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Vargas-Perez H, Grieder TE, van der Kooy D. Neural Plasticity in the Ventral Tegmental Area, Aversive Motivation during Drug Withdrawal and Hallucinogenic Therapy. J Psychoactive Drugs 2023; 55:62-72. [PMID: 35114904 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2022.2033889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant glutamatergic signaling has been closely related to several pathologies of the central nervous system. Glutamatergic activity can induce an increase in neural plasticity mediated by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a nodal point in the mesolimbic dopamine system. Recent studies have related BDNF dependent plasticity in the VTA with the modulation of aversive motivation to deal with noxious environmental stimuli. The disarray of these learning mechanisms would produce an abnormal augmentation in the representation of the emotional information related to aversion, sometimes even in the absence of external environmental trigger, inducing pathologies linked to mood disorders such as depression and drug addiction. Recent studies point out that serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) receptors, especially the 2a (5-HT2a) subtype, play an important role in BDNF-related neural plasticity in the VTA. It has been observed that a single administration of a 5HT2a agonist can both revert an animal to a nondependent state from a drug-dependent state (produced by the chronic administration of a substance of abuse). The 5HT2a agonist also reverted the BDNF-induced neural plasticity in the VTA, suggesting that the administration of 5-HT2a agonists could be used as effective therapeutic agents to treat drug addiction. These findings could explain the neurobiological correlate of the therapeutic use of 5HT2a agonists, which can be found in animals, plants and fungi during traditional medicine ceremonies and rituals to treat mood related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector Vargas-Perez
- The Nierika Intercultural Medicine Institute, Ocuilan, México.,Postgrado En Ciencias Cognitivas, Universidad Autonoma Del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Taryn Elizabeth Grieder
- Institute of Medical Science and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Derek van der Kooy
- Institute of Medical Science and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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2
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Kasper JM, Smith AE, Miller SN, Ara, Russell WK, Cunningham KA, Hommel JD. Role of neuropeptide neuromedin U in the nucleus accumbens shell in cocaine self-administration in male rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1875-1882. [PMID: 34916591 PMCID: PMC9485260 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01234-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) and its afferent and efferent neuronal projections control key aspects of motivation for cocaine. A recently described regulator of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) projections from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) to the NAcSh (DRN → NAcSh) is the neuropeptide neuromedin U (NMU). Here, we find that systemic administration of NMU decreases breakpoint for cocaine on a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement in male rats. Employing a retrograde adeno-associated virus (AAV), we found that RNAi-mediated knockdown of the NMU receptor 2 (NMUR2) in afferent DRN projections to the NAcSh increases the breakpoint for cocaine. Our previous studies demonstrated that NMU regulates GABA release in the NAcSh, and our current investigation found that systemic NMU administration suppresses cocaine-evoked GABA release in the NAcSh and increases phosphorylated c-Fos expression in neurons projecting from the NAcSh to the ventral pallidum (VP). To further probe the impact of NMU/NMUR2 on neuroanatomical pathways regulating motivation for cocaine, we employed multi-viral transsynaptic studies. Using a combination of rabies virus and retrograde AAV helper virus, we mapped the impact of NMU across three distinct brain regions simultaneously and found a direct connection of GABAergic DRN neurons to the NAcSh → VP pathway. Together, these data reveal that NMU/NMUR2 modulates a direct connection within the GABAergic DRN → NAcSh → VP circuit that diminishes breakpoints for cocaine. These findings importantly advance our understanding of the neurochemical underpinnings of pathway-specific regulation of neurocircuitry that may regulate cocaine self-administration, providing a unique therapeutic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Kasper
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Ashley E Smith
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Sierra N Miller
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Ara
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - William K Russell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Kathryn A Cunningham
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
| | - Jonathan D Hommel
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
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3
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Sadamura Y, Thapa S, Mizunuma R, Kambe Y, Hirasawa A, Nakamoto K, Tokuyama S, Yoshimoto K, Arita K, Miyata A, Oyoshi T, Kurihara T. FFAR1/GPR40 Contributes to the Regulation of Striatal Monoamine Releases and Facilitation of Cocaine-Induced Locomotor Activity in Mice. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:699026. [PMID: 34489696 PMCID: PMC8417570 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.699026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1) is suggested to function as a G protein-coupled receptor (GPR40) for medium-to-long-chain free fatty acids. Previous studies on the expression of FFAR1 revealed that the nigrostriatal region is one of the areas which express abundant FFAR1 mRNA/protein in the central nervous system (CNS). However, the role of FFAR1 in the CNS has been still largely unclarified. Here, we examined a possible functional role of FFAR1 in the control of extracellular concentrations of striatal monoamines and cocaine-induced locomotor activity. Microdialysis analysis revealed that the basal level of extracellular dopamine (DA) was significantly elevated, while the basal serotonin (5-HT) level tended to be reduced in the striatum of FFAR1 knockout (-/-) mice. Interestingly, local application of a FFAR1 agonist, GW9508, markedly augmented the striatal 5-HT release in FFAR1 wild-type (+/+) mice, whereas topical application of a FFAR1 antagonist, GW1100, significantly reduced the 5-HT release. However, the enhanced 5-HT release was completely lost in -/- mice. Although acute administration of cocaine enhanced the locomotor activity in both +/+ and -/- mice, the magnitude of the enhancement was significantly reduced in -/- mice. In addition, intraperitoneal injection of GW1100 significantly decreased the cocaine-induced locomotor enhancement. These results suggest that FFAR1 has a facilitatory role in striatal 5-HT release, and the evoked 5-HT release might contribute to enhance cocaine-induced locomotor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Sadamura
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.,Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Shanta Thapa
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.,Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Ryota Mizunuma
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Yuki Kambe
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Akira Hirasawa
- Department of Genomic Drug Discovery Science, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazuo Nakamoto
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shogo Tokuyama
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Koji Yoshimoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Kazunori Arita
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Atsuro Miyata
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Oyoshi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Takashi Kurihara
- Department of Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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4
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Maternal Opioid Exposure Culminates in Perturbed Murine Neurodevelopment and Hyperactive Phenotype in Adolescence. Neuroscience 2021; 463:272-287. [PMID: 33811940 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Opioid use by women during pregnancy has risen dramatically since 2004, accompanied by a striking increase in the prevalence of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) and other long-term neurological deficits. However, the mechanisms underlying the impact of prenatal opioid exposure on fetal neurodevelopment are largely unknown. To translate from the clinical presentation, we developed a novel mouse model to study the neurodevelopmental consequences of maternal opioid use and management. Female mice were treated with oxycodone (OXY) before mating to mimic opioid use disorder (OUD) in humans. Following pregnancy confirmation, dams were switched to buprenorphine (BUP) via oral administration, simulating medication management of OUD (MOUD) in pregnant women. Here, we document critical changes in fetal brain development including reduced cortical thickness, altered corticogenesis, and ventriculomegaly in embryos from dams that were treated with opioids before and throughout pregnancy. Maternal care giving behavior was slightly altered without affecting gross growth of offspring. However, adolescent offspring exposed to maternal opioid use during pregnancy exhibited hyperactivity in late adolescence. Remarkably, we also show increased generation of dopaminergic neurons within the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of mice exposed to prenatal opioids. These data provide critical evidence of teratogenic effects of opioid use during pregnancy and suggest a causal relationship between maternal opioid use and neurodevelopmental/behavioral anomalies in adolescence.
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5
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Gao J, Nie L, Li Y, Li M. Serotonin 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors regulate rat maternal behavior through distinct behavioral and neural mechanisms. Neuropharmacology 2020; 162:107848. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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6
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Price AE, Sholler DJ, Stutz SJ, Anastasio NC, Cunningham KA. Endogenous Serotonin 5-HT 2A and 5-HT 2C Receptors Associate in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex. ACS Chem Neurosci 2019; 10:3241-3248. [PMID: 30645940 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) and 5-HT2CR are localized to the same neurons within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which regulates executive function, decision-making, and reward-guided learning and memory processes. The 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR coimmunoprecipitate in the mPFC of male Sprague-Dawley rats, while in vitro studies demonstrate the presence of a physical interaction between the 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR. The purpose of this study was to identify mPFC subregions in which the 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR physically interact ex vivo in the male Sprague-Dawley rat. We established the expression patterns of 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR in layers I-VI of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), prelimbic (PL), and infralimbic (IL) subregions using double-label fluorescence immunohistochemistry in male rats. We then employed the proximity ligation assay (PLA) to test the hypothesis that the 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR form a close, physical association within these mPFC subregions. Our results demonstrate subregion- and layer-specific expression of the 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR proteins using immunofluorescence and single recognition PLA, and a spatially close (within 40 nm) interaction between the 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR that occurs along a dorsal-ventral gradient in the rat mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda E. Price
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Dennis J. Sholler
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Sonja J. Stutz
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Noelle C. Anastasio
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Kathryn A. Cunningham
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
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7
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You IJ, Wright SR, Garcia-Garcia AL, Tapper AR, Gardner PD, Koob GF, David Leonardo E, Bohn LM, Wee S. 5-HT1A Autoreceptors in the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Convey Vulnerability to Compulsive Cocaine Seeking. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:1210-22. [PMID: 26324408 PMCID: PMC4793105 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2015] [Revised: 08/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine addiction and depression are comorbid disorders. Although it is well recognized that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) plays a central role in depression, our understanding of its role in addiction is notably lacking. The 5-HT system in the brain is carefully controlled by a combined process of regulating 5-HT neuron firing through 5-HT autoreceptors, neurotransmitter release, enzymatic degradation, and reuptake by transporters. This study tests the hypothesis that activation of 5-HT1A autoreceptors, which would lessen 5-HT neuron firing, contributes to cocaine-seeking behaviors. Using 5-HT neuron-specific reduction of 5-HT1A autoreceptor gene expression in mice, we demonstrate that 5-HT1A autoreceptors are necessary for cocaine conditioned place preference. In addition, using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) technology, we found that stimulation of the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) afferents to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) abolishes cocaine reward and promotes antidepressive-like behaviors. Finally, using a rat model of compulsive-like cocaine self-administration, we found that inhibition of dorsal raphe 5-HT1A autoreceptors attenuates cocaine self-administration in rats with 6 h extended access, but not 1 h access to the drug. Therefore, our findings suggest an important role for 5-HT1A autoreceptors, and thus DRNNAc 5-HT neuronal activity, in the etiology and vulnerability to cocaine reward and addiction. Moreover, our findings support a strategy for antagonizing 5-HT1A autoreceptors for treating cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- In-Jee You
- Department of Psychiatry, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA,Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Scripps Research Institute-Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA, Tel: +1 508 455 4293, Fax: +1 508 455 4281, E-mail:
| | - Sherie R Wright
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Scripps Research Institute-Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | | | - Andrew R Tapper
- Department of Psychiatry, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Paul D Gardner
- Department of Psychiatry, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA,National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - E David Leonardo
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA,New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura M Bohn
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Scripps Research Institute-Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Sunmee Wee
- Department of Molecular Therapeutics, The Scripps Research Institute-Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA
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Boateng CA, Bakare OM, Zhan J, Banala AK, Burzynski C, Pommier E, Keck TM, Donthamsetti P, Javitch JA, Rais R, Slusher BS, Xi ZX, Newman AH. High Affinity Dopamine D3 Receptor (D3R)-Selective Antagonists Attenuate Heroin Self-Administration in Wild-Type but not D3R Knockout Mice. J Med Chem 2015. [PMID: 26203768 PMCID: PMC4937837 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
The
dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) is a promising
target for the development of pharmacotherapeutics to treat substance
use disorders. Several D3R-selective antagonists are effective
in animal models of drug abuse, especially in models of relapse. Nevertheless,
poor bioavailability, metabolic instability, and/or predicted toxicity
have impeded success in translating these drug candidates to clinical
use. Herein, we report a series of D3R-selective 4-phenylpiperazines
with improved metabolic stability. A subset of these compounds was
evaluated for D3R functional efficacy and off-target binding
at selected 5-HT receptor subtypes, where significant overlap in SAR
with D3R has been observed. Several high affinity D3R antagonists, including compounds 16 (Ki = 0.12 nM) and 32 (Ki = 0.35 nM), showed improved metabolic stability
compared to the parent compound, PG648 (6). Notably, 16 and the classic D3R antagonist SB277011A (2) were effective in reducing self-administration of heroin
in wild-type but not D3R knockout mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Comfort A Boateng
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Oluyomi M Bakare
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Jia Zhan
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Ashwini K Banala
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Caitlin Burzynski
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Elie Pommier
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Thomas M Keck
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Prashant Donthamsetti
- ∥Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032, United States
| | - Jonathan A Javitch
- ∥Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York 10032, United States
| | - Rana Rais
- §Department of Neurology, Brain Science Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S Slusher
- §Department of Neurology, Brain Science Institute, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Zheng-Xiong Xi
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Amy Hauck Newman
- †Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse- Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
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9
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Marcinkiewcz CA. Serotonergic Systems in the Pathophysiology of Ethanol Dependence: Relevance to Clinical Alcoholism. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:1026-39. [PMID: 25654315 DOI: 10.1021/cn5003573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcoholism is a progressive brain disorder that is marked by increased sensitivity to the positive and negative reinforcing properties of ethanol, compulsive and habitual use despite negative consequences, and chronic relapse to alcohol drinking despite repeated attempts to reduce intake or abstain from alcohol. Emerging evidence from preclinical and clinical studies implicates serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) systems in the pathophysiology of alcohol dependence, suggesting that drugs targeting 5-HT systems may have utility in the treatment of alcohol use disorders. In this Review, we discuss the role of 5-HT systems in alcohol dependence with a focus on 5-HT interactions with neural circuits that govern all three stages of the addiction cycle. We attempt to clarify how 5-HT influences circuit function at these different stages with the goal of identifying neural targets for pharmacological treatment of this debilitating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A. Marcinkiewcz
- Bowles Center for
Alcohol
Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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10
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Individual Differences in Impulsive Action Reflect Variation in the Cortical Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor System. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:1957-68. [PMID: 25666313 PMCID: PMC4839520 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.46] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Impulsivity is an important feature of multiple neuropsychiatric disorders, and individual variation in the degree of inherent impulsivity could play a role in the generation or exacerbation of problematic behaviors. Serotonin (5-HT) actions at the 5-HT2AR receptor (5-HT2AR) promote and 5-HT2AR antagonists suppress impulsive action (the inability to withhold premature responses; motor impulsivity) upon systemic administration or microinfusion directly into the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a node in the corticostriatal circuit that is thought to play a role in the regulation of impulsive action. We hypothesized that the functional capacity of the 5-HT2AR, which is governed by its expression, localization, and protein/protein interactions (eg, postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95)), may drive the predisposition to inherent impulsive action. Stable high-impulsive (HI) and low-impulsive (LI) phenotypes were identified from an outbred rodent population with the 1-choice serial reaction time (1-CSRT) task. HI rats exhibited a greater head-twitch response following administration of the preferential 5-HT2AR agonist 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) and were more sensitive to the effects of the selective 5-HT2AR antagonist M100907 to suppress impulsive action relative to LI rats. A positive correlation was observed between levels of premature responses and 5-HT2AR binding density in frontal cortex ([(3)H]-ketanserin radioligand binding). Elevated mPFC 5-HT2AR protein expression concomitant with augmented association of the 5-HT2AR with PSD95 differentiated HI from LI rats. The observed differential sensitivity of HI and LI rats to 5-HT2AR ligands and associated distinct 5-HT2AR protein profiles provide evidence that spontaneously occurring individual differences in impulsive action reflect variation in the cortical 5-HT2AR system.
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11
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Howell LL, Cunningham KA. Serotonin 5-HT2 receptor interactions with dopamine function: implications for therapeutics in cocaine use disorder. Pharmacol Rev 2015; 67:176-97. [PMID: 25505168 DOI: 10.1124/pr.114.009514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cocaine exhibits prominent abuse liability, and chronic abuse can result in cocaine use disorder with significant morbidity. Major advances have been made in delineating neurobiological mechanisms of cocaine abuse; however, effective medications to treat cocaine use disorder remain to be discovered. The present review will focus on the role of serotonin (5-HT; 5-hydroxytryptamine) neurotransmission in the neuropharmacology of cocaine and related abused stimulants. Extensive research suggests that the primary contribution of 5-HT to cocaine addiction is a consequence of interactions with dopamine (DA) neurotransmission. The literature on the neurobiological and behavioral effects of cocaine is well developed, so the focus of the review will be on cocaine with inferences made about other monoamine uptake inhibitors and releasers based on mechanistic considerations. 5-HT receptors are widely expressed throughout the brain, and several different 5-HT receptor subtypes have been implicated in mediating the effects of endogenous 5-HT on DA. However, the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors in particular have been implicated as likely candidates for mediating the influence of 5-HT in cocaine abuse as well as to traits (e.g., impulsivity) that contribute to the development of cocaine use disorder and relapse in humans. Lastly, new approaches are proposed to guide targeted development of serotonergic ligands for the treatment of cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonard L Howell
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (L.L.H.); and Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (K.A.C.)
| | - Kathryn A Cunningham
- Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia (L.L.H.); and Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (K.A.C.)
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12
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Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS): molecular neurogenetic evidence for predisposition to Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS). Mol Neurobiol 2014; 50:765-96. [PMID: 24878765 PMCID: PMC4225054 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-014-8726-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Accepted: 04/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We have published extensively on the neurogenetics of brain reward systems with reference to the genes related to dopaminergic function in particular. In 1996, we coined “Reward Deficiency Syndrome” (RDS), to portray behaviors found to have gene-based association with hypodopaminergic function. RDS as a useful concept has been embraced in many subsequent studies, to increase our understanding of Substance Use Disorder (SUD), addictions, and other obsessive, compulsive, and impulsive behaviors. Interestingly, albeit others, in one published study, we were able to describe lifetime RDS behaviors in a recovering addict (17 years sober) blindly by assessing resultant Genetic Addiction Risk Score (GARS™) data only. We hypothesize that genetic testing at an early age may be an effective preventive strategy to reduce or eliminate pathological substance and behavioral seeking activity. Here, we consider a select number of genes, their polymorphisms, and associated risks for RDS whereby, utilizing GWAS, there is evidence for convergence to reward candidate genes. The evidence presented serves as a plausible brain-print providing relevant genetic information that will reinforce targeted therapies, to improve recovery and prevent relapse on an individualized basis. The primary driver of RDS is a hypodopaminergic trait (genes) as well as epigenetic states (methylation and deacetylation on chromatin structure). We now have entered a new era in addiction medicine that embraces the neuroscience of addiction and RDS as a pathological condition in brain reward circuitry that calls for appropriate evidence-based therapy and early genetic diagnosis and that requires further intensive investigation.
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The role of serotonin in drug use and addiction. Behav Brain Res 2014; 277:146-92. [PMID: 24769172 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Revised: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The use of psychoactive drugs is a wide spread behaviour in human societies. The systematic use of a drug requires the establishment of different drug use-associated behaviours which need to be learned and controlled. However, controlled drug use may develop into compulsive drug use and addiction, a major psychiatric disorder with severe consequences for the individual and society. Here we review the role of the serotonergic (5-HT) system in the establishment of drug use-associated behaviours on the one hand and the transition and maintenance of addiction on the other hand for the drugs: cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy), morphine/heroin, cannabis, alcohol, and nicotine. Results show a crucial, but distinct involvement of the 5-HT system in both processes with considerable overlap between psychostimulant and opioidergic drugs and alcohol. A new functional model suggests specific adaptations in the 5-HT system, which coincide with the establishment of controlled drug use-associated behaviours. These serotonergic adaptations render the nervous system susceptible to the transition to compulsive drug use behaviours and often overlap with genetic risk factors for addiction. Altogether we suggest a new trajectory by which serotonergic neuroadaptations induced by first drug exposure pave the way for the establishment of addiction.
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Gonçalves J, Baptista S, Silva AP. Psychostimulants and brain dysfunction: a review of the relevant neurotoxic effects. Neuropharmacology 2014; 87:135-49. [PMID: 24440369 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2013] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Psychostimulants abuse is a major public concern because is associated with serious health complications, including devastating consequences on the central nervous system (CNS). The neurotoxic effects of these drugs have been extensively studied. Nevertheless, numerous questions and uncertainties remain in our understanding of these toxic events. Thus, the purpose of the present manuscript is to review cellular and molecular mechanisms that might be responsible for brain dysfunction induced by psychostimulants. Topics reviewed include some classical aspects of neurotoxicity, such as monoaminergic system and mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity and hyperthermia. Moreover, recent literature has suggested new phenomena regarding the toxic effects of psychostimulants. Thus, we also reviewed the impact of these drugs on neuroinflammatory response, blood-brain barrier (BBB) function and neurogenesis. Assessing the relative importance of these mechanisms on psychostimulants-induced brain dysfunction presents an exciting challenge for future research efforts. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'CNS Stimulants'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra Portugal
| | - Sofia Baptista
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra Portugal
| | - Ana Paula Silva
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences (IBILI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra Portugal.
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