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Zhang Y, Li T, Miao J, Zhang Z, Yang M, Wang Z, Yang B, Zhang J, Li H, Su Q, Guo J. Gamma-glutamyl transferase 5 overexpression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells improves brain pathology, cognition, and behavior in APP/PS1 mice. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:533-547. [PMID: 38819065 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202502000-00030/figure1/v/2024-05-28T214302Z/r/image-tiff In patients with Alzheimer's disease, gamma-glutamyl transferase 5 (GGT5) expression has been observed to be downregulated in cerebrovascular endothelial cells. However, the functional role of GGT5 in the development of Alzheimer's disease remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of GGT5 on cognitive function and brain pathology in an APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, as well as the underlying mechanism. We observed a significant reduction in GGT5 expression in two in vitro models of Alzheimer's disease (Aβ1-42-treated hCMEC/D3 and bEnd.3 cells), as well as in the APP/PS1 mouse model. Additionally, injection of APP/PS1 mice with an adeno-associated virus encoding GGT5 enhanced hippocampal synaptic plasticity and mitigated cognitive deficits. Interestingly, increasing GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells reduced levels of both soluble and insoluble amyloid-β in the brains of APP/PS1 mice. This effect may be attributable to inhibition of the expression of β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1, which is mediated by nuclear factor-kappa B. Our findings demonstrate that GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells is inversely associated with Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, and that GGT5 upregulation mitigates cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice. These findings suggest that GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells is a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Zhang
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Sixth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University (General Hospital of Tisco), Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Tian Li
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Jie Miao
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Zhina Zhang
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Mingxuan Yang
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Zhuoran Wang
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Hernia and Abdominal Wall Surgery, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Jiawei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Haiting Li
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Qiang Su
- Department of Physiology, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine of Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, Shanxi Province, China
| | - Junhong Guo
- Department of Neurology, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
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Huijgens PT, Heijkoop R, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Lesscher HMB, Snoeren EMS. CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate pace of natural reward seeking depending on internal state. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:1245-1263. [PMID: 38396196 PMCID: PMC11106149 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06561-5] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the underlying neurobiological mechanisms that regulate natural reward seeking behaviors, specifically in the context of sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration. The role of CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) was explored using chemogenetic silencing and -stimulation. Additionally, the study examined how these effects interacted with the internal state of the animals. Through detailed behavioral analysis, it was demonstrated that CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST play a significant role in the regulation of both sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration. Although the behavioral outcome measures differed between the two behaviors, the regulatory role of the CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST was found to converge on the modulation of the pacing of engagement in these behaviors in male rats. Moreover, our study confirmed that the internal physiological state of the animal affects how the BNST modulates these behaviors. These findings suggest that different types of natural rewards may recruit a similar brain circuitry to regulate the display of motivated behaviors. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying natural reward seeking and sheds light on the interconnected nature of reward-related behaviors in male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patty T Huijgens
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Roy Heijkoop
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi M B Lesscher
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eelke M S Snoeren
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
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3
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Montgomery SE, Li L, Russo SJ, Calipari ES, Nestler EJ, Morel C, Han MH. Mesolimbic Neural Response Dynamics Predict Future Individual Alcohol Drinking in Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:951-962. [PMID: 38061466 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual variability in response to rewarding stimuli is a striking but understudied phenomenon. The mesolimbic dopamine system is critical in encoding the reinforcing properties of both natural reward and alcohol; however, how innate or baseline differences in the response dynamics of this circuit define individual behavior and shape future vulnerability to alcohol remain unknown. METHODS Using naturalistic behavioral assays, a voluntary alcohol drinking paradigm, in vivo fiber photometry, in vivo electrophysiology, and chemogenetics, we investigated how differences in mesolimbic neural circuit activity contribute to the individual variability seen in reward processing and, by proxy, alcohol drinking. RESULTS We first characterized heterogeneous behavioral and neural responses to natural reward and defined how these baseline responses predicted future individual alcohol-drinking phenotypes in male mice. We then determined spontaneous ventral tegmental area dopamine neuron firing profiles associated with responses to natural reward that predicted alcohol drinking. Using a dual chemogenetic approach, we mimicked specific mesolimbic dopamine neuron firing activity before or during voluntary alcohol drinking to link unique neurophysiological profiles to individual phenotype. We show that hyperdopaminergic individuals exhibit a lower neuronal response to both natural reward and alcohol that predicts lower levels of alcohol consumption in the future. CONCLUSIONS These findings reveal unique, circuit-specific neural signatures that predict future individual vulnerability or resistance to alcohol and expand the current knowledge base on how some individuals are able to titrate their alcohol consumption whereas others go on to engage in unhealthy alcohol-drinking behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Montgomery
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Long Li
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Scott J Russo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Departments of Pharmacology, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Carole Morel
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
| | - Ming-Hu Han
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Mental Health and Public Health, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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4
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Michel L, Molina P, Mameli M. The behavioral relevance of a modular organization in the lateral habenula. Neuron 2024:S0896-6273(24)00287-3. [PMID: 38772374 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.026] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral strategies for survival rely on the updates the brain continuously makes based on the surrounding environment. External stimuli-neutral, positive, and negative-relay core information to the brain, where a complex anatomical network rapidly organizes actions, including approach or escape, and regulates emotions. Human neuroimaging and physiology in nonhuman primates, rodents, and teleosts suggest a pivotal role of the lateral habenula in translating external information into survival behaviors. Here, we review the literature describing how discrete habenular modules-reflecting the molecular signatures, anatomical connectivity, and functional components-are recruited by environmental stimuli and cooperate to prompt specific behavioral outcomes. We argue that integration of these findings in the context of valence processing for reinforcing or discouraging behaviors is necessary, offering a compelling model to guide future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Michel
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Molina
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Manuel Mameli
- The Department of Fundamental Neuroscience, The University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland; Inserm, UMR-S 839, 75005 Paris, France.
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Castle ME, Flanigan ME. The role of brain serotonin signaling in excessive alcohol consumption and withdrawal: A call for more research in females. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 30:100618. [PMID: 38433994 PMCID: PMC10907856 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, but current treatments are insufficient in fully addressing the symptoms that often lead to relapses in alcohol consumption. The brain's serotonin system has been implicated in AUD for decades and is a major regulator of stress-related behaviors associated with increased alcohol consumption. This review will discuss the current literature on the association between neurobiological adaptations in serotonin systems and AUD in humans as well as the effectiveness of serotonin receptor manipulations on alcohol-related behaviors like consumption and withdrawal. We will further discuss how these findings in humans relate to findings in animal models, including a comparison of systemic pharmacological manipulations modulating alcohol consumption. We next provide a detailed overview of brain region-specific roles for serotonin and serotonin receptor signaling in alcohol-related behaviors in preclinical animal models, highlighting the complexity of forming a cohesive model of serotonin function in AUD and providing possible avenues for more effective therapeutic intervention. Throughout the review, we discuss what is known about sex differences in the sequelae of AUD and the role of serotonin in these sequelae. We stress a critical need for additional studies in women and female animals so that we may build a clearer path to elucidating sex-specific serotonergic mechanisms and develop better treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Castle
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Meghan E. Flanigan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
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Roland AV, Harry Chao TH, Hon OJ, Machinski SN, Sides TR, Lee SI, Ian Shih YY, Kash TL. Acute and chronic alcohol modulation of extended amygdala calcium dynamics. Alcohol 2024; 116:53-64. [PMID: 38423261 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
The central amygdala (CeA) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) are reciprocally connected nodes of the extended amygdala thought to play an important role in alcohol consumption. Studies of immediate-early genes indicate that BNST and CeA are acutely activated following alcohol drinking and may signal alcohol reward in nondependent drinkers, while stress signaling in the extended amygdala following chronic alcohol exposure drives increased drinking via negative reinforcement. However, the temporal dynamics of neuronal activation in these regions during drinking behavior are poorly understood. In this study, we used fiber photometry and the genetically encoded calcium sensor GCaMP6s to assess acute changes in neuronal activity during alcohol consumption in BNST and CeA before and after a chronic drinking paradigm. Activity was examined in the pan-neuronal population and separately in dynorphinergic neurons. BNST and CeA showed increased pan-neuronal activity during acute consumption of alcohol and other fluid tastants of positive and negative valence, as well as highly palatable chow. Responses were greatest during initial consummatory bouts and decreased in amplitude with repeated consumption of the same tastant, suggesting modulation by stimulus novelty. Dynorphin neurons showed similar consumption-associated calcium increases in both regions. Following three weeks of continuous alcohol access (CA), calcium increases in dynorphin neurons during drinking were maintained, but pan-neuronal activity and BNST-CeA coherence were altered in a sex-specific manner. These results indicate that BNST and CeA, and dynorphin neurons specifically, are engaged during drinking behavior, and activity dynamics are influenced by stimulus novelty and chronic alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison V Roland
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tzu-Hao Harry Chao
- Center for Animal MRI, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Olivia J Hon
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Samantha N Machinski
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tori R Sides
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sophia I Lee
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yen-Yu Ian Shih
- Center for Animal MRI, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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7
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Doyle MA, Salimando GJ, Altemus ME, Badt JK, Bedenbaugh MN, Vardy AS, Adank DN, Park AS, Winder DG. BNST GluN2D-containing NMDARs contribute to ethanol intake but not negative affective behaviors in female mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.19.590258. [PMID: 38659775 PMCID: PMC11042366 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.19.590258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic, relapsing disease, highly comorbid with anxiety and depression. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and Crh + neurons in this region are thought to play a key role in chronic ethanol-induced increases in volitional ethanol intake. This role has been hypothesized to be driven by emergent BNST-dependent negative affective behaviors. Indeed, we report here that in female mice undergoing a home cage chronic drinking forced abstinence model (CDFA), excitatory transmission undergoes time-dependent upregulation in BNST Crh + cells. Excitatory NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are a major target of ethanol, and chronic ethanol exposure has been shown to regulate NMDAR function and expression. GluN2D subunit-containing NMDARs have emerged as a target of interest due to their limited distribution and potential roles in affective behavior. We find that knockdown of dorsal BNST (dBNST) GluN2D expression significantly decreases ethanol intake in female, but not male, mice. While BNST Grin2b expression was significantly increased in protracted abstinence following CDFA, no differences in Grin2d expression were observed in dBNST or specifically in dBNST Crh + neurons. Finally, to determine the impact of GluN2D expression on negative affective behaviors, open field, elevated zero maze, and forced swim tasks were used to measure anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in constitutive and conditional BNST GluN2D knockout mice. Surprisingly, we find that deletion of GluN2D fails to alter negative affect in ethanol-naïve female mice. Together, these data suggest a role for BNST GluN2D-containing NMDARs in ethanol drinking behaviors but not abstinence from ethanol, highlighting potential sex differences and behavioral specificity in the context of AUD behaviors. Overall, these data further suggest roles for BNST synaptic signaling in volitional ethanol intake that are partially independent of actions on affective behavior.
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Flanigan ME, Gianessi C, Castle M, Dorlean W, Sides T, Kash TL. Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis (BNST) neurons containing the serotonin 5HT 2c receptor modulate operant alcohol self-administration behavior in mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:709-719. [PMID: 37884740 PMCID: PMC10876660 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01753-7] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The serotonin 5HT2c receptor has been widely implicated in the pathophysiology of alcohol use disorder (AUD), particularly alcohol seeking and the affective consequences of chronic alcohol consumption. However, little is known about the brain sites in which 5HT2c exerts its effects on specific alcohol-related behaviors, especially in females. Here, we investigated the effects of site-specific manipulation of the 5HT2c receptor system in the BNST on operant alcohol self-administration behaviors in adult mice of both sexes, including the acquisition and maintenance of fixed-ratio responding, motivation for alcohol (progressive ratio), and quinine-adulterated responding for alcohol on a fixed-ratio schedule (punished alcohol seeking). Knockdown of 5HT2c in the BNST did not affect the acquisition or maintenance of operant alcohol self-administration, nor did it affect progressive ratio responding for alcohol. This manipulation had only a subtle effect on responding for quinine alcohol selectively in females. On the other hand, chemogenetic inhibition of BNST 5HT2c-containing neurons (BNST5HT2c) increased operant alcohol self-administration behavior in both sexes on day 2, but not day 9, of testing. It also increased operant responding for 1000 μM quinine-adulterated alcohol selectively in males. Importantly, chemogenetic inhibition of BNST5HT2c did not alter operant sucrose responding or motivation for sucrose in either sex. We then performed cell-type specific anterograde tracing, which revealed that BNST5HT2c project to similar regions in males and females, many of which have been previously implicated in AUD. We next used chemogenetics and quantification of the immediate early gene cFos to characterize the functional influence of BNST5HT2c inhibition on vlPAG activity. We show that chemogenetic inhibition of BNST5HT2c reduces vlPAG cFos in both sexes, but that this reduction is more robust in males. Together these findings suggest that BNST5HT2c neurons, and to a small extent the BNST 5HT2c receptor, serve to promote aversive responses to alcohol consumption, potentially through sex-dependent disinhibition of vlPAG neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E Flanigan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carol Gianessi
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Megan Castle
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Winifred Dorlean
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tori Sides
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Méndez HG, Neira S, Flanigan ME, Haun HL, Boyt KM, Thiele TE, Kash TL. Dynamic regulation of CeA gene expression during acute and protracted abstinence from chronic binge drinking of male and female C57BL/6J mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.02.578650. [PMID: 38352404 PMCID: PMC10862834 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.02.578650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Binge alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for developing Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and is associated with alcohol-related problems like accidental injury, acute alcohol poisoning, and black-outs. While there are numerous brain regions that have been shown to play a role in this AUD in humans and animal models, the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) has emerged as a critically important locus mediating binge alcohol consumption. In this study, we sought to understand how relative gene expression of key signaling molecules in the CeA changes during different periods of abstinence following bouts of binge drinking. To test this, we performed drinking in the dark (DID) on two separate cohorts of C57BL/6J mice and collected CeA brain tissue at one day (acute) and 7 days (protracted) abstinence after DID. We used qRTPCR to evaluate relative gene expression changes of 25 distinct genes of interest related to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), neuropeptides, ion channel subunits, and enzymes that have been previously implicated in AUD. Our findings show that during acute abstinence CeA punches collected from female mice had upregulated relative mRNA expression of the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit alpha 2 (Gabra2), and the peptidase, angiotensinase c (Prcp). CeA punches from male mice at the same time point in abstinence had upregulated relative mRNA encoding for neuropeptide-related molecules, neuropeptide Y (Npy) and somatostatin (Sst), as well as the neuropeptide Y receptor Y2 (Npyr2) but downregulated, Glutamate ionotropic receptor NMDA type subunit 1 (Grin1). After protracted abstinence CeA punches collected from female mice had increased mRNA expression of corticotropin releasing hormone (Crh) and Npy. While CeA punches collected from male mice at the same timepoint had upregulated relative mRNA expression of Npy2r and downregulated mRNA expression of Gabra2, Grin1 and opioid receptor kappa 1 (Oprk1). Our findings support that there are differences in how the CeA of male and female respond to binge-alcohol exposure, highlighting the need to understand the implications of such differences in the context of AUD and binge drinking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hernán G Méndez
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Sofia Neira
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Meghan E Flanigan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Harold L Haun
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Kristen M Boyt
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, USA
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10
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Lepeak L, Miracle S, Ferragud A, Seiglie MP, Shafique S, Ozturk Z, Minnig MA, Medeiros G, Cottone P, Sabino V. Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) of the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Mediates Heavy Alcohol Drinking in Mice. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0424-23.2023. [PMID: 38053471 PMCID: PMC10755645 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0424-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex psychiatric disease characterized by periods of heavy drinking and periods of withdrawal. Chronic exposure to ethanol causes profound neuroadaptations in the extended amygdala, which cause allostatic changes promoting excessive drinking. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a brain region involved in both excessive drinking and anxiety-like behavior, shows particularly high levels of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), a key mediator of the stress response. Recently, a role for PACAP in withdrawal-induced alcohol drinking and anxiety-like behavior in alcohol-dependent rats has been proposed; whether the PACAP system of the BNST is also recruited in other models of alcohol addiction and whether it is of local or nonlocal origin is currently unknown. Here, we show that PACAP immunoreactivity is increased selectively in the BNST of C57BL/6J mice exposed to a chronic, intermittent access to ethanol. While pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) type 1 receptor-expressing cells were unchanged by chronic alcohol, the levels of a peptide closely related to PACAP, the calcitonin gene-related neuropeptide, were found to also be increased in the BNST. Finally, using a retrograde chemogenetic approach in PACAP-ires-Cre mice, we found that the inhibition of PACAP neuronal afferents to the BNST reduced heavy ethanol drinking. Our data suggest that the PACAP system of the BNST is recruited by chronic, voluntary alcohol drinking in mice and that nonlocally originating PACAP projections to the BNST regulate heavy alcohol intake, indicating that this system may represent a promising target for novel AUD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Antonio Ferragud
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Mariel P. Seiglie
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Samih Shafique
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Zeynep Ozturk
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Margaret A. Minnig
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
| | - Gianna Medeiros
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian, School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118
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11
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Rivera-Irizarry JK, Zallar LJ, Levine OB, Skelly MJ, Boyce JE, Barney T, Kopyto R, Pleil KE. Sex differences in binge alcohol drinking and the behavioral consequences of protracted abstinence in C57BL/6J mice. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:83. [PMID: 37957762 PMCID: PMC10644501 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00565-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Binge alcohol drinking is a risk factor linked to numerous disease states including alcohol use disorder (AUD). While men binge drink more alcohol than women, this demographic gap is quickly shrinking, and preclinical studies demonstrate that females consistently consume more alcohol than males. Further, women are at increased risk for the co-expression of AUD with neuropsychiatric diseases such as anxiety and mood disorders. However, little is understood about chronic voluntary alcohol drinking and its long-term effects on behavior. Here, we sought to characterize sex differences in chronic binge drinking and the effects of protracted alcohol abstinence on anxiety- and affective-related behaviors in males and females. METHODS We assessed binge alcohol drinking patterns in male and female C57BL/6J mice using a modified Drinking in the Dark (DID) paradigm in which mice received home cage access to one bottle of 10% or 20% alcohol (EtOH) or water for 2 h per day on Days 1-3 and to two bottles (EtOH/H2O + H2O) for 24 h on Day 4 for 8 weekly cycles. Mice were then tested for the effects of protracted abstinence on avoidance, affective, and compulsive behaviors. RESULTS Female mice consumed more alcohol than males consistently across cycles of DID and at 2, 4, and 24-h timepoints within the day, with a more robust sex difference for 20% than 10% EtOH. Females also consumed more water than males, an effect that emerged at the later time points; this water consumption bias diminished when alcohol was available. Further, while increased alcohol consumption was correlated with decreased water consumption in males, there was no relationship between these two measures in females. Alcohol preference was higher in 10% vs. 20% EtOH for both sexes. During protracted abstinence following chronic binge drinking, mice displayed decreased avoidance behavior (elevated plus maze, open field, novelty suppressed feeding) and increased compulsive behavior (marble burying) that was especially robust in females. There was no effect of alcohol history on stress coping and negative affective behaviors (sucrose preference, forced swim test, tail suspension) in either sex. CONCLUSION Female mice engaged in higher volume binge drinking than their male counterparts. Although females also consumed more water than males, their higher alcohol consumption was not driven by increased total fluid intake. Further, the effects of protracted abstinence following chronic binge drinking was driven by behavioral disinhibition that was more pronounced in females. Given the reciprocal relationship between risk-taking and alcohol use in neuropsychiatric disease states, these results have implications for sex-dependent alcohol drinking patterns and their long-term negative neuropsychiatric/physiological health outcomes in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean K Rivera-Irizarry
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lia J Zallar
- Pharmacology Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Olivia B Levine
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary Jane Skelly
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
- Psychology Department, Iona University, New Rochelle, NY, USA
| | - Jared E Boyce
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Thaddeus Barney
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ruth Kopyto
- Pharmacology Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristen E Pleil
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
- Pharmacology Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
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12
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Roland AV, Harry Chao TH, Hon OJ, Machinski SN, Sides TR, Lee SI, Ian Shih YY, Kash TL. Acute and chronic alcohol modulation of extended amygdala calcium dynamics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.10.561741. [PMID: 37873188 PMCID: PMC10592781 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.10.561741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
The central amygdala (CeA) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) are reciprocally connected nodes of the extended amygdala thought to play an important role in alcohol consumption. Studies of immediate-early genes indicate that BNST and CeA are acutely activated following alcohol drinking and may signal alcohol reward in nondependent drinkers, while increased stress signaling in the extended amygdala following chronic alcohol exposure drives increased drinking via negative reinforcement. However, the temporal dynamics of neuronal activation in these regions during drinking behavior are poorly understood. In this study, we used fiber photometry and the genetically encoded calcium sensor GCaMP6s to assess acute changes in neuronal activity during alcohol consumption in BNST and CeA before and after a chronic drinking paradigm. Activity was examined in the pan-neuronal population and separately in dynorphinergic neurons. BNST and CeA showed increased pan-neuronal activity during acute consumption of alcohol and other fluid tastants of positive and negative valence, as well as highly palatable chow. Responses were greatest during initial consummatory bouts and decreased in amplitude with repeated consumption of the same tastant, suggesting modulation by stimulus novelty. Dynorphin neurons showed similar consumption-associated calcium increases in both regions. Following three weeks of continuous alcohol access (CA), calcium increases in dynorphin neurons during drinking were maintained, but pan-neuronal activity and BNST-CeA coherence were altered in a sex-specific manner. These results indicate that BNST and CeA, and dynorphin neurons specifically, are engaged during drinking behavior, and activity dynamics are influenced by stimulus novelty and chronic alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison V Roland
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tzu-Hao Harry Chao
- Center for Animal MRI, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Olivia J Hon
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Samantha N Machinski
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tori R Sides
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sophia I Lee
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yen-Yu Ian Shih
- Center for Animal MRI, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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13
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Flanigan ME, Gianessi C, Castle M, Dorlean W, Sides T, Kash TL. Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis (BNST) neurons containing the serotonin 5HT 2c receptor modulate operant alcohol self-administration behavior in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.26.559653. [PMID: 37808816 PMCID: PMC10557639 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.26.559653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The serotonin 5HT2c receptor has been widely implicated in the pathophysiology of alcohol use disorder (AUD), particularly alcohol seeking and the affective consequences of chronic alcohol consumption. However, little is known about the brain sites in which 5HT2c exerts its effects on specific alcohol-related behaviors, especially in females. Here, we investigated the effects of site-specific manipulation of the 5HT2c receptor system in the BNST on operant alcohol self-administration behaviors in adult mice of both sexes, including the acquisition and maintenance of fixed-ratio responding, motivation for alcohol (progressive ratio), and quinine-adulterated responding for alcohol on a fixed-ratio schedule (punished alcohol seeking). Knockdown of 5HT2c in the BNST did not affect the acquisition or maintenance of operant alcohol self-administration, nor did it affect progressive ratio responding for alcohol. This manipulation had only a subtle effect on responding for quinine alcohol selectively in females. On the other hand, chemogenetic inhibition of BNST 5HT2c-containing neurons (BNST5HT2c) increased operant alcohol self-administration behavior in both sexes on day 2, but not day 9, of testing. It also increased operant responding for 1000 μM quinine-adulterated alcohol selectively in males. Importantly, chemogenetic inhibition of BNST5HT2c did not alter operant sucrose responding or motivation for sucrose in either sex. We then performed cell-type specific anterograde tracing, which revealed that BNST5HT2c project to similar regions in males and females, many of which have been previously implicated in AUD. We next used chemogenetics and quantification of the immediate early gene cFos to characterize the functional influence of BNST5HT2c inhibition on vlPAG activity. We show that chemogenetic inhibition of BNST5HT2c reduces vlPAG cFos in both sexes, but that this reduction is more robust in males. Together these findings suggest that BNST5HT2c neurons, and to a small extent the BNST 5HT2c receptor, serve to promote aversive responses to alcohol consumption, potentially through sex-dependent disinhibition of vlPAG neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan E. Flanigan
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carol Gianessi
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Megan Castle
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Winifred Dorlean
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tori Sides
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Thomas L. Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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14
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Marcinkiewcz C, Wang R, Khan K, Balasubramanian N, James T, Pushpavathi S, Kim D, Pierson S, Wu Q, Niciu M, Hefti M. Alcohol inhibits sociability via serotonin inputs to the nucleus accumbens. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2992781. [PMID: 37461716 PMCID: PMC10350230 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2992781/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Social interaction is a core component of motivational behavior that is perturbed across multiple neuropsychiatric disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). Positive social bonds are neuroprotective and enhance recovery from stress, so reduced social interaction in AUD may delay recovery and lead to alcohol relapse. We report that chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) induces social avoidance in a sex-dependent manner and is associated with hyperactivity of serotonin (5-HT) neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). While 5-HTDRN neurons are generally thought to enhance social behavior, recent evidence suggests that specific 5-HT pathways can be aversive. Using chemogenetic iDISCO, the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) was identified as one of 5 regions that were activated by 5-HT DRN stimulation. We then employed an array of molecular genetic tools in transgenic mice to show that 5-HT DRN inputs to NAcc dynorphin neurons drive social avoidance in male mice after CIE by activating 5-HT2C receptors. NAcc dynorphin neurons also inhibit dopamine release during social interaction, reducing the motivational drive to engage with social partners. This study reveals that excessive serotonergic drive after chronic alcohol can promote social aversion by inhibiting accumbal dopamine release. Drugs that boost brain serotonin levels may be contraindicated for individuals with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Qi Wu
- Baylor College of Medicine
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15
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Wang R, Khan KM, Balasubramanian N, James T, Pushpavathi SG, Kim D, Pierson S, Wu Q, Niciu MJ, Hefti MM, Marcinkiewcz CA. Alcohol inhibits sociability via serotonin inputs to the nucleus accumbens. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.29.542761. [PMID: 37398335 PMCID: PMC10312479 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.29.542761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Social interaction is a core component of motivational behavior that is perturbed across multiple neuropsychiatric disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). Positive social bonds are neuroprotective and enhance recovery from stress, so reduced social interaction in AUD may delay recovery and lead to alcohol relapse. We report that chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) induces social avoidance in a sex-dependent manner and is associated with hyperactivity of serotonin (5-HT) neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). While 5-HT DRN neurons are generally thought to enhance social behavior, recent evidence suggests that specific 5-HT pathways can be aversive. Using chemogenetic iDISCO, the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) was identified as one of 5 regions that were activated by 5-HT DRN stimulation. We then employed an array of molecular genetic tools in transgenic mice to show that 5-HT DRN inputs to NAcc dynorphin neurons drive social avoidance in male mice after CIE by activating 5-HT 2C receptors. NAcc dynorphin neurons also inhibit dopamine release during social interaction, reducing the motivational drive to engage with social partners. This study reveals that excessive serotonergic drive after chronic alcohol can promote social aversion by inhibiting accumbal dopamine release. Drugs that boost brain serotonin levels may be contraindicated for individuals with AUD.
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