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Obray JD, Wilkes ET, Scofield MD, Chandler LJ. Adolescent alcohol exposure promotes mechanical allodynia and alters synaptic function at inputs from the basolateral amygdala to the prelimbic cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.17.599360. [PMID: 38948749 PMCID: PMC11212875 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.17.599360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Binge drinking is common among adolescents despite mounting evidence linking it to various adverse health outcomes that include heightened pain perception. The prelimbic (PrL) cortex is vulnerable to insult from adolescent alcohol exposure and receives input from the basolateral amygdala (BLA) while sending projections to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) - two brain regions implicated in nociception. In this study, adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure was carried out in male and female rats using a vapor inhalation procedure. Assessments of mechanical and thermal sensitivity revealed that AIE exposure induced protracted mechanical allodynia. To investigate synaptic function at BLA inputs onto defined populations of PrL neurons, retrobeads and viral labelling were combined with optogenetics and slice electrophysiology. Recordings from retrobead labelled cells in the PrL revealed AIE reduced BLA driven feedforward inhibition of neurons projecting from the PrL to the vlPAG, resulting in augmented excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance and increased intrinsic excitability. Consistent with this finding, recordings from virally tagged PrL parvalbumin interneurons (PVINs) demonstrated that AIE exposure reduced both E/I balance at BLA inputs onto PVINs and PVIN intrinsic excitability. These findings provide compelling evidence that AIE alters synaptic function and intrinsic excitability within a prefrontal nociceptive circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Daniel Obray
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Erik T. Wilkes
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Michael D. Scofield
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - L. Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
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Giannone F, Ebrahimi C, Endrass T, Hansson AC, Schlagenhauf F, Sommer WH. Bad habits-good goals? Meta-analysis and translation of the habit construct to alcoholism. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:298. [PMID: 39030169 PMCID: PMC11271507 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02965-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption remains a global public health crisis, with millions suffering from alcohol use disorder (AUD, or simply "alcoholism"), leading to significantly reduced life expectancy. This review examines the interplay between habitual and goal-directed behaviors and the associated neurobiological changes induced by chronic alcohol exposure. Contrary to a strict habit-goal dichotomy, our meta-analysis of the published animal experiments combined with a review of human studies reveals a nuanced transition between these behavioral control systems, emphasizing the need for refined terminology to capture the probabilistic nature of decision biases in individuals with a history of chronic alcohol exposure. Furthermore, we distinguish habitual responding from compulsivity, viewing them as separate entities with diverse roles throughout the stages of the addiction cycle. By addressing species-specific differences and translational challenges in habit research, we provide insights to enhance future investigations and inform strategies for combatting AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Giannone
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - C Ebrahimi
- Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - T Endrass
- Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - A C Hansson
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany
| | - F Schlagenhauf
- Department of Psychotherapy, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin & St. Hedwig Hospital, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - W H Sommer
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
- Bethania Hospital for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Greifswald, Germany.
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Partner Site Mannheim-Heidelberg-Ulm, 68159, Mannheim, Germany.
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Patel RR, Gandhi P, Spencer K, Salem NA, Erikson CM, Borgonetti V, Vlkolinsky R, Rodriguez L, Nadav T, Bajo M, Roberts AJ, Dayne Mayfield R, Roberto M. Functional and morphological adaptation of medial prefrontal corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1-expressing neurons in male mice following chronic ethanol exposure. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100657. [PMID: 38983690 PMCID: PMC11231756 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic ethanol dependence and withdrawal activate corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-containing GABAergic neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which tightly regulate glutamatergic pyramidal neurons. Using male CRF1:GFP reporter mice, we recently reported that CRF1-expressing (mPFCCRF1+) neurons predominantly comprise mPFC prelimbic layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons, undergo profound adaptations following chronic ethanol exposure, and regulate anxiety and conditioned rewarding effects of ethanol. To explore the effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on glutamate transmission, the impact of chronic alcohol on spine density and morphology, as well as persistent changes in dendritic-related gene expression, we employed whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, diOlistic labeling for dendritic spine analysis, and dendritic gene expression analysis to further characterize mPFCCRF1+ and mPFCCRF1- prelimbic layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons. We found increased glutamate release in mPFCCRF1+ neurons with ethanol dependence, which recovered following withdrawal. In contrast, we did not observe significant changes in glutamate transmission in neighboring mPFCCRF1- neurons. Acute application of 44 mM ethanol significantly reduced glutamate release onto mPFCCRF1+ neurons, which was observed across all treatment groups. However, this sensitivity to acute ethanol was only evident in mPFCCRF1- neurons during withdrawal. In line with alterations in glutamate transmission, we observed a decrease in total spine density in mPFCCRF1+ neurons during dependence, which recovered following withdrawal, while again no changes were observed in mPFCCRF- neurons. Given the observed decreases in mPFCCRF1+ stubby spines during withdrawal, we then identified persistent changes at the dendritic gene expression level in mPFCCRF1+ neurons following withdrawal that may underlie these structural adaptations. Together, these findings highlight the varying responses of mPFCCRF1+ and mPFCCRF1- cell-types to acute and chronic ethanol exposure, as well as withdrawal, revealing specific functional, morphological, and molecular adaptations that may underlie vulnerability to ethanol and the lasting effects of ethanol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reesha R Patel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Pauravi Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Kathryn Spencer
- Core Microscopy Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Nihal A Salem
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Chloe M Erikson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tali Nadav
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Amanda J Roberts
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
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Pochapski JA, Gómez-A A, Stringfield SJ, Jaggers H, Boettiger CA, Da Cunha C, Robinson DL. Adolescent alcohol exposure persistently alters orbitofrontal cortical encoding of Pavlovian conditional stimulus components in female rats. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13775. [PMID: 38877100 PMCID: PMC11178901 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64036-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to alcohol during adolescence impacts cortical and limbic brain regions undergoing maturation. In rodent models, long-term effects on behavior and neurophysiology have been described after adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE), especially in males. We hypothesized that AIE in female rats increases conditional approach to a reward-predictive cue and corresponding neuronal activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). We evaluated behavior and neuronal firing after AIE (5 g/kg intragastric) or water (CON) in adult female rats. Both AIE and CON groups expressed a ST phenotype, and AIE marginally increased sign-tracking (ST) and decreased goal-tracking (GT) metrics. NAc neurons exhibited phasic firing patterns to the conditional stimulus (CS), with no differences between groups. In contrast, neuronal firing in the OFC of AIE animals was greater at CS onset and offset than in CON animals. During reward omission, OFC responses to CS offset normalized to CON levels, but enhanced OFC firing to CS onset persisted in AIE. We suggest that the enhanced OFC neural activity observed in AIE rats to the CS could contribute to behavioral inflexibility. Ultimately, AIE persistently impacts the neurocircuitry of reward-motivated behavior in female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Pochapski
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Alexander Gómez-A
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Hannah Jaggers
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Charlotte A Boettiger
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Claudio Da Cunha
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Donita L Robinson
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Cheng Y, Magnard R, Langdon AJ, Lee D, Janak PH. Chronic Ethanol Exposure Produces Persistent Impairment in Cognitive Flexibility and Decision Signals in the Striatum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.10.584332. [PMID: 38585868 PMCID: PMC10996555 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.10.584332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Lack of cognitive flexibility is a hallmark of substance use disorders and has been associated with drug-induced synaptic plasticity in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS). Yet the possible impact of altered plasticity on real-time striatal neural dynamics during decision-making is unclear. Here, we identified persistent impairments induced by chronic ethanol (EtOH) exposure on cognitive flexibility and striatal decision signals. After a substantial withdrawal period from prior EtOH vapor exposure, male, but not female, rats exhibited reduced adaptability and exploratory behavior during a dynamic decision-making task. Reinforcement learning models showed that prior EtOH exposure enhanced learning from rewards over omissions. Notably, neural signals in the DMS related to the decision outcome were enhanced, while those related to choice and choice-outcome conjunction were reduced, in EtOH-treated rats compared to the controls. These findings highlight the profound impact of chronic EtOH exposure on adaptive decision-making, pinpointing specific changes in striatal representations of actions and outcomes as underlying mechanisms for cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Cheng
- Department Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Robin Magnard
- Department Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Angela J. Langdon
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Daeyeol Lee
- Department Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Patricia H. Janak
- Department Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
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6
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Bryant KG, Singh B, Barker JM. Sex and individual differences in the effect of chronic low-dose ethanol on behavioral strategy selection. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:132-141. [PMID: 38206280 PMCID: PMC10784635 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of an alcohol use disorder (AUD) involves impaired behavioral control and flexibility. Behavioral inflexibility includes an inability to shift behavior in response to changes in behavioral outcomes. Low levels of ethanol drinking may promote the formation of inflexible, habitual reward seeking, but this may depend on the timing of ethanol exposure in relation to learning. The goal of this study was to determine whether a history of low-dose ethanol exposure promoted contingency-insensitive sucrose seeking and altered behavioral strategy selection. METHODS Male and female C57BL/6J mice were trained to perform a response (lever press) for sucrose on two different reinforcement schedules: one that is thought to promote inflexible responding (random interval) and one that maintains flexible responding (variable ratio [VR]). Following instrumental training each day, mice were exposed to saline or low-dose ethanol (0.5 g/kg; i.p.) either proximal (1 h after) or distal (4 h after) to learning. Mice were then tested for sensitivity to changes in contingency in a contingency degradation test. RESULTS A history of low-dose ethanol exposure shifted behavioral strategy selection, as measured by reward tracking behavior, but this depended on sex and reinforcement schedule history. Both male and female mice used different strategies depending on the reinforcement schedule, but only males exhibited ethanol-induced shifts in strategy selection. A history of low-dose ethanol exposure did not impact contingency sensitivity in males but promoted insensitivity in females specifically on the VR lever. CONCLUSIONS Female mice show distinct behavioral effects of repeated, low-dose ethanol exposure as compared to males, with sex differences in the use of reward tracking strategies to guide behavior. Future studies should investigate sex differences in the neural consequences of chronic low-dose ethanol exposure that may underlie behavioral changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen G. Bryant
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202
| | - Binay Singh
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102
| | - Jacqueline M. Barker
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102
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7
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Bryant KG, Barker JM. Positive correlation between measures of habitual responding and motivated responding in mice. J Exp Anal Behav 2024; 121:74-87. [PMID: 38105634 PMCID: PMC10841761 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.895] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Habit and motivation are thought to be separate processes, with motivated behavior often considered to be goal directed, whereas habits are defined by the absence of goal-directed control over behavior. However, there has been increasing interrogation of the binary nature of habitual versus goal-directed behavior. Furthermore, although drug and alcohol exposure can promote the formation of habits, drug seeking itself can also be highly flexible, pointing toward the need for complex consideration of the parallel processes that drive behavior. The goal of the current study was to determine whether there was a relation between motivation-as measured by progressive ratio-and habit-as measured by contingency degradation-and whether this relation was affected by ethanol exposure history and sex. The results showed that these measures were positively correlated such that greater contingency insensitivity was associated with achieving higher break points on the progressive-ratio task. However, this relation depended on reinforcement schedule history, ethanol exposure history, and sex. These point to potential relations between measures of habit and motivation and stress the importance of carefully parsing behavioral findings and assays. These findings are also expected to inform future substance use research, as drug history may affect these relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen G Bryant
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Barker
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Giacometti LL, Side CM, Chandran K, Stine S, Buck LA, Wenzel-Rideout RM, Barker JM. Effects of adolescent ethanol exposure on adult nondrug reward seeking behavior in male and female mice. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:1736-1747. [PMID: 37438117 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent alcohol use is associated with an increased likelihood of developing an alcohol use disorder in adulthood, potentially due to the effects of alcohol exposure on reward-seeking behavior. However, it remains unclear whether adolescent drinking is sufficient to alter nondrug reward seeking in adulthood. As adolescence is a period of both brain and sexual maturation, which occur in a sex-dependent manner, males and females may be differentially sensitive to the consequences of adolescent alcohol exposure. The present study investigated whether adolescent ethanol exposure affected food reward taking and seeking in male and female adult mice. METHODS Male and female C57BL/6J mice underwent intermittent ethanol exposure (AIE) via vapor inhalation during early adolescence (28-42 days of age). At 10 weeks of age, the mice were trained in a conditioned place preference paradigm (CPP) for a food reward. We measured food consumption, CPP, and cFos expression in multiple brain regions following CPP testing. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance with exposure (air vs. AIE), sex, and time as factors. RESULTS AIE exposure increased food consumption during CPP training in adult male mice, but reduced pellet consumption in adult female mice. AIE exposure impaired CPP expression only in female mice. Despite these behavioral differences, exposure to the reward-paired chamber did not induce differential cFos expression following CPP testing in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices or the nucleus accumbens core and shell. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that adolescent ethanol exposure disrupted nondrug reward taking and seeking in adulthood in female mice and altered consumption in adult male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L Giacometti
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christine M Side
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kelsey Chandran
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sam Stine
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lauren A Buck
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rebecca M Wenzel-Rideout
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Barker
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Matthews DB, Scaletty S, Trapp S, Schreiber A, Rossmann G, Imhoff B, Petersilka Q, Kastner A, Pauly J, Nixon K. Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure during adolescence produces sex- and age-dependent changes in anxiety and cognition without changes in microglia reactivity late in life. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1223883. [PMID: 37589035 PMCID: PMC10427154 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1223883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence has been shown to produce long lasting effects in animal models including anxiety-like behavior that can last into young adulthood and impairments in cognition that can last throughout most of the lifespan. However, little research has investigated if binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence produces persistent anxiety-like behavior and concomitantly impairs cognition late in life. Furthermore, few studies have investigated such behavioral effects in both female and male rats over the lifespan. Finally, it is yet to be determined if binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence alters microglia activation in relevant brain regions late in life. In the present study female and male adolescent rats were exposed to either 3.0 or 5.0 g/kg ethanol, or water control, in a chronic intermittent pattern before being tested in the elevated plus maze and open field task over the next ∼18 months. Animals were then trained in a spatial reference task via the Morris water maze before having their behavioral flexibility tested. Finally, brains were removed, sectioned and presumptive microglia activation determined using autoradiography for [3H]PK11195 binding. Males, but not females, displayed an anxiety-like phenotype initially following the chronic intermittent ethanol exposure paradigm which resolved in adulthood. Further, males but not females had altered spatial reference learning and impaired behavioral flexibility late in life. Conversely, [3H]PK11195 binding was significantly elevated in females compared to males late in life and the level of microglia activation interacted as a function of sex and brain regions, but there was no long-term outcome related to adolescent alcohol exposure. These data further confirm that binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence produces alterations in behavior that can last throughout the lifespan. In addition, the data suggest that microglia activation late in life is not exacerbated by prior binge-like ethanol exposure during adolescence but the expression is sex- and brain region-dependent across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B. Matthews
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, United States
| | - Samantha Scaletty
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, United States
| | - Sarah Trapp
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, United States
| | - Areonna Schreiber
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, United States
| | - Gillian Rossmann
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, United States
| | - Bailey Imhoff
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, United States
| | - Quinn Petersilka
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, United States
| | - Abigail Kastner
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, United States
| | - Jim Pauly
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Kimberly Nixon
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
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10
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Gangal H, Xie X, Huang Z, Cheng Y, Wang X, Lu J, Zhuang X, Essoh A, Huang Y, Chen R, Smith LN, Smith RJ, Wang J. Drug reinforcement impairs cognitive flexibility by inhibiting striatal cholinergic neurons. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3886. [PMID: 37391566 PMCID: PMC10313783 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39623-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Addictive substance use impairs cognitive flexibility, with unclear underlying mechanisms. The reinforcement of substance use is mediated by the striatal direct-pathway medium spiny neurons (dMSNs) that project to the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr). Cognitive flexibility is mediated by striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs), which receive extensive striatal inhibition. Here, we hypothesized that increased dMSN activity induced by substance use inhibits CINs, reducing cognitive flexibility. We found that cocaine administration in rodents caused long-lasting potentiation of local inhibitory dMSN-to-CIN transmission and decreased CIN firing in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS), a brain region critical for cognitive flexibility. Moreover, chemogenetic and time-locked optogenetic inhibition of DMS CINs suppressed flexibility of goal-directed behavior in instrumental reversal learning tasks. Notably, rabies-mediated tracing and physiological studies showed that SNr-projecting dMSNs, which mediate reinforcement, sent axonal collaterals to inhibit DMS CINs, which mediate flexibility. Our findings demonstrate that the local inhibitory dMSN-to-CIN circuit mediates the reinforcement-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Gangal
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Xueyi Xie
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Zhenbo Huang
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Yifeng Cheng
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Xuehua Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Jiayi Lu
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Xiaowen Zhuang
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Amanda Essoh
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
| | - Yufei Huang
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Ruifeng Chen
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Laura N Smith
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Rachel J Smith
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA.
- Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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11
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Barnett WH, Kuznetsov A, Lapish CC. Distinct cortico-striatal compartments drive competition between adaptive and automatized behavior. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279841. [PMID: 36943842 PMCID: PMC10030038 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortical and basal ganglia circuits play a crucial role in the formation of goal-directed and habitual behaviors. In this study, we investigate the cortico-striatal circuitry involved in learning and the role of this circuitry in the emergence of inflexible behaviors such as those observed in addiction. Specifically, we develop a computational model of cortico-striatal interactions that performs concurrent goal-directed and habit learning. The model accomplishes this by distinguishing learning processes in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) that rely on reward prediction error signals as distinct from the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) where learning is supported by salience signals. These striatal subregions each operate on unique cortical input: the DMS receives input from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) which represents outcomes, and the DLS receives input from the premotor cortex which determines action selection. Following an initial learning of a two-alternative forced choice task, we subjected the model to reversal learning, reward devaluation, and learning a punished outcome. Behavior driven by stimulus-response associations in the DLS resisted goal-directed learning of new reward feedback rules despite devaluation or punishment, indicating the expression of habit. We repeated these simulations after the impairment of executive control, which was implemented as poor outcome representation in the PFC. The degraded executive control reduced the efficacy of goal-directed learning, and stimulus-response associations in the DLS were even more resistant to the learning of new reward feedback rules. In summary, this model describes how circuits of the dorsal striatum are dynamically engaged to control behavior and how the impairment of executive control by the PFC enhances inflexible behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H. Barnett
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Alexey Kuznetsov
- Department of Mathematics, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Christopher C. Lapish
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University—Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
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12
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Landin JD, Chandler LJ. Adolescent alcohol exposure alters threat avoidance in adulthood. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 16:1098343. [PMID: 36761697 PMCID: PMC9905129 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1098343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescent binge-like alcohol exposure impairs cognitive function and decision making in adulthood and may be associated with dysfunction of threat avoidance, a critical mechanism of survival which relies upon executive function. The present study investigated the impact of binge-like alcohol exposure during adolescence on active avoidance in adulthood. Male and female rats were subjected to adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure by vapor inhalation and then tested in adulthood using a platform-mediated avoidance task. After training to press a lever to receive a sucrose reward, the rats were conditioned to a tone that co-terminated with a foot-shock. A motivational conflict was introduced by the presence of an escape platform that isolated the rat from the shock, but also prevented access to the sucrose reward while the rat was on the platform. During the task training phase, both male and female rats exhibited progressive increases in active avoidance (platform escape) in response to the conditioned tone, whereas innate fear behavior (freezing) remained relatively constant over training days. A history of AIE exposure did not impact either active avoidance or freezing behavior during task acquisition. On the test day following platform acquisition training, female rats exhibited higher levels of both active avoidance and freezing compared to male rats, while AIE-exposed male but not female rats exhibited significantly greater levels of active avoidance compared to controls. In contrast, neither male nor female AIE-exposed rats exhibited alterations in freezing compared to controls. Following 5 days of extinction training, female rats continued to display higher levels of active avoidance and freezing during tone presentation compared to males. Male AIE-exposed rats also had higher levels of both active avoidance and freezing compared to the male control rats. Together, the results demonstrate that female rats exhibit elevated levels of active avoidance and freezing compared to males and further reveal a sex-specific impact of AIE on threat responding in adulthood.
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13
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Ho AMC, Peyton MP, Scaletty SJ, Trapp S, Schreiber A, Madden BJ, Choi DS, Matthews DB. Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Exposure Alters Behavioral Flexibility in Aged Rats Compared to Adult Rats and Modifies Protein and Protein Pathways Related to Alzheimer's Disease. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:46260-46276. [PMID: 36570296 PMCID: PMC9774340 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Repeated excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cognitive decline and dementia. Hazardous drinking among older adults further increases such vulnerabilities. To investigate whether alcohol induces cognitive deficits in older adults, we performed a chronic intermittent ethanol exposure paradigm (ethanol or water gavage every other day 10 times) in 8-week-old young adult and 70-week-old aged rats. While spatial memory retrieval ascertained by probe trials in the Morris water maze was not significantly different between ethanol-treated and water-treated rats in both age groups after the fifth and tenth gavages, behavioral flexibility was impaired in ethanol-treated rats compared to water-treated rats in the aged group but not in the young adult group. We then examined ethanol-treatment-associated hippocampal proteomic and phosphoproteomic differences distinct in the aged rats. We identified several ethanol-treatment-related proteins, including the upregulations of the Prkcd protein level, several of its phosphosites, and its kinase activity and downregulation in the Camk2a protein level. Our bioinformatic analysis revealed notable changes in pathways involved in neurotransmission regulation, synaptic plasticity, neuronal apoptosis, and insulin receptor signaling. In conclusion, our behavioral and proteomic results identified several candidate proteins and pathways potentially associated with alcohol-induced cognitive decline in aged adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ada Man-Choi Ho
- Department
of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota55905, United States
| | - Mina P. Peyton
- Bioinformatics
and Computational Biology Program, University
of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota55455, United States
| | - Samantha J. Scaletty
- Department
of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota55905, United States
| | - Sarah Trapp
- Department
of Psychology, University of Wisconsin—Eau
Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin54701, United States
| | - Areonna Schreiber
- Department
of Psychology, University of Wisconsin—Eau
Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin54701, United States
| | - Benjamin J. Madden
- Mayo
Clinic Proteomics Core, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota55905, United States
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department
of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota55905, United States
- Department
of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota55905, United States
| | - Douglas B. Matthews
- Department
of Psychology, University of Wisconsin—Eau
Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin54701, United States
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14
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Plasil SL, Collins VJ, Baratta AM, Farris SP, Homanics GE. Hippocampal ceRNA networks from chronic intermittent ethanol vapor-exposed male mice and functional analysis of top-ranked lncRNA genes for ethanol drinking phenotypes. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2022; 2:10831. [PMID: 36908580 PMCID: PMC10004261 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2022.10831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms regulating the development and progression of alcohol use disorder (AUD) are largely unknown. While noncoding RNAs have previously been implicated as playing key roles in AUD, long-noncoding RNA (lncRNA) remains understudied in relation to AUD. In this study, we first identified ethanol-responsive lncRNAs in the mouse hippocampus that are transcriptional network hub genes. Microarray analysis of lncRNA, miRNA, circular RNA, and protein coding gene expression in the hippocampus from chronic intermittent ethanol vapor- or air- (control) exposed mice was used to identify ethanol-responsive competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. Highly interconnected lncRNAs (genes that had the strongest overall correlation to all other dysregulated genes identified) were ranked. The top four lncRNAs were novel, previously uncharacterized genes named Gm42575, 4930413E15Rik, Gm15767, and Gm33447, hereafter referred to as Pitt1, Pitt2, Pitt3, and Pitt4, respectively. We subsequently tested the hypothesis that CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis of the putative promoter and first exon of these lncRNAs in C57BL/6J mice would alter ethanol drinking behavior. The Drinking in the Dark (DID) assay was used to examine binge-like drinking behavior, and the Every-Other-Day Two-Bottle Choice (EOD-2BC) assay was used to examine intermittent ethanol consumption and preference. No significant differences between control and mutant mice were observed in the DID assay. Female-specific reductions in ethanol consumption were observed in the EOD-2BC assay for Pitt1, Pitt3, and Pitt4 mutant mice compared to controls. Male-specific alterations in ethanol preference were observed for Pitt1 and Pitt2. Female-specific increases in ethanol preference were observed for Pitt3 and Pitt4. Total fluid consumption was reduced in Pitt1 and Pitt2 mutants at 15% v/v ethanol and in Pitt3 and Pitt4 at 20% v/v ethanol in females only. We conclude that all lncRNAs targeted altered ethanol drinking behavior, and that lncRNAs Pitt1, Pitt3, and Pitt4 influenced ethanol consumption in a sex-specific manner. Further research is necessary to elucidate the biological mechanisms for these effects. These findings add to the literature implicating noncoding RNAs in AUD and suggest lncRNAs also play an important regulatory role in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- SL Plasil
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - VJ Collins
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - AM Baratta
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - SP Farris
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - GE Homanics
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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15
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Obray JD, Landin JD, Vaughan DT, Scofield MD, Chandler LJ. Adolescent alcohol exposure reduces dopamine 1 receptor modulation of prelimbic neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens and basolateral amygdala. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 4:100044. [PMID: 36643604 PMCID: PMC9836047 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2022.100044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Binge drinking during adolescence is highly prevalent despite increasing evidence of its long-term impact on behaviors associated with modulation of behavioral flexibility by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In the present study, male and female rats underwent adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure by vapor inhalation. After aging to adulthood, retrograde bead labelling and viral tagging were used to identify populations of neurons in the prelimbic region (PrL) of the mPFC that project to specific subcortical targets. Electrophysiological recording from bead-labelled neurons in PrL slices revealed that AIE did not alter the intrinsic excitability of PrL neurons that projected to either the NAc or the BLA. Similarly, recordings of spontaneous inhibitory and excitatory post-synaptic currents revealed no AIE-induced changes in synaptic drive onto either population of projection neurons. In contrast, AIE exposure was associated with a loss of dopamine receptor 1 (D1), but no change in dopamine receptor 2 (D2), modulation of evoked firing of both populations of projection neurons. Lastly, confocal imaging of proximal and apical dendritic tufts of viral-labelled PrL neurons that projected to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) revealed AIE did not alter the density of dendritic spines. Together, these observations provide evidence that AIE exposure results in disruption of D1 receptor modulation of PrL inputs to at least two major subcortical target regions that have been implicated in AIE-induced long-term changes in behavioral control.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Daniel Obray
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA
| | - Justine D. Landin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA
| | - Dylan T. Vaughan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA
| | - Michael D. Scofield
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA,Department of Anesthesiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC, USA
| | - L. Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 30 Courtenay Drive, Charleston SC 29425, USA,Corresponding author. (L.J. Chandler)
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16
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Healey KL, Bell A, Scofield MD, Swartzwelder H. Adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure reduces astrocyte-synaptic proximity in the adult medial prefrontal cortex in rats: Reversal by gabapentin. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 4:100047. [PMID: 36643603 PMCID: PMC9836051 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2022.100047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption in adolescence causes multiple acute negative changes in neural and behavioral function that persist well into adulthood and possibly throughout life. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and dorsal hippocampus are critical for executive function and memory and are especially vulnerable to adolescent ethanol exposure. We have reported that astrocytes, particularly in the mPFC, change both in morphology and synaptic proximity during adolescence. Moreover, adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure produces enduring effects on both astrocyte function and synaptic proximity in the adult hippocampal formation, and the latter effect was reversed by the clinically used agent gabapentin (Neurontin), an anticonvulsant and analgesic that is an inhibitor of the VGCC α2δ1 subunit. These findings underscore the importance of investigating AIE effects on astrocytes in the mPFC, a region that undergoes marked changes in structure and connectivity during adolescence. Using astrocyte-specific viral labeling and immunohistochemistry, mPFC astrocytic morphology and colocalization with AMPA-(α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid) glutamate receptor 1 (GluA1), an AMPA receptor subunit and established neuronal marker of excitatory synapses, were assessed to quantify the proximity of astrocyte processes with glutamatergic synaptic puncta. AIE exposure significantly reduced astrocyte-synaptic proximity in adulthood, an effect that was reversed by sub-chronic gabapentin treatment in adulthood. There was no effect of AIE on astrocytic glutamate homeostasis machinery or neuronal synaptic proteins in the mPFC. These findings indicate a possible glial-neuronal mechanism underlying the effects of AIE on frontal lobe-mediated behaviors and suggest a specific therapeutic approach for the amelioration of those effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kati L. Healey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C. 27710, United States of America,Corresponding author. (K.L. Healey)
| | - Amelia Bell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C. 27710, United States of America
| | - Michael D. Scofield
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C. 29425, United States of America
| | - H.S. Swartzwelder
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C. 27710, United States of America
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17
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Carpio MJ, Gao R, Wooner E, Cayton CA, Richard JM. Alcohol availability during withdrawal gates the impact of alcohol vapor exposure on responses to alcohol cues. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:3103-3116. [PMID: 35881146 PMCID: PMC9526241 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06192-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor inhalation is a widely used model of alcohol dependence, but the impact of CIE on cue-elicited alcohol seeking is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE Here, we assessed the effects of CIE on alcohol-seeking elicited by cues paired with alcohol before or after CIE vapor inhalation. METHODS In experiment 1, male and female Long-Evans rats were trained in a discriminative stimulus (DS) task, in which one auditory cue (the DS) predicts the availability of 15% ethanol and a control cue (the NS) predicts no ethanol. Rats then underwent CIE or served as controls. Subsets of each group received access to oral ethanol twice a week during acute withdrawal. After CIE, rats were presented with the DS and NS cues under extinction and retraining conditions to determine whether they would alter their responses to these cues. In experiment 2, rats underwent CIE prior to training in the DS task. RESULTS CIE enhanced behavioral responses to cues previously paired with alcohol, but only in rats that received access to alcohol during acute withdrawal. When CIE occurred before task training, male rats were slower to develop cue responses and less likely to enter the alcohol port, even though they had received alcohol during acute withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that CIE vapor inhalation alone does not potentiate the motivational value of alcohol cues but that an increase in cue responses requires alcohol experience during acute withdrawal. Furthermore, under some conditions, CIE may disrupt responses to alcohol-paired cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Carpio
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA
| | - Runbo Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA
| | - Erica Wooner
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA
| | - Christelle A Cayton
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA
| | - Jocelyn M Richard
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA.
- Medical Discovery Team On Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA.
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18
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Fish KN, Joffe ME. Targeting prefrontal cortex GABAergic microcircuits for the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2022; 14:936911. [PMID: 36105666 PMCID: PMC9465392 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2022.936911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing novel treatments for alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is of paramount importance for improving patient outcomes and alleviating the suffering related to the disease. A better understanding of the molecular and neurocircuit mechanisms through which alcohol alters brain function will be instrumental in the rational development of new efficacious treatments. Clinical studies have consistently associated the prefrontal cortex (PFC) function with symptoms of AUDs. Population-level analyses have linked the PFC structure and function with heavy drinking and/or AUD diagnosis. Thus, targeting specific PFC cell types and neural circuits holds promise for the development of new treatments. Here, we overview the tremendous diversity in the form and function of inhibitory neuron subtypes within PFC and describe their therapeutic potential. We then summarize AUD population genetics studies, clinical neurophysiology findings, and translational neuroscience discoveries. This study collectively suggests that changes in fast transmission through PFC inhibitory microcircuits are a central component of the neurobiological effects of ethanol and the core symptoms of AUDs. Finally, we submit that there is a significant and timely need to examine sex as a biological variable and human postmortem brain tissue to maximize the efforts in translating findings to new clinical treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Max E. Joffe
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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19
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Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Administration during Adolescence Produces Sex Dependent Impairments in Behavioral Flexibility and Survivability. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12050606. [PMID: 35624993 PMCID: PMC9139058 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure during adolescence produces behavioral impairments and neurobiological changes that can last into young adulthood. One such behavioral impairment is reduced behavioral flexibility, a behavioral impairment that has been correlated with the risk for increased ethanol intake. In the current study, we investigated if chronic intermittent ethanol exposure during adolescence alters cognition, including behavioral flexibility, over a 22-month testing period. Female and male rats were treated with either 3.0 g/kg or 5.0 g/kg ethanol via gavage in a chronic intermittent fashion during adolescence and then tested every 4 to 5 months on a series of cognitive measures in the Morris water maze. Chronic intermittent ethanol selectively impaired behavioral flexibility in both female and male rats, although the pattern of results was different as a function of sex. In addition, female, but not male, rats were impaired in a short-term relearning test. Finally, male rats administered ethanol during adolescence were significantly more likely to not survive the 22-month experiment compared to female rats administered ethanol during adolescence. The current results demonstrate that adolescence is a unique period of development where chronic intermittent ethanol exposure produces long-lasting, selective cognitive impairments across the lifespan.
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20
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Bryant KG, Singh B, Barker JM. Reinforcement History Dependent Effects of Low Dose Ethanol on Reward Motivation in Male and Female Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:875890. [PMID: 35481242 PMCID: PMC9036521 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.875890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are more prevalent in men than in women, though AUD diagnoses in women are growing rapidly, making an understanding of sex differences in alcohol-related behaviors increasingly important. The development of AUDs involves the transition from casual, low levels of alcohol drinking to higher, maladaptive levels. The ability of low dose alcohol to drive reward and drug seeking may differ in males and females, and this could underlie differences in susceptibility to AUD. In this study we sought to determine whether a history of chronic, low dose ethanol exposure (0.5 g/kg; i.p.) could drive sucrose reward seeking and motivation, and whether this differed between male and female mice. Adult mice were trained to lever press for a liquid sucrose reward on two reinforcement schedules: a random interval (RI) schedule and a variable ratio (VR) schedule. After training, mice were tested on each of these levers for reward motivation using a progressive ratio test. We found that a history of low dose ethanol exposure increased sucrose reward motivation in male mice, but only on the RI lever and only when exposure occurred proximal to learning. Female mice were more motivated for sucrose on the RI lever than the VR lever regardless of ethanol exposure condition. These findings indicate that training on different reinforcement schedules affects reward motivation. Further, we show that males are more susceptible to the effects of low dose ethanol on sucrose reward motivation than females. These data broaden our understanding of sex differences in reward seeking as a result of ethanol exposure.
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21
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Chandler LJ, Vaughan DT, Gass JT. Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Results in Sex-specific Alterations in Conditioned Fear Learning and Memory in Adulthood. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:837657. [PMID: 35211024 PMCID: PMC8861326 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.837657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study used auditory fear conditioning to assess the impact of repeated binge-like episodes of alcohol exposure during adolescence on conditioned fear in adulthood. Male and female Long-Evans rats were subjected to adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure by vapor inhalation between post-natal day 28 and 44. After aging into adulthood, rats then underwent fear conditioning by exposure to a series of tone-shock pairings. This was followed by cued-tone extinction training, and then testing of fear recovery. In male rats, AIE exposure enhanced conditioned freezing but did not alter the time-course of extinction of cued-tone freezing. During subsequent assessment of fear recovery, AIE exposed rats exhibited less freezing during contextual fear renewal, but greater freezing during extinction recall and spontaneous recovery. Compared to males, female rats exhibited significantly lower levels of freezing during fear conditioning, more rapid extinction of freezing behavior, and significantly lower levels of freezing during the tests of fear recovery. Unlike males that were all classified as high conditioners; female rats could be parsed into either a high or low conditioning group. However, irrespective of their level of conditioned freezing, both the high and low conditioning groups of female rats exhibited rapid extinction of conditioned freezing behavior and comparatively low levels of freezing in tests of fear recovery. Regardless of group classification, AIE had no effect on freezing behavior in female rats during acquisition, extinction, or fear recovery. Lastly, exposure of male rats to the mGlu5 positive allosteric modulator CDPPB prevented AIE-induced alterations in freezing. Taken together, these observations demonstrate sex-specific changes in conditioned fear behaviors that are reversible by pharmacological interventions that target mGlu5 receptor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Dylan T Vaughan
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Justin T Gass
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
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22
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Doremus-Fitzwater TL, Deak T. Adolescent neuroimmune function and its interaction with alcohol. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 161:167-208. [PMID: 34801169 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is an evolutionarily conserved developmental period associated with behavioral change, including increased risk-taking and alcohol use. Experimentation with alcohol typically begins in adolescence and transitions to binge-like patterns of consumption. Alcohol exposure during adolescence can alter normative changes in brain structure and function. Understanding mechanisms by which ethanol impacts neurodevelopmental processes is important for preventing and ameliorating the deleterious consequences of adolescent alcohol abuse. This review focuses on the neuroimmune system as a key contributor to ethanol-induced changes in adolescent brain and behavior. After brief review of neuroimmune system development, acute and chronic effects of ethanol on adolescent neuroimmune functioning are addressed. Comparisons between stress/immunological challenges and ethanol on adolescent neuroimmunity are reviewed, as cross-sensitization is relevant during adolescence. The mechanisms by which ethanol alters neuroimmune functioning are then discussed, as they may portend development of neuropathological consequences and thus increase vulnerability to subsequent challenges and potentiate addictive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- T L Doremus-Fitzwater
- Department of Psychology, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Binghamton, NY, United States.
| | - T Deak
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), Binghamton, NY, United States; Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY, United States
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23
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De Falco E, White SM, Morningstar MD, Ma B, Nkurunziza LT, Ahmed‐Dilibe A, Wellman CL, Lapish CC. Impaired cognitive flexibility and heightened urgency are associated with increased alcohol consumption in rodent models of excessive drinking. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e13004. [PMID: 33508872 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by impairments in decision-making that can exist as stable traits or transient states. Cognitive inflexibility reflects an inability to update information that guides decision-making and is thought to contribute to the inability to abstain from drinking. While several studies have reported evidence of impaired cognitive flexibility following chronic alcohol exposure, evidence that a pre-existing impairment in cognitive flexibility is a heritable risk factor for AUD is scarce. Here, we found that cognitive flexibility was impaired in rodents selectively bred for excessive alcohol consumption (alcohol preferring (P) rats), on the attentional set-shifting task (ASST). Further, the degree of impairment is predictive of future ethanol consumption, thus suggesting that cognitive inflexibility is a stable trait capable of predisposing one for drinking. In a second set of experiments, we observed an impairment in the ability of P rats to use a previously learned rule to guide foraging in a simple discrimination task. Convergence across several behavioral measures suggested that this impairment reflected a state of heightened urgency that interfered with decision-making. A similar impairment on a simple discrimination task was observed in Wistar rats with a history of alcohol consumption. These findings indicate how trait and state variables-in this case, impaired cognitive flexibility and heightened urgency, respectively-may influence the risk for excessive drinking. Furthermore, our results suggest that cognitive inflexibility and urgency can exist as both risk factors for and the result of alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela De Falco
- Department of Psychology Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis IN USA
| | - Shelby M. White
- Department of Psychology Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis IN USA
| | - Mitchell D. Morningstar
- Department of Psychology Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis IN USA
| | - Baofeng Ma
- Department of Psychology Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis IN USA
| | - Lionnel T. Nkurunziza
- Department of Psychology Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis IN USA
| | - Anisah Ahmed‐Dilibe
- Department of Psychology Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis IN USA
| | - Cara L. Wellman
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences Indiana University, Bloomington IN USA
| | - Christopher C. Lapish
- Department of Psychology Indiana University‐Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis IN USA
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Robinson DL, Amodeo LR, Chandler LJ, Crews FT, Ehlers CL, Gómez-A A, Healey KL, Kuhn CM, Macht VA, Marshall SA, Swartzwelder HS, Varlinskaya EI, Werner DF. The role of sex in the persistent effects of adolescent alcohol exposure on behavior and neurobiology in rodents. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 160:305-340. [PMID: 34696877 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol drinking is often initiated during adolescence, and this frequently escalates to binge drinking. As adolescence is also a period of dynamic neurodevelopment, preclinical evidence has highlighted that some of the consequences of binge drinking can be long lasting with deficits persisting into adulthood in a variety of cognitive-behavioral tasks. However, while the majority of preclinical work to date has been performed in male rodents, the rapid increase in binge drinking in adolescent female humans has re-emphasized the importance of addressing alcohol effects in the context of sex as a biological variable. Here we review several of the consequences of adolescent ethanol exposure in light of sex as a critical biological variable. While some alcohol-induced outcomes, such as non-social approach/avoidance behavior and sleep disruption, are generally consistent across sex, others are variable across sex, such as alcohol drinking, sensitivity to ethanol, social anxiety-like behavior, and induction of proinflammatory markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donita L Robinson
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
| | - Leslie R Amodeo
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, United States
| | - L Judson Chandler
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Fulton T Crews
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Cindy L Ehlers
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Alexander Gómez-A
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Kati L Healey
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Cynthia M Kuhn
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Victoria A Macht
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - S Alexander Marshall
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Biological and Biomedical Sciences Department, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - H Scott Swartzwelder
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Elena I Varlinskaya
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - David F Werner
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium (NADIA), United States; Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
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25
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Maldonado-Devincci AM, Makdisi JG, Hill AM, Waters RC, Hall NI, Shobande MJ, Kumari A. Adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure induces sex-dependent divergent changes in ethanol drinking and motor activity in adulthood in C57BL/6J mice. J Neurosci Res 2021; 100:1560-1572. [PMID: 33725399 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
With alcohol readily accessible to adolescents, its consumption leads to many adverse effects, including impaired learning, attention, and behavior. Adolescents report higher rates of binge drinking compared to adults. They are also more prone to substance use disorder in adulthood due to physiological changes during the adolescent developmental period. We used C57BL/6J male and female mice to investigate the long-lasting impact of binge ethanol exposure during adolescence on voluntary ethanol intake and open field behavior during later adolescence (Experiment 1) and during emerging adulthood (Experiment 2). The present set of experiments were divided into four stages: (1) adolescent intermittent vapor inhalation exposure, (2) abstinence, (3) voluntary ethanol intake, and (4) open field behavioral testing. During adolescence, male and female mice were exposed to air or ethanol using intermittent vapor inhalation from postnatal day (PND) 28-42. Following this, mice underwent short-term abstinence from PND 43-49 (Experiment 1) or protracted abstinence from PND 43-69 (Experiment 2). Beginning on PND 50-76 or PND 70-97, mice were assessed for intermittent voluntary ethanol consumption using a two-bottle choice drinking procedure over 28 days. Male adolescent ethanol-exposed mice showed increased ethanol consumption following short-term abstinence and following protracted abstinence. In contrast, female mice showed no changes in ethanol consumption following short-term abstinence and decreased ethanol consumption following protracted abstinence. There were modest changes in open field behavior following voluntary ethanol consumption in both experiments. These data demonstrate a sexually divergent shift in ethanol consumption following binge ethanol exposure during adolescence and differences in open field behavior. These results highlight sex-dependent vulnerability to developing substance use disorders in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoniette M Maldonado-Devincci
- Department of Psychology, College of Health and Human Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Joseph G Makdisi
- Department of Social Work and Sociology, College of Health and Human Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Andrea M Hill
- Department of Psychology, College of Health and Human Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA.,The Gerontology Institute, College of Arts and Science, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Renee C Waters
- Department of Psychology, College of Health and Human Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA.,Department of Psychology, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Nzia I Hall
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Biomedical Graduate Education, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mariah J Shobande
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Anjali Kumari
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC, USA
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26
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Towner TT, Spear LP. Rats exposed to intermittent ethanol during late adolescence exhibit enhanced habitual behavior following reward devaluation. Alcohol 2021; 91:11-20. [PMID: 33031883 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The brain undergoes substantial maturation during adolescence, and repeated exposure to ethanol at this time has been shown to result in long-lasting behavioral and neural consequences. During the broad period of adolescence, different neuronal populations and circuits are refined between early and late adolescence, suggesting the possibility that ethanol exposure at these differing times may lead to differential outcomes. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the impact of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) during early and late adolescence on the formation of goal-directed and habitual behavior in adulthood. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to ethanol via intragastric gavage (4.0 g/kg, 25% v/v) every other day from postnatal day (P) 25-45 or P45-65, considered early and late adolescence, respectively. In adulthood (~P70 early or ~ P90 late), rats were gradually food-restricted and began operant training on a fixed ratio 1 schedule. Rats were then transitioned onto random interval schedules and eventually underwent a sensory-specific satiation procedure as a model of reward devaluation. Few differences as a result of adolescent ethanol exposure were found during instrumental training. Following reward devaluation, rats exposed to water and ethanol during early adolescence exhibited reductions in lever pressing, suggestive of a goal-directed response pattern. In contrast, late AIE males and females demonstrated persistent responding following both devalued and non-devalued trials, findings representative of a habitual behavior pattern. The shifts from goal-directed to habitual behavior noted only following late AIE contribute to the growing literature identifying specific behavioral consequences as a result of ethanol exposure during distinct developmental periods within adolescence. More work is needed to determine whether the greater habit formation following late AIE is also associated with elevated habitual ethanol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor Theodore Towner
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, United States.
| | - Linda Patia Spear
- Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood Consortium, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, United States
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27
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Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
Current theories of alcohol use disorders (AUD) highlight the importance of Pavlovian and instrumental learning processes mainly based on preclinical animal studies. Here, we summarize available evidence for alterations of those processes in human participants with AUD with a focus on habitual versus goal-directed instrumental learning, Pavlovian conditioning, and Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigms.
Recent Findings
The balance between habitual and goal-directed control in AUD participants has been studied using outcome devaluation or sequential decision-making procedures, which have found some evidence of reduced goal-directed/model-based control, but little evidence for stronger habitual responding. The employed Pavlovian learning and PIT paradigms have shown considerable differences regarding experimental procedures, e.g., alcohol-related or conventional reinforcers or stimuli.
Summary
While studies of basic learning processes in human participants with AUD support a role of Pavlovian and instrumental learning mechanisms in the development and maintenance of drug addiction, current studies are characterized by large variability regarding methodology, sample characteristics, and results, and translation from animal paradigms to human research remains challenging. Longitudinal approaches with reliable and ecologically valid paradigms of Pavlovian and instrumental processes, including alcohol-related cues and outcomes, are warranted and should be combined with state-of-the-art imaging techniques, computational approaches, and ecological momentary assessment methods.
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28
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The escalation in ethanol consumption following chronic intermittent ethanol exposure is blunted in mice expressing ethanol-resistant GluN1 or GluN2A NMDA receptor subunits. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:271-279. [PMID: 33052417 PMCID: PMC7796987 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05680-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-gated ion channels essential for glutamatergic transmission and plasticity. NMDARs are inhibited by acute ethanol and undergo brain region-specific adaptations after chronic alcohol exposure. In previous studies, we reported that knock-in mice expressing ethanol-insensitive GluN1 or GluN2A NMDAR subunits display altered behavioral responses to acute ethanol and genotype-dependent changes in drinking using protocols that do not produce dependence. A key unanswered question is whether the intrinsic ethanol sensitivity of NMDARs also plays a role in determining behavioral adaptations that accompany the development of dependence. To test this, we exposed mice to repeated cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor known to produce a robust escalation in ethanol consumption and preference. As expected, wild-type mice showed a significant increase from baseline in ethanol consumption and preference after each of the four weekly CIE cycles. In contrast, ethanol consumption in male GluN2A(A825W) mice was unchanged following cycles 1, 2, and 4 of CIE with a modest increase appearing after cycle 3. Wild-type and GluN2A(A825W) female mice did not show a clear or consistent escalation in ethanol consumption or preference following CIE treatment. In male GluN1(F639A) mice, the increase in ethanol consumption observed with their wild-type littermates was delayed until later cycles of exposure. These results suggest that the acute ethanol sensitivity of NMDARs especially those containing the GluN2A subunit may be a critical factor in the escalation of ethanol intake in alcohol dependence.
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29
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Glover EJ, Khan F, Clayton-Stiglbauer K, Chandler LJ. Impact of sex, strain, and age on blood ethanol concentration and behavioral signs of intoxication during ethanol vapor exposure. Neuropharmacology 2020; 184:108393. [PMID: 33221480 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Animal models of alcohol drinking and dependence are a critical resource for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms and development of more effective treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Because most rat strains do not voluntarily consume large enough quantities of alcohol to adequately model heavy drinking, dependence, and withdrawal-related symptoms, researchers frequently turn to experimenter administered methods to investigate how prolonged and repeated exposure to large quantities of alcohol impacts brain and behavior. Vaporized ethanol is a common method used for chronically subjecting rodents to alcohol and has been widely used to model both binge and dependence-inducing heavy drinking patterns observed in humans. Rodent strain, sex, and age during exposure are all well-known to influence outcomes in experiments utilizing intraperitoneal or intragastric methods of repeated ethanol exposure. Yet, despite its frequent use, the impact of these variables on outcomes associated with ethanol vapor exposure has not been widely investigated. The present study analyzed data generated from over 700 rats across an eight-year period to provide a population-level assessment of variables influencing level of intoxication using vapor exposure. Our findings reveal important differences with respect to strain, sex, and age during ethanol exposure in the relationship between blood ethanol concentration and behavioral signs of intoxication. These data provide valuable scientific and practical insight for laboratories utilizing ethanol vapor exposure paradigms to model AUD in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth J Glover
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs, Medical University of South Carolina, USA.
| | - Fauzan Khan
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs, Medical University of South Carolina, USA
| | - Kacey Clayton-Stiglbauer
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs, Medical University of South Carolina, USA
| | - L Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Drug & Alcohol Programs, Medical University of South Carolina, USA
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30
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Radke AK, Held IT, Sneddon EA, Riddle CA, Quinn JJ. Additive influences of acute early life stress and sex on vulnerability for aversion-resistant alcohol drinking. Addict Biol 2020; 25:e12829. [PMID: 31657073 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Acute early life stress (ELS) alters stress system functioning in adulthood and increases susceptibility to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). The current study assessed the effects of acute, infant ELS on alcohol drinking, including aversion-resistant drinking, in male and female Long Evans rats. Acute ELS was induced using a stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) protocol that consisted of 15 footshocks delivered on postnatal day (PND) 17. Alcohol drinking during adolescence and adulthood was measured with a two-bottle choice intermittent alcohol access paradigm. Aversion-resistant drinking was assessed in adulthood by adding quinine (0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 g/L) to the alcohol bottle after 5 to 6 weeks and 11 to 12 weeks of drinking. ELS had minimal influences on adolescent and adult alcohol consumption and preference. However, ELS, sex, and alcohol exposure history all influenced aversion-resistant alcohol drinking in an additive fashion. Higher concentrations of quinine were tolerated in females, ELS-exposed rats, and after 11 to 12 weeks of drinking. Tests of quinine sensitivity in a separate cohort of animals found that rats can detect concentrations of quinine as low as 0.001 g/L in water and that quinine sensitivity is not influenced by sex or ELS exposure. These results agree with reports of sex differences in aversion-resistant drinking and are the first to demonstrate an influence of ELS on this behavior. Our results also suggest that a single traumatic stress exposure in infancy may be a promising model of comorbid PTSD and AUD and useful in studying the interactions between ELS, sex, and alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Radke
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA
| | - Isabel T Held
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Sneddon
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA
| | - Collin A Riddle
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA
| | - Jennifer J Quinn
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA
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31
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Macht V, Elchert N, Crews F. Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Produces Protracted Cognitive-Behavioral Impairments in Adult Male and Female Rats. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110785. [PMID: 33126417 PMCID: PMC7692738 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Binge drinking is common in adolescence. Rodent studies modeling adolescent binge drinking find persistent effects on the brain's physiology, including increased expression of neuroimmune genes, impaired neurogenesis, and changes in behavioral flexibility. This study used females and males to investigate the effects of adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) on a battery of behaviors assessing spatial navigation using a radial arm water maze, working memory using the Hebb-Williams maze, non-spatial long-term memory using novel object recognition, and dominance using a tube dominance test. Results indicate that AIE impairs adult acquisition in spatial navigational learning with deficits predominantly driven by females. Surprisingly, AIE slowed the transition from random to serial search strategies in both sexes, suggesting AIE impairs flexibility in problem-solving processing. In the Hebb-Williams maze working memory task, adult AIE rats exhibited deficits in problem solving, resulting in more errors across the 12 maze configurations, independent of sex. Conversely, AIE decreased dominance behaviors in female rats, and at 7 months post-alcohol, female AIE rats continued to exhibit deficits in novel object recognition. These results suggest that cognitive-behavioral alterations after adolescent binge drinking persist well into middle age, despite abstinence. Future studies should focus on intervening treatment strategies in both females and males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Macht
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (V.M.); (N.E.)
| | - Natalie Elchert
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (V.M.); (N.E.)
| | - Fulton Crews
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (V.M.); (N.E.)
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-919-966-5678
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32
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Salling MC, Harrison NL. Constitutive Genetic Deletion of Hcn1 Increases Alcohol Preference during Adolescence. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10110763. [PMID: 33105624 PMCID: PMC7690419 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10110763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (HCN), which underlies the hyperpolarization-activated cation current (Ih), has diverse roles in regulating neuronal excitability across cell types and brain regions. Recently, HCN channels have been implicated in preclinical models of substance abuse including alcohol. In the prefrontal cortex of rodents, HCN expression and Ih magnitude are developmentally regulated during adolescence and may be vulnerable to alcohol’s effects. In mice, binge alcohol consumption during the adolescent period results in a sustained reduction in Ih that coincides with increased alcohol consumption in adulthood, yet the direct role HCN channels have on alcohol consumption are unknown. Here, we show that the genetic deletion of Hcn1 causes an increase in alcohol preference on intermittent 2-bottle choice task in homozygous null (HCN1−/−) male mice compared to wild-type littermates without affecting saccharine or quinine preference. The targeted viral deletion of HCN1 in pyramidal neurons of the medial prefrontal cortex resulted in a gradual loss of Hcn1 expression and a reduction in Ih magnitude during adolescence, however, this did not significantly affect alcohol consumption or preference. We conclude that while HCN1 regulates alcohol preference, the genetic deletion of Hcn1 in the medial prefrontal cortex does not appear to be the locus for this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Salling
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Neil L. Harrison
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA;
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33
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Barker JM, Bryant KG, Montiel-Ramos A, Goldwasser B, Chandler LJ. Selective Deficits in Contingency-Driven Ethanol Seeking Following Chronic Ethanol Exposure in Male Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:1896-1905. [PMID: 32735737 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with alcohol use disorders exhibit an overreliance on habitual response strategies which may result from a history of chronic alcohol exposure. Although habits are defined by behavior that persists despite changes in outcome value and in action-outcome relationships, most research investigating the effects of ethanol exposure on habits has focused only on outcome devaluation. A clear understanding of the effects of chronic alcohol exposure on the ability to flexibly update behavior may provide insight into the behavioral deficits that characterize alcohol use disorders. METHODS To dissociate the effects of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure on contingency-mediated sucrose versus ethanol seeking, adult male C57Bl/6J mice were assigned to 2 separate experiments. In the first experiment, mice were trained to self-administer ethanol prior to 2 cycles of interleaved CIE exposure by vapor inhalation. In a second experiment, mice were trained to self-administer sucrose and ethanol in separate training sessions prior to 4 cycles of interleaved CIE. The use of contingencies to mediate reward seeking was assessed using a contingency degradation paradigm. RESULTS In mice trained to self-administer only ethanol, 2 weeks of CIE resulted in escalated self-administration. At this time point, CIE-exposed mice, but not air-exposed controls, exhibited ethanol seeking that was insensitive to changes in action-outcome contingency, consistent with habitual ethanol seeking. In mice trained to self-administer ethanol and sucrose rewards in sequential sessions, no escalation in self-administration across 4 weeks of CIE was observed. Under these conditions, neither Air- nor CIE-exposed mice reduced ethanol seeking in response to contingency degradation. In contrast, sucrose seeking remained goal-directed. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that chronic ethanol exposure impairs contingency-driven ethanol seeking more readily than sucrose-seeking behavior. Further, these findings indicate that the transition from contingency-mediated ethanol seeking occurs more rapidly than for sucrose seeking under similar ethanol exposure conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline M Barker
- From the, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology (JMB, KGB), Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kathleen G Bryant
- From the, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology (JMB, KGB), Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alan Montiel-Ramos
- Department of Neurosciences (AM, BG, LJC), Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Benjamin Goldwasser
- Department of Neurosciences (AM, BG, LJC), Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Lawrence Judson Chandler
- Department of Neurosciences (AM, BG, LJC), Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
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34
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Joffe ME, Winder DG, Conn PJ. Contrasting sex-dependent adaptations to synaptic physiology and membrane properties of prefrontal cortex interneuron subtypes in a mouse model of binge drinking. Neuropharmacology 2020; 178:108126. [PMID: 32781000 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects all sexes, however women who develop AUD may be particularly susceptible to cravings and other components of the disease. While many brain regions are involved in AUD etiology, proper prefrontal cortex (PFC) function is particularly important for top-down craving management and the moderation of drinking behaviors. Essential regulation of PFC output is provided by local inhibitory interneurons, yet how drinking affects interneuron physiology remains poorly understood, particularly in female individuals. To address this gap, we generated fluorescent reporter transgenic mice to label the two major classes of interneuron in deep layer prelimbic PFC, based on expression of parvalbumin (PV-IN) or somatostatin (SST-IN). We then interrogated PV-IN and SST-IN membrane and synaptic physiology in a rodent model of binge drinking. Beginning in late adolescence, mice received 3-4 weeks of intermittent access (IA) ethanol. We prepared acute brain slices one day after the last drinking session. PV-INs but not SST-INs from IA ethanol mice displayed increased excitability relative to controls, regardless of sex. On the contrary, synaptic adaptations to PV-INs differed based on sex. While drinking decreased excitatory synaptic strength onto PV-INs from female mice, PV-INs from IA ethanol male mice exhibited potentiated excitatory transmission relative to controls. In contrast, decreased synaptic strength onto SST-INs was observed following IA ethanol in all groups of mice. Together, these findings illustrate novel sex differences in drinking-related PFC pathophysiology. Discovering means to restore PV-IN and SST-IN dysfunction following extended drinking provides opportunities for developing new treatments for all AUD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max E Joffe
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - P Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
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Nentwig TB, Starr EM, Chandler LJ, Glover EJ. Absence of compulsive drinking phenotype in adult male rats exposed to ethanol in a binge-like pattern during adolescence. Alcohol 2019; 79:93-103. [PMID: 30664983 PMCID: PMC6639162 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2019.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The abuse of alcohol during adolescence is widespread and represents a particular concern, given that earlier age of drinking onset is associated with increased risk for the development of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Despite this risk, it remains unclear whether binge-like adolescent alcohol exposure facilitates drinking despite aversive consequences, a characteristic common among individuals with AUDs. The present study examined voluntary alcohol consumption and aversion-resistant drinking in adult male Long-Evans rats that had undergone adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure by vapor inhalation between postnatal days (PD) 28-44. Ethanol consumption during adulthood was examined using a two-bottle choice (2BC) intermittent access procedure. Rats were tested for aversion-resistant drinking using ethanol adulterated with quinine (10, 30, 100 mg/L) after two 7-week periods of 2BC drinking. After completion of the second test of aversion-resistant drinking, rats were trained to operantly self-administer ethanol. The results revealed that both air control (AIR) and AIE-exposed rats exhibited similar ethanol intake and preference in the 2BC paradigm. After 7 weeks of 2BC drinking, quinine adulteration significantly suppressed ethanol intake, but only at the highest concentration examined (100 mg/L). However, upon retesting after a total of 17 weeks of 2BC drinking, 30-mg/L quinine suppressed ethanol intake. Notably, AIR- and AIE-exposed rats were equally sensitive to quinine-adulterated ethanol at both time points. In addition, AIR- and AIE-exposed rats responded similarly during operant ethanol self-administration on both fixed and progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement. Finally, both AIR- and AIE-exposed rats exhibited similar preference for sucrose. The results of this study show that binge-like ethanol vapor exposure during adolescence does not alter voluntary ethanol consumption, motivation to operantly respond for ethanol, or promote aversion-resistant ethanol consumption in adulthood. These data, together with previous work reporting conflicting results across various rodent models of adolescent alcohol exposure, underscore the need to further explore the role that exposure to alcohol during adolescence has on the development of heavy and compulsive drinking phenotypes in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Nentwig
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States
| | - E Margaret Starr
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States
| | - L Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States
| | - Elizabeth J Glover
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
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Crews FT, Robinson DL, Chandler LJ, Ehlers CL, Mulholland PJ, Pandey SC, Rodd ZA, Spear LP, Swartzwelder HS, Vetreno RP. Mechanisms of Persistent Neurobiological Changes Following Adolescent Alcohol Exposure: NADIA Consortium Findings. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1806-1822. [PMID: 31335972 PMCID: PMC6758927 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Neurobiology of Adolescent Drinking in Adulthood (NADIA) Consortium has focused on the impact of adolescent binge drinking on brain development, particularly on effects that persist into adulthood. Adolescent binge drinking is common, and while many factors contribute to human brain development and alcohol use during adolescence, animal models are critical for understanding the specific consequences of alcohol exposure during this developmental period and the underlying mechanisms. Using adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure models, NADIA investigators identified long-lasting AIE-induced changes in adult behavior that are consistent with observations in humans, such as increased alcohol drinking, increased anxiety (particularly social anxiety), increased impulsivity, reduced behavioral flexibility, impaired memory, disrupted sleep, and altered responses to alcohol. These behavioral changes are associated with multiple molecular, cellular, and physiological alterations in the brain that persist long after AIE exposure. At the molecular level, AIE results in long-lasting changes in neuroimmune/trophic factor balance and epigenetic-microRNA (miRNA) signaling across glia and neurons. At the cellular level, AIE history is associated in adulthood with reduced expression of cholinergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic neuron markers, attenuated cortical thickness, decreased neurogenesis, and altered dendritic spine and glial morphology. This constellation of molecular and cellular adaptations to AIE likely contributes to observed alterations in neurophysiology, measured by synaptic physiology, EEG patterns, and functional connectivity. Many of these AIE-induced brain changes replicate findings seen in postmortem brains of humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD). NADIA researchers are now elucidating mechanisms of these adaptations. Emerging data demonstrate that exercise, antiinflammatory drugs, anticholinesterases, histone deacetylase inhibitors, and other pharmacological compounds are able to prevent (administered during AIE) and/or reverse (given after AIE) AIE-induced pathology in adulthood. These studies support hypotheses that adolescent binge drinking increases risk of adult hazardous drinking and influences brain development, and may provide insight into novel therapeutic targets for AIE-induced neuropathology and AUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulton T Crews
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Donita L Robinson
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - L Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Cindy L Ehlers
- Department of Neurosciences, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Patrick J Mulholland
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago and Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Zachary A Rodd
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Psychiatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Linda P Spear
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York
| | - H Scott Swartzwelder
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Ryan P Vetreno
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Xie Q, Buck LA, Bryant KG, Barker JM. Sex Differences in Ethanol Reward Seeking Under Conflict in Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1556-1566. [PMID: 31034618 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorders are characterized by inflexible alcohol seeking that occurs despite adverse consequences. Males and females are differentially sensitive to ethanol (EtOH) reward, but it is unclear whether sex differences in EtOH seeking under reward-aversion conflict are present. METHODS To investigate sex differences in EtOH seeking under conflict, adult male and female C57BL/6J mice underwent chronic intermittent EtOH (CIE) exposure by vapor inhalation or served as air-exposed controls. After CIE, mice were trained in a modified EtOH conditioned place preference paradigm. During 3 conditioning sessions, 2 g/kg EtOH was administered prior to confinement in the "EtOH-paired" chamber. On alternating days, saline was injected prior to confinement in the "saline-paired" chamber. After conditioning, mice experienced a footshock in the EtOH-paired chamber. EtOH-seeking behavior was assessed before and after footshock. RESULTS Control and CIE-exposed males reduced the time spent in and increased latency to enter the reward-paired chamber following footshock. Control females did not alter EtOH-seeking behavior following footshock. CIE-exposed females spent more time in the EtOH-paired chamber at baseline. However, following a footshock, CIE-exposed females significantly reduced the time spent in and increased latency to enter the EtOH-paired chamber. CONCLUSIONS Nondependent female mice exhibited aversion-resistant alcohol seeking to a greater degree than males. Chronic EtOH exposure did not impact EtOH seeking in males. In females, CIE enhanced EtOH seeking in the absence of conflict, but reduced EtOH seeking after an aversive experience. While these sex-specific effects of CIE are not present when reward seeking is assessed in the absence of an aversive experience, multiple factors may underlie the differences in reward seeking despite adverse consequences, including reward- and aversion-related learning and decision making under conflict. These data highlight the importance of considering sex as a variable influencing EtOH seeking and provide a greater understanding of how sex interacts with EtOH exposure to alter behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaowei Xie
- From the, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Lauren A Buck
- From the, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kathleen G Bryant
- From the, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jacqueline M Barker
- From the, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Shnitko TA, Gonzales SW, Grant KA. Low cognitive flexibility as a risk for heavy alcohol drinking in non-human primates. Alcohol 2019; 74:95-104. [PMID: 30097387 PMCID: PMC6202248 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol abuse is frequently considered a habitual or inflexible behavior; however, measures of pre-existing cognitive flexibility prior to initiation of alcohol use are usually not available. This study used rhesus monkeys and an attentional set-shifting task to investigate whether pre-existing cognitive flexibility would predict increased risk for heavy alcohol drinking. As previously reported, monkeys were given 30 daily set-shifting sessions prior to alcohol access. These sessions consisted of the same sequence of eight unique visual discriminations (sets) of two objects that varied on two dimensions (shapes and colors). The ratio of errors per trials, session duration, and maximum set reached were primary dependent variables from each session and were used to compose a session performance index (PI) that ranged from a low performance PI of 31 to an optimal performance PI of 247. Here, animals underwent an alcohol induction period followed by 22 weeks of daily (22-h) self-administration sessions with free access to water and alcohol. Based on average daily alcohol intake during 22 weeks of 22-h/day access, the monkeys were categorized as non-heavy (mean = 2.0 ± 0.3 g/kg/day; n = 3) and heavy (mean = 3.3 ± 0.5 g/kg/day; n = 6) drinkers. The two groups diverged in performance on the set-shifting task across the 30 pre-alcohol sessions, and at the end of the pre-alcohol testing, the group average PI was 216 ± 27 and 137 ± 71 for the future non-heavy and heavy drinkers, respectively. The data show that low cognitive flexibility assessed with a set-shifting procedure was predictive of future classification as a heavy alcohol drinker. The data highlight individual differences in both cognitive flexibility and in alcohol self-administration in this population of rhesus monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana A Shnitko
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97006-3448, United States
| | - Steven W Gonzales
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97006-3448, United States
| | - Kathleen A Grant
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97006-3448, United States; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, L-470, Portland, OR 97239-3098, United States.
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