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Bloemhof-Bris E, Meiri D, Sulimani L, Genesh SN, Wexler G, Cohen I, Salama A, Burshtein I, Hirschmann S, Feffer K, Weizman S, Stryjer R, Shelef A. Alterations in plasma endocannabinoid concentrations among individuals with major depression treated with electroconvulsive therapy. Psychiatry Res 2024; 337:115967. [PMID: 38796933 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The role of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in depression and suicidality has recently emerged. The purpose of the study was to identify changes in plasma endocannabinoid concentrations of several endocannabinoids and correlate them with depressive symptoms and suicidality in patients with severe major depression undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). The study included 17 patients that were evaluated in four visits at different stages of therapy. At each visit depression, anxiety and suicidality symptoms were assessed and blood samples collected. Several endocannabinoid concentrations increased following six sessions of ECT, as 2-AG (p < 0.05) and LEA (p < 0.01), and following twelve sessions of ECT, as 2-AG (p < 0.05), AEA (p < 0.05), LEA (p < 0.05) and DH-Gly (p < 0.05). Endocannabinoids also correlated with symptoms of depression, anxiety and suicidality at baseline and at the sixth ECT session. Finally, we found one endocannabinoid, l-Gly, that differentiated between remitted and not-remitted patients at the seventh and thirteenth ECT sessions (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that depression is markedly related to imbalance of the endocannabinoid system, and further regulated by ECT. Plasma endocannabinoids could be promising biomarkers for detection of depression response and remission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Meiri
- The Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Cannabinoid Research, Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Liron Sulimani
- Department of Biology, The Kleifeld Laboratory, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Gay Wexler
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel
| | - Itzhak Cohen
- Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Anas Salama
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel
| | | | - Shmuel Hirschmann
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel; Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Kfir Feffer
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel; Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Shira Weizman
- Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat Yam, Israel
| | - Rafael Stryjer
- Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Abarbanel Mental Health Center, Bat Yam, Israel
| | - Assaf Shelef
- Lev Hasharon Mental Health Center, Tzur Moshe, Israel; Departement of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Alcohol Use Disorder: Neurobiology and Therapeutics. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10051192. [PMID: 35625928 PMCID: PMC9139063 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) encompasses the dysregulation of multiple brain circuits involved in executive function leading to excessive consumption of alcohol, despite negative health and social consequences and feelings of withdrawal when access to alcohol is prevented. Ethanol exerts its toxicity through changes to multiple neurotransmitter systems, including serotonin, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, acetylcholine, and opioid systems. These neurotransmitter imbalances result in dysregulation of brain circuits responsible for reward, motivation, decision making, affect, and the stress response. Despite serious health and psychosocial consequences, this disorder still remains one of the leading causes of death globally. Treatment options include both psychological and pharmacological interventions, which are aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and/or promoting abstinence while also addressing dysfunctional behaviours and impaired functioning. However, stigma and social barriers to accessing care continue to impact many individuals. AUD treatment should focus not only on restoring the physiological and neurological impairment directly caused by alcohol toxicity but also on addressing psychosocial factors associated with AUD that often prevent access to treatment. This review summarizes the impact of alcohol toxicity on brain neurocircuitry in the context of AUD and discusses pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies currently available to treat this addiction disorder.
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Abstract
PURPOSE A growing body of evidence has implicated the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in the acute, chronic, and withdrawal effects of alcohol/ethanol on synaptic function. These eCB-mediated synaptic effects may contribute to the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Alcohol exposure causes neurobiological alterations similar to those elicited by chronic cannabinoid (CB) exposure. Like alcohol, cannabinoids alter many central processes, such as cognition, locomotion, synaptic transmission, and neurotransmitter release. There is a strong need to elucidate the effects of ethanol on the eCB system in different brain regions to understand the role of eCB signaling in AUD. SEARCH METHODS For the scope of this review, preclinical studies were identified through queries of the PubMed database. SEARCH RESULTS This search yielded 459 articles. Clinical studies and papers irrelevant to the topic of this review were excluded. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS The endocannabinoid system includes, but is not limited to, cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1), among the most abundantly expressed neuronal receptors in the brain; cannabinoid receptors 2 (CB2); and endogenously formed CB1 ligands, including arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA; anandamide), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). The development of specific CB1 agonists, such as WIN 55,212-2 (WIN), and antagonists, such as SR 141716A (rimonabant), provide powerful pharmacological tools for eCB research. Alcohol exposure has brain region-specific effects on the eCB system, including altering the synthesis of endocannabinoids (e.g., AEA, 2-AG), the synthesis of their precursors, and the density and coupling efficacy of CB1. These alcohol-induced alterations of the eCB system have subsequent effects on synaptic function including neuronal excitability and postsynaptic conductance. This review will provide a comprehensive evaluation of the current literature on the synaptic interactions of alcohol exposure and eCB signaling systems, with an emphasis on molecular and physiological synaptic effects of alcohol on the eCB system. A limited volume of studies has focused on the underlying interactions of alcohol and the eCB system at the synaptic level in the brain. Thus, the data on synaptic interactions are sparse, and future research addressing these interactions is much needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Wolfe
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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Marszalek-Grabska M, Smaga I, Surowka P, Grochecki P, Slowik T, Filip M, Kotlinska JH. Memantine Prevents the WIN 55,212-2 Evoked Cross-Priming of Ethanol-Induced Conditioned Place Preference (CPP). Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22157940. [PMID: 34360704 PMCID: PMC8348856 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22157940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The activation of the endocannabinoid system controls the release of many neurotransmitters involved in the brain reward pathways, including glutamate. Both endocannabinoid and glutamate systems are crucial for alcohol relapse. In the present study, we hypothesize that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors regulate the ability of a priming dose of WIN 55,212-2 to cross-reinstate ethanol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP). To test this hypothesis, ethanol-induced (1.0 g/kg, 10% w/v, i.p.) CPP (unbiased method) was established using male adult Wistar rats. After CPP extinction, one group of animals received WIN 55,212-2 (1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg, i.p.), the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) agonist, or ethanol, and the other group received memantine (3.0 or 10 mg/kg, i.p.), the NMDA antagonist and WIN 55,212-2 on the reinstatement day. Our results showed that a priming injection of WIN 55,212-2 (2.0 mg/kg, i.p.) reinstated (cross-reinstated) ethanol-induced CPP with similar efficacy to ethanol. Memantine (3.0 or 10 mg/kg, i.p.) pretreatment blocked this WIN 55,212-2 effect. Furthermore, our experiments indicated that ethanol withdrawal (7 days withdrawal after 10 days ethanol administration) down-regulated the CNR1 (encoding CB1), GRIN1/2A (encoding GluN1 and GluN2A subunit of the NMDA receptor) genes expression in the prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum, but up-regulated these in the hippocampus, confirming the involvement of these receptors in ethanol rewarding effects. Thus, our results show that the endocannabinoid system is involved in the motivational properties of ethanol, and glutamate may control cannabinoid induced relapse into ethanol seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Marszalek-Grabska
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Irena Smaga
- Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-343 Kraków, Poland; (I.S.); (M.F.)
| | - Paulina Surowka
- Affective Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-343 Kraków, Poland;
| | - Pawel Grochecki
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Tymoteusz Slowik
- Experimental Medicine Center, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Malgorzata Filip
- Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-343 Kraków, Poland; (I.S.); (M.F.)
| | - Jolanta H. Kotlinska
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
- Correspondence:
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Dulman RS, Zhang H, Banerjee R, Krishnan HR, Dong B, Hungund BL, Vinod KY, Pandey SC. CB1 receptor neutral antagonist treatment epigenetically increases neuropeptide Y expression and decreases alcohol drinking. Neuropharmacology 2021; 195:108623. [PMID: 34048869 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption is mediated by several important neuromodulatory systems, including the endocannabinoid and neuropeptide Y (NPY) systems in the limbic brain circuitry. However, molecular mechanisms through which cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptors regulate alcohol consumption are still unclear. Here, we investigated the role of the CB1 receptor-mediated downstream regulation of NPY via epigenetic mechanisms in the amygdala. Alcohol drinking behavior was measured in adult male C57BL/6J mice treated with a CB1 receptor neutral antagonist AM4113 using a two-bottle choice paradigm while anxiety-like behavior was assessed in the light-dark box (LDB) test. The CB1 receptor-mediated changes in the protein levels of phosphorylated cAMP-responsive element binding protein (pCREB), CREB binding protein (CBP), H3K9ac, H3K14ac and NPY, and the mRNA levels of Creb1, Cbp, and Npy were measured in amygdaloid brain structures. Npy-specific changes in the levels of acetylated histone (H3K9/14ac) and CBP in the amygdala were also measured. We found that the pharmacological blockade of CB1 receptors with AM4113 reduced alcohol consumption and, in an ethanol-naïve cohort, reduced anxiety-like behavior in the LDB test. Treatment with AM4113 also increased the mRNA levels of Creb1 and Cbp in the amygdala as well as the protein levels of pCREB, CBP, H3K9ac and H3K14ac in the central and medial nucleus of amygdala, but not in the basolateral amygdala. Additionally, AM4113 treatment increased occupancy of CBP and H3K9/14ac at the Npy gene promoter, leading to an increase in both mRNA and protein levels of NPY in the amygdala. These novel findings suggest that CB1 receptor-mediated CREB signaling plays an important role in the modulation of NPY function through an epigenetic mechanism and further support the potential use of CB1 receptor neutral antagonists for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell S Dulman
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Huaibo Zhang
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Ritabrata Banerjee
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Harish R Krishnan
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Bin Dong
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA
| | - Basalingappa L Hungund
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - K Yaragudri Vinod
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Orangeburg, NY, 10962, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.
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Piggott VM, Lloyd SC, Matchynski JI, Perrine SA, Conti AC. Traumatic Stress, Chronic Ethanol Exposure, or the Combination, Alter Cannabinoid System Components in Reward and Limbic Regions of the Mouse Brain. Molecules 2021; 26:2086. [PMID: 33917316 PMCID: PMC8038692 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26072086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The cannabinoid system is independently affected by stress and chronic ethanol exposure. However, the extent to which co-occurrence of traumatic stress and chronic ethanol exposure modulates the cannabinoid system remains unclear. We examined levels of cannabinoid system components, anandamide, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, fatty acid amide hydrolase, and monoacylglycerol lipase after mouse single-prolonged stress (mSPS) or non-mSPS (Control) exposure, with chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor or without CIE vapor (Air) across several brain regions using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry or immunoblotting. Compared to mSPS-Air mice, anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol levels in the anterior striatum were increased in mSPS-CIE mice. In the dorsal hippocampus, anandamide content was increased in Control-CIE mice compared to Control-Air, mSPS-Air, or mSPS-CIE mice. Finally, amygdalar anandamide content was increased in Control-CIE mice compared to Control-Air, or mSPS-CIE mice, but the anandamide content was decreased in mSPS-CIE compared to mSPS-Air mice. Based on these data we conclude that the effects of combined traumatic stress and chronic ethanol exposure on the cannabinoid system in reward pathway regions are driven by CIE exposure and that traumatic stress affects the cannabinoid components in limbic regions, warranting future investigation of neurotherapeutic treatment to attenuate these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica M. Piggott
- Research & Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; (V.M.P.); (S.C.L.); (J.I.M.); (S.A.P.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Scott C. Lloyd
- Research & Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; (V.M.P.); (S.C.L.); (J.I.M.); (S.A.P.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - James I. Matchynski
- Research & Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; (V.M.P.); (S.C.L.); (J.I.M.); (S.A.P.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Shane A. Perrine
- Research & Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; (V.M.P.); (S.C.L.); (J.I.M.); (S.A.P.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Alana C. Conti
- Research & Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; (V.M.P.); (S.C.L.); (J.I.M.); (S.A.P.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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Niemela G, Terry GE. Contribution of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase to Alcohol Use Disorder: A Systematic Review. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2021; 6:105-118. [PMID: 33989054 DOI: 10.1089/can.2020.0158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Recent research has suggested that chronic alcohol exposure induces changes in the endocannabinoid system within the central nervous system and therefore could be an attractive target for better understanding and treating alcohol use disorder (AUD). Much of this research has centered around the CB1 receptor and its endogenous partial agonist, the endocannabinoid anandamide, as the CB1 receptor is densely expressed in brain regions involved in development and maintenance of addictive behaviors. In addition, recent evidence has suggested that chronic alcohol exposure induces changes in the modulation of endocannabinoid concentration and suggests that these changes may contribute to the motivation to abuse alcohol. Therefore, we performed a systematic literature review to evaluate how fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), an enzyme that degrades anandamide, relates to the characteristics and biology of AUD, as well as how modulating FAAH through pharmacologic inhibition or genetic manipulation affects outcomes related to alcohol use and consumption. Method: A search strategy was developed using the terms "endocannabinoids" or "drug delivery systems" and "alcohol dependence" or "alcohol use disorder" or "alcoholism" and "Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase" and "FAAH" as text words and Medical Subject Headings (i.e., MeSH and EMTREE). We then used this search strategy on the electronic databases PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Results: We found 224 records; after removing repeated records (37%), articles that did not fit the topic question (47%), or were not primary research (4%), we included 26 for qualitative synthesis (12%). Discussion: The literature clearly suggests that FAAH has a role in the biology and characteristics of AUD. FAAH inhibition seems especially promising as a target for alcohol withdrawal as it may lead to a reduction in symptoms, including anxiety and a reduction of alcohol intake reinstatement. However, decreased FAAH may also lead to reduced sensitivity to alcohol along with increased preference and intake. Conclusions: Modulation of FAAH is promising for therapeutic intervention of AUD, but requires more research. Pre-clinical studies have indicated that FAAH inhibition may reduce withdrawal characteristics, but may also exacerbate other characteristics of AUD outside of that period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Niemela
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Garth E Terry
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, and Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Veterans Affairs, Puget Sound Health Care System, Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Seattle, Washington, USA
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8
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Koob GF. Drug Addiction: Hyperkatifeia/Negative Reinforcement as a Framework for Medications Development. Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:163-201. [PMID: 33318153 PMCID: PMC7770492 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Compulsive drug seeking that is associated with addiction is hypothesized to follow a heuristic framework that involves three stages (binge/intoxication, withdrawal/negative affect, and preoccupation/anticipation) and three domains of dysfunction (incentive salience/pathologic habits, negative emotional states, and executive function, respectively) via changes in the basal ganglia, extended amygdala/habenula, and frontal cortex, respectively. This review focuses on neurochemical/neurocircuitry dysregulations that contribute to hyperkatifeia, defined as a greater intensity of negative emotional/motivational signs and symptoms during withdrawal from drugs of abuse in the withdrawal/negative affect stage of the addiction cycle. Hyperkatifeia provides an additional source of motivation for compulsive drug seeking via negative reinforcement. Negative reinforcement reflects an increase in the probability of a response to remove an aversive stimulus or drug seeking to remove hyperkatifeia that is augmented by genetic/epigenetic vulnerability, environmental trauma, and psychiatric comorbidity. Neurobiological targets for hyperkatifeia in addiction involve neurocircuitry of the extended amygdala and its connections via within-system neuroadaptations in dopamine, enkephalin/endorphin opioid peptide, and γ-aminobutyric acid/glutamate systems and between-system neuroadaptations in prostress corticotropin-releasing factor, norepinephrine, glucocorticoid, dynorphin, hypocretin, and neuroimmune systems and antistress neuropeptide Y, nociceptin, endocannabinoid, and oxytocin systems. Such neurochemical/neurocircuitry dysregulations are hypothesized to mediate a negative hedonic set point that gradually gains allostatic load and shifts from a homeostatic hedonic state to an allostatic hedonic state. Based on preclinical studies and translational studies to date, medications and behavioral therapies that reset brain stress, antistress, and emotional pain systems and return them to homeostasis would be promising new targets for medication development. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The focus of this review is on neurochemical/neurocircuitry dysregulations that contribute to hyperkatifeia, defined as a greater intensity of negative emotional/motivational signs and symptoms during withdrawal from drugs of abuse in the withdrawal/negative affect stage of the drug addiction cycle and a driving force for negative reinforcement in addiction. Medications and behavioral therapies that reverse hyperkatifeia by resetting brain stress, antistress, and emotional pain systems and returning them to homeostasis would be promising new targets for medication development.
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Affiliation(s)
- George F Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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9
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Alcohol. Alcohol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-816793-9.00001-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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10
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Forner-Piquer I, Santangeli S, Maradonna F, Rabbito A, Piscitelli F, Habibi HR, di Marzo V, Carnevali O. Comments on Disruption of the gonadal endocannabinoid system in zebrafish exposed to diisononyl phthalate - Forner-Piquer et al. (2018)": rebuttal to Prosser CM. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 261:114028. [PMID: 32085902 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Forner-Piquer
- Dipartimento Scienze Della Vita e Dell'ambiente, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Stefania Santangeli
- Dipartimento Scienze Della Vita e Dell'ambiente, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesca Maradonna
- Dipartimento Scienze Della Vita e Dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy; INBB, Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Consorzio Interuniversitario, 00136, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rabbito
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei, 80078, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Fabiana Piscitelli
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei, 80078, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Hamid R Habibi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Vincezo di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche, Via Campi Flegrei, 80078, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Oliana Carnevali
- Dipartimento Scienze Della Vita e Dell'Ambiente, Università Politecnica Delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy; INBB, Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Consorzio Interuniversitario, 00136, Rome, Italy.
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Sanchez-Marin L, Gavito AL, Decara J, Pastor A, Castilla-Ortega E, Suarez J, de la Torre R, Pavon FJ, Rodriguez de Fonseca F, Serrano A. Impact of intermittent voluntary ethanol consumption during adolescence on the expression of endocannabinoid system and neuroinflammatory mediators. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 33:126-138. [PMID: 32057593 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The adolescent brain displays high vulnerability to the deleterious effects of ethanol, including greater risk of developing alcohol use disorder later in life. Here, we characterized the gene expression of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and relevant signaling systems associated with neuroinflammation and emotional behaviors in the brain of young adult control and ethanol-exposed (EtOH) rats. We measured mRNA levels of candidate genes using quantitative real time PCR in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala and hippocampus. EtOH rats were generated by maintenance on an intermittent and voluntary ethanol consumption during adolescence using the two-bottle choice paradigm (4 days/week for 4 weeks) followed by 2 week-withdrawal, a time-point of withdrawal with no physical symptoms. Mean differences and effect sizes were calculated using t-test and Cohen's d values. In the mPFC and hippocampus, EtOH rats had significantly higher mRNA expression of endocannabinoid-signaling (mPFC: Ppara, Dagla, Daglb and Napepld; and hippocampus: Cnr2, Dagla and Mgll) and neuroinflammation-associated genes (mPFC: Gfap; and hippocampus: Aif1) than in controls. Moreover, EtOH rats had significantly higher mRNA expression of neuropeptide Y receptor genes (Npy1r, Npy2r and Npy5r) in the hippocampus. Finally, EtOH rats also displayed higher plasma endocannabinoid levels than controls. In conclusion, these results suggest that adolescent ethanol exposure can lead to long-term alterations in the gene expression of the ECS and other signaling systems involved in neuroinflammation and regulation of emotional behaviors in key brain areas for the development of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Sanchez-Marin
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Avda. Carlos Haya 82, Sótano, Málaga 29010, Spain
| | - A L Gavito
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Avda. Carlos Haya 82, Sótano, Málaga 29010, Spain
| | - J Decara
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Avda. Carlos Haya 82, Sótano, Málaga 29010, Spain
| | - A Pastor
- Programa de Neurociencias, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Castilla-Ortega
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Avda. Carlos Haya 82, Sótano, Málaga 29010, Spain
| | - J Suarez
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Avda. Carlos Haya 82, Sótano, Málaga 29010, Spain
| | - R de la Torre
- Programa de Neurociencias, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - F J Pavon
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Avda. Carlos Haya 82, Sótano, Málaga 29010, Spain; Unidad Gestión Clínica del Corazón, IBIMA, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - F Rodriguez de Fonseca
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Avda. Carlos Haya 82, Sótano, Málaga 29010, Spain.
| | - A Serrano
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Avda. Carlos Haya 82, Sótano, Málaga 29010, Spain.
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12
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Peñasco S, Rico-Barrio I, Puente N, Fontaine CJ, Ramos A, Reguero L, Gerrikagoitia I, de Fonseca FR, Suarez J, Barrondo S, Aretxabala X, García Del Caño G, Sallés J, Elezgarai I, Nahirney PC, Christie BR, Grandes P. Intermittent ethanol exposure during adolescence impairs cannabinoid type 1 receptor-dependent long-term depression and recognition memory in adult mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:309-318. [PMID: 31569197 PMCID: PMC6901552 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0530-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2019] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Binge drinking is a significant problem in adolescent populations, and because of the reciprocal interactions between ethanol (EtOH) consumption and the endocannabinoid (eCB) system, we sought to determine if adolescent EtOH intake altered the localization and function of the cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors in the adult brain. Adolescent mice were exposed to a 4-day-per week drinking in the dark (DID) procedure for a total of 4 weeks and then tested after a 2-week withdrawal period. Field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs), evoked by medial perforant path (MPP) stimulation in the dentate gyrus molecular layer (DGML), were significantly smaller. Furthermore, unlike control animals, CB1 receptor activation did not depress fEPSPs in the EtOH-exposed animals. We also examined a form of excitatory long-term depression that is dependent on CB1 receptors (eCB-eLTD) and found that it was completely lacking in the animals that consumed EtOH during adolescence. Histological analyses indicated that adolescent EtOH intake significantly reduced the CB1 receptor distribution and proportion of immunopositive excitatory synaptic terminals in the medial DGML. Furthermore, there was decreased binding of [35S]guanosine-5*-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) ([35S] GTPγS) and the guanine nucleotide-binding (G) protein Gαi2 subunit in the EtOH-exposed animals. Associated with this, there was a significant increase in monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) mRNA and protein in the hippocampus of EtOH-exposed animals. Conversely, deficits in eCB-eLTD and recognition memory could be rescued by inhibiting MAGL with JZL184. These findings indicate that repeated exposure to EtOH during adolescence leads to long-term deficits in CB1 receptor expression, eCB-eLTD, and reduced recognition memory, but that these functional deficits can be restored by treatments that increase endogenous 2-arachidonoylglycerol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Peñasco
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the UPV/EHU, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - Irantzu Rico-Barrio
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the UPV/EHU, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - Nagore Puente
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the UPV/EHU, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - Christine J Fontaine
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Almudena Ramos
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the UPV/EHU, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - Leire Reguero
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the UPV/EHU, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Gerrikagoitia
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the UPV/EHU, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca
- Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), 29010, Málaga, Spain
| | - Juan Suarez
- Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), 29010, Málaga, Spain
| | - Sergio Barrondo
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, CIBERSAM, Paseo de la Universidad 7, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alava, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Xabier Aretxabala
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain
| | - Gontzal García Del Caño
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo de la Universidad 7, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Araba, Spain
| | - Joan Sallés
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, CIBERSAM, Paseo de la Universidad 7, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Alava, 01006, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Izaskun Elezgarai
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the UPV/EHU, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain
| | - Patrick C Nahirney
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Brian R Christie
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Pedro Grandes
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain.
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the UPV/EHU, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain.
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada.
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13
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Bedse G, Centanni SW, Winder DG, Patel S. Endocannabinoid Signaling in the Central Amygdala and Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis: Implications for the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:2014-2027. [PMID: 31373708 PMCID: PMC6779484 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
High rates of relapse are a chronic and debilitating obstacle to effective treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD); however, no effective treatments are available to treat symptoms induced by protracted abstinence. In the first part of this 2-part review series, we examine the literature supporting the effects of alcohol exposure within the extended amygdala (EA) neural circuitry. In Part 2, we focus on a potential way to combat negative affect associated with AUD, by exploring the therapeutic potential of the endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) system. The eCB system is a potent modulator of neural activity in the brain, and its ability to mitigate stress and negative affect has long been an area of interest for developing novel therapeutics. This review details the recent advances in our understanding of eCB signaling in 2 key regions of the EA, the central nucleus of the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and their role in regulating negative affect. Despite an established role for EA eCB signaling in reducing negative affect, few studies have examined the potential for eCB-based therapies to treat AUD-associated negative affect. In this review, we present an overview of studies focusing on eCB signaling in EA and cannabinoid modulation on EA synaptic activity. We further discuss studies suggesting dysregulation of eCB signaling in models of AUD and propose that pharmacological augmentation of eCB could be a novel approach to treat aspects of AUD. Lastly, future directions are proposed to advance our understanding of the relationship between AUD-associated negative affect and the EA eCB system that could yield new pharmacotherapies targeting negative affective symptoms associated with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Bedse
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Samuel W. Centanni
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, the, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt J.F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Danny G. Winder
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, the, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt J.F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sachin Patel
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Nashville, TN, USA
- Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, the, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt J.F. Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
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14
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Amancio-Belmont O, Becerril Meléndez AL, Ruiz-Contreras AE, Méndez-Díaz M, Prospéro-García O. Opposed cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) expression in the prefrontal cortex vs. nucleus accumbens is associated with alcohol consumption in male rats. Brain Res 2019; 1725:146485. [PMID: 31568767 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Abusive alcohol consumption is a health problem, worldwide. There is extensive literature indicating that cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) plays a crucial role in mediating alcohol's reward effects. Maternal care deprivation (MCD) is a reliable rodent model of early life stress that leads to high levels of anxiety and alterations in motivation, which may increase vulnerability to alcohol consumption. The present study researched whether anxiety-like behaviors and the level of motivation for a natural reward, and CB1R expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) can predict alcohol consumption in non-MCD and MCD male rats. Results indicate that MCD increases anxiety-like behaviors, i.e., reduces time in open arms in the elevated plus maze and increases alcohol intake. In turn, the motivation for a palatable reward, i.e., a chocolate flavored pellet, was not affected by MCD. MCD reduces CB1R expression in the PFC and increases it in the NAcc. Hence, both higher anxiety-like behaviors and higher CB1R expression in the NAcc and lower CB1R expression in the PFC are associated with higher alcohol intake. These results suggest that early life adverse experiences induce a reprogramming of the brain's endocannabinoid system that very likely contributes to making the brain vulnerable to develop alcohol abuse and dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavio Amancio-Belmont
- Grupo de Neurociencias, Laboratorio de Canabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Alline L Becerril Meléndez
- Grupo de Neurociencias, Laboratorio de Canabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Alejandra E Ruiz-Contreras
- Grupo de Neurociencias, Laboratorio de Neurogenómica Cognitiva, Departamento de Psicofisiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Mónica Méndez-Díaz
- Grupo de Neurociencias, Laboratorio de Canabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Oscar Prospéro-García
- Grupo de Neurociencias, Laboratorio de Canabinoides, Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico.
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15
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Abstract
Cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids and the enzymes responsible for their biosynthesis and degradation constitute the endocannabinoid system. In recent decades, the endocannabinoid system has attracted considerable interest as a potential therapeutic target in numerous pathological conditions. Its involvement in several physiological processes is well known, such as in energy balance, appetite stimulation, blood pressure, pain modulation, embryogenesis, nausea and vomiting control, memory, learning and immune response, among others, as well as in pathological conditions where it exerts a protective role in the development of certain disorders. As a result, it has been reported that changes in endocannabinoid levels may be related to neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as anorexia and irritable bowel syndrome. Alterations in the endocannabinoid system have also been associated with cancer, affecting the growth, migration and invasion of some tumours. Cannabinoids have been tested in several cancer types, including brain, breast and prostate cancers. Cannabinoids have shown promise as analgesics for the treatment of both inflammatory and neuropathic pain. There is also evidence for a role of the endocannabinoid system in the control of emotional states, and cannabinoids could prove useful in decreasing and palliating post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and anxiolytic disorders. The role of the endocannabinoid system in addictions has also been examined, and cannabinoids have been postulated as alternative and co-adjuvant treatments in some abuse syndromes, mainly in ethanol and opioid abuses. The expression of the endocannabinoid system in the eye suggests that it could be a potential therapeutic target for eye diseases. Considering the importance of the endocannabinoid system and the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in this vast number of medical conditions, several clinical studies with cannabinoid-based medications are ongoing. In addition, some cannabinoid-based medications have already been approved in various countries, including nabilone and dronabinol capsules for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, dronabinol capsules for anorexia, an oral solution of dronabinol for both vomiting associated with chemotherapy and anorexia, a Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol oromucosal spray for pain related to cancer and for spasticity and pain associated with multiple sclerosis, and an oral solution of cannabidiol for Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. Here, we review the available efficacy, safety and tolerability data for cannabinoids in a range of medical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Isabel Fraguas-Sánchez
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 , Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Isabel Torres-Suárez
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 , Madrid, Spain. .,Institute of Industrial Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 , Madrid, Spain.
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16
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Basavarajappa BS, Joshi V, Shivakumar M, Subbanna S. Distinct functions of endogenous cannabinoid system in alcohol abuse disorders. Br J Pharmacol 2019; 176:3085-3109. [PMID: 31265740 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal active component in Cannabis sativa extracts such as marijuana, participates in cell signalling by binding to cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors on the cell surface. The CB1 receptors are present in both inhibitory and excitatory presynaptic terminals and the CB2 receptors are found in neuronal subpopulations in addition to microglial cells and astrocytes and are present in both presynaptic and postsynaptic terminals. Subsequent to the discovery of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system, studies have suggested that alcohol alters the eCB system and that this system plays a major role in the motivation to abuse alcohol. Preclinical studies have provided evidence that chronic alcohol consumption modulates eCBs and expression of CB1 receptors in brain addiction circuits. In addition, studies have further established the distinct function of the eCB system in the development of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. This review provides a recent and comprehensive assessment of the literature related to the function of the eCB system in alcohol abuse disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balapal S Basavarajappa
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA.,New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vikram Joshi
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Madhu Shivakumar
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Shivakumar Subbanna
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
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17
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Most D, Salem NA, Tiwari GR, Blednov YA, Mayfield RD, Harris RA. Silencing synaptic MicroRNA-411 reduces voluntary alcohol consumption in mice. Addict Biol 2019; 24:604-616. [PMID: 29665166 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol consumption alters the levels of microRNAs and mRNAs in the brain, but the specific microRNAs and processes that target mRNAs to affect cellular function and behavior are not known. We examined the in vivo manipulation of previously identified alcohol-responsive microRNAs as potential targets to reduce alcohol consumption. Silencing of miR-411 by infusing antagomiR-411 into the prefrontal cortex of female C57BL/6J mice reduced alcohol consumption and preference, without altering total fluid consumption, saccharin consumption, or anxiety-related behaviors. AntagomiR-411 reduced alcohol consumption when given to mice exposed to a chronic alcohol drinking paradigm but did not affect the acquisition of consumption in mice without a history of alcohol exposure, suggesting that antagomiR-411 has a neuroadaptive, alcohol-dependent effect. AntagomiR-411 decreased the levels of miR-411, as well as the association of immunoprecipitated miR-411 with Argonaute2; and, it increased levels of Faah and Ppard mRNAs. Moreover, antagomiR-411 increased the neuronal expression of glutamate receptor AMPA-2 protein, a known alcohol target and a predicted target of miR-411. These results suggest that alcohol and miR-411 function in a homeostatic manner to regulate synaptic mRNA and protein, thus reversing alcohol-related neuroadaptations and reducing chronic alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Most
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for NeuroscienceUniversity of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Nihal A. Salem
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience and Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of MedicineTexas A&M University College Station TX USA
| | - Gayatri R. Tiwari
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Yuri A. Blednov
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - R. Dayne Mayfield
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - R. Adron Harris
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Institute for NeuroscienceUniversity of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
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18
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Bonilla-Del Rίo I, Puente N, Peñasco S, Rico I, Gutiérrez-Rodrίguez A, Elezgarai I, Ramos A, Reguero L, Gerrikagoitia I, Christie BR, Nahirney P, Grandes P. Adolescent ethanol intake alters cannabinoid type-1 receptor localization in astrocytes of the adult mouse hippocampus. Addict Biol 2019; 24:182-192. [PMID: 29168269 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid type-1 (CB1 ) receptors are widely distributed in the brain and play important roles in astrocyte function and the modulation of neuronal synaptic transmission and plasticity. However, it is currently unknown how CB1 receptor expression in astrocytes is affected by long-term exposure to stressors. Here we examined CB1 receptors in astrocytes of ethanol (EtOH)-exposed adolescent mice to determine its effect on CB1 receptor localization and density in adult brain. 4-8-week-old male mice were exposed to 20 percent EtOH over a period of 4 weeks, and receptor localization was examined after 4 weeks in the hippocampal CA1 stratum radiatum by pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy. Our results revealed a significant reduction in CB1 receptor immunoparticles in astrocytic processes of EtOH-exposed mice when compared with controls (positive astrocyte elements: 21.50 ± 2.80 percent versus 37.22 ± 3.12 percent, respectively), as well as a reduction in particle density (0.24 ± 0.02 versus 0.35 ± 0.02 particles/μm). The majority of CB1 receptor metal particles were in the range of 400-1200 nm from synaptic terminals in both control and EtOH. Altogether, the decrease in the CB1 receptor expression in hippocampal astrocytes of adult mice exposed to EtOH during adolescence reveals a long lasting effect of EtOH on astrocytic CB1 receptors. This deficiency may also have negative consequences for synaptic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itziar Bonilla-Del Rίo
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | - Nagore Puente
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | - Sara Peñasco
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | - Irantzu Rico
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | - Ana Gutiérrez-Rodrίguez
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | - Izaskun Elezgarai
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | - Almudena Ramos
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | - Leire Reguero
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | - Inmaculada Gerrikagoitia
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
| | | | | | - Pedro Grandes
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Spain
- Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience; Science Park of the UPV/EHU; Spain
- Division of Medical Sciences; University of Victoria; Canada
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19
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Endocannabinoid System and Alcohol Abuse Disorders. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1162:89-127. [PMID: 31332736 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-21737-2_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the primary active component in Cannabis sativa preparations such as hashish and marijuana, signals by binding to cell surface receptors. Two types of receptors have been cloned and characterized as cannabinoid (CB) receptors. CB1 receptors (CB1R) are ubiquitously present in the central nervous system (CNS) and are present in both inhibitory interneurons and excitatory neurons at the presynaptic terminal. CB2 receptors (CB2R) are demonstrated in microglial cells, astrocytes, and several neuron subpopulations and are present in both pre- and postsynaptic terminals. The majority of studies on these receptors have been conducted in the past two and half decades after the identification of the molecular constituents of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system that started with the characterization of CB1R. Subsequently, the seminal discovery was made, which suggested that alcohol (ethanol) alters the eCB system, thus establishing the contribution of the eCB system in the motivation to consume ethanol. Several preclinical studies have provided evidence that CB1R significantly contributes to the motivational and reinforcing properties of ethanol and that the chronic consumption of ethanol alters eCB transmitters and CB1R expression in the brain nuclei associated with addiction pathways. Additionally, recent seminal studies have further established the role of the eCB system in the development of ethanol-induced developmental disorders, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). These results are augmented by in vitro and ex vivo studies, showing that acute and chronic treatment with ethanol produces physiologically relevant alterations in the function of the eCB system during development and in the adult stage. This chapter provides a current and comprehensive review of the literature concerning the role of the eCB system in alcohol abuse disorders (AUD).
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Sloan ME, Gowin JL, Yan J, Schwandt ML, Spagnolo PA, Sun H, Hodgkinson CA, Goldman D, Ramchandani VA. Severity of alcohol dependence is associated with the fatty acid amide hydrolase Pro129Thr missense variant. Addict Biol 2018; 23:474-484. [PMID: 28150397 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Revised: 11/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system plays an important role in reward and addiction. One of the two main endocannabinoid neurotransmitters, anandamide, is metabolized by fatty acid amide hydrolase, an enzyme with a functional genetic polymorphism (FAAH Pro129Thr, rs324420). The Thr129 allele has been linked to problem drug and alcohol use, but the association has not been widely replicated and may be stronger for clinical measures of severity rather than categorical diagnosis. In the present study, we sought to determine whether the Thr129 allele was associated with both alcohol dependence (AD) diagnosis and severity in a sample of 1434 European American and African American individuals, 952 of whom were diagnosed with lifetime AD. Participants were genotyped for FAAH rs324420, and ancestry was determined via a genome-wide panel of ancestry informative markers. Subjects participated in Structured Clinical Interviews for psychiatric disorders and 90-day Timeline Followback interviews to assess recent alcohol use. European American participants with current AD had a higher Thr129 allele frequency than non-dependent controls. In European Americans with lifetime AD, there were significantly different distributions of drinking days and binge drinking days between the two genotype groups, with Thr129 carriers reporting a median of 10 fewer abstinent days and 13 more binge drinking days than Pro129/Pro129 homozygotes. In African American participants, there were no significant differences between Thr129 allele frequency in cases and controls and no significant differences in measures of AD severity by genotype. These findings provide evidence that the Pro129Thr missense variant is associated with AD severity in European Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E. Sloan
- Section on Human Psychopharmacology; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Joshua L. Gowin
- Section on Human Psychopharmacology; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Jia Yan
- Section on Human Psychopharmacology; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Melanie L. Schwandt
- Office of the Clinical Director; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Primavera A. Spagnolo
- Office of the Clinical Director; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Hui Sun
- Office of the Clinical Director; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Colin A. Hodgkinson
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Rockville MD USA
| | - David Goldman
- Office of the Clinical Director; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Bethesda MD USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Rockville MD USA
| | - Vijay A. Ramchandani
- Section on Human Psychopharmacology; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Bethesda MD USA
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Liput DJ, Pauly JR, Stinchcomb AL, Nixon K. Binge Alcohol Exposure Transiently Changes the Endocannabinoid System: A Potential Target to Prevent Alcohol-Induced Neurodegeneration. Brain Sci 2017; 7:brainsci7120158. [PMID: 29186065 PMCID: PMC5742761 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci7120158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption leads to neurodegeneration, which contributes to cognitive decline that is associated with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). The endocannabinoid system has been implicated in the development of AUDs, but little is known about how the neurotoxic effects of alcohol impact the endocannabinoid system. Therefore, the current study investigated the effects of neurotoxic, binge-like alcohol exposure on components of the endocannabinoid system and related N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), and then evaluated the efficacy of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibition on attenuating alcohol-induced neurodegeneration. Male rats were administered alcohol according to a binge model, which resulted in a transient decrease in [³H]-CP-55,940 binding in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus following two days, but not four days, of treatment. Furthermore, binge alcohol treatment did not change the tissue content of the three NAEs quantified, including the endocannabinoid and anandamide. In a separate study, the FAAH inhibitor, URB597 was administered to rats during alcohol treatment and neuroprotection was assessed by FluoroJade B (FJB) staining. The administration of URB597 during binge treatment did not significantly reduce FJB+ cells in the entorhinal cortex or hippocampus, however, a follow up "target engagement" study found that NAE augmentation by URB597 was impaired in alcohol intoxicated rats. Thus, potential alcohol induced alterations in URB597 pharmacodynamics may have contributed to the lack of neuroprotection by FAAH inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Liput
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
| | - James R Pauly
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
| | - Audra L Stinchcomb
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
| | - Kimberly Nixon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
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22
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Balla A, Dong B, Shilpa BM, Vemuri K, Makriyannis A, Pandey SC, Sershen H, Suckow RF, Vinod KY. Cannabinoid-1 receptor neutral antagonist reduces binge-like alcohol consumption and alcohol-induced accumbal dopaminergic signaling. Neuropharmacology 2017; 131:200-208. [PMID: 29109060 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.10.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Binge alcohol (ethanol) drinking is associated with profound adverse effects on our health and society. Rimonabant (SR141716A), a CB1 receptor inverse agonist, was previously shown to be effective for nicotine cessation and obesity. However, studies using rimonabant were discontinued as it was associated with an increased risk of depression and anxiety. In the present study, we examined the pharmacokinetics and effects of AM4113, a novel CB1 receptor neutral antagonist on binge-like ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice using a two-bottle choice drinking-in-dark (DID) paradigm. The results indicated a slower elimination of AM4113 in the brain than in plasma. AM4113 suppressed ethanol consumption and preference without having significant effects on body weight, ambulatory activity, preference for tastants (saccharin and quinine) and ethanol metabolism. AM4113 pretreatment reduced ethanol-induced increase in dopamine release in nucleus accumbens. Collectively, these data suggest an important role of CB1 receptor-mediated regulation of binge-like ethanol consumption and mesolimbic dopaminergic signaling, and further points to the potential utility of CB1 neutral antagonists for the treatment of binge ethanol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Balla
- Department of Neurochemistry, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bin Dong
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York, NY, United States
| | - Borehalli M Shilpa
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kiran Vemuri
- Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago and Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Henry Sershen
- Department of Neurochemistry, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Raymond F Suckow
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York, NY, United States; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, United States
| | - K Yaragudri Vinod
- Division of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York, NY, United States; Emotional Brain Institute, Orangeburg, New York, NY, United States; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States.
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23
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Araque A, Castillo PE, Manzoni OJ, Tonini R. Synaptic functions of endocannabinoid signaling in health and disease. Neuropharmacology 2017. [PMID: 28625718 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are a family of lipid molecules that act as key regulators of synaptic transmission and plasticity. They are synthetized "on demand" following physiological and/or pathological stimuli. Once released from postsynaptic neurons, eCBs typically act as retrograde messengers to activate presynaptic type 1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1) and induce short- or long-term depression of neurotransmitter release. Besides this canonical mechanism of action, recent findings have revealed a number of less conventional mechanisms by which eCBs regulate neural activity and synaptic function, suggesting that eCB-mediated plasticity is mechanistically more diverse than anticipated. These mechanisms include non-retrograde signaling, signaling via astrocytes, participation in long-term potentiation, and the involvement of mitochondrial CB1. Focusing on paradigmatic brain areas, such as hippocampus, striatum, and neocortex, we review typical and novel signaling mechanisms, and discuss the functional implications in normal brain function and brain diseases. In summary, eCB signaling may lead to different forms of synaptic plasticity through activation of a plethora of mechanisms, which provide further complexity to the functional consequences of eCB signaling. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "A New Dawn in Cannabinoid Neurobiology".
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Araque
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Pablo E Castillo
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA.
| | - Olivier J Manzoni
- Institut National de la Santé et et de la Recherche Médicale U901 Marseille, France, Université de la Méditerranée UMR S901 Aix-Marseille Marseille, France, INMED Marseille, France.
| | - Raffaella Tonini
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy.
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Henricks AM, Berger AL, Lugo JM, Baxter-Potter LN, Bieniasz KV, Petrie G, Sticht MA, Hill MN, McLaughlin RJ. Sex- and hormone-dependent alterations in alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety and corticolimbic endocannabinoid signaling. Neuropharmacology 2017; 124:121-133. [PMID: 28554848 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol dependence is associated with anxiety during withdrawal. The endocannabinoid (ECB) system participates in the neuroendocrine and behavioral response to stress and changes in corticolimbic ECB signaling may contribute to alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety. Moreover, symptoms of alcohol withdrawal differ between sexes and sexual dimorphism in withdrawal-induced ECB recruitment may be a contributing factor. Herein, we exposed intact male and female rats and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats with or without estradiol (E2) replacement to 6 weeks of chronic intermittent alcohol vapor and measured anxiety-like behavior, ECB content, and ECB-related mRNA in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Acute alcohol withdrawal increased anxiety-like behavior, produced widespread disturbances in ECB-related mRNA, and reduced anandamide (AEA) content in the BLA and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) content in the vmPFC of male, but not female rats. Similar to males, alcohol-exposed OVX females showed reductions in Napepld mRNA in the BLA, decreased AEA content in the BLA and vmPFC, and reductions in all ECB-related genes measured in the vmPFC. Importantly, E2 replacement prevented withdrawal-induced alterations in ECB content (but not mRNA) in OVX females, and although alcohol-exposed OVX females failed to exhibit more anxiety compared to their respective control, chronic alcohol exposure abolished the anxiolytic properties of E2 in OVX rats. These data indicate that ovarian sex hormones (but not E2 alone) protect against withdrawal-induced alterations in corticolimbic ECB signaling but do not impart resilience to withdrawal-induced anxiety. Thus, the mechanisms implicated in the manifestation of alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety are most likely sex-specific. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "A New Dawn in Cannabinoid Neurobiology".
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Henricks
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Anthony L Berger
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Janelle M Lugo
- Department of Integrative Physiology & Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Lydia N Baxter-Potter
- Department of Integrative Physiology & Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Kennedy V Bieniasz
- Department of Integrative Physiology & Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | - Gavin Petrie
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Martin A Sticht
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ryan J McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; Department of Integrative Physiology & Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA; Translational Addiction Research Center, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
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25
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Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Persistently Alters Endocannabinoid Signaling and Endocannabinoid-Mediated Excitatory Synaptic Plasticity in Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Neurons. J Neurosci 2017; 37:5798-5808. [PMID: 28476947 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3894-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) leads to increased addiction risk which could be mediated by enhanced excitatory synaptic strength in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons. Previous studies have shown that PE enhances excitatory synaptic strength by facilitating an anti-Hebbian form of long-term potentiation (LTP). In this study, we investigated the effect of PE on endocannabinoid-mediated long-term depression (eCB-LTD) in VTA DA neurons. Rats were exposed to moderate (3 g/kg/d) or high (6 g/kg/d) levels of ethanol during gestation. Whole-cell recordings were conducted in male offspring between 4 and 10 weeks old.We found that PE led to increased amphetamine self-administration. Both moderate and high levels of PE persistently reduced low-frequency stimulation-induced eCB-LTD. Furthermore, action potential-independent glutamate release was regulated by tonic eCB signaling in PE animals. Mechanistic studies for impaired eCB-LTD revealed that PE downregulated CB1 receptor function. Interestingly, eCB-LTD in PE animals was rescued by metabotropic glutamate receptor I activation, suggesting that PE did not impair the synthesis/release of eCBs. In contrast, eCB-LTD in PE animals was not rescued by increasing presynaptic activity, which actually led to LTP in PE animals, whereas LTD was still observed in controls. This result shows that the regulation of excitatory synaptic plasticity is fundamentally altered in PE animals. Together, PE leads to impaired eCB-LTD at the excitatory synapses of VTA DA neurons primarily due to CB1 receptor downregulation. This effect could contribute to enhanced LTP and the maintenance of augmented excitatory synaptic strength in VTA DA neurons and increased addiction risk after PE.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) is among many adverse developmental factors known to increase drug addiction risk. Increased excitatory synaptic strength in VTA DA neurons is a critical cellular mechanism for addiction risk. Our results show that PE persistently alters eCB signaling and impairs eCB-LTD at the excitatory synapses, an important synaptic plasticity that weakens synaptic strength. These effects combined with PE-induced anti-Hebbian long-term potentiation reported in a previous study could result in the maintenance of enhanced excitatory synaptic strength in VTA DA neurons, which in turn contributes to PE-induced increase in addiction risk. Our findings also suggest that restoring normal eCB signaling in VTA DA neurons could be a useful strategy for treating behavioral symptoms caused by PE.
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26
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Sanchez-Marin L, Pavon FJ, Decara J, Suarez J, Gavito A, Castilla-Ortega E, Rodriguez de Fonseca F, Serrano A. Effects of Intermittent Alcohol Exposure on Emotion and Cognition: A Potential Role for the Endogenous Cannabinoid System and Neuroinflammation. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:15. [PMID: 28223925 PMCID: PMC5293779 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Intermittent alcohol exposure is a common pattern of adolescent alcohol use that can lead to binge drinking episodes. Alcohol use is known to modulate the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which is involved in neuronal communication, neuroplasticity, neuroinflammation and behavior. Adolescent male Wistar rats were exposed to 4-week intermittent alcohol intoxication (3 g/kg injections for 4 days/week) or saline (N = 12 per group). After alcohol deprivation, adult rats were assessed for emotionality and cognition and the gene expression of the ECS and other factors related to behavior and neuroinflammation was examined in the brain. Alcohol-exposed rats exhibited anxiogenic-like responses and impaired recognition memory but no motor alterations. There were brain region-dependent changes in the mRNA levels of the ECS and molecular signals compared with control rats. Thus, overall, alcohol-exposed rats expressed higher mRNA levels of endocannabinoid synthetic enzymes (N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D and diacylglycerol lipases) in the medial-prefrontal cortex (mPFC) but lower mRNA levels in the amygdala. Furthermore, we observed lower mRNA levels of receptors CB1 CB2 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α in the striatum. Regarding neuropeptide signaling, alcohol-exposed rats displayed lower mRNA levels of the neuropeptide Y signaling, particularly NPY receptor-2, in the amygdala and hippocampus and higher mRNA levels of corticotropin-releasing factor in the hippocampus. Additionally, we observed changes of several neuroinflammation-related factors. Whereas, the mRNA levels of toll-like receptor-4, tumor necrosis factor-α, cyclooxygenase-2 and glial fibrillary acidic protein were significantly increased in the mPFC, the mRNA levels of cyclooxygenase-2 and glial fibrillary acidic protein were decreased in the striatum and hippocampus. However, nuclear factor-κβ mRNA levels were lower in the mPFC and striatum and allograft inflammatory factor-1 levels were differentially expressed in the amygdala and hippocampus. In conclusion, rats exposed to adolescent intermittent alcohol displayed anxiety-like behavior and cognitive deficits in adulthood and these alterations were accompanied by brain region-dependent changes in the gene expression of the ECS and other signals associated with neuroinflammation and behavior. An intermittent adolescent alcohol exposure has behavioral and molecular consequences in the adult brain, which might be linked to higher vulnerability to addictive behaviors and psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sanchez-Marin
- Unidad de Gestion Clinica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Universidad de Malaga Malaga, Spain
| | - Francisco J Pavon
- Unidad de Gestion Clinica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Universidad de Malaga Malaga, Spain
| | - Juan Decara
- Unidad de Gestion Clinica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Universidad de Malaga Malaga, Spain
| | - Juan Suarez
- Unidad de Gestion Clinica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Universidad de Malaga Malaga, Spain
| | - Ana Gavito
- Unidad de Gestion Clinica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Universidad de Malaga Malaga, Spain
| | - Estela Castilla-Ortega
- Unidad de Gestion Clinica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Universidad de Malaga Malaga, Spain
| | - Fernando Rodriguez de Fonseca
- Unidad de Gestion Clinica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Universidad de Malaga Malaga, Spain
| | - Antonia Serrano
- Unidad de Gestion Clinica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica de Malaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Universidad de Malaga Malaga, Spain
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Sex differences in alcohol consumption and alterations in nucleus accumbens endocannabinoid mRNA in alcohol-dependent rats. Neuroscience 2016; 335:195-206. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.08.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Revised: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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28
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Varodayan FP, Soni N, Bajo M, Luu G, Madamba SG, Schweitzer P, Parsons LH, Roberto M. Chronic ethanol exposure decreases CB1 receptor function at GABAergic synapses in the rat central amygdala. Addict Biol 2016; 21:788-801. [PMID: 25940135 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The endogenous cannabinoids (eCBs) influence the acute response to ethanol and the development of tolerance, dependence and relapse. Chronic alcohol exposure alters eCB levels and Type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1 ) expression and function in brain regions associated with addiction. CB1 inhibits GABA release, and GABAergic dysregulation in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is critical in the transition to alcohol dependence. We investigated possible disruptions in CB1 signaling of rat CeA GABAergic transmission following intermittent ethanol exposure. In the CeA of alcohol-naive rats, CB1 agonist WIN 55,212-2 (WIN) decreased the frequency of spontaneous and miniature GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (s/mIPSCs). This effect was prevented by CB1 antagonism, but not Type 2 cannabinoid receptor (CB2 ) antagonism. After 2-3 weeks of intermittent ethanol exposure, these WIN inhibitory effects were attenuated, suggesting ethanol-induced impairments in CB1 function. The CB1 antagonist AM251 revealed a tonic eCB/CB1 control of GABAergic transmission in the alcohol-naive CeA that was occluded by calcium chelation in the postsynaptic cell. Chronic ethanol exposure abolished this tonic CB1 influence on mIPSC, but not sIPSC, frequency. Finally, acute ethanol increased CeA GABA release in both naive and ethanol-exposed rats. Although CB1 activation prevented this effect, the AM251- and ethanol-induced GABA release were additive, ruling out a direct participation of CB1 signaling in the ethanol effect. Collectively, these observations demonstrate an important CB1 influence on CeA GABAergic transmission and indicate that the CeA is particularly sensitive to alcohol-induced disruptions of CB1 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence P. Varodayan
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders; The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI); La Jolla CA USA
| | - Neeraj Soni
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders; The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI); La Jolla CA USA
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences; University of Copenhagen (UCPH); Denmark
| | - Michal Bajo
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders; The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI); La Jolla CA USA
| | - George Luu
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders; The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI); La Jolla CA USA
| | - Samuel G. Madamba
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders; The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI); La Jolla CA USA
| | - Paul Schweitzer
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders; The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI); La Jolla CA USA
| | - Loren H. Parsons
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders; The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI); La Jolla CA USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders; The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI); La Jolla CA USA
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29
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Matchynski-Franks JJ, Susick LL, Schneider BL, Perrine SA, Conti AC. Impaired Ethanol-Induced Sensitization and Decreased Cannabinoid Receptor-1 in a Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155759. [PMID: 27186643 PMCID: PMC4871361 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose Impaired striatal neuroplasticity may underlie increased alcoholism documented in those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cannabinoid receptor-1 (CB1) is sensitive to the effects of ethanol (EtOH) and traumatic stress, and is a critical regulator of striatal plasticity. To investigate CB1 involvement in the PTSD-alcohol interaction, this study measured the effects of traumatic stress using a model of PTSD, mouse single-prolonged stress (mSPS), on EtOH-induced locomotor sensitization and striatal CB1 levels. Methods Mice were exposed to mSPS, which includes: 2-h restraint, 10-min group forced swim, 15-min exposure to rat bedding odor, and diethyl ether exposure until unconsciousness or control conditions. Seven days following mSPS exposure, the locomotor sensitizing effects of EtOH were assessed. CB1, post-synaptic density-95 (PSD95), and dopamine-2 receptor (D2) protein levels were then quantified in the dorsal striatum using standard immunoblotting techniques. Results Mice exposed to mSPS-EtOH demonstrated impaired EtOH-induced locomotor sensitization compared to Control-EtOH mice, which was accompanied by reduced striatal CB1 levels. EtOH increased striatal PSD95 in control and mSPS-exposed mice. Additionally, mSPS-Saline exposure increased striatal PSD95 and decreased D2 protein expression, with mSPS-EtOH exposure alleviating these changes. Conclusions These data indicate that the mSPS model of PTSD blunts the behavioral sensitizing effects of EtOH, a response that suggests impaired striatal neuroplasticity. Additionally, this study demonstrates that mice exposed to mSPS and repeated EtOH exposure decreases CB1 in the striatum, providing a mechanism of interest for understanding the effects of EtOH following severe, multimodal stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J. Matchynski-Franks
- Research Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Laura L. Susick
- Research Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Brandy L. Schneider
- Research Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Shane A. Perrine
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Alana C. Conti
- Research Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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30
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Henderson-Redmond AN, Guindon J, Morgan DJ. Roles for the endocannabinoid system in ethanol-motivated behavior. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2016; 65:330-9. [PMID: 26123153 PMCID: PMC4679600 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder represents a significant human health problem that leads to substantial loss of human life and financial cost to society. Currently available treatment options do not adequately address this human health problem, and thus, additional therapies are desperately needed. The endocannabinoid system has been shown, using animal models, to modulate ethanol-motivated behavior, and it has also been demonstrated that chronic ethanol exposure can have potentially long-lasting effects on the endocannabinoid system. For example, chronic exposure to ethanol, in either cell culture or preclinical rodent models, causes an increase in endocannabinoid levels that results in down-regulation of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and uncoupling of this receptor from downstream G protein signaling pathways. Using positron emission tomography (PET), similar down-regulation of CB1 has been noted in multiple regions of the brain in human alcoholic patients. In rodents, treatment with the CB1 inverse agonist SR141716A (Rimonabant), or genetic deletion of CB1 leads to a reduction in voluntary ethanol drinking, ethanol-stimulated dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, operant self-administration of ethanol, sensitization to the locomotor effects of ethanol, and reinstatement/relapse of ethanol-motivated behavior. Although the clinical utility of Rimonabant or other antagonists/inverse agonists for CB1 is limited due to negative neuropsychiatric side effects, negative allosteric modulators of CB1 and inhibitors of endocannabinoid catabolism represent therapeutic targets worthy of additional examination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Josée Guindon
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430
| | - Daniel J Morgan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, United States.
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Acute and chronic ethanol exposure differentially regulate CB1 receptor function at glutamatergic synapses in the rat basolateral amygdala. Neuropharmacology 2015; 108:474-84. [PMID: 26707595 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Revised: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) system has been suggested to play a key role in ethanol preference and intake, the acute effects of ethanol, and in the development of withdrawal symptoms following ethanol dependence. Ethanol-dependent alterations in glutamatergic signaling within the lateral/basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) are critical for the development and expression of withdrawal-induced anxiety. Notably, the eCB system significantly regulates both glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic activity within the BLA. Chronic ethanol exposure significantly alters eCB system expression within regions critical to the expression of emotionality and anxiety-related behavior, including the BLA. Here, we investigated specific interactions between the BLA eCB system and its functional regulation of synaptic activity during acute and chronic ethanol exposure. In tissue from ethanol naïve-rats, a prolonged acute ethanol exposure caused a dose dependent inhibition of glutamatergic synaptic activity via a presynaptic mechanism that was occluded by CB1 antagonist/inverse agonists SR141716a and AM251. Importantly, this acute ethanol inhibition was attenuated following 10 day chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure (CIE). CIE exposure also significantly down-regulated CB1-mediated presynaptic inhibition at glutamatergic afferent terminals but spared CB1-inhibition of GABAergic synapses arising from local inhibitory-interneurons. CIE also significantly elevated BLA N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA or anandamide) levels and decreased CB1 receptor protein levels. Collectively, these data suggest a dynamic regulation of the BLA eCB system by acute and chronic ethanol.
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Have we been ignoring the elephant in the room? Seven arguments for considering the cerebellum as part of addiction circuitry. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 60:1-11. [PMID: 26602022 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Addiction involves alterations in multiple brain regions that are associated with functions such as memory, motivation and executive control. Indeed, it is now well accepted that addictive drugs produce long-lasting molecular and structural plasticity changes in corticostriatal-limbic loops. However, there are brain regions that might be relevant to addiction other than the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus and basal ganglia. In addition to these circuits, a growing amount of data suggests the involvement of the cerebellum in many of the brain functions affected in addicts, though this region has been overlooked, traditionally, in the addiction field. Therefore, in the present review we provide seven arguments as to why we should consider the cerebellum in drug addiction. We present and discuss compelling evidence about the effects of drugs of abuse on cerebellar plasticity, the involvement of the cerebellum in drug-induced cue-related memories, and several findings showing that the instrumental memory and executive functions also recruit the cerebellar circuitry. In addition, a hypothetical model of the cerebellum's role relative to other areas within corticostriatal-limbic networks is also provided. Our goal is not to review animal and human studies exhaustively but to support the inclusion of cerebellar alterations as a part of the physiopathology of addiction disorder.
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Erdozain AM, Rubio M, Meana JJ, Fernández-Ruiz J, Callado LF. Altered CB1 receptor coupling to G-proteins in the post-mortem caudate nucleus and cerebellum of alcoholic subjects. J Psychopharmacol 2015; 29:1137-45. [PMID: 26253623 DOI: 10.1177/0269881115599388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Biochemical, pharmacological and genetic evidence suggests the involvement of the endocannabinoid system in alcohol dependence. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the state of CB1 receptors in post-mortem caudate nucleus, hippocampus and cerebellum of alcoholic subjects.CB1 protein levels were measured by Western blot, CB1 receptor density and affinity by [(3)H]WIN55,212-2 saturation assays and CB1 functionality by [(35)S]GTPγS binding assays. Experiments were performed in samples from 24 subjects classified as non-suicidal alcoholics (n = 6), suicidal alcoholics (n = 6), non-alcoholic suicide victims (n = 6) and control subjects (n = 6).Alcoholic subjects presented hyperfunctional CB1 receptors in the caudate nucleus resulting in a higher maximal effect in both alcoholic groups compared to the non-alcoholic groups (p < 0.001). Conversely, in the cerebellum the non-suicidal alcoholic subjects showed hypofunctional receptors with lower maximal effect and potency (p < 0.001). No changes were found in the CB1 protein expression in either region. In the hippocampus of alcoholic subjects, no changes were observed either in the functionality, density or protein levels.Our data support an association between endocannabinoid system activity and alcoholism. The modifications reported here could be either a consequence of high lifetime ethanol consumption or a vulnerability factor to develop alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaia M Erdozain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Bizkaia, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain Current address: Neuroscience Paris Seine, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Marina Rubio
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Javier Meana
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Bizkaia, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain Biocruces Health Research Institute, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Javier Fernández-Ruiz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis F Callado
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Bizkaia, Spain Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain Biocruces Health Research Institute, Bizkaia, Spain
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Abstract
Brain endocannabinoid (eCB) signalling influences the motivation for natural rewards (such as palatable food, sexual activity and social interaction) and modulates the rewarding effects of addictive drugs. Pathological forms of natural and drug-induced reward are associated with dysregulated eCB signalling that may derive from pre-existing genetic factors or from prolonged drug exposure. Impaired eCB signalling contributes to dysregulated synaptic plasticity, increased stress responsivity, negative emotional states and cravings that propel addiction. Understanding the contributions of eCB disruptions to behavioural and physiological traits provides insight into the eCB influence on addiction vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren H Parsons
- Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Yasmin L Hurd
- Friedman Brain Institute, Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York City, New York 10029, USA
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Cannabinoid Ligands and Alcohol Addiction: A Promising Therapeutic Tool or a Humbug? Neurotox Res 2015; 29:173-96. [PMID: 26353844 PMCID: PMC4701763 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-015-9555-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Revised: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The vast therapeutic potential of cannabinoids of both synthetic and plant-derived origins currently makes these compounds the focus of a growing interest. Although cannabinoids are still illicit drugs, their possible clinical usefulness, including treatment of acute or neuropathic pain, have been suggested by several studies. In addition, some observations indicate that cannabinoid receptor antagonists may be useful for the treatment of alcohol dependence and addiction, which is a major health concern worldwide. While the synergism between alcohol and cannabinoid agonists (in various forms) creates undesirable side effects when the two are consumed together, the administration of CB1 antagonists leads to a significant reduction in alcohol consumption. Furthermore, cannabinoid antagonists also mitigate alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Herein, we present an overview of studies focusing on the effects of cannabinoid ligands (agonists and antagonists) during acute or chronic consumption of ethanol.
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Erdozain AM, Rubio M, Valdizan EM, Pazos A, Meana JJ, Fernández-Ruiz J, Alexander SPH, Callado LF. The endocannabinoid system is altered in the post-mortem prefrontal cortex of alcoholic subjects. Addict Biol 2015; 20:773-83. [PMID: 25041461 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
There is strong biochemical, pharmacological and genetic evidence for the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in alcohol dependence. However, the majority of studies have been performed in animal models. The aim of the present study was to assess the state of the CB1 receptor, the enzymes fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and cyclic-AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the post-mortem prefrontal cortex of alcoholic subjects. Experiments were performed in samples from 44 subjects classified in four experimental groups: (1) non-suicidal alcoholic subjects (n = 11); (2) suicidal alcoholic subjects (n = 11); (3) non-alcoholic suicide victims (n = 11); and (4) control subjects (n = 11). We did not observe statistically significant differences in CB1 mRNA relative expression among the four experimental groups. Conversely, our results showed an increase in CB1 receptor protein expression in the prefrontal cortex of the suicidal alcoholic group (127.2 ± 7.3%), with no changes in functionality with regard to either G protein activation or the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. In parallel, alcoholic subjects presented lower levels of MAGL activity, regardless of the cause of death. A significant decrease in the active form of ERK and CREB levels was also observed in both alcoholic groups. Taken together, our data are consistent with a role for the ECS in the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcoholism. Moreover, the alterations reported here should be of great interest for the therapeutic treatment of this chronic psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaia M. Erdozain
- Department of Pharmacology; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Bizkaia Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM); Madrid Spain
| | - Marina Rubio
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Faculty of Medicine; Complutense University; Madrid Spain
| | - Elsa M. Valdizan
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM); Madrid Spain
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology; Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology IBBTEC (Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC-IDICAN) Santander; Cantabria Spain
| | - Angel Pazos
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM); Madrid Spain
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology; Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology IBBTEC (Universidad de Cantabria-CSIC-IDICAN) Santander; Cantabria Spain
| | - J Javier Meana
- Department of Pharmacology; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Bizkaia Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM); Madrid Spain
- BioCruces Health Research Institute; Bizkaia Spain
| | - Javier Fernández-Ruiz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Faculty of Medicine; Complutense University; Madrid Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED); Madrid Spain
- Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigaciones Sanitarias (IRYCIS); Madrid Spain
| | | | - Luis F. Callado
- Department of Pharmacology; University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU; Bizkaia Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM); Madrid Spain
- BioCruces Health Research Institute; Bizkaia Spain
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Ortega-Álvaro A, Ternianov A, Aracil-Fernández A, Navarrete F, García-Gutiérrez MS, Manzanares J. Role of cannabinoid CB2 receptor in the reinforcing actions of ethanol. Addict Biol 2015; 20:43-55. [PMID: 23855434 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This study examines the role of the cannabinoid CB2 receptor (CB2 r) on the vulnerability to ethanol consumption. The time-related and dose-response effects of ethanol on rectal temperature, handling-induced convulsions (HIC) and blood ethanol concentrations were evaluated in CB2 KO and wild-type (WT) mice. The reinforcing properties of ethanol were evaluated in conditioned place preference (CPP), preference and voluntary ethanol consumption and oral ethanol self-administration. Water-maintained behavior schedule was performed to evaluate the degree of motivation induced by a natural stimulus. Preference for non-alcohol tastants assay was performed to evaluate the differences in taste sensitivity. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and μ-opioid receptor gene expressions were also measured in the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens (NAcc), respectively. CB2 KO mice presented increased HIC score, ethanol-CPP, voluntary ethanol consumption and preference, acquisition of ethanol self-administration, and increased motivation to drink ethanol compared with WT mice. No differences were found between genotypes in the water-maintained behavior schedule or preference for non-alcohol tastants. Naïve CB2 KO mice presented increased μ-opioid receptor gene expression in NAcc. Acute ethanol administration (1-2 g/kg) increased TH and μ-opioid receptor gene expressions in CB2 KO mice, whereas the lower dose of ethanol decreased TH gene expression in WT mice. These results suggest that deletion of the CB2 r gene increased preference for and vulnerability to ethanol consumption, at least in part, by increased ethanol-induced sensitivity of the TH and μ-opioid receptor gene expressions in mesolimbic neurons. Future studies will determine the role of CB2 r as a target for the treatment of problems related with alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Ortega-Álvaro
- Unidad de Neuropsicofarmacología Traslacional; Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete; Albacete Spain
| | - Alexander Ternianov
- Unidad de Neuropsicofarmacología Traslacional; Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete; Albacete Spain
| | - Auxiliadora Aracil-Fernández
- Instituto de Neurociencias; Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC; San Juan de Alicante Alicante Spain
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS-Trastornos Adictivos); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER; Madrid Spain
| | - Francisco Navarrete
- Instituto de Neurociencias; Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC; San Juan de Alicante Alicante Spain
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS-Trastornos Adictivos); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER; Madrid Spain
| | - Maria Salud García-Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Neurociencias; Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC; San Juan de Alicante Alicante Spain
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS-Trastornos Adictivos); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER; Madrid Spain
| | - Jorge Manzanares
- Instituto de Neurociencias; Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC; San Juan de Alicante Alicante Spain
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS-Trastornos Adictivos); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER; Madrid Spain
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Enhanced endocannabinoid-mediated modulation of rostromedial tegmental nucleus drive onto dopamine neurons in Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. J Neurosci 2014; 34:12716-24. [PMID: 25232109 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1844-14.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The progressive predominance of rewarding effects of addictive drugs over their aversive properties likely contributes to the transition from drug use to drug dependence. By inhibiting the activity of DA neurons in the VTA, GABA projections from the rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg) are well suited to shift the balance between drug-induced reward and aversion. Since cannabinoids suppress RMTg inputs to DA cells and CB1 receptors affect alcohol intake in rodents, we hypothesized that the endocannabinoid system, by modulating this pathway, might contribute to alcohol preference. Here we found that RMTg afferents onto VTA DA neurons express CB1 receptors and display a 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)-dependent form of short-term plasticity, that is, depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI). Next, we compared rodents with innate opposite alcohol preference, the Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) and alcohol-nonpreferring (sNP) rats. We found that DA cells from alcohol-naive sP rats displayed a decreased probability of GABA release and a larger DSI. This difference was due to the rate of 2-AG degradation. In vivo, we found a reduced RMTg-induced inhibition of putative DA neurons in sP rats that negatively correlated with an increased firing. Finally, alcohol failed to enhance RMTg spontaneous activity and to prolong RMTg-induced silencing of putative DA neurons in sP rats. Our results indicate functional modifications of RMTg projections to DA neurons that might impact the reward/aversion balance of alcohol attributes, which may contribute to the innate preference observed in sP rats and to their elevated alcohol intake.
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Pava MJ, Woodward JJ. Chronic ethanol alters network activity and endocannabinoid signaling in the prefrontal cortex. Front Integr Neurosci 2014; 8:58. [PMID: 25100953 PMCID: PMC4103173 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2014.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 06/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic use of alcohol is associated with structural and functional alterations in brain areas that subserve cognitive processes. Of particular importance is the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that is involved in higher order behaviors such as decision making, risk assessment and judgment. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie alcohol's effects on PFC function is important for developing strategies to overcome the cognitive deficits that may predispose individuals to relapse. Our previous studies showed that acutely applied ethanol inhibits network activity in slices of prefrontal cortex and that exogenous and endogenous cannabinoids modulate up-state dynamics. In the present study, we examined the effects of repeated alcohol exposure on cannabinoid regulation of up-states in slice cultures of the prefrontal cortex. Compared to controls, up-state duration, but not amplitude was enhanced when measured 4 days after a 10 day ethanol exposure (44 mM ethanol; equivalent to 0.2% blood ethanol). Administration of the CB1 agonist WIN 55,212-2 enhanced the amplitude of up-states in control cultures but not in those treated previously with ethanol. This lack of effect occurred in the absence of any noticeable change in CB1 receptor protein expression. Chronic ethanol treatment and withdrawal also blunted WIN's inhibition of electrically evoked GABA IPSCs in layer II/III pyramidal neurons but not those in layer V/VI. WIN inhibited the amplitude of spontaneous GABA IPSCs in both layers and the magnitude of this effect was not altered by ethanol treatment. However, in layer V/VI neurons, WIN's effect on sIPSC frequency was greater in ethanol treated cultures. WIN also inhibited electrically evoked NMDA EPSCs in both layer II/III and V/VI neurons but this action was unaffected by ethanol treatment and withdrawal. Overall, these results suggest that ethanol's down-regulation of cannabinoid signaling results in altered network activity in the prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Pava
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SC, USA
| | - John J Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, SC, USA
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Changes in cerebral CB1 receptor availability after acute and chronic alcohol abuse and monitored abstinence. J Neurosci 2014; 34:2822-31. [PMID: 24553924 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0849-13.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Involvement of the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) in the effects of alcohol on the brain is supported by animal experiments, but how in vivo CB1R levels are altered in alcoholic patients is still unclear. To assess the short-time effects of a binge drinking episode on CB1R availability, 20 healthy social drinkers underwent [(18)F]MK-9470-positron emission tomography (PET) at baseline and after intravenous ethanol administration (ALC ACU). Moreover, 26 alcoholic patients underwent sequential CB1R PET after chronic heavy drinking (ALC CHR) and after 1 month of abstinence (ALC ABST). Seventeen healthy subjects served as controls. Compared with baseline, ALC ACU resulted in a global increase of CB1R availability (+15.8%). In contrast, a global decreased CB1R availability was found in ALC CHR patients (-16.1%) compared with controls, which remained unaltered after abstinence (-17.0%). Voxel-based analysis showed that ALC CHR patients had reduced CB1R availability, especially in the cerebellum and parieto-occipital cortex. After abstinence, reduced CB1R availability extended also to other areas such as the ventral striatum and mesotemporal lobe. In conclusion, whereas the acute alcohol effect is an increase in CB1R availability, chronic heavy drinking leads to reduced CB1R availability that is not reversible after 1 month of abstinence. Longer follow-up is required to differentiate whether this is a compensatory effect of repeated endocannabinoid overstimulation or an enduring trait-like feature. An enhanced CB1R signaling may offer a new therapeutic direction for treatment of the negative affective state produced by alcohol withdrawal and abstinence, which is critical for the maintenance of alcohol addiction.
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McPartland JM, Guy GW, Di Marzo V. Care and feeding of the endocannabinoid system: a systematic review of potential clinical interventions that upregulate the endocannabinoid system. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89566. [PMID: 24622769 PMCID: PMC3951193 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The “classic” endocannabinoid (eCB) system includes the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, the eCB ligands anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), and their metabolic enzymes. An emerging literature documents the “eCB deficiency syndrome” as an etiology in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, psychological disorders, and other conditions. We performed a systematic review of clinical interventions that enhance the eCB system—ways to upregulate cannabinoid receptors, increase ligand synthesis, or inhibit ligand degradation. Methodology/Principal Findings We searched PubMed for clinical trials, observational studies, and preclinical research. Data synthesis was qualitative. Exclusion criteria limited the results to 184 in vitro studies, 102 in vivo animal studies, and 36 human studies. Evidence indicates that several classes of pharmaceuticals upregulate the eCB system, including analgesics (acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, glucocorticoids), antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, and anticonvulsants. Clinical interventions characterized as “complementary and alternative medicine” also upregulate the eCB system: massage and manipulation, acupuncture, dietary supplements, and herbal medicines. Lifestyle modification (diet, weight control, exercise, and the use of psychoactive substances—alcohol, tobacco, coffee, cannabis) also modulate the eCB system. Conclusions/Significance Few clinical trials have assessed interventions that upregulate the eCB system. Many preclinical studies point to other potential approaches; human trials are needed to explore these promising interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M. McPartland
- GW Pharmaceuticals, Porton Down Science Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Geoffrey W. Guy
- GW Pharmaceuticals, Porton Down Science Park, Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Istituto di Chimica Biomoleculare, CNR, Via Campi Flegrei, Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
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Chronic alcohol produces neuroadaptations to prime dorsal striatal learning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:14783-8. [PMID: 23959891 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1308198110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug addictions including alcoholism are characterized by degradation of executive control over behavior and increased compulsive drug seeking. These profound behavioral changes are hypothesized to involve a shift in the regulation of behavior from prefrontal cortex to dorsal striatum (DLS). Studies in rodents have shown that ethanol disrupts cognitive processes mediated by the prefrontal cortex, but the potential effects of chronic ethanol on DLS-mediated cognition and learning are much less well understood. Here, we first examined the effects of chronic EtOH on DLS neuronal morphology, synaptic plasticity, and endocannabinoid-CB1R signaling. We next tested for ethanol-induced changes in striatal-related learning and DLS in vivo single-unit activity during learning. Mice exposed to chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor exhibited expansion of dendritic material in DLS neurons. Following CIE, DLS endocannabinoid CB1 receptor signaling was down-regulated, and CB1 receptor-dependent long-term depression at DLS synapses was absent. CIE mice showed facilitation of DLS-dependent pairwise visual discrimination and reversal learning, relative to air-exposed controls. CIE mice were also quicker to extinguish a stimulus-reward instrumental response and faster to reduce Pavlovian approach behavior under an omission schedule. In vivo single-unit recording during learning revealed that CIE mice had augmented DLS neuronal activity during correct responses. Collectively, these findings support a model in which chronic ethanol causes neuroadaptations in the DLS that prime for greater DLS control over learning. The shift to striatal dominance over behavior may be a critical step in the progression of alcoholism.
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Hirvonen J, Zanotti-Fregonara P, Umhau JC, George DT, Rallis-Frutos D, Lyoo CH, Li CT, Hines CS, Sun H, Terry GE, Morse C, Zoghbi SS, Pike VW, Innis RB, Heilig M. Reduced cannabinoid CB1 receptor binding in alcohol dependence measured with positron emission tomography. Mol Psychiatry 2013; 18:916-21. [PMID: 22776901 PMCID: PMC3594469 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2012.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2012] [Revised: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 06/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Brain cannabinoid CB1 receptors contribute to alcohol-related behaviors in experimental animals, but their potential role in humans with alcohol dependence is poorly understood. We measured CB1 receptors in alcohol dependent patients in early and protracted abstinence, and in comparison with control subjects without alcohol use disorders, using positron emission tomography and [(18)F]FMPEP-d2, a radioligand for CB1 receptors. We scanned 18 male in-patients with alcohol dependence twice, within 3-7 days of admission from ongoing drinking, and after 2-4 weeks of supervised abstinence. Imaging data were compared with those from 19 age-matched healthy male control subjects. Data were also analyzed for potential influence of a common functional variation (rs2023239) in the CB1 receptor gene (CNR1) that may moderate CB1 receptor density. On the first scan, CB1 receptor binding was 20-30% lower in patients with alcohol dependence than in control subjects in all brain regions and was negatively correlated with years of alcohol abuse. After 2-4 weeks of abstinence, CB1 receptor binding remained similarly reduced in these patients. Irrespective of the diagnostic status, C allele carriers at rs2023239 had higher CB1 receptor binding compared with non-carriers. Alcohol dependence is associated with a widespread reduction of cannabinoid CB1 receptor binding in the human brain and this reduction persists at least 2-4 weeks into abstinence. The correlation of reduced binding with years of alcohol abuse suggests an involvement of CB1 receptors in alcohol dependence in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jussi Hirvonen
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - John C. Umhau
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - David T. George
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Denise Rallis-Frutos
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Chul Hyoung Lyoo
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Cheng-Ta Li
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Christina S. Hines
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Hui Sun
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Garth E. Terry
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Cheryl Morse
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Sami S. Zoghbi
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Victor W. Pike
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Robert B. Innis
- Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Markus Heilig
- Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD
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Plescia F, Brancato A, Marino RAM, Cannizzaro C. Acetaldehyde as a drug of abuse: insight into AM281 administration on operant-conflict paradigm in rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:64. [PMID: 23781180 PMCID: PMC3678093 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence focuses on acetaldehyde (ACD) as the mediator of the rewarding and motivational properties of ethanol. Indeed, ACD stimulates dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and it is self-administered under different conditions. Besides the dopaminergic transmission, the endocannabinoid system has been reported to play an important role in ethanol central effects, modulating primary alcohol rewarding effect, drug-seeking, and relapse behavior. Drug motivational properties are highlighted in operant paradigms which include response-contingent punishment, a behavioral equivalent of compulsive drug use despite adverse consequences. The aim of this study was thus to characterize ACD motivational and rewarding properties employing an operant-conflict paradigm in which rats, trained to lever press in order to get ACD solution (0.9%), undergo extinction, reinstatement and conflict sessions, according to a modified Geller–Seifter procedure. Furthermore, the role played by CB1 receptor system in modulating ACD-induced effects were investigated through the administration of CB1 receptor antagonist, AM281 (1 mg/kg, i.p.) during the extinction-, relapse-, and conflict-experiments. Our results indicate that ACD is able to induce and maintain an operant behavior, a high number of responses during extinction, an increase in the lever presses during the reinstatement phase, and a higher emission of punished responses during the conflict experiments, when compared to controls. The administration of AM281 is able to decrease ACD-seeking behavior during extinction, the number of lever presses during reinstatement and to strongly decrease the punished responses for ACD. Our data strengthen the idea that ACD may be responsible for the central effects of ethanol, and pinpoint at the CB1 system as one of the neural substrates underlying its addictive properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulvio Plescia
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Section of Pharmacology, Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo Palermo, Italy
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Ceccarini J, Casteels C, Koole M, Bormans G, Van Laere K. Transient changes in the endocannabinoid system after acute and chronic ethanol exposure and abstinence in the rat: a combined PET and microdialysis study. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2013; 40:1582-94. [PMID: 23740372 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-013-2456-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Recent biochemical and post-mortem evidence suggests involvement of the endocannabinoid system in alcohol drinking behaviour and dependence. Using [(18)F]MK-9470 small-animal PET imaging, our primary objective was to evaluate in vivo type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) binding changes in rats subjected to several ethanol conditions: (1) at baseline, (2) after acute intraperitoneal administration of ethanol (4 g/kg) or saline, (3) after 7 days of forced chronic ethanol consumption, and (4) after abstinence for 7 and 14 days. Secondly, levels of anandamide (AEA) in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) were investigated in the same animals using in vivo microdialysis and correlated with the changes in CB1R binding. METHODS In total, 28 male Wistar rats were investigated. Small-animal PET was done on a FOCUS-220 tomograph with [(18)F]MK-9470. Parametric images of [(18)F]MK-9470 binding based on standard uptake values (SUV, as a measure of CB1R binding) were generated. Images were normalized to Paxinos space and analysed voxel-wise using SPM8 (p(height) = 0.005; k(ext) = 200). The AEA content was quantified using HPLC with tandem mass spectrometry detection. RESULTS Acute ethanol administration increased relative CB1R binding in the NAcc that was positively correlated with the change in AEA levels of that region. In contrast, compared to rats at baseline, AEA levels in the NAcc were not significantly different in rats after chronic ethanol consumption or after a 14-day abstinence period. Chronic ethanol consumption decreased relative CB1R binding in the hippocampus and caudate-putamen, whereas same regions showed increased relative CB1R binding after 7 and 14 days of abstinence compared to the baseline condition. After 7 and 14 days of abstinence, relative CB1R binding additionally decreased in the orbitofrontal cortex. The magnitude of the hippocampal and frontal changes was highly correlated with daily ethanol intake. CONCLUSION This study provides in vivo evidence that acute ethanol consumption is associated with enhanced endocannabinoid signalling in the NAcc, indicated by an increased CB1R binding and AEA content. In addition, chronic ethanol exposure leads to regional dysfunctions in CB1R levels, involving the hippocampus and caudate-putamen that are reversible within 2 weeks in this animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Ceccarini
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium,
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Coelhoso CC, Engelke DS, Filev R, Silveira DX, Mello LE, Santos-Junior JG. Temporal and behavioral variability in cannabinoid receptor expression in outbred mice submitted to ethanol-induced locomotor sensitization paradigm. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2013; 37:1516-26. [PMID: 23647533 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a close relationship between the endocannabinoid system and alcoholism. This study investigated possible differential expression of cannabinoid receptors CB1 (CB1R) and CB2 (CB2R) in an outbred mice strain displaying behavioral variability to ethanol (EtOH)-induced locomotor sensitization. METHODS Male adult Swiss mice treated chronically with EtOH (2 g/kg, i.p., daily for 21 days) were classified as "EtOH_High" or "EtOH_Low" according to their locomotor activity after the 21st EtOH injection. A control group was similarly injected with saline. Temporal analysis of CB1R and CB2R immunoreactivity was performed in 3 different occasions: (i) at the end of chronic EtOH treatment, (ii) on the fifth day of EtOH withdrawal, and (iii) after EtOH challenge. RESULTS Overall, no differences were seen between experimental groups regarding the CB1R at the end of acquisition. However, there were decreases in CB2R in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus in EtOH_Low mice. On the fifth day of withdrawal, only EtOH_High mice presented increase in CB1R. Nonetheless, CB2R up-regulation was observed in both EtOH_High and EtOH_Low mice. EtOH challenge counteracted CB1R and CBR2 up-regulation, mainly in the EtOH_High, in structures related to emotionality, such as prefrontal cortex, ventral tegmental area, amygdala, striatum, and hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS There are different patterns of cannabinoid receptor expression during locomotor sensitization paradigm, at both temporal and behavioral perspectives. We hypothesize that CB2R down-regulation might be related to resilience to develop locomotor sensitization, while CB1R up-regulation relates to withdrawal aspects in sensitized mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cássia C Coelhoso
- Laboratory of Neurobiology , Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Leishman E, Kokesh KJ, Bradshaw HB. Lipids and addiction: how sex steroids, prostaglandins, and cannabinoids interact with drugs of abuse. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2013; 1282:25-38. [PMID: 23510307 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Lipidomics aims to identify and characterize all endogenous species of lipids and understand their roles in cellular signaling and, ultimately, the functioning of the organism. We are on the cusp of fully understanding the functions of many of the lipid signaling systems that have been identified for decades (e.g., steroids, prostaglandins), whereas our understanding of newer lipid signaling systems (e.g., endocannabinoids, N-acyl amides) still lags considerably behind. With an emphasis on their roles in the neurophysiology of addiction, we will examine three classes of lipids--sex steroids, prostaglandins, and cannabinoids--and how they work synergistically in the neurocircuitry of motivation. We will first give a brief overview of the biosynthesis for each class of lipid and its receptors, and then summarize what is known about the collective roles of the lipids in cocaine and alcohol abuse. This approach provides a novel view of lipid signaling as a class of molecules and their synergistic roles in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Leishman
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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Panlilio LV, Justinova Z, Goldberg SR. Inhibition of FAAH and activation of PPAR: new approaches to the treatment of cognitive dysfunction and drug addiction. Pharmacol Ther 2013; 138:84-102. [PMID: 23333350 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2013.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Enhancing the effects of endogenously-released cannabinoid ligands in the brain might provide therapeutic effects more safely and effectively than administering drugs that act directly at the cannabinoid receptor. Inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) prevent the breakdown of endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), prolonging and enhancing the effects of these ligands when they are naturally released. This review considers recent research on the effects of FAAH inhibitors and PPAR activators in animal models of addiction and cognition (specifically learning and memory). These studies show that FAAH inhibitors can produce potentially therapeutic effects, some through cannabinoid receptors and some through PPAR. These effects include enhancing certain forms of learning, counteracting the rewarding effects of nicotine and alcohol, relieving symptoms of withdrawal from cannabis and other drugs, and protecting against relapse-like reinstatement of drug self-administration. Since FAAH inhibition might have a wide range of therapeutic actions but might also share some of the adverse effects of cannabis, it is noteworthy that at least one FAAH-inhibiting drug (URB597) has been found to have potentially beneficial effects but no indication of liability for abuse or dependence. Although these areas of research are new, the preliminary evidence indicates that they might lead to improved therapeutic interventions and a better understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying addiction and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh V Panlilio
- Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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Neumeister A, Normandin MD, Murrough JW, Henry S, Bailey CR, Luckenbaugh DA, Tuit K, Zheng MQ, Galatzer-Levy IR, Sinha R, Carson RE, Potenza MN, Huang Y. Positron emission tomography shows elevated cannabinoid CB1 receptor binding in men with alcohol dependence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2012; 36:2104-9. [PMID: 22551199 PMCID: PMC3418442 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01815.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Accepted: 03/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several lines of evidence link cannabinoid (CB) type 1 (CB (1) ) receptor-mediated endogenous CB (eCB) signaling to the etiology of alcohol dependence (AD). However, to date, only peripheral measures of eCB function have been collected in living humans with AD and no human in vivo data on the potentially critical role of the brain CB (1) receptor in AD have been published. This is an important gap in the literature, because recent therapeutic developments suggest that these receptors could be targeted for the treatment for AD. METHODS Medication-free participants were scanned during early abstinence 4 weeks after their last drink. Using positron emission tomography (PET) with a high-resolution research tomograph and the CB (1) receptor selective radiotracer [(11) C]OMAR, we determined [(11) C]OMAR volume of distribution ( V (T) ) values, a measure of CB (1) receptor density, in a priori selected brain regions in men with AD (n = 8, age 37.4 ± 7.9 years; 5 smokers) and healthy control (HC) men (n = 8, age 32.5 ± 6.9 years; all nonsmokers). PET images reconstructed using the MOLAR algorithm with hardware motion correction were rigidly aligned to the subject-specific magnetic resonance (MR) image, which in turn was warped to an MR template. Time-activity curves (TACs) were extracted from the dynamic PET data using a priori selected regions of interest delineated in the MR template space. RESULTS In AD relative to HC, [(11) C]OMAR V (T) values were elevated by approximately 20% (p = 0.023) in a circuit, including the amygdala, hippocampus, putamen, insula, anterior and posterior cingulate cortices, and orbitofrontal cortex. Age, body mass index, or smoking status did not influence the outcome. CONCLUSIONS These findings agree with preclinical evidence and provide the first, albeit still preliminary in vivo evidence suggesting a role for brain CB (1) receptors in AD. The current study design does not answer the important question of whether elevated CB (1) receptors are a preexisting vulnerability factor for AD or whether elevations develop as a consequence of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Neumeister
- Molecular Imaging Program, Department of Psychiatry and Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.
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Escosteguy-Neto JC, Fallopa P, Varela P, Filev R, Tabosa A, Santos-Junior JG. Electroacupuncture inhibits CB1 upregulation induced by ethanol withdrawal in mice. Neurochem Int 2012; 61:277-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2012.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2011] [Revised: 04/24/2012] [Accepted: 05/10/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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