reviews that have sought to evaluate both sex and gender differences at the intersection of AUD and ALD. In this narrative review, we address the escalating rates of ALD and AUD in the United States, with a specific focus on the disproportionate impact on women. Sex and gender play an important and well-known role in the pathogenesis and epidemiology of ALD. However, sex and gender are also implicated in the development and prevalence of AUD, as well as in the treatment of AUD, all of which have important consequences on the approach to the treatment of patients with ALD and AUD. A better understanding of sex and gender differences in AUD, ALD, and the intersection of the 2 is essential to enhance prevention, diagnosis, and management strategies. These data underscore the urgent need for awareness and preventive efforts to mitigate the potential long-term health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Carlini
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Anne C Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jessica L Mellinger
- Department of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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17
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Finn DA, Clark CD, Ryabinin AE. Traumatic stress-enhanced alcohol drinking: Sex differences and animal model perspectives. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2024; 11:327-341. [PMID: 38915732 PMCID: PMC11196023 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-023-00540-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Purpose of review Stress is associated with alcohol drinking, and epidemiological studies document the comorbidity of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with higher comorbid prevalence in females than in males. The aim of this paper is to highlight information related to sex differences in stress-enhanced alcohol drinking from clinical studies and from preclinical studies utilizing an animal model of traumatic stress. Recent findings Stress is associated with alcohol drinking and relapse in males and females, but there are sex differences in the alcohol-related adaptation of stress pathways and in the association of different prefrontal regions with stress-induced anxiety. The predator stress model of traumatic stress produced enhanced alcohol drinking in a subgroup of stress-sensitive male and female animals, which could be associated with sex and subgroup differences in stress axis responsivity, behavioral responses to predator odors, and epigenetic mechanisms engaged by traumatic experiences. Summary While additional studies in females are necessary, existing clinical and preclinical evidence suggests that biological mechanisms underlying stress-enhanced drinking likely differ between males and females. Thus, effective treatment strategies may differ between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A. Finn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
- Department of Research, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Crystal D. Clark
- Department of Research, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Andrey E. Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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18
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Patel JC, Sherpa AD, Melani R, Witkovsky P, Wiseman MR, O'Neill B, Aoki C, Tritsch NX, Rice ME. GABA co-released from striatal dopamine axons dampens phasic dopamine release through autoregulatory GABA A receptors. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113834. [PMID: 38431842 PMCID: PMC11089423 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Striatal dopamine axons co-release dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), using GABA provided by uptake via GABA transporter-1 (GAT1). Functions of GABA co-release are poorly understood. We asked whether co-released GABA autoinhibits dopamine release via axonal GABA type A receptors (GABAARs), complementing established inhibition by dopamine acting at axonal D2 autoreceptors. We show that dopamine axons express α3-GABAAR subunits in mouse striatum. Enhanced dopamine release evoked by single-pulse optical stimulation in striatal slices with GABAAR antagonism confirms that an endogenous GABA tone limits dopamine release. Strikingly, an additional inhibitory component is seen when multiple pulses are used to mimic phasic axonal activity, revealing the role of GABAAR-mediated autoinhibition of dopamine release. This autoregulation is lost in conditional GAT1-knockout mice lacking GABA co-release. Given the faster kinetics of ionotropic GABAARs than G-protein-coupled D2 autoreceptors, our data reveal a mechanism whereby co-released GABA acts as a first responder to dampen phasic-to-tonic dopamine signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti C Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Ang D Sherpa
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Neural Science New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Riccardo Melani
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Paul Witkovsky
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Madeline R Wiseman
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Brian O'Neill
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Chiye Aoki
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Center for Neural Science New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Nicolas X Tritsch
- NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Margaret E Rice
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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19
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McGuirt AF, Brezing CA. Opioid-induced hypogonadism in opioid use disorder, its role in negative reinforcement, and implications for treatment and retention. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2024; 50:132-138. [PMID: 38320237 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2292012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Hypogonadism is a highly prevalent complication of chronic opioid use associated with a constellation of affective, algesic, and cognitive symptoms as well as decreased quality of life. Given that the mainstays of pharmacologic opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment - methadone and buprenorphine - are themselves agonists or partial agonists at the mu opioid receptor, opioid-induced hypogonadism (OIH) remains an underappreciated clinical concern throughout the course of OUD treatment. Prominent theoretical frameworks for OUD emphasize the importance of negative reinforcement and hyperkatifeia, defined as the heightened salience of negative emotional and motivational states brought on by chronic opioid use. In this perspective article, we highlight the striking parallels between the symptom domains of hyperfakifeia and hypogonadism in males, who comprise the vast majority of existing clinical research on OIH. By extension we propose that future research and ultimately clinical care should focus on the identification and treatment of OIH in OUD patients to help address the longstanding paradox of poor treatment retention despite efficacious therapies, particularly in the setting of the current opioid overdose epidemic driven by high potency synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. We then review evidence from chronic pain patients that testosterone replacement provides clinically significant benefits to men with OIH. Finally, using this framework, we compare extant OUD therapeutics and discuss critical gaps in the clinical literature-including the relative dearth of data regarding hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal function in females who use opioids-where future study should be focused.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery F McGuirt
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christina A Brezing
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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20
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Frasier RM, Starski PA, de Oliveira Sergio T, Grippo AJ, Hopf FW. Sex differences in heart rate variability measures that predict alcohol drinking in rats. Addict Biol 2024; 29:e13387. [PMID: 38502109 PMCID: PMC11061848 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13387] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Problem alcohol drinking continues to be a substantial cost and burden. In addition, alcohol consumption in women has increased in recent decades, and women can have greater alcohol problems and comorbidities. Thus, there is a significant need for novel therapeutics to enhance sex-specific, individualized treatment. Heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) are of broad interest because they may be both biomarkers for and drivers of pathological states. HRV reflects the dynamic balance between sympathetic (SNS, 'fight or flight') and parasympathetic (PNS, 'rest and digest') systems. Evidence from human studies suggest PNS predominance in women and SNS in men during autonomic regulation, indicating the possibility of sex differences in risk factors and physiological drivers of problem drinking. To better understand the association between HRV sex differences and alcohol drinking, we examined whether alcohol consumption levels correlated with time domain HRV measures (SDNN and rMSSD) at baseline, at alcohol drinking onset, and across 10 min of drinking, in adult female and male Wistar rats. In particular, we compared both HRV and HR measures under alcohol-only and compulsion-like conditions (alcohol + 10 mg/L quinine), because compulsion can often be a significant barrier to treatment of alcohol misuse. Importantly, previous work supports the possibility that different HRV measures could be interpreted to reflect PNS versus SNS influences. Here, we show that females with higher putative PNS indicators at baseline and at drinking onset had greater alcohol consumption. In contrast, male intake levels related to increased potential SNS measures at drinking onset. Once alcohol was consumed, HR predicted intake level in females, perhaps a pharmacological effect of alcohol. However, HRV changes were greater during compulsion-like intake versus alcohol-only, suggesting HRV changes (reduced SNS in females, reduced PNS and increased HR in males) specifically related to aversion-resistant intake. We find novel and likely clinically relevant autonomic differences associated with biological sex and alcohol drinking, suggesting that different autonomic mechanisms may promote differing aspects of female and male alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raizel M. Frasier
- Department of PsychiatryIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Medical Scientist Training ProgramIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | - Phillip A. Starski
- Department of PsychiatryIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
| | | | - Angela J. Grippo
- Department of PsychologyNorthern Illinois UniversityDeKalbIllinoisUSA
| | - F. Woodward Hopf
- Department of PsychiatryIndiana University School of MedicineIndianapolisIndianaUSA
- Stark Neurosciences Research InstituteIndiana UniversityIndianapolisIndianaUSA
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21
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Weiner SP, Vasquez C, Song S, Zhao K, Ali O, Rosenkilde D, Froemke RC, Carr KD. Sex difference in the effect of environmental enrichment on food restriction-induced persistence of cocaine conditioned place preference and mechanistic underpinnings. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 10:100142. [PMID: 38323217 PMCID: PMC10843874 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2024.100142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Psychosocial and environmental factors, including loss of natural reward, contribute to the risk of drug abuse. Reward loss has been modeled in animals by removal from social or sexual contact, transfer from enriched to impoverished housing, or restriction of food. We previously showed that food restriction increases the unconditioned rewarding effects of abused drugs and the conditioned incentive effects of drug-paired environments. Mechanistic studies provided evidence of decreased basal dopamine (DA) transmission, adaptive upregulation of signaling downstream of D1 DA receptor stimulation, synaptic upscaling and incorporation of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors (CP-AMPARs) in medium spiny neurons (MSNs) of nucleus accumbens (NAc). These findings align with the still evolving 'reward deficiency' hypothesis of drug abuse. The present study tested whether a compound natural reward that is known to increase DA utilization, environmental enrichment, would prevent the persistent expression of cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) otherwise observed in food restricted rats, along with the mechanistic underpinnings. Because nearly all prior investigations of both food restriction and environmental enrichment effects on cocaine CPP were conducted in male rodents, both sexes were included in the present study. Results indicate that environmental enrichment curtailed the persistence of CPP expression, decreased signaling downstream of the D1R, and decreased the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in NAc MSNs of food restricted male, but not female, rats. The failure of environmental enrichment to significantly decrease food restriction-induced synaptic insertion of CP-AMPARs, and how this may accord with previous pharmacological findings that blockade of CP-AMPARs reverses behavioral effects of food restriction is discussed. In addition, it is speculated that estrous cycle-dependent fluctuations in DA release, receptor density and MSN excitability may obscure the effect of increased DA signaling during environmental enrichment, thereby interfering with development of the cellular and behavioral effects that enrichment produced in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney P. Weiner
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Carolina Vasquez
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
- Diabetes Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Soomin Song
- Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Kaiyang Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Omar Ali
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Danielle Rosenkilde
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Robert C. Froemke
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
- Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Kenneth D. Carr
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, 435 East 30th Street, New York, NY 10016, United States
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22
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Starski P, Siegle A, Hopf FW. Engagement for alcohol escalates in the 5-choice serial reaction time task after intermittent access. Alcohol 2024; 115:79-92. [PMID: 38286210 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.01.004] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Excessive intake plays a significant role in the development of alcohol use disorder and impacts 15 million Americans annually, with approximately 88 000 dying from alcohol related deaths. Several facets we contribute to alcohol use disorder include impulsivity, motivation, and attention. Previous studies have used the 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-Choice) to analyze these types of behaviors using sugar, but recently we have published using 10% alcohol as the reward. This study analyzed 48 mice that were trained to respond for alcohol in the 5-Choice. All mice distributed and analyzed first by alcohol preference and then by consumption. Here, we became interested in a new classification called "engagement". High-engaged and low-engaged mice were determined by the number of correct responses during final Late-Stage training sessions. Interestingly, during Early-Stage training, the mice began to separate themselves into two groups based on their interaction with the task. Throughout both training stages, high-engaged mice displayed a greater number of trials and correct responses, as well as a lower percentage of omissions compared to low-engaged mice. Following three weeks of intermittent access homecage drinking, low-engaged mice showed greater increase in perseverative responding relative to high-engaged. Additionally, low-engaged mice decreased their reward and correct latencies compared to high-engaged mice suggesting an increase in motivation for alcohol. Overall, engagement analysis presents two clearly different groups, with only one being motivated to work for alcohol. These two distinct phenotypes in the 5-Choice could be used to model alcohol motivated behavior, which could help us further understand alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Starski
- Dept. Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Addyson Siegle
- Dept. Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - F Woodward Hopf
- Dept. Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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23
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Hsu LM, Cerri DH, Lee SH, Shnitko TA, Carelli RM, Shih YYI. Intrinsic Functional Connectivity between the Anterior Insular and Retrosplenial Cortex as a Moderator and Consequence of Cocaine Self-Administration in Rats. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1452232023. [PMID: 38233216 PMCID: PMC10869158 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1452-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
While functional brain imaging studies in humans suggest that chronic cocaine use alters functional connectivity (FC) within and between key large-scale brain networks, including the default mode network (DMN), the salience network (SN), and the central executive network (CEN), cross-sectional studies in humans are challenging to obtain brain FC prior to cocaine use. Such information is critical to reveal the relationship between individual's brain FC and the subsequent development of cocaine dependence and brain changes during abstinence. Here, we performed a longitudinal study examining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in male rats (n = 7), acquired before cocaine self-administration (baseline), on 1 d of abstinence following 10 d of cocaine self-administration, and again after 30 d of experimenter-imposed abstinence. Using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with network-based statistics (NBS), significant connectivity changes were found between anterior insular cortex (AI) of the SN, retrosplenial cortex (RSC) of the DMN, somatosensory cortex, and caudate-putamen (CPu), with AI-RSC FC showing the most robust changes between baseline and 1 d of abstinence. Additionally, the level of escalated cocaine intake is associated with AI-RSC and AI-CPu FC changes between 1 d and 30 d of abstinence; further, the subjects' AI-RSC FC prior to cocaine intake is a significant moderator for the AI-RSC changes during abstinence. These results provide novel insights into the roles of AI-RSC FC before and after cocaine intake and suggest this circuit to be a potential target to modulate large-scale network and associated behavioral changes in cocaine use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Ming Hsu
- Center for Animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Departments of Neurology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
| | - Domenic H Cerri
- Center for Animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Departments of Neurology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
| | - Sung-Ho Lee
- Center for Animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Departments of Neurology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
| | - Tatiana A Shnitko
- Center for Animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Departments of Neurology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
| | - Regina M Carelli
- Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
| | - Yen-Yu Ian Shih
- Center for Animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
- Departments of Neurology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 27599, North Carolina
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24
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Wingert JC, Ramos JD, Reynolds SX, Gonzalez AE, Rose RM, Hegarty DM, Aicher SA, Bailey LG, Brown TE, Abbas AI, Sorg BA. Perineuronal nets in the rat medial prefrontal cortex alter hippocampal-prefrontal oscillations and reshape cocaine self-administration memories. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.05.577568. [PMID: 38370716 PMCID: PMC10871211 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.05.577568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is a major contributor to relapse to cocaine in humans and to reinstatement behavior in rodent models of cocaine use disorder. Output from the mPFC is modulated by parvalbumin (PV)-containing fast-spiking interneurons, the majority of which are surrounded by perineuronal nets (PNNs). Here we tested whether chondroitinase ABC (ABC)- mediated removal of PNNs prevented the acquisition or reconsolidation of a cocaine self-administration memory. ABC injections into the dorsal mPFC prior to training attenuated the acquisition of cocaine self-administration. Also, ABC given 3 days prior to but not 1 hr after memory reactivation blocked cue-induced reinstatement. However, reduced reinstatement was present only in rats given a novel reactivation contingency, suggesting that PNNs are required for the updating of a familiar memory. In naive rats, ABC injections into mPFC did not alter excitatory or inhibitory puncta on PV cells but reduced PV intensity. Whole-cell recordings revealed a greater inter-spike interval 1 hr after ABC, but not 3 days later. In vivo recordings from the mPFC and dorsal hippocampus (dHIP) during novel memory reactivation revealed that ABC in the mPFC prevented reward-associated increases in beta and gamma activity as well as phase-amplitude coupling between the dHIP and mPFC. Together, our findings show that PNN removal attenuates the acquisition of cocaine self-administration memories and disrupts reconsolidation of the original memory when combined with a novel reactivation session. Further, reduced dHIP/mPFC coupling after PNN removal may serve as a key biomarker for how to disrupt reconsolidation of cocaine memories and reduce relapse.
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25
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Ahmed R, Zyla S, Hammond N, Blum K, Thanos PK. The Role of Estrogen Signaling and Exercise in Drug Abuse: A Review. Clin Pract 2024; 14:148-163. [PMID: 38248436 PMCID: PMC10801537 DOI: 10.3390/clinpract14010012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Discovering how sex differences impact the efficacy of exercise regimens used for treating drug addiction is becoming increasingly important. Estrogen is a hormone believed to explain a large portion of sex differences observed during drug addiction, and why certain exercise regimens are not equally effective between sexes in treatment. Addiction is currently a global hindrance to millions, many of whom are suffering under the influence of their brain's intrinsic reward system coupled with external environmental factors. Substance abuse disorders in the U.S. alone cost billions of dollars annually. REVIEW SUMMARY Studies involving the manipulation of estrogen levels in female rodents, primarily via ovariectomy, highlight its impact regarding drug addiction. More specifically, female rodents with higher estrogen levels during the estrus phase increase cocaine consumption, whereas those in the non-estrus phase (low estrogen levels) decrease cocaine consumption. If estrogen is reintroduced, self-administration increases once again. Exercise has been proven to decrease relapse tendency, but its effect on estrogen levels is not fully understood. CONCLUSIONS Such findings and results discussed in this review suggest that estrogen influences the susceptibility of females to relapse. Therefore, to improve drug-abuse-related treatment, exercise regimens for females should be generated based on key sex differences with respect to males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rania Ahmed
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA;
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions (BNNLA), Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (S.Z.); (N.H.)
| | - Samuel Zyla
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions (BNNLA), Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (S.Z.); (N.H.)
| | - Nikki Hammond
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions (BNNLA), Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (S.Z.); (N.H.)
| | - Kenneth Blum
- Division of Addiction Research Education, Center for Sports, Exercise and Mental Health, Western University Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA;
| | - Panayotis K. Thanos
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA;
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions (BNNLA), Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; (S.Z.); (N.H.)
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Iyer V, Saberi SA, Pacheco R, Sizemore EF, Stockman S, Kulkarni A, Cantwell L, Thakur GA, Hohmann AG. Negative allosteric modulation of cannabinoid CB 1 receptor signaling suppresses opioid-mediated tolerance and withdrawal without blocking opioid antinociception. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.06.574477. [PMID: 38260598 PMCID: PMC10802405 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.06.574477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The direct blockade of CB 1 cannabinoid receptors produces therapeutic effects as well as adverse side-effects that limit their clinical potential. CB 1 negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) represent an indirect approach to decrease the affinity and/or efficacy of orthosteric cannabinoid ligands or endocannabinoids at CB 1 . We recently reported that GAT358, a CB 1 -NAM, blocked opioid-induced mesocorticolimbic dopamine release and reward via a CB 1 -allosteric mechanism of action. Whether a CB 1 -NAM dampens opioid-mediated therapeutic effects such as analgesia or alters other unwanted side-effects of opioids remain unknown. Here, we characterized the effects of GAT358 on nociceptive behaviors in the presence and absence of morphine. We examined the impact of GAT358 on formalin-evoked pain behavior and Fos protein expression, a marker of neuronal activation, in the lumbar dorsal horn. We also assessed the impact of GAT358 on morphine-induced slowing of colonic transit, tolerance, and withdrawal behaviors. GAT358 attenuated morphine antinociceptive tolerance without blocking acute antinociception. GAT358 also reduced morphine-induced slowing of colonic motility without impacting fecal boli production. GAT358 produced antinociception in the presence and absence of morphine in the formalin model of inflammatory nociception and reduced the number of formalin-evoked Fos protein-like immunoreactive cells in the lumbar spinal dorsal horn. Finally, GAT358 mitigated the somatic signs of naloxone-precipitated, but not spontaneous, opioid withdrawal following chronic morphine dosing in mice. Our results support the therapeutic potential of CB 1 -NAMs as novel drug candidates aimed at preserving opioid-mediated analgesia while preventing their unwanted side-effects. Our studies also uncover previously unrecognized antinociceptive properties associated with an arrestin-biased CB 1 -NAMs. Highlights CB 1 negative allosteric modulator (NAM) GAT358 attenuated morphine tolerance GAT358 reduced morphine-induced slowing of colonic motility but not fecal productionGAT358 was antinociceptive for formalin pain alone and when combined with morphineGAT358 reduced formalin-evoked Fos protein expression in the lumbar spinal cordGAT358 mitigated naloxone precipitated withdrawal after chronic morphine dosing.
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Yalniz Y, Yunusoğlu O, Berköz M, Demirel ME. Effects of fisetin on ethanol-induced rewarding properties in mice. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2024; 50:75-83. [PMID: 38235981 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2292976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder associated with compulsive drinking of alcohol. Natural flavonoid fisetin affects a variety of transmitter systems relevant to AUD, such as aminobutyric acid, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and dopamine, as well as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors.Objectives: This study investigated fisetin's impact on the motivational properties of ethanol using conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice (n = 50).Methods: Mice were conditioned with ethanol (2 g/kg, i.p.) or saline on alternating days for 8 consecutive days and were given intragastric (i.g.) fisetin (10, 20, or 30 mg/kg, i.g.), 45 min before ethanol conditioning. During extinction, physiological saline was injected to the control and ethanol groups, and fisetin was administered to the fisetin groups. To evaluate the effect of fisetin on the reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP, fisetin was given 45 min before a priming dose of ethanol (0.4 g/kg, i.p.; reinstatement test day).Results: Fisetin decreased the acquisition of ethanol-induced CPP (30 mg/kg, p < .05) and accelerated extinction (20 and 30 mg/kg, p < .05). Furthermore, fisetin attenuated reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP (30 mg/kg, p < .05).Conclusions: Fisetin appears to diminish the rewarding properties of ethanol, as indicated by its inhibitory effect and facilitation of extinction in ethanol-induced CPP. These findings imply a potential therapeutic application of fisetin in preventing ethanol-seeking behavior, promoting extinction, and reducing the risk of relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasin Yalniz
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Bolu Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey
| | - Oruç Yunusoğlu
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Bolu Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Berköz
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Enes Demirel
- Emergency Department, School of Medicine, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey
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28
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Bryant KG, Singh B, Barker JM. Sex and individual differences in the effect of chronic low-dose ethanol on behavioral strategy selection. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:132-141. [PMID: 38206280 PMCID: PMC10784635 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of an alcohol use disorder (AUD) involves impaired behavioral control and flexibility. Behavioral inflexibility includes an inability to shift behavior in response to changes in behavioral outcomes. Low levels of ethanol drinking may promote the formation of inflexible, habitual reward seeking, but this may depend on the timing of ethanol exposure in relation to learning. The goal of this study was to determine whether a history of low-dose ethanol exposure promoted contingency-insensitive sucrose seeking and altered behavioral strategy selection. METHODS Male and female C57BL/6J mice were trained to perform a response (lever press) for sucrose on two different reinforcement schedules: one that is thought to promote inflexible responding (random interval) and one that maintains flexible responding (variable ratio [VR]). Following instrumental training each day, mice were exposed to saline or low-dose ethanol (0.5 g/kg; i.p.) either proximal (1 h after) or distal (4 h after) to learning. Mice were then tested for sensitivity to changes in contingency in a contingency degradation test. RESULTS A history of low-dose ethanol exposure shifted behavioral strategy selection, as measured by reward tracking behavior, but this depended on sex and reinforcement schedule history. Both male and female mice used different strategies depending on the reinforcement schedule, but only males exhibited ethanol-induced shifts in strategy selection. A history of low-dose ethanol exposure did not impact contingency sensitivity in males but promoted insensitivity in females specifically on the VR lever. CONCLUSIONS Female mice show distinct behavioral effects of repeated, low-dose ethanol exposure as compared to males, with sex differences in the use of reward tracking strategies to guide behavior. Future studies should investigate sex differences in the neural consequences of chronic low-dose ethanol exposure that may underlie behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen G. Bryant
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Binay Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102
| | - Jacqueline M. Barker
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102
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29
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Johnson CS, Chapp AD, Lind EB, Thomas MJ, Mermelstein PG. Sex differences in mouse infralimbic cortex projections to the nucleus accumbens shell. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:87. [PMID: 38082417 PMCID: PMC10712109 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00570-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is an important region in motivation and reward. Glutamatergic inputs from the infralimbic cortex (ILC) to the shell region of the NAc (NAcSh) have been implicated in driving the motivation to seek reward through repeated action-based behavior. While this has primarily been studied in males, observed sex differences in motivational circuitry and behavior suggest that females may be more sensitive to rewarding stimuli. These differences have been implicated for the observed vulnerability in women to substance use disorders. METHODS We used an optogenetic self-stimulation task in addition to ex vivo electrophysiological recordings of NAcSh neurons in mouse brain slices to investigate potential sex differences in ILC-NAcSh circuitry in reward-seeking behavior. Glutamatergic neurons in the ILC were infected with an AAV delivering DNA encoding for channelrhodopsin. Entering the designated active corner of an open field arena resulted in photostimulation of the ILC terminals in the NAcSh. Self-stimulation occurred during two consecutive days of testing over three consecutive weeks: first for 10 Hz, then 20 Hz, then 30 Hz. Whole-cell recordings of medium spiny neurons in the NAcSh assessed both optogenetically evoked local field potentials and intrinsic excitability. RESULTS Although both sexes learned to seek the active zone, within the first day, females entered the zone more than males, resulting in a greater amount of photostimulation. Increasing the frequency of optogenetic stimulation amplified female reward-seeking behavior. Males were less sensitive to ILC stimulation, with higher frequencies and repeated days required to increase male reward-seeking behavior. Unexpectedly, ex vivo optogenetic local field potentials in the NAcSh were greater in slices from male animals. In contrast, female medium-spiny neurons (MSNs) displayed significantly greater intrinsic neuronal excitability. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these data indicate that there are sex differences in the motivated behavior driven by glutamate within the ILC-NAcSh circuit. Though glutamatergic signaling was greater in males, heightened intrinsic excitability in females appears to drive this sex difference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Johnson
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Andrew D Chapp
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 3-432 McGuire Translational Research Facility, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Erin B Lind
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 3-432 McGuire Translational Research Facility, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Mark J Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 3-432 McGuire Translational Research Facility, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Paul G Mermelstein
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 3-432 McGuire Translational Research Facility, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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30
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Diaz JC, Dunaway K, Zuniga C, Sheil E, Sadeghian K, Auger AP, Baldo BA. Delayed estrogen actions diminish food consumption without changing food approach, motor activity, or hypothalamic activation elicited by corticostriatal µ-opioid signaling. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1952-1962. [PMID: 37640922 PMCID: PMC10584984 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01711-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Mu-opioid receptor (μ-OR) signaling in forebrain sites including nucleus accumbens (Acb) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) modulates reward-driven feeding and may play a role in the pathophysiology of disordered eating. In preclinical models, intra-Acb or intra-vmPFC μ-OR stimulation causes overeating and vigorous responding for food rewards. These effects have been studied mainly in male animals, despite demonstrated sex differences and estrogen modulation of central reward systems. Hence, the present study investigated sex differences and estrogen modulation of intra-Acb and intra-vmPFC μ-OR-driven feeding behaviors. First, the dose-related effects of intra-Acb and intra-vmPFC infusions of the μ-OR-selective agonist, DAMGO, were compared among intact female, ovariectomized (OVX) female, and intact male rats. The DAMGO feeding dose-effect function was flattened in intact females relative to the robust, dose-dependent effects observed in OVX females and intact males. Thus, in intact females, intra-Acb DAMGO failed to elevate food intake relative to vehicle, while intra-vmPFC DAMGO elevated food intake, but to a smaller degree compared to males and OVX females. Next, to explore the possible role of estrogen in mediating the diminished DAMGO response observed in intact females, OVX rats were given intra-Acb or intra-vmPFC infusions of DAMGO either immediately after a subcutaneous injection of 17-beta-estradiol 3-benzoate (EB; 5 μg/0.1 mL) or 24 h after EB injection. Intra-Acb DAMGO effects were not changed at the immediate post-EB time point. At the delayed post-EB timepoint, significant lordosis was noted and the duration of intra-Acb DAMGO-driven feeding bouts was significantly reduced, with no change in the number of bouts initiated, locomotor hyperactivity, or Fos immunoreactivity in hypothalamic feeding and arousal systems. Similarly, EB failed to alter the motor-activational effects of intra-vmPFC DAMGO while reducing feeding. These findings indicate that delayed, presumably genomically mediated estrogen actions modulate the μ-OR-generated motivational state by reducing consummatory activity while sparing goal-approach and general arousal/activity. The results additionally suggest that EB regulation of consummatory activity occurs outside of forebrain-μ-OR control of hypothalamic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio C Diaz
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Kate Dunaway
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Carla Zuniga
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Elizabeth Sheil
- College of Letters and Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Ken Sadeghian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anthony P Auger
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brian A Baldo
- Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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31
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Rich-Edwards JW, Maney DL. Best practices to promote rigor and reproducibility in the era of sex-inclusive research. eLife 2023; 12:e90623. [PMID: 37917121 PMCID: PMC10622144 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
To enhance inclusivity and rigor, many funding agencies and journals now mandate the inclusion of females as well as males in biomedical studies. These mandates have enhanced generalizability and created unprecedented opportunities to discover sex differences. However, education in sound methods to consider sex as a subgroup category has lagged behind, resulting in a problematic literature in which study designs, analyses, and interpretations of results are often flawed. Here, we outline best practices for complying with sex-inclusive mandates, both for studies in which sex differences are a primary focus and for those in which they are not. Our recommendations are organized within the "4 Cs of Studying Sex to Strengthen Science: Consideration, Collection, Characterization and Communication," a framework developed by the Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health in the United States. Following these guidelines should help researchers include females and males in their studies while at the same time upholding high standards of rigor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet W Rich-Edwards
- Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public HealthBostonUnited States
| | - Donna L Maney
- Department of Psychology, Emory UniversityAtlantaUnited States
- Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
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32
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Wingert JC, Anguiano JN, Ramos JD, Blacktop JM, Gonzalez AE, Churchill L, Sorg BA. Enhanced expression of parvalbumin and perineuronal nets in the medial prefrontal cortex after extended-access cocaine self-administration in rats. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13334. [PMID: 37855072 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13334] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) drives cocaine-seeking behaviour in rodent models of cocaine use disorder. Parvalbumin (PV)-containing GABAergic interneurons powerfully control the output of the mPFC, yet few studies have focused on how these neurons modulate cocaine-seeking behaviour. Most PV neurons are surrounded by perineuronal nets (PNNs), which regulate the firing of PV neurons. We examined staining intensity and number of PV and PNNs after long-access (6 h/day) cocaine self-administration in rats followed by either 8-10 days extinction ± cue-induced reinstatement or short-term (1-2 days) or long-term (30-31 days) abstinence ± cue-induced reinstatement. The intensity of PNNs was increased in the prelimbic and infralimbic PFC after long-term abstinence in the absence of cue reinstatement and after cue reinstatement following both daily extinction sessions and after a 30-day abstinence period. PV intensity was increased after 30 days of abstinence in the prelimbic but not infralimbic PFC. Enzymatic removal of PNNs with chondroitinase ABC (ABC) in the prelimbic PFC did not prevent incubation of cue-induced reinstatement but decreased cocaine-seeking behaviour at both 2 and 31 days of abstinence, and this decrease at 31 days was accompanied by reduced c-Fos levels in the prelimbic PFC. Increases in PNN intensity have generally been associated with the loss of plasticity, suggesting that the persistent and chronic nature of cocaine use disorder may in part be attributed to long-lasting increases in PNN intensity that reduce the ability of stimuli to alter synaptic input to underlying PV neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jereme C Wingert
- Neuroscience, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington, USA
- R.S. Dow Neurobiology, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jonathan N Anguiano
- Neuroscience, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington, USA
- R.S. Dow Neurobiology, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jonathan D Ramos
- R.S. Dow Neurobiology, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jordan M Blacktop
- Neuroscience, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington, USA
| | - Angela E Gonzalez
- Neuroscience, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington, USA
- R.S. Dow Neurobiology, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Lynn Churchill
- Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Barbara A Sorg
- Neuroscience, Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington, USA
- R.S. Dow Neurobiology, Legacy Research Institute, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Kokane SS, Butler BD, Antonio JH, Armant RJ, Hoch AC, Coelho CS, Brady BN, Chamseddine HH, Perrotti LI. Interactions between estradiol and ERK, but not mTOR, signaling is necessary for enhanced cocaine-induced conditioned place preference in female rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2023; 232:173653. [PMID: 37804867 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2023.173653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Women rapidly progress from recreational cocaine use to dependence, consume greater quantities of cocaine, experience more positive subjective effects of cocaine and have higher incidences of relapse during abstinence. These effects have been replicated in animal models of cocaine addiction and indicate an enhanced sensitivity and therefore, vulnerability of females to cocaine addiction. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that estradiol (E2) is a key mediator of the aforementioned effects of cocaine in women and female animals. However, studies identifying the influence of E2 on cocaine-associated reward and its underlying neurobiological mechanisms are lacking. Here, we further explored the influence of E2 on cocaine conditioned place preference in female rats. We show that E2 mediates cocaine-conditioned reward by potentiating cocaine-context associations. In addition, the E2-mediated increases in cocaine-induced CPP are associated with increased activation of ERK1/2 and mTOR proteins in the nucleus accumbens, dorsal striatum, and ventral tegmental area. To assess the involvement of ERK1/2 and mTOR in E2-mediated enhanced cocaine-CPP, we inhibited ERK1/2 and/or mTOR activity during cocaine-conditioning and before CPP-test. Inhibition of ERK1/2 during conditioning blocked cocaine-CPP in females, inhibition mTOR was without effect, and inhibiting ERK1/2 and mTOR before CPP-test blocked cocaine-CPP. In conclusion, we have established that E2 enhances cocaine-conditioned reward by potentiating cocaine-context associations formed during conditioning. Additionally, activation of ERK1/2 during cocaine-conditioning is necessary for the potentiation of cocaine-conditioned reward by E2. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Studies characterizing the molecular substrates underlying the effects of E2 during the formation of cocaine-context associations are virtually unknown. In this study, we established the influence of E2 during the formation of cocaine-CPP and characterized the role of ERK1/2 and mTOR activity on this effect within significant nodes of the reward pathway. The elucidation of the role of E2 in cocaine-induced intracellular signaling fills a significant gap in our knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which E2 affects intracellular signaling pathways to indicate the motivational salience of a stimulus. These data are crucial to our understanding of how fluctuating hormone levels can render females increasing sensitive to the rewarding effects of cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh S Kokane
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Brandon D Butler
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Josimar Hernandez Antonio
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Ross J Armant
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Adam C Hoch
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Clinton S Coelho
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Blake N Brady
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Houda H Chamseddine
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Linda I Perrotti
- Department of Psychology, College of Science, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA.
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Richardson RS, Sulima A, Rice KC, Kucharczk JA, Janda KD, Nisbett KE, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF, Leggio L. Pharmacological GHSR (ghrelin receptor) blockade reduces alcohol binge-like drinking in male and female mice. Neuropharmacology 2023; 238:109643. [PMID: 37369277 PMCID: PMC10513123 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109643] [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: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Ghrelin is a peptide that is produced by endocrine cells that are primarily localized in the stomach. Ghrelin receptors (GHSR) are expressed in the brain and periphery. Preclinical and clinical studies support a role for ghrelin in alcohol drinking and seeking. The GHSR has been suggested to be a potential pharmacotherapeutic target for alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, the role of the ghrelin system and its potential modulation by biological sex on binge-like drinking has not been comprehensively investigated. The present study tested six GHSR antagonists in an alcohol binge-like drinking procedure in male and female mice. Systemic administration of the GHSR antagonists JMV2959, PF-5190457, PF-6870961, and HM-04 reduced alcohol intake in both male and female mice. YIL-781 decreased intake in males, and LEAP2 (likely peripherally restricted) did not reduce intake in mice of either sex. We also administered LEAP2 and JMV2959 intracerebroventricularly to investigate whether the effects of GHSR blockade on alcohol intake are mediated by central receptors. The central administration of LEAP2 and JMV2959 decreased alcohol intake, particularly in high-drinking animals. Finally, in a preliminary experiment, an anti-ghrelin vaccine was examined for its potential effect on binge-like drinking and had no effect. In all experiments, there was a lack of meaningful sex differences. These findings suggest that central GHSR mediates binge-like alcohol intake. These data reveal novel pharmacological compounds with translational potential in the treatment of AUD and provide further evidence of the GHSR as a potential treatment target for AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rani S Richardson
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Stress & Addiction Neuroscience Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; University of North Carolina School of Medicine MD/PhD Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Agnieszka Sulima
- Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kenner C Rice
- Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jed A Kucharczk
- Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kim D Janda
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, WIRM Institute for Research and Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Khalin E Nisbett
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Stress & Addiction Neuroscience Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Graduate College, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Stress & Addiction Neuroscience Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Division of Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
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Logge W, Hurzeler T, Arunogiri S, Towers E, Baillie A, Haber PS, Morley K. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical response in alcohol-dependent patients during baclofen treatment and association with clinical outcome: Preliminary results. Alcohol 2023; 112:25-29. [PMID: 37244449 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Baclofen has been shown to reduce alcohol consumption in some individuals with alcohol use disorder. This preliminary study aimed to evaluate i) the effect of baclofen versus placebo on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical activity (HPA axis), as measured by cortisol, and ii) the relationship between clinical outcomes such as alcohol consumption on a randomized controlled trial of baclofen (BAC) versus placebo (PL) (Kirsten C. Morley et al., 2018; K. C. Morley, Leung, Baillie, & Haber, 2013). We hypothesized that baclofen will reduce HPA-axis activity following a mild stressor in patients with alcohol dependence. Plasma cortisol levels were taken from N = 25 alcohol-dependent patients at two time points, approximately 60 (pre-MRI scan: PreCortisol) and 180 min (post MRI scan: PostCortisol) following administration of PL, BAC 10 mg, or BAC 25 mg. Participants were followed up for the remaining 10 weeks as part of the trial for clinical outcome (percentage days abstinent). Mixed models revealed a significant main effect of medication on cortisol levels (F = 3.88, p = 0.037), no significant effect of time (F = 0.04, p = 0.84), and a significant time × medication interaction (F = 3.54, p = 0.049). Linear regression (F = 6.98, p = 0.01, R2 = 0.66) revealed that abstinence at follow-up, weighted by gender, was predicted by blunted cortisol response (β = -0.48 p = 0.023), in addition to medication (β = 0.73 p = 0.003). In conclusion, our preliminary data suggest that baclofen moderates HPA-axis activity, as measured by blood cortisol, and that these alterations may play a role in long-term treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren Logge
- Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tristan Hurzeler
- Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shalini Arunogiri
- Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc), Department of Psychiatry, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ellen Towers
- Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew Baillie
- Sydney School of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul S Haber
- Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Drug Health Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kirsten Morley
- Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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McElroy BD, Li C, McCloskey NS, Kirby LG. Sex differences in ethanol consumption and drinking despite negative consequences following adolescent social isolation stress in male and female rats. Physiol Behav 2023; 271:114322. [PMID: 37573960 PMCID: PMC10592127 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder characterized by drinking despite negative social and biological consequences. AUDs make up 71% of substance use disorders, with relapse rates as high as 80%. Current treatments stem from data conducted largely in males and fail to target the psychological distress motivating drinking in stress-vulnerable and at-risk populations. Here we employed a rat model and hypothesized that early life stress would reveal sex differences in ethanol intake and drinking despite negative consequences in adulthood. Rats were group housed or isolated postweaning to evaluate sex and stress effects on ethanol consumption in homecage drinking, self-administration (SA), and punished SA (drinking despite negative consequences) in adulthood. Stressed rats showed elevated homecage ethanol intake, an effect more pronounced in females. During SA, males were more sensitive to stress-induced elevations of drinking over time, but females drank more overall. Stressed rats, regardless of sex, responded more for ethanol than their non-stressed counterparts. Stressed females showed greater resistance to punishment-suppressed SA than stressed males, indicating a more stress-resistant drinking phenotype. Results support our hypothesis that adolescent social isolation stress enhances adult ethanol intake in a sex- and model-dependent manner with females being especially sensitive to early life stress-induced elevations in ethanol intake and punished SA in adulthood. Our findings echo the clinical literature which indicates that stress-vulnerable populations are more likely to 'self-medicate' with substances. Elucidating a potential mechanism that underlies why vulnerable populations 'self-medicate' with alcohol can lead towards developing catered pharmacotherapeutics that could reduce punishment-resistant drinking and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D McElroy
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University Philadelphia, PA, 19140, United States of America.
| | - Chen Li
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University Philadelphia, PA, 19140, United States of America
| | - Nicholas S McCloskey
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University Philadelphia, PA, 19140, United States of America
| | - Lynn G Kirby
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University Philadelphia, PA, 19140, United States of America
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37
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Kuebler IRK, Liu Y, Bueno Álvarez BS, Huber NM, Jolton JA, Dasari R, Wakabayashi KT. Melanin-concentrating hormone receptor antagonism differentially attenuates nicotine experience-dependent locomotor behavior in female and male rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2023; 232:173649. [PMID: 37793486 PMCID: PMC10985048 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2023.173649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Nicotine is a significant public health concern because it is the primary pharmacological agent in tobacco use disorder. One neural system that has been implicated in the symptoms of several substance use disorders is the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) system. MCH regulates various motivated behaviors depending on sex, yet little is known of how this interaction affects experience with drugs of abuse, particularly nicotine. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of MCH receptor antagonism on experience-dependent nicotine-induced locomotion after chronic exposure, particularly on the expression of locomotor sensitization. Adult female and male Wistar rats were given saline then cumulative doses of nicotine (0.1, 0.32, 0.56, and 1.0 mg/kg) intraperitoneally to determine the acute effects of nicotine (day 1). Next, rats were treated with 1.0 mg/kg nicotine for 6 days, given an identical series of cumulative doses (day 8), and then kept in a drug-free state for 6 days. On day 15, rats were pretreated with vehicle or the MCH receptor antagonist GW803430 (10 or 30 mg/kg) before another series of cumulative doses to assess response to chronic nicotine. After vehicle, male rats increased nicotine locomotor activation from day 1 to day 15, and both sexes showed a sensitized response when normalized to saline. The lower dose of GW803430 decreased locomotion compared to vehicle in females, while the higher dose decreased locomotion in males. Both sexes showed nicotine dose-dependent effects of GW803430, strongest at lower doses of nicotine. Controlling for sex-based locomotor differences revealed that females are more sensitive to GW803430. The high dose of GW803430 also decreased saline locomotion in males. Together, the results of our study suggest that MCH is involved in the expression of nicotine locomotor sensitization, and that MCH regulates these nicotine behavioral symptoms differently across sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel R K Kuebler
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1220 T St., Lincoln, NE 68588, United States of America
| | - Youxi Liu
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1220 T St., Lincoln, NE 68588, United States of America
| | - Bárbara S Bueno Álvarez
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1220 T St., Lincoln, NE 68588, United States of America
| | - Noah M Huber
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1220 T St., Lincoln, NE 68588, United States of America
| | - Joshua A Jolton
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1220 T St., Lincoln, NE 68588, United States of America
| | - Raaga Dasari
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1220 T St., Lincoln, NE 68588, United States of America
| | - Ken T Wakabayashi
- Neurocircuitry of Motivated Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1220 T St., Lincoln, NE 68588, United States of America; Rural Drug Addiction Research Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 660 N 12th St., Lincoln, NE 68588, United States of America.
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38
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Chen W, Zhang Y, Liang J, Zhang Z, Zhang L, Huang E, Zhang G, Lu L, Han Y, Shi J. Disrupting astrocyte-neuron lactate transport prevents cocaine seeking after prolonged withdrawal. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi4462. [PMID: 37878699 PMCID: PMC10599624 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi4462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Energy supply, especially the transfer of lactate from astrocytes to neurons, is critical for neuronal plasticity. However, its role in the incubation of cocaine craving remains largely unknown. Using an extended-access self-administration model and in vivo 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy, we found that lactate synthesis in the central amygdala (CeA) is required for the intensified cocaine craving after prolonged withdrawal. Furthermore, incubated cocaine seeking was associated with a selective increase in monocarboxylate transporter 2 (MCT2) and MCT4 expression levels. Down-regulation of astrocytic MCT4 or neuronal MCT2 using targeted antisense oligonucleotides or cell type-specific shRNA attenuated cocaine craving and reduced the expression of plasticity-related proteins and excitatory synaptic transmission. Meanwhile, lactate administration rescued MCT4 but not MCT2 disruption-induced behavioral changes due to the inability of lactate to be transported into neurons. Together, our study highlights the critical role of astrocyte-neuron lactate transport in the CeA in the incubation of cocaine craving and suggests a potential therapeutic target for drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Chen
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jie Liang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhongyu Zhang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Libo Zhang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
- Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, 518036, China
| | - Enze Huang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Guipeng Zhang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Lin Lu
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Ying Han
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Jie Shi
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence Research, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
- The Key Laboratory for Neuroscience of the Ministry of Education and Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
- The State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
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Meyers JL, McCutcheon VV, Horne-Osipenko KA, Waters LR, Barr P, Chan G, Chorlian DB, Johnson EC, Kuo SIC, Kramer JR, Dick DM, Kuperman S, Kamarajan C, Pandey G, Singman D, de Viteri SSS, Salvatore JE, Bierut LJ, Foroud T, Goate A, Hesselbrock V, Nurnberger J, Plaweck MH, Schuckit MA, Agrawal A, Edenberg HJ, Bucholz KK, Porjesz B. COVID-19 pandemic stressors are associated with reported increases in frequency of drunkenness among individuals with a history of alcohol use disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:311. [PMID: 37803048 PMCID: PMC10558437 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02577-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Some sources report increases in alcohol use have been observed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among women. Cross-sectional studies suggest that specific COVID-19-related stressful experiences (e.g., social disconnection) may be driving such increases in the general population. Few studies have explored these topics among individuals with a history of Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD), an especially vulnerable population. Drawing on recent data collected by the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA; COVID-19 study N = 1651, 62% women, age range: 30-91) in conjunction with AUD history data collected on the sample since 1990, we investigated associations of COVID-19 related stressors and coping activities with changes in drunkenness frequency since the start of the pandemic. Analyses were conducted for those without a history of AUD (N: 645) and three groups of participants with a history of AUD prior to the start of the pandemic: (1) those experiencing AUD symptoms (N: 606), (2) those in remission who were drinking (N: 231), and (3) those in remission who were abstinent (had not consumed alcohol for 5+ years; N: 169). Gender-stratified models were also examined. Exploratory analyses examined the moderating effects of 'problematic alcohol use' polygenic risk scores (PRS) and neural connectivity (i.e., posterior interhemispheric alpha EEG coherence) on associations between COVID-19 stressors and coping activities with changes in the frequency of drunkenness. Increases in drunkenness frequency since the start of the pandemic were higher among those with a lifetime AUD diagnosis experiencing symptoms prior to the start of the pandemic (14% reported increased drunkenness) when compared to those without a history of AUD (5% reported increased drunkenness). Among individuals in remission from AUD prior to the start of the pandemic, rates of increased drunkenness were 10% for those who were drinking pre-pandemic and 4% for those who had previously been abstinent. Across all groups, women reported nominally greater increases in drunkenness frequency when compared with men, although only women experiencing pre-pandemic AUD symptoms reported significantly greater rates of increased drunkenness since the start of the pandemic compared to men in this group (17% of women vs. 5% of men). Among those without a prior history of AUD, associations between COVID-19 risk and protective factors with increases in drunkenness frequency were not observed. Among all groups with a history of AUD (including those with AUD symptoms and those remitted from AUD), perceived stress was associated with increases in drunkenness. Among the remitted-abstinent group, essential worker status was associated with increases in drunkenness. Gender differences in these associations were observed: among women in the remitted-abstinent group, essential worker status, perceived stress, media consumption, and decreased social interactions were associated with increases in drunkenness. Among men in the remitted-drinking group, perceived stress was associated with increases in drunkenness, and increased relationship quality was associated with decreases in drunkenness. Exploratory analyses indicated that associations between family illness or death with increases in drunkenness and increased relationship quality with decreases in drunkenness were more pronounced among the remitted-drinking participants with higher PRS. Associations between family illness or death, media consumption, and economic hardships with increases in drunkenness and healthy coping with decreases in drunkenness were more pronounced among the remitted-abstinent group with lower interhemispheric alpha EEG connectivity. Our results demonstrated that only individuals with pre-pandemic AUD symptoms reported greater increases in drunkenness frequency since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to those without a lifetime history of AUD. This increase was more pronounced among women than men in this group. However, COVID-19-related stressors and coping activities were associated with changes in the frequency of drunkenness among all groups of participants with a prior history of AUD, including those experiencing AUD symptoms, as well as abstinent and non-abstinent participants in remission. Perceived stress, essential worker status, media consumption, social connections (especially for women), and relationship quality (especially for men) are specific areas of focus for designing intervention and prevention strategies aimed at reducing pandemic-related alcohol misuse among this particularly vulnerable group. Interestingly, these associations were not observed for individuals without a prior history of AUD, supporting prior literature that demonstrates that widespread stressors (e.g., pandemics, terrorist attacks) disproportionately impact the mental health and alcohol use of those with a prior history of problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn L Meyers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
| | - Vivia V McCutcheon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Kristina A Horne-Osipenko
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Lawrence R Waters
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Peter Barr
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Grace Chan
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David B Chorlian
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Emma C Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Sally I-Chun Kuo
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - John R Kramer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Danielle M Dick
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Samuel Kuperman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Chella Kamarajan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Gayathri Pandey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Dzov Singman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Stacey Subbie-Saenz de Viteri
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Jessica E Salvatore
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Laura J Bierut
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Tatiana Foroud
- Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Neuroscience, and Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison Goate
- Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Neuroscience, and Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Victor Hesselbrock
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - John Nurnberger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Martin H Plaweck
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Marc A Schuckit
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego Medical School, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Howard J Edenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kathleen K Bucholz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Bernice Porjesz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
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Matsumura K, Nicot A, Choi IB, Asokan M, Le NN, Natividad LA, Dobbs LK. Endogenous opioid system modulates conditioned cocaine reward in a sex-dependent manner. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13328. [PMID: 37753570 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13328] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine predictive cues and contexts exert powerful control over behaviour and can incite cocaine seeking and taking. This type of conditioned behaviour is encoded within striatal circuits, and these circuits and behaviours are, in part, regulated by opioid peptides and receptors expressed in striatal medium spiny neurons. We previously showed that augmenting levels of the opioid peptide enkephalin in the striatum facilitates acquisition of cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP), while opioid receptor antagonists attenuate expression of cocaine CPP. However, whether striatal enkephalin is necessary for acquisition of cocaine CPP and maintenance during extinction remains unknown. To address this, we generated mice with a targeted deletion of enkephalin from dopamine D2-receptor expressing medium spiny neurons and tested them in a cocaine CPP paradigm. Low striatal enkephalin levels did not attenuate acquisition of CPP. However, expression of preference, assessed after acute administration of the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone, was blocked in females, regardless of genotype. When saline was paired with the cocaine context during extinction sessions, females, regardless of genotype, extinguished preference faster than males, and this was prevented by naloxone when paired with the cocaine context. We conclude that while striatal enkephalin is not necessary for acquisition, expression, or extinction of cocaine CPP, expression and extinction of cocaine preference in females is mediated by an opioid peptide other than striatal enkephalin. The unique sensitivity of females to opioid antagonists suggests sex should be a consideration when using these compounds in the treatment of cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanako Matsumura
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol & Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Amélia Nicot
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - In Bae Choi
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Meera Asokan
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Nathan N Le
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Luis A Natividad
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol & Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology & Toxicology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Lauren K Dobbs
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol & Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Department of Neurology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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Finn DA. Stress and gonadal steroid influences on alcohol drinking and withdrawal, with focus on animal models in females. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101094. [PMID: 37558184 PMCID: PMC10840953 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101094] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Sexually dimorphic effects of alcohol, following binge drinking, chronic intoxication, and withdrawal, are documented at the level of the transcriptome and in behavioral and physiological responses. The purpose of the current review is to update and to expand upon contributions of the endocrine system to alcohol drinking and withdrawal in females, with a focus on animal models. Steroids important in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes, the reciprocal interactions between these axes, the effects of chronic alcohol use on steroid levels, and the genomic and rapid membrane-associated effects of steroids and neurosteroids in models of alcohol drinking and withdrawal are described. Importantly, comparison between males and females highlight some divergent effects of sex- and stress-steroids on alcohol drinking- and withdrawal-related behaviors, and the distinct differences in response emphasize the importance of considering sex in the development of novel pharmacotherapies for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A Finn
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States; Department of Research, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States.
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Arnold ME, Schank JR. Aversion-associated drug and alcohol seeking in females. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101095. [PMID: 37558185 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Compulsive drug intake is characterized by the continuation of use regardless of negative consequences. This is modeled preclinically using procedures where a negative stimulus is delivered contingently with consumption of the reinforcer. In humans, women and men exhibit different drug taking behavior as it pertains to overall use, withdrawal symptoms, and rate of dependence. In substance use research, females have often been excluded from many studies due to concerns that circulating sex hormones may affect drug seeking behavior. However, the more recent inclusion of females in preclinical studies has identified interesting sex differences in aversion-resistant intake of drugs and alcohol. This review will serve to summarize key findings in aversion-related intake of alcohol, psychostimulants, and opioids in females by examining studies that have included female subjects. Further discussion will examine the effect of intake model, neuroanatomical pathways, and sex hormones in the expression of aversion-resistant drug and alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda E Arnold
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Jesse R Schank
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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43
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Manvich DF, Loweth JA, Lynch WJ, McReynolds JR. Editorial: Sex differences in the neurobiology of drug relapse vulnerability. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1289459. [PMID: 37818309 PMCID: PMC10561297 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1289459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Manvich
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, NJ, United States
| | - Jessica A. Loweth
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, NJ, United States
| | - Wendy J. Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Jayme R. McReynolds
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology and Center for Addiction Research, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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Unlu H, Macaron MM, Ayraler Taner H, Kaba D, Akin Sari B, Schneekloth TD, Leggio L, Abulseoud OA. Sex difference in alcohol withdrawal syndrome: a scoping review of clinical studies. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1266424. [PMID: 37810604 PMCID: PMC10556532 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1266424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background We conducted a review of all studies comparing clinical aspects of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) between men and women. Methods Five databases (PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, Scopus and Clinical Trials) were searched for clinical studies using the keywords "alcohol withdrawal syndrome" or "delirium tremens" limited to "sex" or "gender" or "sex difference" or "gender difference." The search was conducted on May 19, 2023. Two reviewers selected studies including both male and female patients with AWS, and they compared males and females in type of AWS symptoms, clinical course, complications, and treatment outcome. Results Thirty-five observational studies were included with a total of 318,730 participants of which 75,346 had AWS. In twenty of the studies, the number of patients presenting with or developing AWS was separated by sex, resulting in a total of 8,159 (12.5%) female patients and a total of 56,928 (87.5%) male patients. Despite inconsistent results, males were more likely than females to develop complicated AWS [delirium tremens (DT) and AW seizures, collective DT in Males vs. females: 1,792 (85.4%) vs. 307 (14.6%), and collective seizures in males vs. females: 294 (78%) vs. 82 (22%)]. The rates of ICU admissions and hospital length of stay did not show sex differences. Although variable across studies, compared to females, males received benzodiazepine treatment at higher frequency and dose. One study reported that the time from first hospitalization for AWS to death was approximately 1.5 years shorter for males and males had higher mortality rate [19.5% (197/1,016)] compared to females [16% (26/163)]. Conclusion Despite the significant heterogeneity of the studies selected and the lack of a focus on investigating potential sex differences, this review of clinical studies on AWS suggests that men and women exhibit different AWS manifestations. Large-scale studies focusing specifically on investigating sex difference in AWS are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayrunnisa Unlu
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Baskent University School of Medicine Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Hande Ayraler Taner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Baskent University School of Medicine Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Duygu Kaba
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Baskent University School of Medicine Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Burcu Akin Sari
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Baskent University School of Medicine Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Terry D. Schneekloth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Osama A. Abulseoud
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, United States
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Eliot L, Beery AK, Jacobs EG, LeBlanc HF, Maney DL, McCarthy MM. Why and How to Account for Sex and Gender in Brain and Behavioral Research. J Neurosci 2023; 43:6344-6356. [PMID: 37704386 PMCID: PMC10500996 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0020-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Long overlooked in neuroscience research, sex and gender are increasingly included as key variables potentially impacting all levels of neurobehavioral analysis. Still, many neuroscientists do not understand the difference between the terms "sex" and "gender," the complexity and nuance of each, or how to best include them as variables in research designs. This TechSights article outlines rationales for considering the influence of sex and gender across taxa, and provides technical guidance for strengthening the rigor and reproducibility of such analyses. This guidance includes the use of appropriate statistical methods for comparing groups as well as controls for key covariates of sex (e.g., total intracranial volume) and gender (e.g., income, caregiver stress, bias). We also recommend approaches for interpreting and communicating sex- and gender-related findings about the brain, which have often been misconstrued by neuroscientists and the lay public alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Eliot
- Stanson Toshok Center for Brain Function and Repair, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, North Chicago, Illinois 60064
| | - Annaliese K Beery
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720
| | - Emily G Jacobs
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California 93106
| | - Hannah F LeBlanc
- Division of the Humanities & Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Donna L Maney
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322
| | - Margaret M McCarthy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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46
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Hunt B, Zarate D, Gill P, Stavropoulos V. Mapping the links between sexual addiction and gambling disorder: A Bayesian network approach. Psychiatry Res 2023; 327:115366. [PMID: 37542792 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary literature and recent classification systems have expanded the field of addictions to include problematic behaviours such as gambling and sexual addiction. However, conceptualisation of behavioural addictions is poorly understood and gender-based differences have emerged in relation to how these behaviours are expressed. The current research conducted partial-correlation and Bayesian network analyses to assess the symptomatic structure of gambling disorder and sexual addiction. Convenience community sampling recruited 937 adults aged 18 to 64 years (315 females, Mage = 30.02; 622 males, Mage = 29.46). Symptoms of problematic behaviours were measured using the Online Gambling Disorder Questionnaire (OGDQ) and the Bergen Yale Sex Addiction Scale (BYSAS). Results indicate distinct gender-based differences in the symptom networks of sexual addiction and gambling disorder, with a more complex network observed amongst men for both conditions. Addiction salience, withdrawal and dishonesty/deception were important components of the addictive network. Interpersonal conflict was more central for women while intrapsychic conflict a more prominent issue for men. Differences in the two symptom networks indicate separate disorders as opposed to a single underlying construct. Treating practitioners and community initiatives aimed at addressing sexual addiction and disordered gambling should consider gender, when designing educational or therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Hunt
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Daniel Zarate
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Peter Gill
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Vasileios Stavropoulos
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Psychology, University of Athens, Greece
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47
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LeCocq MR, Chander P, Chaudhri N. Blocking μ-opioid receptors attenuates reinstatement of responding to an alcohol-predictive conditioned stimulus through actions in the ventral hippocampus. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1484-1491. [PMID: 37393348 PMCID: PMC10425465 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01640-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
The µ-opioid system is involved in the reinstatement of responding that is immediately evoked by alcohol-predictive cues. The extent of its involvement in reinstatement observed in a new model that evaluates the delayed effects of re-exposure to alcohol, however, is unclear. The current study investigated the role of µ-opioid receptors (MORs) in the delayed reinstatement of an extinguished, Pavlovian conditioned response that was evoked 24 h after alcohol re-exposure. Female and male Long-Evans rats received Pavlovian conditioning in which a conditioned stimulus (CS) was paired with the delivery of an appetitive unconditioned stimulus (US; Experiments 1, 2, 4: 15% v/v alcohol; Experiment 3: 10% w/v sucrose) that was delivered into a fluid port for oral intake. During subsequent extinction sessions, the CS was presented as before but without the US. Next, the US was delivered but without the CS. A reinstatement test was conducted 24 h later, during which the CS was presented in the absence of the US. Silencing MORs via systemic naltrexone (0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg) attenuated reinstatement of port entries elicited by an alcohol-CS, but not those elicited by a sucrose-CS. Finally, blocking MORs in the ventral hippocampus via bilateral microinfusion of D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTAP; 2.5 or 5.0 µg/hemisphere) prevented reinstatement of port alcohol-CS port entries. These data show that MORs are involved in the delayed reinstatement of a Pavlovian conditioned response in an alcohol-specific manner. Importantly, these data illustrate, for the first time, that MORs in the ventral hippocampus are necessary for responding to an alcohol-predictive cue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Rita LeCocq
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Priya Chander
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nadia Chaudhri
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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48
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Fitzgerald E, Arcego DM, Shen MJ, O'Toole N, Wen X, Nagy C, Mostafavi S, Craig K, Silveira PP, Rayan NA, Diorio J, Meaney MJ, Zhang TY. Sex and cell-specific gene expression in corticolimbic brain regions associated with psychiatric disorders revealed by bulk and single-nuclei RNA sequencing. EBioMedicine 2023; 95:104749. [PMID: 37549631 PMCID: PMC10432187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are sex-specific differences in the prevalence, symptomology and course of psychiatric disorders. However, preclinical models have primarily used males, such that the molecular mechanisms underlying sex-specific differences in psychiatric disorders are not well established. METHODS In this study, we compared transcriptome-wide gene expression profiles in male and female rats within the corticolimbic system, including the cingulate cortex, nucleus accumbens medial shell (NAcS), ventral dentate gyrus and the basolateral amygdala (n = 22-24 per group/region). FINDINGS We found over 3000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the NAcS between males and females. Of these DEGs in the NAcS, 303 showed sex-dependent conservation DEGs in humans and were significantly enriched for gene ontology terms related to blood vessel morphogenesis and regulation of cell migration. Single nuclei RNA sequencing in the NAcS of male and female rats identified widespread sex-dependent expression, with genes upregulated in females showing a notable enrichment for synaptic function. Female upregulated genes in astrocytes, Drd3+MSNs and oligodendrocyte were also enriched in several psychiatric genome-wide association studies (GWAS). INTERPRETATION Our data provide comprehensive evidence of sex- and cell-specific molecular profiles in the NAcS. Importantly these differences associate with anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and cross-disorder, suggesting an intrinsic molecular basis for sex-based differences in psychiatric disorders that strongly implicates the NAcS. FUNDING This work was supported by funding from the Hope for Depression Research Foundation (MJM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon Fitzgerald
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Danusa Mar Arcego
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Mo Jun Shen
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nicholas O'Toole
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Xianglan Wen
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Corina Nagy
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Sara Mostafavi
- Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, 185 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA 9819, USA
| | - Kelly Craig
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Patricia Pelufo Silveira
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nirmala Arul Rayan
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences and Brain - Body Initiative, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore
| | - Josie Diorio
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Michael J Meaney
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Translational Neuroscience Program, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences and Brain - Body Initiative, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tie-Yuan Zhang
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada; Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, McGill University, Montréal, H4H 1R3, Canada.
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Starski PA, De Oliveira Sergio T, Hopf FW. Using lickometry to infer differential contributions of salience network regions during compulsion-like alcohol drinking. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 7:100102. [PMID: 38736902 PMCID: PMC11086682 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder extracts substantial personal, social and clinical costs, and continued intake despite negative consequences (compulsion-like consumption) can contribute strongly. Here we discuss lickometry, a simple method where lick times are determined across a session, while analysis across many aspects of licking can offer important insights into underlying psychological and action strategies, including their brain mechanisms. We first describe studies implicating anterior insula (AIC) and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dMPF) in compulsion-like responding for alcohol, then review work suggesting that AIC/ventral frontal cortex versus dMPF regulate different aspects of behavior (oral control and overall response strategy, versus moment-to-moment action organization). We then detail our lickometer work comparing alcohol-only drinking (AOD) and compulsion-like drinking under moderate- or higher-challenge (ModChD or HiChD, using quinine-alcohol). Many studies have suggested utilization of one of two main strategies, with higher motivation indicated by more bouts, and greater palatability suggested by longer, faster bouts. Instead, ModChD shows decreased variability in many lick measures, which is unexpected but consistent with the suggested importance of automaticity for addiction. Also surprising is that HiChD retains several behavior changes seen with ModChD, reduced tongue variability and earlier bout start, even though intake is otherwise disrupted. Since AIC-related measures are retained under both moderate- and higher-challenge, we propose a novel hypothesis that AIC sustains overall commitment regardless of challenge level, while disordered licking during HiChD mirrors the effects of dMPF inhibition. Thus, while AIC provides overall drive despite challenge, the ability to act is ultimately determined within the dMPF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A. Starski
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Indianapolis IN, USA
| | | | - Frederic W. Hopf
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Indianapolis IN, USA
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis IN, USA
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50
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Babb JA, Constantino NJ, Kaplan GB, Chartoff EH. Estrous cycle dependent expression of oxycodone conditioned reward in rats. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13946. [PMID: 37626154 PMCID: PMC10457365 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40971-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxycodone is one of the most widely prescribed and misused opioid painkillers in the United States. Evidence suggests that biological sex and hormonal status can impact drug reward in humans and rodents, but the extent to which these factors can influence the rewarding effects of oxycodone is unclear. The purpose of this study was to utilize place conditioning to determine the effects of sex and female hormonal status on the expression of oxycodone conditioned reward in rats. Gonadally intact adult Sprague-Dawley male and female rats were used to test: (1) whether both sexes express conditioned reward to oxycodone at similar doses, (2) the impact of conditioning session length on oxycodone conditioned reward expression in both sexes, and (3) the influence of female estrous cycle stage on oxycodone conditioned reward expression. Both sexes expressed conditioned reward at the same doses of oxycodone. Increasing the length of conditioning sessions did not reveal an effect of sex and resulted in lower magnitude conditioned reward expression. Importantly however, female stage of estrous cycle significantly influenced oxycodone conditioned reward expression. These results suggest that female hormonal status can impact the rewarding effects of opioids and thus have important implications for prescription opioid treatment practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Babb
- Research and Mental Health Services, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | | | - Gary B Kaplan
- Research and Mental Health Services, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elena H Chartoff
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Basic Neuroscience, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA
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