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Dagher M, Alayoubi M, Sigal GH, Cahill CM. Unveiling the link between chronic pain and misuse of opioids and cannabis. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2024; 131:563-580. [PMID: 38570361 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-024-02765-3] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Over 50 million Americans endure chronic pain where many do not receive adequate treatment and self-medicate to manage their pain by taking substances like opioids and cannabis. Research has shown high comorbidity between chronic pain and substance use disorders (SUD) and these disorders share many common neurobiological underpinnings, including hypodopaminergic transmission. Drugs commonly used for self-medication such as opioids and cannabis relieve emotional, bothersome components of pain as well as negative emotional affect that perpetuates misuse and increases the risk of progressing towards drug abuse. However, the causal effect between chronic pain and the development of SUDs has not been clearly established. In this review, we discuss evidence that affirms the proposition that chronic pain is a risk factor for the development of opioid and cannabis use disorders by outlining the clinical evidence and detailing neurobiological mechanisms that link pain and drug misuse. Central to the link between chronic pain and opioid and cannabis misuse is hypodopaminergic transmission and the modulation of dopamine signaling in the mesolimbic pathway by opioids and cannabis. Moreover, we discuss the role of kappa opioid receptor activation and neuroinflammation in the context of dopamine transmission, their contribution to opioid and cannabis withdrawal, along with potential new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merel Dagher
- MacDonald Research Laboratory Building, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Shirley and Stefan Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, 675 Charles E Young Drive South, Office 2774, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Myra Alayoubi
- MacDonald Research Laboratory Building, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Shirley and Stefan Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, 675 Charles E Young Drive South, Office 2774, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Gabriella H Sigal
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Catherine M Cahill
- MacDonald Research Laboratory Building, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Shirley and Stefan Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, 675 Charles E Young Drive South, Office 2774, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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Baddenhausen S, Lutz B, Hofmann C. Cannabinoid type-1 receptor signaling in dopaminergic Engrailed-1 expressing neurons modulates motivation and depressive-like behavior. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1379889. [PMID: 38660383 PMCID: PMC11042029 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1379889] [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: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system comprises highly versatile signaling functions within the nervous system. It is reported to modulate the release of several neurotransmitters, consequently affecting the activity of neuronal circuits. Investigations have highlighted its roles in numerous processes, including appetite-stimulating characteristics, particularly for palatable food. Moreover, endocannabinoids are shown to fine-tune dopamine-signaled processes governing motivated behavior. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that excitatory and inhibitory inputs controlled by the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) regulate dopaminergic neurons in the mesocorticolimbic pathway. In the present study, we show that mesencephalic dopaminergic (mesDA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) express CB1, and we investigated the consequences of specific deletion of CB1 in cells expressing the transcription factor Engrailed-1 (En1). To this end, we validated a new genetic mouse line EN1-CB1-KO, which displays a CB1 knockout in mesDA neurons beginning from their differentiation, as a tool to elucidate the functional contribution of CB1 in mesDA neurons. We revealed that EN1-CB1-KO mice display a significantly increased immobility time and shortened latency to the first immobility in the forced swim test of adult mice. Moreover, the maximal effort exerted to obtain access to chocolate-flavored pellets was significantly reduced under a progressive ratio schedule. In contrast, these mice do not differ in motor skills, anhedonia- or anxiety-like behavior compared to wild-type littermates. Taken together, these findings suggest a depressive-like or despair behavior in an inevitable situation and a lack of motivation to seek palatable food in EN1-CB1-KO mice, leading us to propose that CB1 plays an important role in the physiological functions of mesDA neurons. In particular, our data suggest that CB1 directly modifies the mesocorticolimbic pathway implicated in depressive-like/despair behavior and motivation. In contrast, the nigrostriatal pathway controlling voluntary movement seems to be unaffected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Baddenhausen
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany
| | - Clementine Hofmann
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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3
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Castro-Navarro I, McGuire MA, Williams JE, Holdsworth EA, Meehan CL, McGuire MK. Maternal Cannabis Use during Lactation and Potential Effects on Human Milk Composition and Production: A Narrative Review. Adv Nutr 2024; 15:100196. [PMID: 38432590 PMCID: PMC10997876 DOI: 10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100196] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Cannabis use has increased sharply in the last 20 y among adults, including reproductive-aged women. Its recent widespread legalization is associated with a decrease in risk perception of cannabis use during breastfeeding. However, the effect of cannabis use (if any) on milk production and milk composition is not known. This narrative review summarizes current knowledge related to maternal cannabis use during breastfeeding and provides an overview of possible pathways whereby cannabis might affect milk composition and production. Several studies have demonstrated that cannabinoids and their metabolites are detectable in human milk produced by mothers who use cannabis. Due to their physicochemical properties, cannabinoids are stored in adipose tissue, can easily reach the mammary gland, and can be secreted in milk. Moreover, cannabinoid receptors are present in adipocytes and mammary epithelial cells. The activation of these receptors directly modulates fatty acid metabolism, potentially causing changes in milk fatty acid profiles. Additionally, the endocannabinoid system is intimately connected to the endocrine system. As such, it is probable that interactions of exogenous cannabinoids with the endocannabinoid system might modify release of critical hormones (e.g., prolactin and dopamine) that regulate milk production and secretion. Nonetheless, few studies have investigated effects of cannabis use (including on milk production and composition) in lactating women. Additional research utilizing robust methodologies are needed to elucidate whether and how cannabis use affects human milk production and composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Castro-Navarro
- Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States.
| | - Mark A McGuire
- Department of Animal, Veterinary, and Food Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Janet E Williams
- Department of Animal, Veterinary, and Food Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | | | - Courtney L Meehan
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Michelle K McGuire
- Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
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Wallace CW, Holleran KM, Slinkard CY, Centanni SW, Jones SR. Kappa Opioid Receptors Negatively Regulate Real Time Spontaneous Dopamine Signals by Reducing Release and Increasing Uptake. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.05.578840. [PMID: 38370660 PMCID: PMC10871279 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.05.578840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The role of the dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system in dopamine (DA) regulation has been extensively investigated. KOR activation reduces extracellular DA concentrations and increases DA transporter (DAT) activity and trafficking to the membrane. To explore KOR influences on real-time DA fluctuations, we used the photosensor dLight1.2 with fiber photometry in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core of freely moving male and female C57BL/6 mice. First, we established that the rise and fall of spontaneous DA signals were due to DA release and reuptake, respectively. Then mice were systemically administered the KOR agonist U50,488H (U50), with or without pretreatment with the KOR antagonist aticaprant (ATIC). U50 reduced both the amplitude and width of spontaneous signals in males, but only reduced width in females. Further, the slope of the correlation between amplitude and width was increased in both sexes, suggesting that DA uptake rates were increased. U50 also reduced the frequency of signals in both males and females. All effects of KOR activation were stronger in males. Overall, KORs exerted significant inhibitory control over spontaneous DA signaling, acting through at least three mechanisms - inhibiting DA release, promoting DAT-mediated uptake, and reducing the frequency of signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conner W Wallace
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Katherine M Holleran
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Clare Y Slinkard
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Samuel W Centanni
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Sara R Jones
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
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Luján MÁ, Covey DP, Young-Morrison R, Zhang L, Kim A, Morgado F, Patel S, Bass CE, Paladini C, Cheer JF. Mobilization of endocannabinoids by midbrain dopamine neurons is required for the encoding of reward prediction. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7545. [PMID: 37985770 PMCID: PMC10662422 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43131-3] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) shape motivated behavior and nucleus accumbens (NAc) dopamine release. However, it is not clear whether mobilization of 2-AG specifically from midbrain dopamine neurons is necessary for dopaminergic responses to external stimuli predicting forthcoming reward. Here, we use a viral-genetic strategy to prevent the expression of the 2-AG-synthesizing enzyme diacylglycerol lipase α (DGLα) from ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine cells in adult mice. We find that DGLα deletion from VTA dopamine neurons prevents depolarization-induced suppression of excitation (DSE), a form of 2-AG-mediated synaptic plasticity, in dopamine neurons. DGLα deletion also decreases effortful, cue-driven reward-seeking but has no effect on non-cued or low-effort operant tasks and other behaviors. Moreover, dopamine recording in the NAc reveals that deletion of DGLα impairs the transfer of accumbal dopamine signaling from a reward to its earliest predictors. These results demonstrate that 2-AG mobilization from VTA dopamine neurons is a necessary step for the generation of dopamine-based predictive associations that are required to direct and energize reward-oriented behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Á Luján
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dan P Covey
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Reana Young-Morrison
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - LanYuan Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrew Kim
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fiorella Morgado
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sachin Patel
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Caroline E Bass
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Carlos Paladini
- UTSA Neuroscience Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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6
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Best LM, Hendershot CS, Buckman JF, Jagasar S, McPhee MD, Muzumdar N, Tyndale RF, Houle S, Logan R, Sanches M, Kish SJ, Le Foll B, Boileau I. Association Between Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase and Alcohol Response Phenotypes: A Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Study With [ 11C]CURB in Heavy-Drinking Youth. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 94:405-415. [PMID: 36868890 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reductions in fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the catabolic enzyme for the endocannabinoid anandamide, may play a role in drinking behavior and risk for alcohol use disorder. We tested the hypotheses that lower brain FAAH levels in heavy-drinking youth are related to increased alcohol intake, hazardous drinking, and differential response to alcohol. METHODS FAAH levels in the striatum, prefrontal cortex, and whole brain were determined using positron emission tomography imaging of [11C]CURB in heavy-drinking youth (N = 31; 19-25 years of age). C385A FAAH genotype (rs324420) was determined. Behavioral (n = 29) and cardiovascular (n = 22) responses to alcohol were measured during a controlled intravenous alcohol infusion. RESULTS Lower [11C]CURB binding was not significantly related to frequency of use but was positively associated with hazardous drinking and reduced sensitivity to the negative effects of alcohol. During alcohol infusion, lower [11C]CURB binding related to greater self-reported stimulation and urges and lower sedation (p < .05). Lower heart rate variability was related to both greater alcohol-induced stimulation and lower [11C]CURB binding (p < .05). Family history of alcohol use disorder (n = 14) did not relate to [11C]CURB binding. CONCLUSIONS In line with preclinical studies, lower FAAH in the brain was related to a dampened response to the negative, impairing effects of alcohol, increased drinking urges, and alcohol-induced arousal. Lower FAAH might alter positive or negative effects of alcohol and increase urges to drink, thereby contributing to the addiction process. Determining whether FAAH influences motivation to drink through increased positive/arousing effects of alcohol or greater tolerance should be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Best
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christian S Hendershot
- Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jennifer F Buckman
- Department of Kinesiology and Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey; Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Samantha Jagasar
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthew D McPhee
- Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Neel Muzumdar
- Department of Kinesiology and Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Rachel F Tyndale
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sylvain Houle
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Renee Logan
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marcos Sanches
- Biostatistics Core, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen J Kish
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Community and Family Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada
| | - Isabelle Boileau
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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McReynolds JR, Wolf CP, Starck DM, Mathy JC, Schaps R, Krause LA, Hillard CJ, Mantsch JR. Role of mesolimbic cannabinoid receptor 1 in stress-driven increases in cocaine self-administration in male rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1121-1132. [PMID: 37188846 PMCID: PMC10267161 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01589-1] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Stress is prevalent in the lives of those with substance use disorders (SUDs) and influences SUD outcomes. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms through which stress promotes drug use is important for the development of effective SUD interventions. We have developed a model wherein exposure to a stressor, uncontrollable electric footshock, daily at the time of cocaine self-administration escalates intake in male rats. Here we test the hypothesis that stress-induced escalation of cocaine self-administration requires the CB1 cannabinoid receptor. Male Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered cocaine (0.5 mg/kg/inf, i.v.) during 2-h sessions comprised of four 30-min self-administration components separated by 5-min shock sequences or 5-min shock-free periods for 14 days. Footshock produced an escalation of cocaine self-administration that persisted following shock removal. Systemic administration of the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) antagonist/inverse agonist, AM251, attenuated cocaine intake only in rats with a history of stress. This effect was localized to the mesolimbic system, as intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell and intra-ventral tegmental area (VTA) micro-infusions of AM251 attenuated cocaine intake only in stress-escalated rats. Cocaine self-administration, regardless of stress history, increased CB1R binding site density in the VTA, but not NAc shell. Following extinction, cocaine-primed reinstatement (10 mg/kg, ip) was increased in rats with prior footshock during self-administration. AM251 attenuated reinstatement only in rats with a stress history. Altogether, these data demonstrate that mesolimbic CB1Rs are required to escalate intake and heighten relapse susceptibility and suggest that repeated stress at the time of cocaine use regulates mesolimbic CB1R activity through a currently unknown mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayme R McReynolds
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology & Systems Physiology and Center for Addiction Research, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
| | - Colten P Wolf
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Dylan M Starck
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jacob C Mathy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Rebecca Schaps
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Leslie A Krause
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - John R Mantsch
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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Bacharach SZ, Martin DA, Stapf CA, Sun F, Li Y, Cheer JF, Calu DJ. Decreased Ventral Tegmental Area CB1R Signaling Reduces Sign Tracking and Shifts Cue-Outcome Dynamics in Rat Nucleus Accumbens. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4684-4696. [PMID: 37208179 PMCID: PMC10286939 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1486-22.2023] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Sign-tracking (ST) rats show enhanced cue sensitivity before drug experience that predicts greater discrete cue-induced drug seeking compared with goal-tracking or intermediate rats. Cue-evoked dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a neurobiological signature of sign-tracking behaviors. Here, we examine a critical regulator of the dopamine system, endocannabinoids, which bind the cannabinoid receptor-1 (CB1R) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to control cue-evoked striatal dopamine levels. We use cell type-specific optogenetics, intra-VTA pharmacology, and fiber photometry to test the hypothesis that VTA CB1R receptor signaling regulates NAc dopamine levels to control sign tracking. We trained male and female rats in a Pavlovian lever autoshaping (PLA) task to determine their tracking groups before testing the effect of VTA → NAc dopamine inhibition. We found that this circuit is critical for mediating the vigor of the ST response. Upstream of this circuit, intra-VTA infusions of rimonabant, a CB1R inverse agonist, during PLA decrease lever and increase food cup approach in sign-trackers. Using fiber photometry to measure fluorescent signals from a dopamine sensor, GRABDA (AAV9-hSyn-DA2m), we tested the effects of intra-VTA rimonabant on NAc dopamine dynamics during autoshaping in female rats. We found that intra-VTA rimonabant decreased sign-tracking behaviors, which was associated with increases in NAc shell, but not core, dopamine levels during reward delivery [unconditioned stimulus (US)]. Our results suggest that CB1R signaling in the VTA influences the balance between the conditioned stimulus-evoked and US-evoked dopamine responses in the NAc shell and biases behavioral responding to cues in sign-tracking rats.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronically relapsing psychological disorder that affects a subset of individuals who engage in drug use. Recent research suggests that there are individual behavioral and neurobiological differences before drug experience that predict SUD and relapse vulnerabilities. Here, we investigate how midbrain endocannabinoids regulate a brain pathway that is exclusively involved in driving cue-motivated behaviors of sign-tracking rats. This work contributes to our mechanistic understanding of individual vulnerabilities to cue-triggered natural reward seeking that have relevance for drug-motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Z Bacharach
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - David A Martin
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Cassie A Stapf
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Fangmiao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at PKU, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research at PKU, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Donna J Calu
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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9
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Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors Are Expressed in a Subset of Dopamine Neurons and Underlie Cannabinoid-Induced Aversion, Hypoactivity, and Anxiolytic Effects in Mice. J Neurosci 2023; 43:373-385. [PMID: 36517243 PMCID: PMC9864584 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1493-22.2022] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoids modulate dopamine (DA) transmission and DA-related behavior, which has been thought to be mediated initially by activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1Rs) on GABA neurons. However, there is no behavioral evidence supporting it. In contrast, here we report that CB1Rs are also expressed in a subset of DA neurons and functionally underlie cannabinoid action in male and female mice. RNAscope in situ hybridization (ISH) assays demonstrated CB1 mRNA in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and glutamate decarboxylase 1 (GAD1)-positive GABA neurons. The CB1R-expressing DA neurons were located mainly in the middle portion of the VTA with the number of CB1-TH colocalization progressively decreasing from the medial to the lateral VTA. Triple-staining assays indicated CB1R mRNA colocalization with both TH and vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VgluT2, a glutamate neuronal marker) in the medial VTA close to the midline of the brain. Optogenetic activation of this population of DA neurons was rewarding as assessed by optical intracranial self-stimulation. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) or ACEA (a selective CB1R agonist) dose-dependently inhibited optical intracranial self-stimulation in DAT-Cre control mice, but not in conditional knockout mice with the CB1R gene absent in DA neurons. In addition, deletion of CB1Rs from DA neurons attenuated Δ9-THC-induced reduction in DA release in the NAc, locomotion, and anxiety. Together, these findings indicate that CB1Rs are expressed in a subset of DA neurons that corelease DA and glutamate, and functionally underlie cannabinoid modulation of DA release and DA-related behavior.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Cannabinoids produce a series of psychoactive effects, such as aversion, anxiety, and locomotor inhibition in rodents. However, the cellular and receptor mechanisms underlying these actions are not fully understood. Here we report that CB1 receptors are expressed not only in GABA neurons but also in a subset of dopamine neurons, which are located mainly in the medial VTA close to the midline of the midbrain and corelease dopamine and glutamate. Optogenetic activation of these dopamine neurons is rewarding, which is dose-dependently inhibited by cannabinoids. Selective deletion of CB1 receptor from dopamine neurons blocked cannabinoid-induced aversion, hypoactivity, and anxiolytic effects. These findings demonstrate that dopaminergic CB1 receptors play an important role in mediating cannabinoid action.
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Zavala-Tecuapetla C, Luna-Munguia H, López-Meraz ML, Cuellar-Herrera M. Advances and Challenges of Cannabidiol as an Anti-Seizure Strategy: Preclinical Evidence. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232416181. [PMID: 36555823 PMCID: PMC9783044 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232416181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes has been documented since ancient times, where one of its principal cannabinoids extracted from Cannabis sativa, cannabidiol (CBD), has emerged over the last few years as a promising molecule with anti-seizure potential. Here, we present an overview of recent literature pointing out CBD's pharmacological profile (solubility, metabolism, drug-drug interactions, etc.,), CBD's interactions with multiple molecular targets as well as advances in preclinical research concerning its anti-seizure effect on both acute seizure models and chronic models of epilepsy. We also highlight the recent attention that has been given to other natural cannabinoids and to synthetic derivatives of CBD as possible compounds with therapeutic anti-seizure potential. All the scientific research reviewed here encourages to continue to investigate the probable therapeutic efficacy of CBD and its related compounds not only in epilepsy but also and specially in drug-resistant epilepsy, since there is a dire need for new and effective drugs to treat this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Zavala-Tecuapetla
- Laboratory of Physiology of Reticular Formation, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Insurgentes Sur 3877, La Fama, Mexico City 14269, Mexico
- Correspondence:
| | - Hiram Luna-Munguia
- Departamento de Neurobiologia Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus UNAM-Juriquilla, Queretaro 76230, Mexico
| | - María-Leonor López-Meraz
- Instituto de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Luis Castelazo Ayala s/n, Col. Industrial Ánimas, Xalapa 91190, Mexico
| | - Manola Cuellar-Herrera
- Epilepsy Clinic, Hospital General de México Dr. Eduardo Liceaga, Dr. Balmis 148, Doctores, Mexico City 06720, Mexico
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11
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Alizamini MM, Li Y, Zhang JJ, Liang J, Haghparast A. Endocannabinoids and addiction memory: Relevance to methamphetamine/morphine abuse. World J Biol Psychiatry 2022; 23:743-763. [PMID: 35137652 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2022.2039408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
AIM This review aims to summarise the role of endocannabinoid system (ECS), incluing cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous lipid ligands in the modulation of methamphetamine (METH)/morphine-induced memory impairments. METHODS Here, we utilized the results from researches which have investigated regulatory role of ECS (including cannabinoid receptor agonists and antagonists) on METH/morphine-induced memory impairments. RESULTS Among the neurotransmitters, glutamate and dopamine seem to play a critical role in association with the ECS to heal the drug-induced memory damages. Also, the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex are three important brain regions that participate in both drug addiction and memory task processes, and endocannabinoid neurotransmission have been investigated. CONCLUSION ECS can be regarded as a treatment for the side effects of METH and morphine, and their memory-impairing effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirmohammadali Mirramezani Alizamini
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yonghui Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Jun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Abbas Haghparast
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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12
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Iyer V, Rangel-Barajas C, Woodward TJ, Kulkarni A, Cantwell L, Crystal JD, Mackie K, Rebec GV, Thakur GA, Hohmann AG. Negative allosteric modulation of CB 1 cannabinoid receptor signaling suppresses opioid-mediated reward. Pharmacol Res 2022; 185:106474. [PMID: 36179954 PMCID: PMC9948526 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Blockade of cannabinoid type 1 (CB1)-receptor signaling decreases the rewarding properties of many drugs of abuse and has been proposed as an anti-addiction strategy. However, psychiatric side-effects limit the clinical potential of orthosteric CB1 antagonists. Negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) represent a novel and indirect approach to attenuate CB1 signaling by decreasing affinity and/or efficacy of CB1 ligands. We hypothesized that a CB1-NAM would block opioid reward while avoiding the unwanted effects of orthosteric CB1 antagonists. GAT358, a CB1-NAM, failed to elicit cardinal signs of direct CB1 activation or inactivation when administered by itself. GAT358 decreased catalepsy and hypothermia but not antinociception produced by the orthosteric CB1 agonist CP55,940, suggesting that a CB1-NAM blocked cardinal signs of CB1 activation. Next, GAT358 was evaluated using in vivo assays of opioid-induced dopamine release and reward in male rodents. In the nucleus accumbens shell, a key component of the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway, morphine increased electrically-evoked dopamine efflux and this effect was blocked by a dose of GAT358 that lacked intrinsic effects on evoked dopamine efflux. Moreover, GAT358 blocked morphine-induced reward in a conditioned place preference (CPP) assay without producing reward or aversion alone. GAT358-induced blockade of morphine CPP was also occluded by GAT229, a CB1 positive allosteric modulator (CB1-PAM), and absent in CB1-knockout mice. Finally, GAT358 also reduced oral oxycodone (but not water) consumption in a two-bottle choice paradigm. Our results support the therapeutic potential of CB1-NAMs as novel drug candidates aimed at preventing opioid reward and treating opioid abuse while avoiding unwanted side-effects.
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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
| | | | - Taylor J. Woodward
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA,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
| | - Jonathon D. Crystal
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Ken Mackie
- 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
| | - George V. Rebec
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 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,Corresponding Author: Andrea G. Hohmann, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7007,
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13
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Neutral CB1 Receptor Antagonists as Pharmacotherapies for Substance Use Disorders: Rationale, Evidence, and Challenge. Cells 2022; 11:cells11203262. [PMID: 36291128 PMCID: PMC9600259 DOI: 10.3390/cells11203262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) has been one of the major targets in medication development for treating substance use disorders (SUDs). Early studies indicated that rimonabant, a selective CB1R antagonist with an inverse agonist profile, was highly promising as a therapeutic for SUDs. However, its adverse side effects, such as depression and suicidality, led to its withdrawal from clinical trials worldwide in 2008. Consequently, much research interest shifted to developing neutral CB1R antagonists based on the recognition that rimonabant’s side effects may be related to its inverse agonist profile. In this article, we first review rimonabant’s research background as a potential pharmacotherapy for SUDs. Then, we discuss the possible mechanisms underlying its therapeutic anti-addictive effects versus its adverse effects. Lastly, we discuss the rationale for developing neutral CB1R antagonists as potential treatments for SUDs, the supporting evidence in recent research, and the challenges of this strategy. We conclude that developing neutral CB1R antagonists without inverse agonist profile may represent attractive strategies for the treatment of SUDs.
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Pyurveev SS, Sizov VV, Lebedev AA, Bychkov ER, Mukhin VN, Droblenkov AV, Shabanov PD. Registration of Changes in the Level of Extracellular Dopamine in the Nucleus Accumbens by Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry during Stimulation of the Zone of the Ventral Tegmentаl Area, Which Also Caused a Self-Stimulation. J EVOL BIOCHEM PHYS+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0022093022050295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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15
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Stowe TA, Pitts EG, Leach AC, Iacino MC, Niere F, Graul B, Raab-Graham KF, Yorgason JT, Ferris MJ. Diurnal rhythms in cholinergic modulation of rapid dopamine signals and associative learning in the striatum. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110633. [PMID: 35385720 PMCID: PMC9148619 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of biological rhythms plays a role in a wide range of psychiatric disorders. We report mechanistic insights into the rhythms of rapid dopamine signals and cholinergic interneurons (CINs) working in concert in the rodent striatum. These rhythms mediate diurnal variation in conditioned responses to reward-associated cues. We report that the dopamine signal-to-noise ratio varies according to the time of day and that phasic signals are magnified during the middle of the dark cycle in rats. We show that CINs provide the mechanism for diurnal variation in rapid dopamine signals by serving as a gain of function to the dopamine signal-to-noise ratio that adjusts across time of day. We also show that conditioned responses to reward-associated cues exhibit diurnal rhythms, with cue-directed behaviors observed exclusively midway through the dark cycle. We conclude that the rapid dopamine signaling rhythm is mediated by a diurnal rhythm in CIN activity, which influences learning and motivated behaviors across the time of day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor A Stowe
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Elizabeth G Pitts
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Amy C Leach
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Melody C Iacino
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Farr Niere
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Benjamin Graul
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Kimberly F Raab-Graham
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Jordan T Yorgason
- Department of Cellular Biology and Physiology, Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
| | - Mark J Ferris
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
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Crombie KM, Privratsky AA, Schomaker CM, Heilicher M, Ross MC, Sartin-Tarm A, Sellnow K, Binder EB, Andrew James G, Cisler JM. The influence of FAAH genetic variation on physiological, cognitive, and neural signatures of fear acquisition and extinction learning in women with PTSD. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 33:102922. [PMID: 34952353 PMCID: PMC8715233 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PTSD is often treated with psychotherapies based on principles of fear acquisition and extinction. Increased AEA has resulted in enhanced extinction learning and recall among healthy adults. These effects have not yet been comprehensively examined in a PTSD population. Results suggest that genetic variation within the FAAH gene affects how fear learning is tuned in women with PTSD.
Background Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is commonly treated with exposure-based cognitive therapies that are based on the principles of fear acquisition and extinction learning. Elevations in one of the major endocannabinoids (anandamide) either via inhibition of the primary degrading enzyme (fatty acid amide hydrolase; FAAH) or via a genetic variation in the FAAH gene (C385A; rs324420) has resulted in accelerated extinction learning and enhanced extinction recall among healthy adults. These results suggest that targeting FAAH may be a promising therapeutic approach for PTSD. However, these effects have not yet been comprehensively examined in a PTSD population. Methods The current study examined whether genetic variation in the FAAH gene (CC [n = 49] vs AA/AC [n = 36] allele carriers) influences physiological (skin conductance), cognitive (threat expectancy), and neural (network and voxel-wise activation) indices of fear acquisition and extinction learning among a sample of adult women with PTSD (N = 85). Results The physiological, cognitive, and neural signatures of fear acquisition and extinction learning varied as a function of whether or not individuals possess the FAAH C385A polymorphism. For instance, we report divergent responding between CC and AA/AC allele carriers to CS + vs CS- in limbic and striatum networks and overall greater activation throughout the task among AA/AC allele carriers in several regions [e.g., inferior frontal, middle frontal, parietal] that are highly consistent with a frontoparietal network involved in higher-order executive functions. Conclusions These results suggest that genetic variation within the FAAH gene influences physiological, cognitive, and neural signatures of fear learning in women with PTSD. In order to advance our understanding of the efficacy of FAAH inhibition as a treatment for PTSD, future clinical trials in this area should assess genetic variation in the FAAH gene in order to fully depict and differentiate the acute effects of a drug manipulation (FAAH inhibition) from more chronic (genetic) influences on fear extinction processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Crombie
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Health Discovery Building, 1601 Trinity St., Building B, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Anthony A Privratsky
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Brain Imaging Research Center, 4301 W. Markham Street #554, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Chloe M Schomaker
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Health Discovery Building, 1601 Trinity St., Building B, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Mickela Heilicher
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719-1176608-262-6375, USA
| | - Marisa C Ross
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719-1176608-262-6375, USA
| | - Anneliis Sartin-Tarm
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719-1176608-262-6375, USA
| | - Kyrie Sellnow
- University of Wisconsin - Madison, Department of Psychiatry, 6001 Research Park Boulevard, Madison, WI 53719-1176608-262-6375, USA
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Translational Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804, Munchen, Germany; Emory University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 12 Executive Park Dr NE #200, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - G Andrew James
- University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Brain Imaging Research Center, 4301 W. Markham Street #554, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Josh M Cisler
- The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Health Discovery Building, 1601 Trinity St., Building B, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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17
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Anxiety and cognitive-related effects of Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are differentially mediated through distinct GSK-3 vs. Akt-mTOR pathways in the nucleus accumbens of male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:509-524. [PMID: 34860284 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06029-w] [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: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis and is responsible for cannabis-related neuropsychiatric side effects, including abnormal affective processing, cognitive and sensory filtering deficits and memory impairments. A critical neural region linked to the psychotropic effects of THC is the nucleus accumbens shell (NASh), an integrative mesocorticolimbic structure that sends and receives inputs from multiple brain areas known to be dysregulated in various disorders, including schizophrenia and anxiety-related disorders. Considerable evidence demonstrates functional differences between posterior vs. anterior NASh sub-regions in the processing of affective and cognitive behaviours influenced by THC. Nevertheless, the neuroanatomical regions and local molecular pathways responsible for these psychotropic effects are not currently understood. OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to characterize the effects of intra-accumbens THC in the anterior vs. posterior regions of the NASh during emotional memory formation, sensorimotor gating and anxiety-related behaviours. METHODS We performed an integrative series of translational behavioural pharmacological studies examining anxiety, sensorimotor gating and fear-related associative memory formation combined with regionally specific molecular signalling analyses in male Sprague Dawley rats. RESULTS We report that THC in the posterior NASh causes distortions in emotional salience attribution, impaired sensory filtering and memory retention and heightened anxiety, through a glycogen-synthase-kinase-3 (GSK-3)-β-catenin dependent signalling pathway. In contrast, THC in the anterior NASh produces anxiolytic effects via modulation of protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation states. CONCLUSIONS These findings reveal critical new insights into the neuroanatomical and molecular mechanisms associated with the differential neuropsychiatric side effects of THC in dissociable nucleus accumbens sub-regions.
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18
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Abstract
PURPOSE A growing body of evidence has implicated the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in the acute, chronic, and withdrawal effects of alcohol/ethanol on synaptic function. These eCB-mediated synaptic effects may contribute to the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Alcohol exposure causes neurobiological alterations similar to those elicited by chronic cannabinoid (CB) exposure. Like alcohol, cannabinoids alter many central processes, such as cognition, locomotion, synaptic transmission, and neurotransmitter release. There is a strong need to elucidate the effects of ethanol on the eCB system in different brain regions to understand the role of eCB signaling in AUD. SEARCH METHODS For the scope of this review, preclinical studies were identified through queries of the PubMed database. SEARCH RESULTS This search yielded 459 articles. Clinical studies and papers irrelevant to the topic of this review were excluded. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The endocannabinoid system includes, but is not limited to, cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1), among the most abundantly expressed neuronal receptors in the brain; cannabinoid receptors 2 (CB2); and endogenously formed CB1 ligands, including arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA; anandamide), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). The development of specific CB1 agonists, such as WIN 55,212-2 (WIN), and antagonists, such as SR 141716A (rimonabant), provide powerful pharmacological tools for eCB research. Alcohol exposure has brain region-specific effects on the eCB system, including altering the synthesis of endocannabinoids (e.g., AEA, 2-AG), the synthesis of their precursors, and the density and coupling efficacy of CB1. These alcohol-induced alterations of the eCB system have subsequent effects on synaptic function including neuronal excitability and postsynaptic conductance. This review will provide a comprehensive evaluation of the current literature on the synaptic interactions of alcohol exposure and eCB signaling systems, with an emphasis on molecular and physiological synaptic effects of alcohol on the eCB system. A limited volume of studies has focused on the underlying interactions of alcohol and the eCB system at the synaptic level in the brain. Thus, the data on synaptic interactions are sparse, and future research addressing these interactions is much needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Wolfe
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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19
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Crombie KM, Sartin-Tarm A, Sellnow K, Ahrenholtz R, Lee S, Matalamaki M, Almassi NE, Hillard CJ, Koltyn KF, Adams TG, Cisler JM. Exercise-induced increases in Anandamide and BDNF during extinction consolidation contribute to reduced threat following reinstatement: Preliminary evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105355. [PMID: 34280820 PMCID: PMC8487992 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We recently demonstrated that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise delivered during the consolidation of fear extinction learning reduced threat expectancy during a test of extinction recall among women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These findings suggest that exercise may be a potential candidate for improving the efficacy of exposure-based therapies, which are hypothesized to work via the mechanisms of fear extinction learning. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine whether exercise-induced increases in circulating concentrations of candidate biomarkers: endocannabinoids (anandamide [AEA]; 2-arachidonoylglycerol [2-AG], brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and homovanillic acid (HVA), mediate the effects of exercise on extinction recall. METHODS Participants (N = 35) completed a 3-day fear acquisition (day 1), extinction (day 2), and extinction recall (day 3) protocol, in which participants were randomly assigned to complete either moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (EX) or a light-intensity control (CON) condition following extinction training (day 2). Blood was obtained prior to and following EX or CON. Threat expectancy ratings during tests of extinction recall (i.e., initial fear recall and fear recall following reinstatement) were obtained 24 h following EX or CON. Mediation was tested using linear-mixed effects models and bootstrapping of the indirect effect. RESULTS Circulating concentrations of AEA and BDNF (but not 2-AG and HVA) were found to mediate the relationship between moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and reduced threat expectancy ratings following reinstatement (AEA 95% CI: -0.623 to -0.005; BDNF 95% CI: -0.941 to -0.005). CONCLUSIONS Exercise-induced increases in peripheral AEA and BDNF appear to play a role in enhancing consolidation of fear extinction learning, thereby leading to reduced threat expectancies following reinstatement among women with PTSD. Future mechanistic research examining these and other biomarkers (e.g., brain-based biomarkers) is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M. Crombie
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Anneliis Sartin-Tarm
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Kyrie Sellnow
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Rachel Ahrenholtz
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Sierra Lee
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Megan Matalamaki
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Neda E. Almassi
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Kinesiology, 285 Med
Sci, 1300 University Ave, Madison, WI, United States of America, 53706-1121
| | - Cecilia J. Hillard
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Neuroscience Research Center,
Department of Pharmacology and, Toxicology, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI
53226
| | - Kelli F. Koltyn
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Kinesiology, 285 Med
Sci, 1300 University Ave, Madison, WI, United States of America, 53706-1121
| | - Tom G. Adams
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, 105
Kastle Hill, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America, 40506-0044,Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 300
George St., New Haven, CT, United States of America, 06511,National Center for PTSD, Clinical Neurosciences Division,
VA CT Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, United States of
America, 06516
| | - Josh M. Cisler
- University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and
Behavioral Sciences, 1601 Trinity St, Bldg B, Austin, TX, United States of America,
78712
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20
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Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Regulates Drug Reward Behavior via Glutamate Decarboxylase 67 Transcription. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910486. [PMID: 34638827 PMCID: PMC8508987 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Interaction of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and GABAergic neuronal activity is involved in drug abuse-related behavior. However, its role in drug-dependent Pavlovian conditioning is not well understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of a CB1 agonist, JWH-210, on the development of conditioned place preference (CPP)-induced by methamphetamine (METH). Pretreatment with a synthetic cannabinoid, JWH-210 (CB1 agonist), increased METH-induced CPP score and METH-induced dopamine release in acute striatal slices. Interestingly, CB1 was expressed in glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) positive cells, and overexpression of CB1 increased GAD67 expression, while CB1 knockdown reduced GAD67 expression in vivo and in vitro. GAD67 is known as an enzyme involved in the synthesis of GABA. CB1 knockdown in the mice striatum increased METH-induced CPP. When GAD67 decreased in the mice striatum, mRNA level of CB1 did not change, suggesting that CB1 can regulate GAD67 expression. GAD67 knockdown in the mouse striatum augmented apomorphine (dopamine receptor D2 agonist)–induced climbing behavior and METH-induced CPP score. Moreover, in the human brain, mRNA level of GAD67 was found to be decreased in drug users. Therefore, we suggest that CB1 potentiates METH-induced CPP through inhibitory GABAergic regulation of dopaminergic neuronal activity.
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21
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Engi SA, Beebe EJ, Ayvazian VM, Cruz FC, Cheer JF, Wenzel JM, Zlebnik NE. Cocaine-induced increases in motivation require 2-arachidonoylglycerol mobilization and CB1 receptor activation in the ventral tegmental area. Neuropharmacology 2021; 193:108625. [PMID: 34058192 PMCID: PMC8312311 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108625] [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: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
A wide body of evidence supports an integral role for mesolimbic dopamine (DA) in motivated behavior. In brief, drugs that increase DA in mesolimbic terminal regions, like cocaine, enhance motivation, while drugs that decrease DA concentration reduce motivation. Data from our laboratory and others shows that phasic activation of mesolimbic DA requires signaling at cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and systemic delivery of CB1 receptor antagonists reduces DA cell activity and attenuates motivated behaviors. Recent findings demonstrate that cocaine mobilizes the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the VTA to cause phasic activation of DA neurons and terminal DA release. It remains unclear, however, if cocaine-induced midbrain 2-AG signaling contributes to the motivation-enhancing effects of cocaine. To examine this, we trained male and female rats on a progressive ratio (PR) task for a food reinforcer. Each rat underwent a series of tests in which they were pretreated with cocaine alone or in combination with systemic or intra-VTA administration of the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant or the 2-AG synthesis inhibitor tetrahydrolipstatin (THL). Cocaine increased motivation, measured by augmented PR breakpoints, while rimonabant dose-dependently decreased motivation. Importantly, intra-VTA administration of rimonabant or THL, at doses that did not decrease breakpoints on their own, blocked systemic cocaine administration from increasing breakpoints in male and female rats. These data suggest that cocaine-induced increases in motivation require 2-AG signaling at CB1 receptors in the VTA and may provide critical insight into cannabinoid-based pharmacotherapeutic targets for the successful treatment of substance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila A Engi
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Dept. of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Erin J Beebe
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Victoria M Ayvazian
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fabio C Cruz
- Dept. of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer M Wenzel
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Natalie E Zlebnik
- Dept. of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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22
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Peters KZ, Zlebnik NE, Cheer JF. Cannabis exposure during adolescence: A uniquely sensitive period for neurobiological effects. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 161:95-120. [PMID: 34801175 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a crucial developmental period where neural circuits are refined and the brain is especially vulnerable to external insults. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system undergoes changes during adolescence which affect the way in which it modulates the development of other systems, in particular dopamine circuits, which show protracted development into adolescence. Given the rise of cannabis use by adolescents and young people, as well as variants containing increasingly higher concentrations of THC, it is now crucial to understand the unique effects of adolescent exposure to cannabis on the developing brain and it might shape future adult vulnerabilities to conditions such as psychosis, schizophrenia, addiction and more. Here we discuss the development of the eCB system across the lifespan, how CB1 receptors modulate dopamine release and potential neurobiological and behavioral effects of adolescent THC exposure on the developing brain such as alterations in excitatory/inhibitory balance during this developmental period.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Z Peters
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Sussex Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom.
| | - N E Zlebnik
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - J F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
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23
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Vázquez-León P, Miranda-Páez A, Chávez-Reyes J, Allende G, Barragán-Iglesias P, Marichal-Cancino BA. The Periaqueductal Gray and Its Extended Participation in Drug Addiction Phenomena. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:1493-1509. [PMID: 34302618 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00756-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a complex mesencephalic structure involved in the integration and execution of active and passive self-protective behaviors against imminent threats, such as immobility or flight from a predator. PAG activity is also associated with the integration of responses against physical discomfort (e.g., anxiety, fear, pain, and disgust) which occurs prior an imminent attack, but also during withdrawal from drugs such as morphine and cocaine. The PAG sends and receives projections to and from other well-documented nuclei linked to the phenomenon of drug addiction including: (i) the ventral tegmental area; (ii) extended amygdala; (iii) medial prefrontal cortex; (iv) pontine nucleus; (v) bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; and (vi) hypothalamus. Preclinical models have suggested that the PAG contributes to the modulation of anxiety, fear, and nociception (all of which may produce physical discomfort) linked with chronic exposure to drugs of abuse. Withdrawal produced by the major pharmacological classes of drugs of abuse is mediated through actions that include participation of the PAG. In support of this, there is evidence of functional, pharmacological, molecular. And/or genetic alterations in the PAG during the impulsive/compulsive intake or withdrawal from a drug. Due to its small size, it is difficult to assess the anatomical participation of the PAG when using classical neuroimaging techniques, so its physiopathology in drug addiction has been underestimated and poorly documented. In this theoretical review, we discuss the involvement of the PAG in drug addiction mainly via its role as an integrator of responses to the physical discomfort associated with drug withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Vázquez-León
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ciudad Universitaria, 20131, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico
| | - Abraham Miranda-Páez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Wilfrido Massieu esq. Manuel Stampa s/n Col. Nueva Industrial Vallejo, 07738, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesús Chávez-Reyes
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ciudad Universitaria, 20131, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico
| | - Gonzalo Allende
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ciudad Universitaria, 20131, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico
| | - Paulino Barragán-Iglesias
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ciudad Universitaria, 20131, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico.
| | - Bruno A Marichal-Cancino
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ciudad Universitaria, 20131, Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico.
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24
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Modinos G, Richter A, Egerton A, Bonoldi I, Azis M, Antoniades M, Bossong M, Crossley N, Perez J, Stone JM, Veronese M, Zelaya F, Grace AA, Howes OD, Allen P, McGuire P. Interactions between hippocampal activity and striatal dopamine in people at clinical high risk for psychosis: relationship to adverse outcomes. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1468-1474. [PMID: 33941857 PMCID: PMC8209204 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01019-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical models propose that increased hippocampal activity drives subcortical dopaminergic dysfunction and leads to psychosis-like symptoms and behaviors. Here, we used multimodal neuroimaging to examine the relationship between hippocampal regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and striatal dopamine synthesis capacity in people at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis and investigated its association with subsequent clinical and functional outcomes. Ninety-five participants (67 CHR and 28 healthy controls) underwent arterial spin labeling MRI and 18F-DOPA PET imaging at baseline. CHR participants were followed up for a median of 15 months to determine functional outcomes with the global assessment of function (GAF) scale and clinical outcomes using the comprehensive assessment of at-risk mental states (CAARMS). CHR participants with poor functional outcomes (follow-up GAF < 65, n = 25) showed higher rCBF in the right hippocampus compared to CHRs with good functional outcomes (GAF ≥ 65, n = 25) (pfwe = 0.026). The relationship between rCBF in this right hippocampal region and striatal dopamine synthesis capacity was also significantly different between groups (pfwe = 0.035); the association was negative in CHR with poor outcomes (pfwe = 0.012), but non-significant in CHR with good outcomes. Furthermore, the correlation between right hippocampal rCBF and striatal dopamine function predicted a longitudinal increase in the severity of positive psychotic symptoms within the total CHR group (p = 0.041). There were no differences in rCBF, dopamine, or their associations in the total CHR group relative to controls. These findings indicate that altered interactions between the hippocampus and the subcortical dopamine system are implicated in the pathophysiology of adverse outcomes in the CHR state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Modinos
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. .,Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. .,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Anja Richter
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alice Egerton
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ilaria Bonoldi
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Matilda Azis
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mathilde Antoniades
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthijs Bossong
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolas Crossley
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jesus Perez
- CAMEO Early Intervention in Psychosis Service, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Neuroscience, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - James M Stone
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Fernando Zelaya
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Anthony A Grace
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK.,South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK.,MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Paul Allen
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,Department of Psychology, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK.,South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust, Maudsley Hospital, London, UK
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25
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Salviato BZ, Raymundi AM, Rodrigues da Silva T, Salemme BW, Batista Sohn JM, Araújo FS, Guimarães FS, Bertoglio LJ, Stern CA. Female but not male rats show biphasic effects of low doses of Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol on anxiety: can cannabidiol interfere with these effects? Neuropharmacology 2021; 196:108684. [PMID: 34181978 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main phytocannabinoid present in the Cannabis sativa. It can produce dose-dependent anxiolytic or anxiogenic effects in males. THC effects on anxiety have scarcely been studied in females, despite their higher prevalence of anxiety disorders. Cannabidiol, another phytocannabinoid, has been reported to attenuate anxiety and some THC-induced effects. The present study aimed to investigate the behavioral and neurochemical effects of THC administered alone or combined with CBD in naturally cycling female rats tested in the elevated plus-maze. Systemically administered THC produced biphasic effects in females, anxiolytic at low doses (0.075 or 0.1 mg/kg) and anxiogenic at a higher dose (1.0 mg/kg). No anxiety changes were observed in males treated with the same THC dose range. The anxiogenic effect of THC was prevented by co-administration of CBD (1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg). CBD (3.0 mg/kg) caused an anxiolytic effect. At a lower dose (1.0 mg/kg), it facilitated the anxiolytic effect of the low THC dose. The anxiogenic effect of THC was accompanied by increased dopamine levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). In contrast, its anxiolytic effect was associated with increased mPFC serotonin concentrations. The anxiolytic effect of CBD was accompanied by increased mPFC serotonin turnover. Together, these results indicate that female rats are susceptible to the biphasic effects of low THC doses on anxiety. These effects could depend on mPFC and NAc dopaminergic and serotoninergic neurotransmissions. CBD could minimize potential THC high-dose side effects whereas enhancing the anxiolytic action of its low doses in females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana Maria Raymundi
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Leandro José Bertoglio
- Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
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26
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Gunasekera B, Davies C, Martin-Santos R, Bhattacharyya S. The Yin and Yang of Cannabis: A Systematic Review of Human Neuroimaging Evidence of the Differential Effects of Δ 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2021; 6:636-645. [PMID: 33414100 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been the most investigated cannabinoids at the human and preclinical levels, although the neurobiological mechanisms underlying their effects remain unclear. Human experimental evidence complemented by observational studies suggests that THC may have psychotogenic effects while CBD may have antipsychotic effects. However, whether their effects on brain function are consistent with their opposing behavioral effects remains unclear. To address this, here we synthesize neuroimaging evidence investigating the acute effects of THC and CBD on human brain function using a range of neuroimaging techniques, with an aim to identify the key brain substrates where THC and CBD have opposing effects. After a systematic search, a review of the available studies indicated marked heterogeneity. However, an overall pattern of opposite effect profiles of the two cannabinoids was evident with some degree of consistency, primarily attributed to the head-to-head challenge studies of THC and CBD. While head-to-head comparisons are relatively few, collectively the evidence suggests that opposite effects of THC and CBD may be present in the striatum, parahippocampus, anterior cingulate/medial prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, with opposite effects less consistently identified in other regions. Broadly, THC seems to increase brain activation and blood flow, whereas CBD seems to decrease brain activation and blood flow. Given the sparse evidence, there is a particular need to understand the mechanisms underlying their opposite behavioral effects because it may not only offer insights into the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of psychotic disorders but also suggest potentially novel targets and biomarkers for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Gunasekera
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Cathy Davies
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Rocio Martin-Santos
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sagnik Bhattacharyya
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom.
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27
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Rafi H, Zestos AG. Review-Recent Advances in FSCV Detection of Neurochemicals via Waveform and Carbon Microelectrode Modification. JOURNAL OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY 2021; 168:057520. [PMID: 34108735 PMCID: PMC8186302 DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/ac0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) is an analytical technique that was first developed over 30 years ago. Since then, it has been extensively used to detect dopamine using carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFMEs). More recently, electrode modifications and waveform refinement have enabled the detection of a wider variety of neurochemicals including nucleosides such as adenosine and guanosine, neurotransmitter metabolites of dopamine, and neuropeptides such as enkephalin. These alterations have facilitated the selectivity of certain biomolecules over others to enhance the measurement of the analyte of interest while excluding interferants. In this review, we detail these modifications and how specializing CFME sensors allows neuro-analytical researchers to develop tools to understand the neurochemistry of the brain in disease states and provide groundwork for translational work in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harmain Rafi
- Department of Chemistry, American University, Washington, DC 20016, United States of America
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, American University, Washington, DC 20016, United States of America
| | - Alexander G. Zestos
- Department of Chemistry, American University, Washington, DC 20016, United States of America
- Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, American University, Washington, DC 20016, United States of America
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28
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A pain-induced tonic hypodopaminergic state augments phasic dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Pain 2021; 161:2376-2384. [PMID: 32453137 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Diseases and disorders such as Parkinson disease, schizophrenia, and chronic pain are characterized by altered mesolimbic dopaminergic neurotransmission. Dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens influences behavior through both tonic and phasic signaling. Tonic dopamine levels are hypothesized to inversely regulate phasic signals through dopamine D2 receptor feedback inhibition. We tested this hypothesis directly in the context of ongoing pain. Tonic and phasic dopamine signals were measured using fast-scan controlled-adsorption voltammetry and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, respectively, in the nucleus accumbens shell of male rats with standardized levels of anesthesia. Application of capsaicin to the cornea produced a transient decrease in tonic dopamine levels. During the pain-induced hypodopaminergic state, electrically evoked phasic dopamine release was significantly increased when compared to baseline, evoked phasic release. A second application of capsaicin to the same eye had a lessened effect on tonic dopamine suggesting desensitization of TRPV1 channels in that eye. Capsaicin treatment in the alternate cornea, however, again produced coincident decreased dopaminergic tone and increased phasic dopamine release. These findings occurred independently of stimulus lateralization relative to the hemisphere of dopamine measurement. Our data show that (1) the mesolimbic dopamine circuit reliably encodes acute noxious stimuli; (2) ongoing pain produces decreases in dopaminergic tone; and (3) pain-induced decreases in tonic dopamine correspond to augmented evoked phasic dopamine release. Enhanced phasic dopamine neurotransmission resulting from salient stimuli may contribute to increased impulsivity and cognitive deficits often observed in conditions associated with decreased dopaminergic tone, including Parkinson disease and chronic pain.
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29
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Ney LJ, Akhurst J, Bruno R, Laing PAF, Matthews A, Felmingham KL. Dopamine, endocannabinoids and their interaction in fear extinction and negative affect in PTSD. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 105:110118. [PMID: 32991952 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There currently exist few frameworks for common neurobiology between reexperiencing and negative cognitions and mood symptoms of PTSD. Adopting a dopaminergic framework for PTSD unites many aspects of unique symptom clusters, and this approach also links PTSD symptomology to common comorbidities with a common neurobiological deficiency. Here we review the dopamine literature and incorporate it with a growing field of research that describes both the contribution of endocannabinoids to fear extinction and PTSD, as well as the interactions between dopaminergic and endocannabinoid systems underlying this disorder. Based on current evidence, we outline an early, preliminary model that links re-experiencing and negative cognitions and mood in PTSD by invoking the interaction between endocannabinoid and dopaminergic signalling in the brain. These interactions between PTSD, dopamine and endocannabinoids may have implications for future therapies for treatment-resistant and comorbid PTSD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Jane Akhurst
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Patrick A F Laing
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne & Melbourne Health, Australia
| | | | - Kim L Felmingham
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
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30
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Neurobiology of reward-related learning. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 124:224-234. [PMID: 33581225 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A major goal in psychology is to understand how environmental stimuli associated with primary rewards come to function as conditioned stimuli, acquiring the capacity to elicit similar responses to those elicited by primary rewards. Our neurobiological model is predicated on the Hebbian idea that concurrent synaptic activity on the primary reward neural substrate-proposed to be ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons-strengthens the synapses involved. We propose that VTA DA neurons receive both a strong unconditioned stimulus signal (acetylcholine stimulation of DA cells) from the primary reward capable of unconditionally activating DA cells and a weak stimulus signal (glutamate stimulation of DA cells) from the neutral stimulus. Through joint stimulation the weak signal is potentiated and capable of activating the VTA DA cells, eliciting a conditioned response. The learning occurs when this joint stimulation initiates intracellular second-messenger cascades resulting in enhanced glutamate-DA synapses. In this review we present evidence that led us to propose this model and the most recent evidence supporting it.
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31
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Everett TJ, Gomez DM, Hamilton LR, Oleson EB. Endocannabinoid modulation of dopamine release during reward seeking, interval timing, and avoidance. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 104:110031. [PMID: 32663486 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are neuromodulators that influence a wide range of neural systems and behaviors. In the current review, we describe our recent research showing how eCBs, particularly 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), concurrently shape mesolimbic dopamine (DA) release and associated behavior. We will restrict our discussion by emphasizing three distinct behaviors: reward seeking, interval timing, and active avoidance. During reward seeking we find that 2-AG is necessary to observe cue-evoked DA release events that are thought to represent the value of a rewarding outcome. We then describe data showing that 2-AG modulates unique patterns of DA release and behavior observed under conditions of periodic reinforcement. These data are discussed within the context of interval timing and adjunctive behavior. eCB modulation of DA release is also implicated in defensive behavior, including the avoidance of harm. As in reward seeking, our data suggest that the concentration of DA that is evoked by a warning signal can represent the value of an avoidance outcome. And, disrupting eCB signaling concomitantly reduces the concentration of the avoidance value signal and active avoidance. Disruptions in reward seeking, interval timing, and defensive behavior are commonly observed in a variety of movement disorders (e.g., Parkinson's and Huntington's disease) and disorders of motivation (e.g., addiction). We believe our data on eCB-DA interactions have implications for the development of novel pharmacotherapies to treat these disorders. Thus, we conclude by discussing how eCB pharmacology might be harnessed to treat disorders of movement and motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Devan M Gomez
- Psychology Department, University of Colorado Denver, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, USA
| | | | - Erik B Oleson
- Psychology Department, University of Colorado Denver, USA; Integrative Biology Department, University of Colorado Denver, USA.
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32
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Peters KZ, Oleson EB, Cheer JF. A Brain on Cannabinoids: The Role of Dopamine Release in Reward Seeking and Addiction. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2021; 11:a039305. [PMID: 31964646 PMCID: PMC7778214 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a039305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis sativa, like all known drugs of abuse, leads to increased dopamine activation within the mesolimbic pathway. Consequent dopamine release within terminal regions of the striatum is a powerful mediator of reward and reinforcement and patterned dopamine release is critical for associative learning processes that are fundamentally involved in addiction. The endocannabinoid system modulates dopamine release at multiple sites, and the receptors, endogenous ligands, and synthetic and metabolic enzymes of the endocannabinoid system may provide key targets for pharmacotherapies to treat disorders of motivation including addiction. Disrupting endocannabinoid signaling decreases drug-induced increases in dopamine release as well those dopamine events evoked by conditioned stimuli during reward seeking. Advances in recording techniques for dopamine are allowing unprecedented examinations of these two interacting systems and elucidating the mechanisms of endocannabinoid modulation of dopamine release in reward and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Z Peters
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
| | - Erik B Oleson
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado 80217-3364, USA
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA
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Gomez DM, Everett TJ, Hamilton LR, Ranganath A, Cheer JF, Oleson EB. Chronic cannabinoid exposure produces tolerance to the dopamine releasing effects of WIN 55,212-2 and heroin in adult male rats. Neuropharmacology 2021; 182:108374. [PMID: 33115642 PMCID: PMC7836093 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic cannabinoids were introduced into recreational drug culture in 2008 and quickly became one of the most commonly abused drugs in the United States. The neurobiological consequences resulting from synthetic cannabinoid repeated exposure remain poorly understood. It is possible that a blunted dopamine (DA) response may lead drug users to consume larger quantities to compensate for this form of neurochemical tolerance. Because the endogenous cannabinoid and opioid systems exhibit considerable cross-talk and cross-tolerance frequently develops following repeated exposure to either opioids or cannabinoids, there is interest in investigating whether a history of synthetic cannabinoid exposure influences the ability of heroin to increase DA release. To test the effects of chronic cannabinoid exposure on cannabinoid- and heroin-evoked DA release, male adult rats were treated with either vehicle or a synthetic cannabinoid (WIN55-212-2; WIN) using an intravenous (IV) dose escalation regimen (0.2-0.8 mg/kg IV over 9 treatments). As predicted, WIN-treated rats showed a rightward shift in the dose-response relationship across all behavioral/physiological measures when compared to vehicle-treated controls. Then, using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to measure changes in the frequency of transient DA events in the nucleus accumbens shell of awake and freely-moving rats, it was observed that the DA releasing effects of both WIN and heroin were significantly reduced in male rats with a pharmacological history of cannabinoid exposure. These results demonstrate that repeated exposure to the synthetic cannabinoid WIN can produce tolerance to its DA releasing effects and cross-tolerance to the DA releasing effects of heroin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devan M Gomez
- Psychology Department, University of Colorado Denver, USA; Current: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marquette University, USA
| | | | | | - Ajit Ranganath
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Maryland Baltimore, USA
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Maryland Baltimore, USA
| | - Erik B Oleson
- Psychology Department, University of Colorado Denver, USA; Biology Department, University of Colorado Denver, USA.
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Mohammadkhani A, Borgland SL. Cellular and behavioral basis of cannabinioid and opioid interactions: Implications for opioid dependence and withdrawal. J Neurosci Res 2020; 100:278-296. [PMID: 33352618 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The brain's endogenous opioid and endocannabinoid systems are neuromodulatory of synaptic transmission, and play key roles in pain, memory, reward, and addiction. Recent clinical and pre-clinical evidence suggests that opioid use may be reduced with cannabinoid intake. This suggests the presence of a functional interaction between these two systems. Emerging research indicates that cannabinoids and opioids can functionally interact at different levels. At the cellular level, opioid and cannabinoids can have direct receptor associations, alterations in endogenous opioid peptide or cannabinoid release, or post-receptor activation interactions via shared signal transduction pathways. At the systems level, the nature of cannabinoid and opioid interaction might differ in brain circuits underlying different behavioral phenomenon, including reward-seeking or antinociception. Given the rising use of opioid and cannabinoid drugs, a better understanding of how these endogenous signaling systems interact in the brain is of significant interest. This review focuses on the potential relationship of these neural systems in addiction-related processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Mohammadkhani
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Stephanie L Borgland
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Brunt TM, Bossong MG. The neuropharmacology of cannabinoid receptor ligands in central signaling pathways. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 55:909-921. [PMID: 32974975 PMCID: PMC9291836 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is a complex neuronal system involved in a number of biological functions, like attention, anxiety, mood, memory, appetite, reward, and immune responses. It is at the centre of scientific interest, which is driven by therapeutic promise of certain cannabinoid ligands and the changing legalization of herbal cannabis in many countries. The endocannabinoid system is a modulatory system, with endocannabinoids as retrograde neurotransmitters rather than direct neurotransmitters. Neuropharmacology of cannabinoid ligands in the brain can therefore be understood in terms of their modulatory actions through other neurotransmitter systems. The CB1 receptor is chiefly responsible for effects of endocannabinoids and analogous ligands in the brain. An overview of the neuropharmacology of several cannabinoid receptor ligands, including endocannabinoids, herbal cannabis and synthetic cannabinoid receptor ligands is given in this review. Their mechanism of action at the endocannabinoid system is described, mainly in the brain. In addition, effects of cannabinoid ligands on other neurotransmitter systems will also be described, such as dopamine, serotonin, glutamate, noradrenaline, opioid, and GABA. In light of this, therapeutic potential and adverse effects of cannabinoid receptor ligands will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor M. Brunt
- Department of Psychiatry Amsterdam Institute for Addiction ResearchAmsterdam UMCUniversity of Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs G. Bossong
- Department of Psychiatry University Medical Center Utrecht Brain CenterUtrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
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de Almeida DL, Devi LA. Diversity of molecular targets and signaling pathways for CBD. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2020; 8:e00682. [PMID: 33169541 PMCID: PMC7652785 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most abundant component of the Cannabis plant and is known to have effects distinct from Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Many studies that examined the behavioral effects of CBD concluded that it lacks the psychotomimetic effects attributed to THC. However, CBD was shown to have a broad spectrum of effects on several conditions such as anxiety, inflammation, neuropathic pain, and epilepsy. It is currently thought that CBD engages different targets and hence CBD's effects are thought to be due to multiple molecular mechanisms of action. A well-accepted set of targets include GPCRs and ion channels, with the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor and the transient receptor potential cation channel TRPV1 channel being the two main targets. CBD has also been thought to target G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) such as cannabinoid and opioid receptors. Other studies have suggested a role for additional GPCRs and ion channels as targets of CBD. Currently, the clinical efficacy of CBD is not completely understood. Evidence derived from randomized clinical trials, in vitro and in vivo models and real-world observations support the use of CBD as a drug treatment option for anxiety, neuropathy, and many other conditions. Hence an understanding of the current status of the field as it relates to the targets for CBD is of great interest so, in this review, we include findings from recent studies that highlight these main targets.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cannabidiol/administration & dosage
- Cannabidiol/metabolism
- Humans
- Molecular Targeted Therapy/methods
- Molecular Targeted Therapy/trends
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/agonists
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/agonists
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/metabolism
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A/metabolism
- Receptors, Dopamine/metabolism
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/agonists
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
- Signal Transduction/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas L. de Almeida
- Department of Pharmacological SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiOne Gustave L. Levy PlaceNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of PharmacologyInstitute of Biological SciencesUFMG, Av. Antônio CarlosBelo HorizonteBrazil
| | - Lakshmi A. Devi
- Department of Pharmacological SciencesIcahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiOne Gustave L. Levy PlaceNew YorkNYUSA
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Meneses-Gaya CD, Crippa JA, Hallak JE, Miguel AQ, Laranjeira R, Bressan RA, Zuardi AW, Lacerda AL. Cannabidiol for the treatment of crack-cocaine craving: an exploratory double-blind study. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY 2020; 43:467-476. [PMID: 33146345 PMCID: PMC8555645 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2020-1416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To assess the efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) in the management of crack-cocaine craving and the treatment of frequent withdrawal symptoms. Methods: Thirty-one men with a diagnosis of crack-cocaine dependence were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. We applied neuropsychological tests and assessed craving intensity, anxiety and depression symptoms, and substance use patterns at baseline and at the end of the trial. The participants were treated with CBD 300 mg/day or placebo for 10 days. During this period, we used a technique to induce craving and assessed the intensity of symptoms before and after the induction procedure. Results: Craving levels reduced significantly over the 10 days of the trial, although no differences were found between the CBD and placebo groups. Craving induction was successful in both groups, with no significant differences between them. Indicators of anxiety, depression, and sleep alterations before and after treatment also did not differ across groups. Conclusion: Under the conditions of this trial, CBD was unable to interfere with symptoms of crack-cocaine withdrawal. Further studies with larger outpatient samples involving different doses and treatment periods would be desirable and timely to elucidate the potential of CBD to induce reductions in crack-cocaine self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina de Meneses-Gaya
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil
| | - José A. Crippa
- Divisão de Psiquiatria, Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Jaime E. Hallak
- Divisão de Psiquiatria, Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - André Q. Miguel
- Instituto Nacional de Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Drogas (INPAD), UNIFESP, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo Laranjeira
- Instituto Nacional de Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Drogas (INPAD), UNIFESP, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo A. Bressan
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil
| | - Antonio W. Zuardi
- Divisão de Psiquiatria, Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Acioly L. Lacerda
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil
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Jung T, Hudson R, Rushlow W, Laviolette SR. Functional interactions between cannabinoids, omega-3 fatty acids, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors: Implications for mental health pharmacotherapies. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 55:1088-1100. [PMID: 33108021 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis contains a plethora of phytochemical constituents with diverse neurobiological effects. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the main non-psychotropic component found in cannabis that is capable of modulating mesocorticolimbic DA transmission and may possess therapeutic potential for several neuropsychiatric disorders. Emerging evidence also suggests that, similar to CBD, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may regulate DA transmission and possess therapeutic potential for similar neuropsychiatric disorders. Although progress has been made to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic properties of CBD and omega-3s, it remains unclear through which receptor mechanisms they may produce their purported effects. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors are a group of nuclear transcription factors with multiple isoforms. PPARγ is an isoform activated by both CBD and omega-3, whereas the PPARα isoform is activated by omega-3. Interestingly, the activation of PPARγ and PPARα with selective agonists has been shown to decrease mesocorticolimbic DA activity and block neuropsychiatric symptoms similar to CBD and omega-3s, raising the possibility that CBD and omega-3s produce their effects through PPAR signaling. This review will examine the relationship between CBD, omega-3s, and PPARs and how they may be implicated in the modulation of mesocorticolimbic DAergic abnormalities and associated neuropsychiatric symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Jung
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Roger Hudson
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Walter Rushlow
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Steven R Laviolette
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Ruthirakuhan M, Herrmann N, Andreazza AC, Verhoeff NPLG, Gallagher D, Black SE, Kiss A, Lanctôt KL. 24S-Hydroxycholesterol Is Associated with Agitation Severity in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe Alzheimer's Disease: Analyses from a Clinical Trial with Nabilone. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 71:21-31. [PMID: 31322567 PMCID: PMC6839471 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background: Agitation is a prevalent and difficult-to-treat symptom of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been a target of interest for the treatment of agitation. However, ECS signaling may interact with AD-related changes in brain cholesterol metabolism. Elevated brain cholesterol, reflected by reduced serum 24-S-hydroxycholesterol (24S-OHC), is associated with reduced membrane fluidity, preventing ligand binding to cannabinoid receptor 1. Objective: To assess whether 24S-OHC was associated with agitation severity and response to nabilone. Methods: 24S-OHC was collected from AD patients enrolled in a clinical trial on nabilone at the start and end of each phase. This allowed for the cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation between 24S-OHC and agitation (Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory, CMAI). Post-hoc analyses included adjustments for baseline standardized Mini-Mental Status Exam (sMMSE), and analyses with CMAI subtotals consistent with the International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) definition for agitation (physical aggression and nonaggression, and verbal aggression). Results: 24S-OHC was not associated with CMAI scores cross-sectionally or longitudinally, before and after adjusting for baseline sMMSE. However, 24S-OHC was associated with greater CMAI IPA scores at baseline (F(1,36) = 4.95, p = 0.03). In the placebo phase only, lower 24S-OHC at baseline was associated with increases in CMAI IPA scores (b = –35.2, 95% CI –65.6 to –5.0, p = 0.02), and decreases in 24S-OHC were associated with increases in CMAI IPA scores (b = –20.94, 95% CI –57.9 to –4.01, p = 0.03). Conclusion: 24S-OHC was associated with agitation severity cross-sectionally, and longitudinally in patients with AD. However, 24S-OHC did not predict treatment response, and does not change over time with nabilone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myuri Ruthirakuhan
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathan Herrmann
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ana C Andreazza
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Damien Gallagher
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sandra E Black
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Medicine (Neurology), University of Toronto and Sunnybrook HSC, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alex Kiss
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Research Design and Biostatistics, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Krista L Lanctôt
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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40
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Gheidi A, Cope LM, Fitzpatrick CJ, Froehlich BN, Atkinson R, Groves CK, Barcelo CN, Morrow JD. Effects of the cannabinoid receptor agonist CP-55,940 on incentive salience attribution. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:2767-2776. [PMID: 32494975 PMCID: PMC7502542 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05571-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Pavlovian conditioned approach paradigms are used to characterize the nature of motivational behaviors in response to stimuli as either directed toward the cue (i.e., sign-tracking) or the site of reward delivery (i.e., goal-tracking). Recent evidence has shown that activity of the endocannabinoid system increases dopaminergic activity in the mesocorticolimbic system, and other studies have shown that sign-tracking behaviors are dependent on dopamine. OBJECTIVES Therefore, we hypothesized that administration of a cannabinoid agonist would increase sign-tracking and decrease goal-tracking behaviors. METHODS Forty-seven adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were given a low, medium, or high dose of the cannabinoid agonist CP-55,940 (N = 12 per group) or saline (N = 11) before Pavlovian conditioned approach training. A separate group of rats (N = 32) were sacrificed after PCA training for measurement of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) using in situ hybridization. RESULTS Contrary to our initial hypothesis, CP-55,940 dose-dependently decreased sign-tracking and increased goal-tracking behavior. CB1 expression was higher in sign-trackers compared with that in goal-trackers in the prelimbic cortex, but there were no significant differences in CB1 or FAAH expression in the infralimbic cortex, dorsal or ventral CA1, dorsal or ventral CA3, dorsal or ventral dentate gyrus, or amygdala. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that cannabinoid signaling can specifically influence behavioral biases toward sign- or goal-tracking. Pre-existing differences in CB1 expression patterns, particularly in the prelimbic cortex, could contribute to individual differences in the tendency to attribute incentive salience to reward cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Gheidi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
| | - Lora M. Cope
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan,Addiction Center, University of Michigan
| | | | | | | | | | - Clair N. Barcelo
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan
| | - Jonathan D. Morrow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan,Addiction Center, University of Michigan,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan,Corresponding Author: Jonathan D. Morrow, Biomedical Science Research Building Room 5047, 109 Zina Pitcher Place Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 1-734-764-4283 (phone), 1-734-232-0244 (fax),
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Spanagel R. Cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system in reward processing and addiction: from mechanisms to interventions
. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 22:241-250. [PMID: 33162767 PMCID: PMC7605022 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2020.22.3/rspanagel] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The last decades have seen a major gain in understanding the action of
cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system in reward processing and the development of
addictive behavior. Cannabis-derived psychoactive compounds such as
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and synthetic cannabinoids directly interact with the reward
system and thereby have addictive properties. Cannabinoids induce their reinforcing
properties by an increase in tonic dopamine levels through a cannabinoid type 1 (CB1)
receptor–dependent mechanism within the ventral tegmental area. Cues that are
conditioned to cannabis smoking can induce drug-seeking responses (ie, craving) by
eliciting phasic dopamine events. A dopamine-independent mechanism involved in
drug-seeking responses involves an endocannabinoid/glutamate interaction within the
corticostriatal part of the reward system. In conclusion, pharmacological blockade of
endocannabinoid signaling should lead to a reduction in drug craving and subsequently
should reduce relapse behavior in addicted individuals. Indeed, there is increasing
preclinical evidence that targeting the endocannabinoid system reduces craving and
relapse, and allosteric modulators at CB1 receptors and fatty acid amide hydrolase
inhibitors are in clinical development for cannabis use disorder. Cannabidiol, which
mainly acts on CB1 and CB2 receptors, is currently being tested in patients with alcohol
use disorder and opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany
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The role of dopaminergic and serotonergic transmission in the processing of primary and monetary reward. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1490-1497. [PMID: 32392573 PMCID: PMC7360589 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0702-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Natural rewards such as erotic stimuli activate common neural pathways with monetary rewards. In human studies, the manipulation of dopamine and serotonin play an important role in the processing of monetary rewards with less understood on its role on erotic stimuli. In this study, we investigate the neuromodulatory effects of dopaminergic and serotonergic transmission in the processing of erotic versus monetary visual stimuli. We scanned one hundred and two (N = 102) healthy volunteers using functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a modified version of the well-validated monetary incentive delay task consisting of erotic, monetary and neutral visual stimuli. We show a role for enhanced central dopamine and lowered central serotonin levels in increasing activity in the right caudate and left anterior insula during anticipation of erotic relative to monetary rewards in healthy controls. We further show differential activation in the anticipation of natural versus monetary rewards with the former associated with ventromesial and dorsomesial activity and the latter with dorsal cingulate, striatal and anterior insular activity. These findings are consistent with preclinical and clinical findings of a role for dopaminergic and serotonergic mechanisms in the processing of natural rewards. Our study provides further insights into the neural substrates underlying reward processing for natural primary erotic rewards and yields importance for the neurochemical systems of addictive disorders including gambling disorder.
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Regan SL, Cryan MT, Williams MT, Vorhees CV, Ross AE. Enhanced Transient Striatal Dopamine Release and Reuptake in Lphn3 Knockout Rats. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:1171-1177. [PMID: 32203648 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Latrophilin-3 (LPHN3) is an adhesion G protein coupled receptor involved in regulating neuroplasticity. Variants of LPHN3 are associated with increased risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Data from mouse, zebrafish, Drosophila, and rat show that disruption of LPHN3 results in hyperactivity, and in the Sprague-Dawley Lphn3 knockout rat, exhibit deficits in learning and memory and changes in dopamine (DA) markers in the neostriatum. To determine the effects of Lphn3 deletion on DA neurotransmission, we compared the concentration, duration, and frequency of DA transients in KO and wild-type rats using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in brain slices. Lphn3 KO rats showed higher release of DA, and the duration and interevent time were markedly decreased compared with wild-type rats. The data demonstrate that LPHN3 plays a heretofore unrecognized role in DA signaling and may represent a new target for small molecule regulation of DA neurotransmission with translational implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L. Regan
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
| | - Michael T. Cryan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
| | - Michael T. Williams
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
| | - Charles V. Vorhees
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
| | - Ashley E. Ross
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, United States
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44
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Kunos G. Interactions Between Alcohol and the Endocannabinoid System. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:790-805. [PMID: 32056226 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids are lipid mediators that interact with the same cannabinoid receptors that recognize Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive constituent of marijuana, to induce similar effects in the brain and periphery. Alcohol and THC are both addictive substances whose acute use elicits rewarding effects that can lead to chronic and compulsive use via engaging similar signaling pathways in the brain. In the liver, both alcohol and endocannabinoids activate lipogenic gene expression leading to fatty liver disease. This review focuses on evidence accumulated over the last 2 decades to indicate that both the addictive neural effects of ethanol and its organ toxic effects in the liver and elsewhere are mediated, to a large extent, by endocannabinoids signaling via cannabinoid-1 receptors (CB1 R). The therapeutic potential of CB1 R blockade globally or in peripheral tissues only is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Kunos
- From the, Division of Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Feja M, Leigh MPK, Baindur AN, McGraw JJ, Wakabayashi KT, Cravatt BF, Bass CE. The novel MAGL inhibitor MJN110 enhances responding to reward-predictive incentive cues by activation of CB1 receptors. Neuropharmacology 2020; 162:107814. [PMID: 31628934 PMCID: PMC6983961 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
CB1 receptor antagonists disrupt operant responding for food and drug reinforcers, and cue-induced reinstatement of cocaine and heroin seeking. Conversely, enhancing endocannabinoid signaling, particularly 2-arachidonyl glycerol (2-AG), by inhibition of monoacyl glycerol lipase (MAGL), may facilitate some aspects of reward seeking. To determine how endocannabinoid signaling affects responding to reward-predictive cues, we employed an operant task that allows us to parse the incentive motivational properties of cues. Rats were required to nosepoke during an intermittent audiovisual incentive cue (IC) to obtain a 10% sucrose reward. The CB1 receptor antagonist, rimonabant, dose-dependently decreased the response ratio (rewarded ICs/total presented) and active nosepokes per IC, while it increased the latency to respond to the cue and obtain the reward, indicating an overall decrease in both the choice and vigor of responding. Yet rats persisted in entering the reward cup. Using a modified version of the task, the novel MAGL inhibitor MJN110 increased the response ratio, decreased the latencies to respond to the IC and enhanced active nosepokes per IC, indicating a facilitation of cue-induced reward seeking. These effects were blocked by a subthreshold dose of rimonabant. Finally, MJN110 did not alter consumption of freely available sucrose within volumes obtained in the operant task. Together these data demonstrate blocking endocannabinoid tone at the CB1 receptor attenuates the ability of cues to induce reward seeking, while some aspects of motivation for the reward are retained. Conversely, enhancing 2-AG signaling at CB1 receptors facilitates IC responding and increases the motivational properties of the IC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malte Feja
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
| | - Martin P K Leigh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
| | - Ajay N Baindur
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
| | - Justin J McGraw
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
| | - Ken T Wakabayashi
- Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1220 T. Street, Lincoln, NE, 68503, USA.
| | - Benjamin F Cravatt
- The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - Caroline E Bass
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 955 Main St, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
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Fitoussi A, Zunder J, Tan H, Laviolette SR. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol potentiates fear memory salience through functional modulation of mesolimbic dopaminergic activity states. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 47:1385-1400. [PMID: 29776015 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronic or acute exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, has been associated with numerous neuropsychiatric side-effects, including dysregulation of emotional processing and associative memory formation. Clinical and preclinical evidence suggests that the effects of THC are due to the ability to modulate mesolimbic dopamine (DA) activity states in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which THC modulates mesolimbic DA function and emotional processing are not well understood. Using an olfactory associative fear memory procedure combined with in vivo neuronal electrophysiology, we examined the effects of direct THC microinfusions targeting the shell region of the NAc (NASh) and examined how THC may modulate the processing of fear-related emotional memory and concomitant activity states of the mesolimbic DA system. We report that intra-NASh THC dose-dependently potentiates the emotional salience of normally subthreshold fear conditioning cues. These effects were dependent upon intra-VTA transmission through GABAergic receptor mechanisms and intra-NASh DAergic transmission. Furthermore, doses of intra-NASh THC that potentiated fear memory salience were found to modulate intra-VTA neuronal network activity by increasing the spontaneous firing and bursting frequency of DAergic neurones whilst decreasing the activity levels of a subpopulation of putative GABAergic VTA neurones. These findings demonstrate that THC can act directly in the NASh to modulate mesolimbic activity states and induce disturbances in emotional salience and memory formation through modulation of VTA DAergic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurelie Fitoussi
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jordan Zunder
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Huibing Tan
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Steven R Laviolette
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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47
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Coccurello R. Anhedonia in depression symptomatology: Appetite dysregulation and defective brain reward processing. Behav Brain Res 2019; 372:112041. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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48
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Ferreira-Junior NC, Campos AC, Guimarães FS, Del-Bel E, Zimmermann PMDR, Brum Junior L, Hallak JE, Crippa JA, Zuardi AW. Biological bases for a possible effect of cannabidiol in Parkinson's disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 42:218-224. [PMID: 31314869 PMCID: PMC7115443 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2019-0460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Current pharmacotherapy of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is palliative and unable to modify the progression of neurodegeneration. Treatments that can improve patients’ quality of life with fewer side effects are needed, but not yet available. Cannabidiol (CBD), the major non-psychotomimetic constituent of cannabis, has received considerable research attention in the last decade. In this context, we aimed to critically review the literature on potential therapeutic effects of CBD in PD and discuss clinical and preclinical evidence supporting the putative neuroprotective mechanisms of CBD. We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed) for indexed articles published in English from inception to 2019. The following keywords were used: cannabis; cannabidiol and neuroprotection; endocannabinoids and basal ganglia; Parkinson’s animal models; Parkinson’s history; Parkinson’s and cannabidiol. Few studies addressed the biological bases for the purported effects of CBD on PD. Six preclinical studies showed neuroprotective effects, while three targeted the antidyskinetic effects of CBD. Three human studies have tested CBD in patients with PD: an open-label study, a case series, and a randomized controlled trial. These studies reported therapeutic effects of CBD on non-motor symptoms. Additional research is needed to elucidate the potential effectiveness of CBD in PD and the underlying mechanisms involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilson C Ferreira-Junior
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Alline C Campos
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Francisco S Guimarães
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Elaine Del-Bel
- Departamento de Morfologia, Fisiologia e Patologia Básica, Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP), USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Jaime E Hallak
- Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento, FMRP, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - José A Crippa
- Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento, FMRP, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Antonio W Zuardi
- Departamento de Neurociências e Ciências do Comportamento, FMRP, USP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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49
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Norris C, Szkudlarek HJ, Pereira B, Rushlow W, Laviolette SR. The Bivalent Rewarding and Aversive properties of Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol are Mediated Through Dissociable Opioid Receptor Substrates and Neuronal Modulation Mechanisms in Distinct Striatal Sub-Regions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9760. [PMID: 31278333 PMCID: PMC6611878 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46215-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is capable of producing bivalent rewarding and aversive affective states through interactions with the mesolimbic system. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the dissociable effects of THC are not currently understood. In the present study, we identify anatomically dissociable effects of THC within the rat nucleus accumbens (NAc), using an integrative combination of behavioral pharmacology and in vivo neuronal electrophysiology. We report that the rewarding vs. aversive stimulus properties of THC are both anatomically and pharmacologically dissociable within distinct anterior vs. posterior sub-regions of the NAc. While the rewarding effects of THC were dependent upon local μ-opioid receptor signaling, the aversive effects of THC were processed via a κ-opioid receptor substrate. Behaviorally, THC in the posterior NASh induced deficits in social reward and cognition whereas THC in the anterior NAc, potentiated opioid-related reward salience. In vivo neuronal recordings demonstrated that THC decreased medium spiny neuron (MSN) activity in the anterior NAc and increased the power of gamma (γ) oscillations. In contrast, THC increased MSN activity states in the posterior NASh and decreased γ-oscillation power. These findings reveal critical new insights into the bi-directional neuronal and pharmacological mechanisms controlling the dissociable effects of THC in mesolimbic-mediated affective processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Norris
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
- Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada.
| | - Hanna J Szkudlarek
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
- Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Brian Pereira
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
- Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Walter Rushlow
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
- Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Steven R Laviolette
- Addiction Research Group, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
- Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, N6A 5C1, Canada
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50
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Kruse LC, Cao JK, Viray K, Stella N, Clark JJ. Voluntary oral consumption of Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol by adolescent rats impairs reward-predictive cue behaviors in adulthood. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1406-1414. [PMID: 30965351 PMCID: PMC6785709 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0387-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Few preclinical approaches are available to study the health impact of voluntary consumption of edibles containing the psychoactive drug Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). We developed and validated such approach by measuring voluntary oral consumption of THC-containing gelatin by rats and used it to study if and how THC consumption during adolescence impacts adult behavior. We found that adolescent rats of both sexes consumed enough THC to trigger acute hypothermia, analgesic, and locomotor responses, and that 15 days of access to THC-gelatin in adolescence resulted in the down-regulation of cannabinoid 1 receptors (CB1Rs) in adulthood in a sex and brain area specific manner. Remarkably, THC consumption by adolescent male rats and not female rats led to impaired Pavlovian reward-predictive cue behaviors in adulthood consistent with a male-specific loss of CB1R-expressing vGlut-1 synaptic terminals in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Thus, voluntary oral consumption of THC during adolescence is associated with sex-dependent behavioral impairment in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren C. Kruse
- 0000000122986657grid.34477.33Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Jessica K. Cao
- 0000000122986657grid.34477.33Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Katie Viray
- 0000000122986657grid.34477.33Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Nephi Stella
- 0000000122986657grid.34477.33Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA ,0000000122986657grid.34477.33Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Jeremy J. Clark
- 0000000122986657grid.34477.33Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
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