1
|
Teng PN, Barakat W, Tran SM, Tran ZM, Bateman NW, Conrads KA, Wilson KN, Oliver J, Gist G, Hood BL, Zhou M, Maxwell GL, Leggio L, Conrads TP, Lee MR. Brain proteomic atlas of alcohol use disorder in adult males. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:318. [PMID: 37833300 PMCID: PMC10575941 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02605-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects transcriptomic, epigenetic and proteomic expression in several organs, including the brain. There has not been a comprehensive analysis of altered protein abundance focusing on the multiple brain regions that undergo neuroadaptations occurring in AUD. We performed a quantitative proteomic analysis using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of human postmortem tissue from brain regions that play key roles in the development and maintenance of AUD, the amygdala (AMG), hippocampus (HIPP), hypothalamus (HYP), nucleus accumbens (NAc), prefrontal cortex (PFC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Brain tissues were from adult males with AUD (n = 11) and matched controls (n = 16). Across the two groups, there were >6000 proteins quantified with differential protein abundance in AUD compared to controls in each of the six brain regions. The region with the greatest number of differentially expressed proteins was the AMG, followed by the HYP. Pathways associated with differentially expressed proteins between groups (fold change > 1.5 and LIMMA p < 0.01) were analyzed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). In the AMG, adrenergic, opioid, oxytocin, GABA receptor and cytokine pathways were among the most enriched. In the HYP, dopaminergic signaling pathways were the most enriched. Proteins with differential abundance in AUD highlight potential therapeutic targets such as oxytocin, CSNK1D (PF-670462), GABAB receptor and opioid receptors and may lead to the identification of other potential targets. These results improve our understanding of the molecular alterations of AUD across brain regions that are associated with the development and maintenance of AUD. Proteomic data from this study is publicly available at www.lmdomics.org/AUDBrainProteomeAtlas/ .
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pang-Ning Teng
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Waleed Barakat
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sophie M Tran
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zoe M Tran
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicholas W Bateman
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kelly A Conrads
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Katlin N Wilson
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Julie Oliver
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Glenn Gist
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Brian L Hood
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc., Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ming Zhou
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Women's Service Line, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA, USA
| | - G Larry Maxwell
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Women's Service Line, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA, USA
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Medication Development Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Division of Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Thomas P Conrads
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center, Women's Service Line, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA, USA.
| | - Mary R Lee
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schimmer J, Patwell R, Küppers S, Grinevich V. The Relationship Between Oxytocin and Alcohol Dependence. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023. [PMID: 37697074 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2023_444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is well known for its prosocial, anxiolytic, and ameliorating effects on various psychiatric conditions, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). In this chapter, we will first introduce the basic neurophysiology of the OT system and its interaction with other neuromodulatory and neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Next, we provide an overview over the current state of research examining the effects of acute and chronic alcohol exposure on the OT system as well as the effects of OT system manipulation on alcohol-related behaviors in rodents and humans. In rodent models of AUD, OT has been repeatedly shown to reduce ethanol consumption, particularly in models of acute alcohol exposure. In humans however, the results of OT administration on alcohol-related behaviors are promising but not yet conclusive. Therefore, we further discuss several physiological and methodological limitations to the effective application of OT in the clinic and how they may be mitigated by the application of synthetic OT receptor (OTR) agonists. Finally, we discuss the potential efficacy of cutting-edge pharmacology and gene therapies designed to specifically enhance endogenous OT release and thereby rescue deficient expression of OT in the brains of patients with severe forms of AUD and other incurable mental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Schimmer
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ryan Patwell
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stephanie Küppers
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fischler PV, Soyka M, Seifritz E, Mutschler J. Off-label and investigational drugs in the treatment of alcohol use disorder: A critical review. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:927703. [PMID: 36263121 PMCID: PMC9574013 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.927703] [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: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Compounds known to be successful in the treatment of alcohol use disorder include the aversive agent, Disulfiram, the glutamatergic NMDA receptor antagonist, Acamprosate, and the opioid receptor antagonists, Naltrexone and Nalmefene. Although all four are effective in maintaining abstinence or reduction of alcohol consumption, only a small percentage of patients receive pharmacological treatment. In addition, many other medications have been investigated for their therapeutic potential in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. In this review we summarize and compare Baclofen, Gabapentin, Topiramate, Ondansetron, Varenicline, Aripiprazole, Quetiapine, Clozapine, Antidepressants, Lithium, Neuropeptide Y, Neuropeptide S, Corticotropin-releasing factor antagonists, Oxytocin, PF-05190457, Memantine, Ifenprodil, Samidorphan, Ondelopran, ABT-436, SSR149415, Mifepristone, Ibudilast, Citicoline, Rimonabant, Surinabant, AM4113 and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate While some have shown promising results in the treatment of alcohol use disorder, others have disappointed and should be excluded from further investigation. Here we discuss the most promising results and highlight medications that deserve further preclinical or clinical study. Effective, patient-tailored treatment will require greater understanding provided by many more preclinical and clinical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Valentin Fischler
- Department for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Women’s Clinic Lucerne, Cantonal Hospital of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Pascal Valentin Fischler,
| | - Michael Soyka
- Psychiatric Hospital University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Director of the Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Clinic Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mühle C, Mazza M, Weinland C, von Zimmermann C, Bach P, Kiefer F, Grinevich V, Zoicas I, Kornhuber J, Lenz B. Elevated Oxytocin Receptor Blood Concentrations Predict Higher Risk for, More, and Earlier 24-Month Hospital Readmissions after In-Patient Detoxification in Males with Alcohol Use Disorder. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179940. [PMID: 36077337 PMCID: PMC9455990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major global mental health challenge. Knowledge concerning mechanisms underlying AUD and predictive biomarkers of AUD progression and relapse are insufficient. Recently, addiction research is focusing attention on the oxytocin system. However, to our knowledge, blood concentrations of the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) have not yet been studied in AUD. Here, in sex-separated analyses, OXTR serum concentrations were compared between early-abstinent in-patients with AUD (113 men, 87 women) and age-matched healthy controls (133 men, 107 women). The OXTR concentrations were correlated with sex hormone and oxytocin concentrations and alcohol-related hospital readmissions during a 24-month follow-up. In male patients with AUD, higher OXTR concentrations were found in those with an alcohol-related readmission than in those without (143%; p = 0.004), and they correlated with more prospective readmissions (ρ = 0.249; p = 0.008) and fewer days to the first readmission (ρ = −0.268; p = 0.004). In men and women, OXTR concentrations did not significantly differ between patients with AUD and controls. We found lower OXTR concentrations in smokers versus non-smokers in female patients (61%; p = 0.001) and controls (51%; p = 0.003). In controls, OXTR concentrations correlated with dihydrotestosterone (men, ρ = 0.189; p = 0.030) and testosterone concentrations (women, ρ = 0.281; p = 0.003). This clinical study provides novel insight into the role of serum OXTR levels in AUD. Future studies are encouraged to add to the available knowledge and investigate clinical implications of OXTR blood concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Mühle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +49-9131-85-44738; Fax: +49-9131-85-36381
| | - Massimiliano Mazza
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Weinland
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Claudia von Zimmermann
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Patrick Bach
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Falk Kiefer
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Iulia Zoicas
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Bernd Lenz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Addictive Behavior and Addiction Medicine, Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, J 5, D-68159 Mannheim, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Rung JM, Kidder QA, Horta M, Nazarloo HP, Carter CS, Berry MS, Ebner NC. Associations between alcohol use and peripheral, genetic, and epigenetic markers of oxytocin in a general sample of young and older adults. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2425. [PMID: 35146961 PMCID: PMC8933764 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Human and nonhuman animal research suggests that greater oxytocin (OT) activity is protective against harmful substance use. Most research on this topic is preclinical, with few studies evaluating the association between substance use and individual differences in the human OT system. The present study sought to fill this gap by evaluating the relationship between alcohol use and multiple biological measures of OT activity in an overall low to moderate-drinking sample. METHOD As part of a larger study, generally healthy young (n = 51) and older (n = 53) adults self-reported whether they regularly used alcohol and how much alcohol they consumed per week. Participants also provided blood samples from which peripheral OT, and in an age-heterogeneous subset of participants (n = 56) variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (the OXTR rs53576 polymorphism) and OXTR DNA methylation levels (at cytosine-guanine dinucleotide sites -860, -924, -934), were obtained. RESULTS A-allele carriers of the OXTR rs53579 polymorphism were less likely to regularly consume alcohol. Among regular alcohol consumers, number of alcoholic drinks per week was positively associated with peripheral OT in regression models excluding observations of high influence (postdiagnostic models). Number of alcoholic drinks per week was consistently negatively associated with OXTR DNA methylation at site -860; and with OXTR DNA methylation at site -924 in postdiagnostic models. CONCLUSIONS The significant associations between alcohol use and individual differences in OT activity support the involvement of the OT system in alcohol use, which most likely reflect the role of OT when alcohol use is under control of its rewarding properties and/or the acute impacts of alcohol on the OT system. Additional research with markers of OT activity and alcohol use, particularly longitudinal, is needed to clarify the bidirectional effects of OT and alcohol use in moderate to harmful drinking and dependence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jillian M Rung
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Quintin A Kidder
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Marilyn Horta
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - H P Nazarloo
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - C Sue Carter
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Meredith S Berry
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Health Education and Behavior, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), College of Medicine, Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Natalie C Ebner
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), College of Medicine, Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Aging & Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Martins D, Brodmann K, Veronese M, Dipasquale O, Mazibuko N, Schuschnig U, Zelaya F, Fotopoulou A, Paloyelis Y. "Less is more": a dose-response account of intranasal oxytocin pharmacodynamics in the human brain. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 211:102239. [PMID: 35122880 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Intranasal oxytocin is attracting attention as a potential treatment for several brain disorders due to promising preclinical results. However, translating findings to humans has been hampered by remaining uncertainties about its pharmacodynamics and the methods used to probe its effects in the human brain. Using a dose-response design (9, 18 and 36 IU), we demonstrate that intranasal oxytocin-induced changes in local regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the amygdala at rest, and in the covariance between rCBF in the amygdala and other key hubs of the brain oxytocin system, follow a dose-response curve with maximal effects for lower doses. Yet, the effects on local rCBF might vary by amygdala subdivision, highlighting the need to qualify dose-response curves within subregion. We further link physiological changes with the density of the oxytocin receptor gene mRNA across brain regions, strengthening our confidence in intranasal oxytocin as a valid approach to engage central targets. Finally, we demonstrate that intranasal oxytocin does not disrupt cerebrovascular reactivity, which corroborates the validity of haemodynamic neuroimaging to probe the effects of intranasal oxytocin in the human brain. DATA AVAILABILITY: Participants did not consent for open sharing of the data. Therefore, data can only be accessed from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Martins
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Katja Brodmann
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Ottavia Dipasquale
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Ndaba Mazibuko
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | | | - Fernando Zelaya
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Peris J, Totten K, Montgomery D, Lester H, Weatherington A, Piotrowski B, Sowell S, Doyle K, Scott K, Tan Y, MacFadyen KA, Engle H, de Kloet AD, Krause EG. Conditioned social preference and reward value of activating oxytocin-receptor-expressing ventral tegmental area neurons following repeated daily binge ethanol intake. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:194-206. [PMID: 34964139 PMCID: PMC8858886 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) exhibit a disruption of social behavior and dysregulation of oxytocin signaling in the brain, possibly reflecting decreased activation of oxytocin receptors (OxTRs) in reward pathways in response to social stimuli. We hypothesize that daily binge ethanol intake causes a deficit in social reward and oxytocin signaling in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). METHODS After 9 weeks of daily binge ethanol intake (blood ethanol concentration >80 mg%), OxTR-cre mice underwent conditioned place preference for social reward. Separate groups of mice were tested for the effects of binge ethanol on voluntary social interactions, food reward, locomotion, and anxiety-like behaviors. A subset of mice underwent transfection of OxTR-expressing VTA neurons (VTAOxtr ) with a light-sensitive opsin, followed by operant training to respond to light delivered to VTA. RESULTS Ethanol-naïve male mice increased the time spent on the side previously paired with novel mice while ethanol-treated mice did not. Binge ethanol did not affect conditioned place preference for food reward in males, but this response was weakened in ethanol-treated females. Ethanol treatment also caused a sex-specific impairment of voluntary social interactions with novel mice. There were minimal differences between groups in measures of anxiety and locomotion. Ethanol-naïve mice had significantly greater operant responding for activation of VTAOxtr than sham-transfected mice but ethanol-treated mice did not. There was no difference in the number of VTAOxtr after binge ethanol. CONCLUSIONS Daily binge ethanol causes social reward deficits that cannot be explained by nonspecific effects on other behaviors, at least in males. Only ethanol-naïve mice exhibited positive reinforcement caused by activation of VTAOxtr while daily binge ethanol did not alter the number of VTAOxtr in either males or females. Thus, subtle dysregulation of VTAOxtr function may be related to the social reward deficits caused by daily binge ethanol.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Peris
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Katye Totten
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Darrice Montgomery
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Hannah Lester
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | | | - Brian Piotrowski
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Sam Sowell
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Kristen Doyle
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Karen Scott
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Yalun Tan
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Kaley A. MacFadyen
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | - Hannah Engle
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| | | | - Eric G. Krause
- University of Florida, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Gainesville FL 32610 USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Deschaine SL, Farokhnia M, Gregory-Flores A, Zallar LJ, You ZB, Sun H, Harvey DM, Marchette RCN, Tunstall BJ, Mani BK, Moose JE, Lee MR, Gardner E, Akhlaghi F, Roberto M, Hougland JL, Zigman JM, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF, Leggio L. A closer look at alcohol-induced changes in the ghrelin system: novel insights from preclinical and clinical data. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13033. [PMID: 33908131 PMCID: PMC8548413 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ghrelin is a gastric-derived peptide hormone with demonstrated impact on alcohol intake and craving, but the reverse side of this bidirectional link, that is, the effects of alcohol on the ghrelin system, remains to be fully established. To further characterize this relationship, we examined (1) ghrelin levels via secondary analysis of human laboratory alcohol administration experiments with heavy-drinking participants; (2) expression of ghrelin, ghrelin receptor, and ghrelin-O-acyltransferase (GOAT) genes (GHRL, GHSR, and MBOAT4, respectively) in post-mortem brain tissue from individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) versus controls; (3) ghrelin levels in Ghsr knockout and wild-type rats following intraperitoneal (i.p.) alcohol administration; (4) effect of alcohol on ghrelin secretion from gastric mucosa cells ex vivo and GOAT enzymatic activity in vitro; and (5) ghrelin levels in rats following i.p. alcohol administration versus a calorically equivalent non-alcoholic sucrose solution. Acyl- and total-ghrelin levels decreased following acute alcohol administration in humans, but AUD was not associated with changes in central expression of ghrelin system genes in post-mortem tissue. In rats, alcohol decreased acyl-ghrelin, but not des-acyl-ghrelin, in both Ghsr knockout and wild-type rats. No dose-dependent effects of alcohol were observed on acyl-ghrelin secretion from gastric mucosa cells or on GOAT acylation activity. Lastly, alcohol and sucrose produced distinct effects on ghrelin in rats despite equivalent caloric value. Our findings suggest that alcohol acutely decreases peripheral ghrelin concentrations in vivo, but not in proportion to alcohol's caloric value or through direct interaction with ghrelin-secreting gastric mucosal cells, the ghrelin receptor, or the GOAT enzyme.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara L. Deschaine
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National, Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mehdi Farokhnia
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National, Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,Center on Compulsive Behaviors, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adriana Gregory-Flores
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National, Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Lia J. Zallar
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National, Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zhi-Bing You
- Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hui Sun
- Clinical Core Laboratory, Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Deon M. Harvey
- Office of the Scientific Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Renata C. N. Marchette
- Center on Compulsive Behaviors, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Brendan J. Tunstall
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Bharath K. Mani
- Center for Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jacob E. Moose
- Syracuse Biomaterials Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA,Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Mary R. Lee
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National, Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eliot Gardner
- Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Fatemeh Akhlaghi
- Clinical Pharmacokinetics Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - James L. Hougland
- Syracuse Biomaterials Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA,Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA,BioInspired Syracuse, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA
| | - Jeffrey M. Zigman
- Center for Hypothalamic Research, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA,Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA,Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - George F. Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Leandro F. Vendruscolo
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National, Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,Center on Compulsive Behaviors, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA,Medication Development Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA,Division of Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Oxytocin blood concentrations in alcohol use disorder: A cross-sectional, longitudinal, and sex-separated study. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 51:55-67. [PMID: 34077851 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a severe illness, for which we lack sufficient mechanistic understanding. Preliminary evidence associates AUD with the oxytocin (OXT) system. Here we investigated alterations in endogenous OXT blood concentrations in patients with AUD and their association with alcohol drinking and prospective course. In sex-separated analyses, OXT serum concentrations of 200 in-patients with AUD (56.5% male; baseline, 24-72 h of abstinence) were compared with those of 240 age-matched healthy controls (55.4% male), investigated longitudinally (follow-up, 5 days later), and tested for associations with alcohol drinking behavior and prospective 24-month alcohol-related hospital readmissions. At baseline, the patients showed increased OXT concentrations relative to controls (men, 156%, P < 0.001; women, 124%, P = 0.002). The elevations normalized at follow-up. In male patients, baseline OXT concentrations correlated positively with alcohol concentration at admission, the amount of alcohol consumption per drinking year, and the number of previous withdrawal treatments (Rho > 0.195, P < 0.044). In beverage type-specific analysis, baseline OXT concentrations correlated with liquor consumption positively in male and negatively in female patients (|Rho| > 0.277, P < 0.017). Higher baseline OXT concentrations predicted more readmissions and fewer days to the first readmission (|Rho| > 0.185, P < 0.050) in male patients. This study provides novel and sex-separated insights into the role of the OXT system in AUD. We identified a mechanism that might underlie the sex-separated choice of beverage type and established that increased OXT concentrations during early abstinence predict a worse outcome in male patients with AUD.
Collapse
|
10
|
Hofmann J, Huber C, Novak B, Schreckenbach M, Schubert CF, Touma C, Rutten BP, Schmidt U. Oxytocin receptor is a potential biomarker of the hyporesponsive HPA axis subtype of PTSD and might be modulated by HPA axis reactivity traits in humans and mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 129:105242. [PMID: 33975150 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify yet unavailable blood biomarkers for the responsive and the hyporesponsive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis subtypes of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As, I, we recently discovered the intranasal neuropeptide oxytocin to reduce experimentally provoked PTSD symptoms, II, expression of its receptor (OXTR) has hitherto not been assessed in PTSD patients, and III, oxytocin and OXTR have previously been related to the HPA axis, we considered both as suitable candidates. During a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), we compared serum oxytocin and blood OXTR mRNA concentrations between female PTSD patients, their HPA axis reactivity subtypes and sex and age-matched healthy controls (HC). At baseline, both candidates differentiated the hyporesponsive HPA axis subtype from HC, however, only baseline OXTR mRNA discriminated also between subtypes. Furthermore, in the hyporesponsive HPA axis subgroup, OXTR mRNA levels correlated with PTSD symptoms and changed markedly during the TSST. To assess the influence of (traumatic) stress on the cerebral expression of oxytocin and its receptor and to test their suitability as biomarkers for the mouse PTSD-like syndrome, we then analyzed oxytocin, its mRNA (Oxt) and Oxtr mRNA in three relevant brain regions and Oxt in blood of a PTSD mouse model. To further explore the HPA axis reactivity subtype dependency of OXTR, we compared cerebral OXTR protein expression between mice exhibiting two different HPA axis reactivity traits, i.e., FK506 binding protein 51 knockout vs. wildtype mice. In summary, blood OXTR mRNA emerged as a potential biomarker of the hyporesponsive HPA axis PTSD subtype and prefrontal cortical Oxtr and Oxt of the mouse PTSD-like syndrome. Moreover, we found first translational evidence for a HPA axis responsivity trait-dependent regulation of OXTR expression. The lack of a cohort of the (relatively rare) hyporesponsive HPA axis subtype of HC is a limitation of our study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hofmann
- kbo-Isar-Amper-Klinikum München Ost, Vockestraße 72, 85540 Haar, Germany
| | - Christine Huber
- Technical University of Munich, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Schneckenburgerstrasse 6, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Bozidar Novak
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 10, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Monika Schreckenbach
- Verein zur Förderung der Klinischen Verhaltenstherapie (VFKV)-Ausbildungsinstitut München gGmbH, Lindwurmstr. 117, 80337 München, Germany
| | - Christine F Schubert
- Verein zur Förderung der Klinischen Verhaltenstherapie (VFKV)-Ausbildungsinstitut München gGmbH, Lindwurmstr. 117, 80337 München, Germany; Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Ostenstraße 25, 85072 Eichstätt, Germany
| | - Chadi Touma
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Osnabrück, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Bart Pf Rutten
- Maastricht University Medical Centre, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, PO Box 616 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrike Schmidt
- Maastricht University Medical Centre, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, PO Box 616 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms University of Bonn, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Molecular and Clinical Psychotraumatology & Psychotrauma Outpatient Unit, Venusberg-Campus-1, 53127 Bonn, Germany; University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, RG Stress Modulation of Neurodegeneration & Psychotrauma Outpatient Unit, Von-Siebold-Strasse 5, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Alcohol and oxytocin: Scrutinizing the relationship. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 127:852-864. [PMID: 34102150 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The initial enthusiasm towards oxytocin (OXT) as a potential treatment for alcohol use disorder has been recently tempered by recognizing existing gaps in literature and the recent appearance of a relatively small number of clinical studies with negative outcomes. On the other hand, several new studies continue to support the OXT system's potential for such treatment. In this review, we thoroughly analyze existing literature assessing both alcohol's effects on the OXT system and OXT's effects on alcohol-related behaviors. Both rodent and clinical research is discussed. We identify areas that have been studied extensively and those that have been undeservingly understudied. OXT's potential effects on tolerance, withdrawal, craving, anxiety and social behaviors, and how these processes ultimately affect alcohol consumption, are critically explored. We conclude that while OXT can affect alcohol consumption in males and females, more comprehensive studies on OXT's effects on alcohol-related tolerance, withdrawal, craving, anxiety and social affiliations in subjects of both sexes and across several levels of analyses are needed.
Collapse
|
12
|
Sanna F, De Luca MA. The potential role of oxytocin in addiction: What is the target process? Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 58:8-20. [PMID: 33845377 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin regulates a variety of centrally-mediated functions, ranging from socio-sexual behavior, maternal care, and affiliation to fear, stress, anxiety. In the past years, both clinical and preclinical studies characterized oxytocin for its modulatory role on reward-related neural substrates mainly involving the interplay with the mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic pathways. This suggests a role of this nonapeptide on the neurobiology of addiction raising the possibility of its therapeutic use. Although far from a precise knowledge of the underlying mechanisms, the putative role of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis as a key structure where oxytocin may rebalance altered neurochemical processes and neuroplasticity involved in dependence and relapse has been highlighted. This view opens new opportunities to address the health problems related to drug misuse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Sanna
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Cagliari 09042, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Morley KC, Perry CJ, Watt J, Hurzeler T, Leggio L, Lawrence AJ, Haber P. New approved and emerging pharmacological approaches to alcohol use disorder: a review of clinical studies. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2021; 22:1291-1303. [PMID: 33615945 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2021.1892641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
introduction: The number of medications approved for AUD is small and they generally have limited efficacy. We need new pharmacotherapies for the management of AUD.Areas covered: In this review, the authors aim to synthesise literature for new approved and emerging pharmacotherapies for AUD. Recently approved medications include nalmefene, which was approved in Europe and Australia for the purposes of controlled drinking. Baclofen has also been approved in France but not in other countries. Off label medications including topiramate and gabapentin have received significant attention with multiple RCTs and meta-analyses and have widespread use in several countries including the USA. Several novel medications have emerged over the last decade but further work is required to determine their efficacy and safety for the widespread management of AUD.Expert opinion: Despite significant advances in our understanding of the neurobiological basis of factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of AUD, there have been few new AUD medications approved for almost 20 years. There are many challenges to the development and introduction of new pharmacotherapies for AUD. Strategies for improving the translational pipeline include drug repurposing and utilisation of human acute laboratory models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten C Morley
- Central Clinical School, Sydney School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Edith Collins Centre (Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Christina J Perry
- University of Melbourne, Mental Health Theme, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia
| | - Joshua Watt
- Edith Collins Centre (Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Tristan Hurzeler
- Central Clinical School, Sydney School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore and Bethesda, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, USA.,Medication Development Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- University of Melbourne, Mental Health Theme, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia.,Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Paul Haber
- Central Clinical School, Sydney School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Edith Collins Centre (Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Division of Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ferrer-Pérez C, Reguilón MD, Miñarro J, Rodríguez-Arias M. Oxytocin Signaling as a Target to Block Social Defeat-Induced Increases in Drug Abuse Reward. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052372. [PMID: 33673448 PMCID: PMC7956822 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is huge scientific interest in the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) due to its putative capacity to modulate a wide spectrum of physiological and cognitive processes including motivation, learning, emotion, and the stress response. The present review seeks to increase the understanding of the role of OXT in an individual’s vulnerability or resilience with regard to developing a substance use disorder. It places specific attention on the role of social stress as a risk factor of addiction, and explores the hypothesis that OXT constitutes a homeostatic response to stress that buffers against its negative impact. For this purpose, the review summarizes preclinical and clinical literature regarding the effects of OXT in different stages of the addiction cycle. The current literature affirms that a well-functioning oxytocinergic system has protective effects such as the modulation of the initial response to drugs of abuse, the attenuation of the development of dependence, the blunting of drug reinstatement and a general anti-stress effect. However, this system is dysregulated if there is continuous drug use or chronic exposure to stress. In this context, OXT is emerging as a promising pharmacotherapy to restore its natural beneficial effects in the organism and to help rebalance the functions of the addicted brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Ferrer-Pérez
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, C/Ciudad Escolar s/n, 44003 Teruel, Spain;
| | - Marina D. Reguilón
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (M.D.R.); (J.M.)
| | - José Miñarro
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (M.D.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Marta Rodríguez-Arias
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (M.D.R.); (J.M.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
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: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.3] [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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George F Koob
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
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]
|
17
|
Peris J, Steck MR, Krause EG. Oxytocin treatment for alcoholism: Potential neurocircuitry targets. Neuropharmacology 2020; 171:108091. [PMID: 32304701 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) has gained considerable interest in recent years as a potential treatment for alcoholism and other substance use disorders. Evidence continues to mount that OT administered either centrally, peripherally or intranasally can decrease ethanol intake in both humans and animal models. The potential mechanisms for the ability of OT to decrease ethanol reward, and importantly, cue- and stress-induced ethanol relapse, are explored by reviewing the specific neuronal circuits involved in mediating these actions and their sensitivity to OT. In addition to dopamine neurons that project from ventral tegmental area (VTA) to nucleus accumbens (NAc) to signal positively reinforcing events, OT receptors (OxTR) are also expressed by dopamine neurons that project from VTA to brain regions that can convey aversive properties of a stimulus. Moreover, OxTR are expressed by non-dopaminergic neurons in the VTA, such as GABA and glutamate neurons, which can both modulate the activity of dopamine VTA neurons locally (in opposite directions) or can project to other brain regions, including the NAc, where it can alter either positive reinforcement or aversion caused by ethanol. The ability of OT to regulate limbic circuitry and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is discussed as a potential mechanism for the ability of OT to inhibit ethanol-induced negative reinforcement. Together, understanding the diversity and complexity of OT regulation of ethanol reward may contribute to more effective use of OT as pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder. This article is part of the special issue on Neuropeptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Peris
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Madeline R Steck
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Eric G Krause
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
King CE, Gano A, Becker HC. The role of oxytocin in alcohol and drug abuse. Brain Res 2020; 1736:146761. [PMID: 32142721 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) plays a key role in adaptive processes associated with reward, tolerance, memory and stress responses. Through interactions with brain reward and stress systems, OXT is known to play a role in several neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly those that involve altered social integration, such as alcohol and drug addiction (Heilig et al., 2016). As such, there is growing interest in the oxytocin system as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorders. Accumulating preclinical evidence suggests that administration of OXT influences the development of tolerance, sensitization and withdrawal symptoms, and modulates numerous alcohol/drug-seeking and alcohol/drug-taking behaviors. Further, there is some evidence to suggest that OXT may help to reverse neuroadaptations that occur as a result of chronic alcohol or drug exposure. To date, there have been only a handful of clinical studies conducted in alcohol and drug dependent populations. This review summarizes the preclinical and clinical literature on the effects of OXT administration on alcohol- and drug-related behaviors. In addition, we discuss OXT interactions with the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis and multiple neurotransmitter systems within addiction circuitry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E King
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Anny Gano
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425, United States
| | - Howard C Becker
- Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina & VAMC, Charleston, SC 29425, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Stauffer CS, Meinzer NK, Morrison T, Wen JH, Radanovich L, Leung D, Niles A, O'Donovan A, Batki SL, Woolley JD. Effects of Oxytocin Administration on Cue-Induced Craving in Co-occurring Alcohol Use Disorder and PTSD: A Within-Participant Randomized Clinical Trial. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:2627-2636. [PMID: 31610033 PMCID: PMC7450809 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are much more likely to meet criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the general population. Compared to AUD alone, those with comorbid AUD-PTSD experience worse outcomes. Prior literature suggests that oxytocin, a hypothalamic neuropeptide, may be effective in the treatment of both AUD and PTSD when administered intranasally, although specific mechanisms remain elusive. METHODS Forty-seven male patients with comorbid AUD-PTSD were administered intranasal oxytocin in a randomized, double-blind, dose-ranging (20 IU, 40 IU, and matched placebo), within-participant design with study visits at least 1 week apart. A cue-induced craving paradigm was conducted using each participant's preferred alcoholic beverage versus a neutral water cue. Self-reported alcohol craving and heart rate (HR) were recorded and analyzed using linear mixed-effect models. RESULTS While alcohol cues significantly induced self-reported craving and increased HR compared to neutral water cues, neither dosage of oxytocin compared to placebo reduced self-reported cue-induced alcohol craving nor cue-induced changes in HR in patients with PTSD-AUD. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary findings suggest that oxytocin does not affect cue-induced craving. Our results contribute to an ever-growing field of research investigating the effects of intranasal oxytocin on the symptoms of substance use disorders and will help further refine methodology and streamline future inquiries in this area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S Stauffer
- From the, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Tyler Morrison
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Jin-Hui Wen
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
| | - Lily Radanovich
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - David Leung
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Aoife O'Donovan
- San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, California
| | - Steven L Batki
- From the, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Joshua D Woolley
- From the, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Abstract
The neuropeptide Oxytocin (ΟΤ) is involved as a neurohormone, a neurotransmitter, or a neuromodulator in an extensive range of central and peripheral effects, complex emotional and social human behaviors, memory and learning processes. It is implicated in homeostatic, neuroadaptive processes associated with stress responses and substance use via interactions with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the dopamine mesolimbic reward stress system. This chapter reviews the preclinical and clinical literature on the complicated relationships between endogenous and exogenous opioids and ΟΤ systems and attempts to highlight key findings to date on the effectiveness of intranasal OT administration to treat opioid use disorders. OΤ seems to attenuate, even inhibit, the development of opioid use disorders in preclinical models but is still under clinical research as a promising pharmacological agent in the treatment of opioid use related behaviors. Evidence suggests a role for OT as an adjunctive or stand-alone treatment of behavioral, cognitive and emotional deficits associated with substance use, which may be responsible for seeking behavior and relapse. The mechanisms by which oxytocin acts to reverse the neural substrates of these deficits, partially due to substance induced alterations of the endogenous OT system, and thus modify the behavioral response to substance use are discussed. Other clinically relevant issues are also discussed.
Collapse
|
21
|
Xiang B, Yang BZ, Zhou H, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J. GWAS and network analysis of co-occurring nicotine and alcohol dependence identifies significantly associated alleles and network. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2019; 180:3-11. [PMID: 30488612 PMCID: PMC6918694 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol dependence (AD) and nicotine dependence (ND) co-occur frequently (AD+ND). We integrated SNP-based, gene-based, and protein-protein interaction network analyses to identify shared risk genes or gene subnetworks for AD+ND in African Americans (AAs, N = 2,094) and European Americans (EAs, N = 1,207). The DSM-IV criterion counts for AD and ND were modeled as two dependent variables in a multivariate linear mixed model, and analyzed separately for the two populations. The most significant SNP was rs6579845 in EAs (p < 1.29 × 10-8 ) in GM2A, which encodes GM2 ganglioside activator, and is a cis-expression quantitative locus that affects GM2A expression in blood and brain tissues. However, this SNP was not replicated in our another small sample (N = 678). We identified a subnetwork of 24 genes that contributed to the AD+ND criterion counts. In the gene-set analysis for the subnetwork in an independent sample, the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment project (predominately EAs), these 24 genes as a set differed in AD+ND versus control subjects in EAs (p = .041). Functional enrichment analysis for this subnetwork revealed that the gene enrichment involved primarily nerve growth factor pathways, and cocaine and amphetamine addiction. In conclusion, we identified a genome-wide significant variant at GM2A and a gene subnetwork underlying the genetic trait of shared AD+ND. These results increase our understanding of the shared (pleiotropic) genetic risk that underlies AD+ND.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bo Xiang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Bao-Zhu Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Hang Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Henry R. Kranzler
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania and VISN 4 MIRECC, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, and VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, USA,Departments of Genetics and Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Erdozain AM, Peñagarikano O. Oxytocin as Treatment for Social Cognition, Not There Yet. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:930. [PMID: 31998152 PMCID: PMC6962227 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In a short time, oxytocin has progressed from being a regular hormone involved in parturition and breastfeeding to be possibly the neuromodulator that has gathered the most attention. Attributed many positive roles in the modulation of different aspects of social behavior, such as bonding, empathy, cooperation, trust, and generosity, as well as roles as a natural anxiolytic and antidepressant, the expectations on oxytocin becoming a treatment for a number of disorders with associated social deficits have dramatically raised over the last years. However, despite the field has been investigating oxytocin's role in social behavior for over twenty years, there are still many unknowns on oxytocin's mechanisms of action and efficiency and the increasing number of clinical trials administering oxytocin to different clinical groups seem to disagree in its properties and report in most cases conflicting results. This has led to some disappointment among researchers and clinicians as oxytocin might not be the miraculous molecule that works in a "one size fits all" fashion initially considered. Conversely, this down-side of oxytocin might merely reflect the complexity of its neurotransmission system. The current reality is that, although oxytocin seems to have potential therapeutic value, there are key questions that remain unanswered as to decide the optimal target groups and treatment course. Here, we present an overview on critical points regarding the oxytocin system in health and disease that need to be better understood to establish its therapeutic properties and to decide who could benefit the most from its treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amaia M Erdozain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental CIBERSAM, Leioa, Spain
| | - Olga Peñagarikano
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental CIBERSAM, Leioa, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Freeman SM, Palumbo MC, Lawrence RH, Smith AL, Goodman MM, Bales KL. Effect of age and autism spectrum disorder on oxytocin receptor density in the human basal forebrain and midbrain. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:257. [PMID: 30514927 PMCID: PMC6279786 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0315-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The prosocial hormone oxytocin (OXT) has become a new target for research on the etiology and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a condition characterized by deficits in social function. However, it remains unknown whether there are alterations in OXT receptor (OXTR) levels in the ASD brain. This study quantified the density of OXTR and of the structurally related vasopressin 1a receptor (AVPR1a) in postmortem brain tissue from individuals with ASD and typically developing individuals. We analyzed two regions known to contain OXTR across all primates studied to date: the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM), which mediates visual attention, and the superior colliculus, which controls gaze direction. In the NBM specimens, we also analyzed the neighboring ventral pallidum (VP) and the external segment of the globus pallidus. In the superior colliculus specimens, we also analyzed the adjacent periaqueductal gray. We detected dense OXTR binding in the human NBM and VP and moderate to low OXTR binding in the human globus pallidus, superior colliculus, and periaqueductal gray. AVPR1a binding was negligible across all five regions in all specimens. Compared to controls, ASD specimens exhibited significantly higher OXTR binding in the NBM and significantly lower OXTR binding in the VP, an area in the mesolimbic reward pathway. There was no effect of ASD on OXTR binding in the globus pallidus, superior colliculus, or periaqueductal gray. We also found a significant negative correlation between age and OXTR binding in the VP across all specimens. Further analysis revealed a peak in OXTR binding in the VP in early childhood of typically developing individuals, which was absent in ASD. This pattern suggests a possible early life critical period, which is lacking in ASD, where this important reward area becomes maximally sensitive to OXT binding. These results provide unique neurobiological insight into human social development and the social symptoms of ASD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara M. Freeman
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Michelle C. Palumbo
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Rebecca H. Lawrence
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Aaron L. Smith
- 0000 0001 0941 6502grid.189967.8Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Road, Atlanta, GA 30329 USA
| | - Mark M. Goodman
- 0000 0001 0941 6502grid.189967.8Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, 1841 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Karen L. Bales
- 0000 0004 1936 9684grid.27860.3bDepartment of Psychology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Schindler EAD, Wallace RM, Sloshower JA, D'Souza DC. Neuroendocrine Associations Underlying the Persistent Therapeutic Effects of Classic Serotonergic Psychedelics. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:177. [PMID: 29545753 PMCID: PMC5838010 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent reports on the effects of psychedelic-assisted therapies for mood disorders and addiction, as well as the effects of psychedelics in the treatment of cluster headache, have demonstrated promising therapeutic results. In addition, the beneficial effects appear to persist well after limited exposure to the drugs, making them particularly appealing as treatments for chronic neuropsychiatric and headache disorders. Understanding the basis of the long-lasting effects, however, will be critical for the continued use and development of this drug class. Several mechanisms, including biological and psychological ones, have been suggested to explain the long-lasting effects of psychedelics. Actions on the neuroendocrine system are some such mechanisms that warrant further investigation in the study of persisting psychedelic effects. In this report, we review certain structural and functional neuroendocrinological pathologies associated with neuropsychiatric disorders and cluster headache. We then review the effects that psychedelic drugs have on those systems and provide preliminary support for potential long-term effects. The circadian biology of cluster headache is of particular relevance in this area. We also discuss methodologic considerations for future investigations of neuroendocrine system involvement in the therapeutic benefits of psychedelic drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle A D Schindler
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Neurology, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ryan M Wallace
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Jordan A Sloshower
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
| | - Deepak C D'Souza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
| |
Collapse
|