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Peltier MR, Verplaetse TL, Altemus M, Zakiniaeiz Y, Ralevski EA, Mineur YS, Gueorguieva R, Picciotto MR, Cosgrove KP, Petrakis I, McKee SA. The role of neurosteroids in posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder: A review of 10 years of clinical literature and treatment implications. Front Neuroendocrinol 2024; 73:101119. [PMID: 38184208 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101119] [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: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Rates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) are increasing in men and women and there are high rates of concurrent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and AUD. AUD and PTSD synergistically increase symptomatology and negatively affect treatment outcomes; however, there are very limited pharmacological treatments for PTSD/AUD. Neurosteroids have been implicated in the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of both PTSD and AUD and may be a target for treatment development. This review details the past ten years of research on pregnenolone, progesterone, allopregnanolone, pregnanolone, estradiol, testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone/dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA/DHEA-S) in the context of PTSD and AUD, including examination of trauma/alcohol-related variables, such as stress-reactivity. Emerging evidence that exogenous pregnenolone, progesterone, and allopregnanolone may be promising, novel interventions is also discussed. Specific emphasis is placed on examining the application of sex as a biological variable in this body of literature, given that women are more susceptible to both PTSD diagnoses and stress-related alcohol consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- MacKenzie R Peltier
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Mental Health Service, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; National Center for PTSD, Clinical Neuroscience Division, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.
| | | | - Margaret Altemus
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Mental Health Service, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Yasmin Zakiniaeiz
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Ralevski
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Mental Health Service, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Yann S Mineur
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Ralitza Gueorguieva
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marina R Picciotto
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Kelly P Cosgrove
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; National Center for PTSD, Clinical Neuroscience Division, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ismene Petrakis
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Mental Health Service, West Haven, CT 06516, USA; National Center for PTSD, Clinical Neuroscience Division, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Sherry A McKee
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
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Chellian R, Behnood-Rod A, Bruijnzeel AW. Mifepristone decreases nicotine intake in dependent and non-dependent adult rats. J Psychopharmacol 2024; 38:280-296. [PMID: 38332661 PMCID: PMC11061865 DOI: 10.1177/02698811241230255] [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] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Addiction to tobacco and nicotine products has adverse health effects and afflicts more than a billion people worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new treatments to reduce tobacco and nicotine use. Glucocorticoid receptor blockade shows promise as a novel treatment for drug abuse and stress-related disorders. AIM These studies aim to investigate whether glucocorticoid receptor blockade with mifepristone diminishes the reinforcing properties of nicotine in rats with intermittent or daily long access to nicotine. METHODS The rats self-administered 0.06 mg/kg/inf of nicotine for 6 h per day, with either intermittent or daily access for 4 weeks before treatment with mifepristone. Daily nicotine self-administration models regular smoking, while intermittent nicotine self-administration models occasional smoking. To determine whether the rats were dependent, they were treated with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist mecamylamine, and somatic signs were recorded. RESULTS The rats with intermittent access to nicotine had a higher level of nicotine intake per session than those with daily access but only the rats with daily access to nicotine showed signs of physical dependence. Furthermore, mecamylamine increased nicotine intake during the first hour of access in rats with daily access but not in those with intermittent access. Mifepristone decreased total nicotine intake in rats with intermittent and daily access to nicotine. Moreover, mifepristone decreased the distance traveled and rearing in the open field test and operant responding for food pellets. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that mifepristone decreases nicotine intake but this effect may be partially attributed to the sedative effects of mifepristone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Azin Behnood-Rod
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Cheng HY, Wang W, Wang W, Yang MY, Zhou YY. Interkingdom Hormonal Regulations between Plants and Animals Provide New Insight into Food Safety. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:4-26. [PMID: 38156955 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c04712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Food safety has become an attractive topic among consumers. Raw material production for food is also a focus of social attention. As hormones are widely used in agriculture and human disease control, consumers' concerns about the safety of hormone agents have never disappeared. The present review focuses on the interkingdom regulations of exogenous animal hormones in plants and phytohormones in animals, including physiology and stress resistance. We summarize these interactions to give the public, researchers, and policymakers some guidance and suggestions. Accumulated evidence demonstrates comprehensive hormonal regulation across plants and animals. Animal hormones, interacting with phytohormones, help regulate plant development and enhance environmental resistance. Correspondingly, phytohormones may also cause damage to the reproductive and urinary systems of animals. Notably, the disease-resistant role of phytohormones is revealed against neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. These resistances derive from the control for abnormal cell cycle, energy balance, and activity of enzymes. Further exploration of these cross-kingdom mechanisms would surely be of greater benefit to human health and agriculture development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang-Yuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, Engineering Research Center of Plant Growth Regulator, Ministry of Education & College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan Xi Lu, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wen Wang
- Human Development Family Studies, Iowa State University, 2330 Palmer Building, Ames, Iowa 50010, United States
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, Engineering Research Center of Plant Growth Regulator, Ministry of Education & College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan Xi Lu, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Mu-Yu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, Engineering Research Center of Plant Growth Regulator, Ministry of Education & College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan Xi Lu, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yu-Yi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, Engineering Research Center of Plant Growth Regulator, Ministry of Education & College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2 Yuanmingyuan Xi Lu, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
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Proaño SB, Miller CK, Krentzel AA, Dorris DM, Meitzen J. Sex steroid hormones, the estrous cycle, and rapid modulation of glutamatergic synapse properties in the striatal brain regions with a focus on 17β-estradiol and the nucleus accumbens. Steroids 2024; 201:109344. [PMID: 37979822 PMCID: PMC10842710 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2023.109344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
The striatal brain regions encompassing the nucleus accumbens core (NAcc), shell (NAcs) and caudate-putamen (CPu) regulate cognitive functions including motivated behaviors, habit, learning, and sensorimotor action, among others. Sex steroid hormone sensitivity and sex differences have been documented in all of these functions in both normative and pathological contexts, including anxiety, depression and addiction. The neurotransmitter glutamate has been implicated in regulating these behaviors as well as striatal physiology, and there are likewise documented sex differences in glutamate action upon the striatal output neurons, the medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Here we review the available data regarding the role of steroid sex hormones such as 17β-estradiol (estradiol), progesterone, and testosterone in rapidly modulating MSN glutamatergic synapse properties, presented in the context of the estrous cycle as appropriate. Estradiol action upon glutamatergic synapse properties in female NAcc MSNs is most comprehensively discussed. In the female NAcc, MSNs exhibit development period-specific sex differences and estrous cycle variations in glutamatergic synapse properties as shown by multiple analyses, including that of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). Estrous cycle-differences in NAcc MSN mEPSCs can be mimicked by acute exposure to estradiol or an ERα agonist. The available evidence, or lack thereof, is also discussed concerning estrogen action upon MSN glutamatergic synapse in the other striatal regions as well as the underexplored roles of progesterone and testosterone. We conclude that there is strong evidence regarding estradiol action upon glutamatergic synapse function in female NAcs MSNs and call for more research regarding other hormones and striatal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B Proaño
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Christiana K Miller
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Amanda A Krentzel
- Office of Research and Innovation, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - David M Dorris
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - John Meitzen
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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Santos-Toscano R, Arevalo MA, Garcia-Segura LM, Grassi D, Lagunas N. Interaction of gonadal hormones, dopaminergic system, and epigenetic regulation in the generation of sex differences in substance use disorders: A systematic review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101085. [PMID: 37543184 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic condition characterized by pathological drug-taking and seeking behaviors. Remarkably different between males and females, suggesting that drug addiction is a sexually differentiated disorder. The neurobiological bases of sex differences in SUD include sex-specific reward system activation, influenced by interactions between gonadal hormone level changes, dopaminergic reward circuits, and epigenetic modifications of key reward system genes. This systematic review, adhering to PICOS and PRISMA-P 2015 guidelines, highlights the sex-dependent roles of estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone in SUD. In particular, estradiol elevates and progesterone reduces dopaminergic activity in SUD females, whilst testosterone and progesterone augment SUD behavior in males. Finally, SUD is associated with a sex-specific increase in the rate of opioid and monoaminergic gene methylation. The study reveals the need for detailed research on gonadal hormone levels, dopaminergic or reward system activity, and epigenetic landscapes in both sexes for efficient SUD therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Santos-Toscano
- School of Medicine, University of Central Lancashire, 135A Adelphi St, Preston PR1 7BH, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Angeles Arevalo
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Garcia-Segura
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniela Grassi
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, Autonoma University of Madrid, Calle Arzobispo Morcillo 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Natalia Lagunas
- Neuroactive Steroids Lab, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Avenida Doctor Arce 37, 28002 Madrid, Spain; Department of Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology, School of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Rivera-Irizarry JK, Hámor PU, Rowson SA, Asfouri J, Liu D, Zallar LJ, Garcia AF, Skelly MJ, Pleil KE. Valence and salience encoding by parallel circuits from the paraventricular thalamus to the nucleus accumbens. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.03.547570. [PMID: 37461604 PMCID: PMC10349961 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.03.547570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
The anterior and posterior subregions of the paraventricular thalamus (aPVT and pPVT, respectively) play unique roles in learned behaviors, from fear conditioning to alcohol/drug intake, potentially through differentially organized projections to limbic brain regions including the nucleus accumbens medial shell (mNAcSh). Here, we found that the aPVT projects broadly to the mNAcSh and that the aPVT-mNAcSh circuit encodes positive valence, such that in vivo manipulations of the circuit modulated both innately programmed and learned behavioral responses to positively and negatively valenced stimuli, particularly in females. Further, the endogenous activity of aPVT presynaptic terminals in the mNAcSh was greater in response to positively than negatively valenced stimuli, and the probability of synaptic glutamate release from aPVT neurons in the mNAcSh was higher in females than males. In contrast, we found that the pPVT-mNAcSh circuit encodes stimulus salience regardless of valence. While pPVT-mNAcSh circuit inhibition suppressed behavioral responses in both sexes, circuit activation increased behavioral responses to stimuli only in males. Our results point to circuit-specific stimulus feature encoding by parallel PVT-mNAcSh circuits that have sex-dependent biases in organization and function.
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Zakiniaeiz Y, Gueorguieva R, Peltier MR, Verplaetse TL, Roberts W, McKee SA, Cosgrove KP. Sex steroid hormone levels associated with dopamine D 2/3 receptor availability in people who smoke cigarettes. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1192740. [PMID: 37358969 PMCID: PMC10288103 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1192740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sex differences exist in tobacco smoking. Women have greater difficulty quitting smoking than men. Tobacco smoking is driven by the reinforcing effects of nicotine, the primary addictive component in cigarettes. Nicotine binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, facilitating dopamine release in striatal and cortical brain regions. Dysregulated dopamine D2/3 receptor signaling in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is associated with cognitive deficits such as impairments in attention, learning, and inhibitory control that impede quit attempts. Sex steroid hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, influence drug-taking behaviors, through dopaminergic actions, suggesting that their influence may explain sex differences in tobacco smoking. The goal of this study was to relate dlPFC dopamine metrics to sex steroid hormone levels in people who smoke and healthy controls. Methods Twenty-four (12 women) people who smoke cigarettes and 25 sex- and age-matched controls participated in two same-day [11C]FLB457 positron emission tomography scans, one before and one after amphetamine administration. D2R availability (BPND) at baseline and after amphetamine administration was calculated. On the same day, plasma samples were collected for the analysis of sex steroid hormone levels: estradiol, progesterone, and free testosterone. Results Women who smoke had trending lower levels of estradiol than their sex-matched counterparts. Men who smoke had higher levels of estradiol and trending higher levels of free testosterone than their sex-matched counterparts. Among women only, lower estradiol levels were significantly associated with lower pre-amphetamine dlPFC BPND. Discussion/conclusion This study demonstrated that lower estradiol levels are associated with lower dlPFC D2R availability in women which may underlie difficulty resisting smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Zakiniaeiz
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ralitza Gueorguieva
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - MacKenzie R. Peltier
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Psychology Service, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, United States
| | - Terril L. Verplaetse
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Walter Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Sherry A. McKee
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Kelly P. Cosgrove
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Yale Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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Krueger K, Lamenza F, Gu H, El-Hodiri H, Wester J, Oberdick J, Fischer AJ, Oghumu S. Sex differences in susceptibility to substance use disorder: Role for X chromosome inactivation and escape? Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 125:103859. [PMID: 37207894 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a sex-based disparity associated with substance use disorders (SUDs) as demonstrated by clinical and preclinical studies. Females are known to escalate from initial drug use to compulsive drug-taking behavior (telescoping) more rapidly, and experience greater negative withdrawal effects than males. Although these biological differences have largely been attributed to sex hormones, there is evidence for non-hormonal factors, such as the influence of the sex chromosome, which underlie sex disparities in addiction behavior. However, genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex chromosome influences on substance abuse behavior are not completely understood. In this review, we discuss the role that escape from X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in females plays in sex-associated differences in addiction behavior. Females have two X chromosomes (XX), and during XCI, one X chromosome is randomly chosen to be transcriptionally silenced. However, some X-linked genes escape XCI and display biallelic gene expression. We generated a mouse model using an X-linked gene specific bicistronic dual reporter mouse as a tool to visualize allelic usage and measure XCI escape in a cell specific manner. Our results revealed a previously undiscovered X-linked gene XCI escaper (CXCR3), which is variable and cell type dependent. This illustrates the highly complex and context dependent nature of XCI escape which is largely understudied in the context of SUD. Novel approaches such as single cell RNA sequencing will provide a global molecular landscape and impact of XCI escape in addiction and facilitate our understanding of the contribution of XCI escape to sex disparities in SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Krueger
- Department of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Felipe Lamenza
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA; Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Howard Gu
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Heithem El-Hodiri
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jason Wester
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - John Oberdick
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Andy J Fischer
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Steve Oghumu
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Maher EE, Strzelecki AM, Weafer JJ, Gipson CD. The importance of translationally evaluating steroid hormone contributions to substance use. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 69:101059. [PMID: 36758769 PMCID: PMC10182261 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101059] [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: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Clinically, women appear to be more susceptible to certain aspects of substance use disorders (SUDs). The steroid hormones 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (Pg) have been linked to women-specific drug behaviors. Here, we review clinical and preclinical studies investigating how cycling ovarian hormones affect nicotine-, cocaine-, and opioid-related behaviors. We also highlight gaps in the literature regarding how synthetic steroid hormone use may influence drug-related behaviors. In addition, we explore how E2 and Pg are known to interact in brain reward pathways and provide evidence of how these interactions may influence drug-related behaviors. The synthesis of this review demonstrates the critical need to study women-specific factors that may influence aspects of SUDs, which may play important roles in addiction processes in a sex-specific fashion. It is important to understand factors that impact women's health and may be key to moving the field forward toward more efficacious and individualized treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Maher
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Ashley M Strzelecki
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Jessica J Weafer
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Cassandra D Gipson
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
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Templeton TJ, Diarra S, Gilpin NW. Sex differences in cocaine self-administration by Wistar rats after predator odor exposure. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2023; 3:11245. [PMID: 37842228 PMCID: PMC10571484 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2023.11245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic stress disorders are defined in part by persistent avoidance of trauma-related contexts. Our lab uses a preclinical model of traumatic stress using predator odor (i.e., bobcat urine) in which some but not all rats exhibit persistent avoidance of odor-paired stimuli, similar to what is seen in humans. Bobcat urine exposure increases alcohol consumption in male Avoider rats, but it has not been tested for its effects on intake of other drugs. Here, we tested the effect of bobcat urine exposure on cocaine self-administration in adult male and female Wistar rats. We did not observe any effect of bobcat urine exposure on cocaine self-administration in male or female rats. We observed that (1) female rats with long access (6 hours) to cocaine self-administer more cocaine than long-access males, (2) long-access males and females exhibit escalation of cocaine intake over time, (3) stressed rats gain less weight than unstressed rats following acute predator odor exposure, (4) baseline cocaine self-administration is predictive of subsequent cocaine self-administration. The results of this study may inform future work on predator odor effects on cocaine self-administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor J Templeton
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112
| | - Siga Diarra
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112
| | - Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112
- Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112
- Southeast Louisiana VA Healthcare System, New Orleans, LA 70119
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Towers EB, Williams IL, Qillawala EI, Rissman EF, Lynch WJ. Sex/Gender Differences in the Time-Course for the Development of Substance Use Disorder: A Focus on the Telescoping Effect. Pharmacol Rev 2023; 75:217-249. [PMID: 36781217 PMCID: PMC9969523 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.121.000361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex/gender effects have been demonstrated for multiple aspects of addiction, with one of the most commonly cited examples being the "telescoping effect" where women meet criteria and/or seek treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) after fewer years of drug use as compared with men. This phenomenon has been reported for multiple drug classes including opioids, psychostimulants, alcohol, and cannabis, as well as nonpharmacological addictions, such as gambling. However, there are some inconsistent reports that show either no difference between men and women or opposite effects and a faster course to addiction in men than women. Thus, the goals of this review are to evaluate evidence for and against the telescoping effect in women and to determine the conditions/populations for which the telescoping effect is most relevant. We also discuss evidence from preclinical studies, which strongly support the validity of the telescoping effect and show that female animals develop addiction-like features (e.g., compulsive drug use, an enhanced motivation for the drug, and enhanced drug-craving/vulnerability to relapse) more readily than male animals. We also discuss biologic factors that may contribute to the telescoping effect, such as ovarian hormones, and its neurobiological basis focusing on the mesolimbic dopamine reward pathway and the corticomesolimbic glutamatergic pathway considering the critical roles these pathways play in the rewarding/reinforcing effects of addictive drugs and SUD. We conclude with future research directions, including intervention strategies to prevent the development of SUD in women. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: One of the most widely cited gender/sex differences in substance use disorder (SUD) is the "telescoping effect," which reflects an accelerated course in women versus men for the development and/or seeking treatment for SUD. This review evaluates evidence for and against a telescoping effect drawing upon data from both clinical and preclinical studies. We also discuss the contribution of biological factors and underlying neurobiological mechanisms and highlight potential targets to prevent the development of SUD in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Blair Towers
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
| | - Ivy L Williams
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
| | - Emaan I Qillawala
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
| | - Emilie F Rissman
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
| | - Wendy J Lynch
- Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences (E.B.T., I.L.W., E.I.Q., W.J.L.) and Medical Scientist Training Program (E.B.T.), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and Center for Human Health and the Environment and Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (E.F.R.)
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Templeton TJ, Diarra S, Gilpin NW. Sex differences in cocaine self-administration by Wistar rats after predator odor exposure. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.26.530127. [PMID: 36909634 PMCID: PMC10002624 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.26.530127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic stress disorders are defined in part by persistent avoidance of trauma-related contexts. Our lab uses a preclinical model of traumatic stress using predator odor (i.e., bobcat urine) in which some but not all rats exhibit persistent avoidance of odor-paired stimuli, similar to what is seen in humans. Bobcat urine exposure increases alcohol consumption in male Avoider rats, but it has not been tested for its effects on intake of other drugs. Here, we tested the effect of bobcat urine exposure on cocaine self-administration in adult male and female Wistar rats. We did not observe any effect of bobcat urine exposure on cocaine self-administration in male or female rats. We observed that (1) female rats with long access (6 hours) to cocaine self-administer more cocaine than long-access males, (2) long-access males and females exhibit escalation of cocaine intake over time, (3) stressed rats gain less weight than unstressed rats following acute predator odor exposure, (4) baseline cocaine self-administration is predictive of subsequent cocaine self-administration. The results of this study may inform future work on predator odor effects on cocaine self-administration.
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13
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Miller CK, Krentzel AA, Meitzen J. ERα Stimulation Rapidly Modulates Excitatory Synapse Properties in Female Rat Nucleus Accumbens Core. Neuroendocrinology 2023; 113:1140-1153. [PMID: 36746131 PMCID: PMC10623399 DOI: 10.1159/000529571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) is a sexually differentiated brain region that is modulated by steroid hormones such as 17β-estradiol (estradiol), with consequential impacts on relevant motivated behaviors and disorders such as addiction, anxiety, and depression. NAcc estradiol levels naturally fluctuate, including during the estrous cycle in adult female rats, which is analogous to the menstrual cycle in adult humans. Across the estrous cycle, excitatory synapse properties of medium spiny neurons rapidly change, as indicated by analysis of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). mEPSC frequency decreases during estrous cycle phases associated with high estradiol levels. This decrease in mEPSC frequency is mimicked by acute topical exposure to estradiol. The identity of the estrogen receptor (ER) underlying this estradiol action is unknown. Adult rat NAcc expresses three ERs, all extranuclear: membrane ERα, membrane ERβ, and GPER1. METHODS In this brief report, we take a first step toward addressing this challenge by testing whether activation of ERs via acute topical agonist application is sufficient for inducing changes in mEPSC properties recorded via whole-cell patch clamp. RESULTS An agonist of ERα induced large decreases in mEPSC frequency, while agonists of ERβ and GPER1 did not robustly modulate mEPSC properties. CONCLUSIONS These data provide evidence that activation of ERα is sufficient for inducing changes in mEPSC frequency and is a likely candidate underlying the estradiol-induced changes observed during the estrous cycle. Overall, these findings extend our understanding of the neuroendocrinology of the NAcc and implicate ERα as a primary target for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiana K. Miller
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Amanda A. Krentzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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14
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Fox HC, Milivojevic V, Sinha R. Therapeutics for Substance-Using Women: The Need to Elucidate Sex-Specific Targets for Better-Tailored Treatments. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2023; 282:127-161. [PMID: 37592081 DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_687] [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] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
In the last decade, alcohol consumption in the US has risen by 84% in women compared with 35% in men. Furthermore, research has shown that sex- and gender-related differences may disadvantage women in terms of developing a range of psychological, cognitive, and medical problems considerably earlier in their drinking history than men, and despite consuming a similar quantity of substances. While this "telescoping" process has been acknowledged in the literature, a concomitant understanding of the underlying biobehavioral mechanisms, and an increase in the development of specific treatments tailored to women, has not occurred. In the current chapter we focus on understanding why the need for personalized, sex-specific medications is imperative, and highlight some of the potential sex-specific gonadal and stress-related adaptations underpinning the accelerated progress from controlled to compulsive drug and alcohol seeking in women. We additionally discuss the efficacy of these mechanisms as novel targets for medications development, using exogenous progesterone and guanfacine as examples. Finally, we assess some of the challenges faced and progress made in terms of developing innovative medications in women. We suggest that agents such as exogenous progesterone and adrenergic medications, such as guanfacine, may provide some efficacy in terms of attenuating stress-induced craving for several substances, as well as improving the ability to emotionally regulate in the face of stress, preferentially in women. However, to fully leverage the potential of these therapeutics in substance-using women, greater focus needs to the placed on reducing barriers to treatment and research by encouraging women into clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen C Fox
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - Verica Milivojevic
- The Yale Stress Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rajita Sinha
- The Yale Stress Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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15
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Novick AM, Duffy KA, Johnson RL, Sammel MD, Cao W, Strasser AA, Sofuoglu M, Kuzma A, Loughead J, Epperson CN. Progesterone Increases Nicotine Withdrawal and Anxiety in Male but Not Female Smokers During Brief Abstinence. Nicotine Tob Res 2022; 24:1898-1905. [PMID: 35713950 PMCID: PMC9653080 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntac146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although exogenous progesterone may hold promise as a treatment for nicotine use disorders, it is unclear whether it is similarly effective in males and females. This study examined the effects of progesterone on nicotine use disorder comprehensively using behavioral, psychological, and neural measures in male and female smokers exposed to brief abstinence. AIMS AND METHODS Thirty-three male and 33 female non-treatment-seeking smokers participated in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study of 200 mg of progesterone or placebo daily over a four-day abstinence period. Smoking behavior and subjective effects of nicotine were assessed at baseline and after final drug administration. Nicotine withdrawal, smoking urges, mood states, and neural response to smoking cues were measured at baseline, after the first drug administration, and after the final drug administration. RESULTS No main effect of drug (progesterone vs. placebo) emerged for any outcome. Significant sex by drug interactions emerged for nicotine withdrawal (p = .020), perceived strength of nicotine (p = .040), and perceived bad effects of nicotine (p = .029). Males receiving progesterone reported worse nicotine withdrawal (p = .046) and a trend towards decreased bad effects of nicotine (p = .070). Males on progesterone also reported greater tension and anxiety relative to placebo (p = .021). Females on progesterone perceived nicotine's effects as being stronger relative to placebo (p = .046). CONCLUSIONS Progesterone causes sex-dependent effects on smoking-related outcomes during brief abstinence. Specifically, progesterone in males may increase rather than decrease nicotine withdrawal and negative affect during abstinence, potentially hindering efforts to quit smoking. IMPLICATIONS In male and female smokers undergoing a brief period of abstinence, we examined the effects of progesterone on smoking outcomes. While progesterone had limited effects in female smokers, in males, it worsened nicotine withdrawal and negative affect. Our findings emphasize the importance of analyzing sex differences in future studies examining progesterone as a potential treatment and suggest that progesterone in males could potentially exacerbate aspects of nicotine dependence. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV REGISTRATION NCT01954966. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01954966.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Novick
- Corresponding Author: Andrew M. Novick, MD, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E 17th Pl, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Telephone: 303-724-5656; Fax: 844-886-1892; E-mail:
| | - Korrina A Duffy
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Rachel L Johnson
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Mary D Sammel
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Wen Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrew A Strasser
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mehmet Sofuoglu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Alexandra Kuzma
- Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VM, USA
| | - James Loughead
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - C Neill Epperson
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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16
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Novick AM, Duffy KA, Johnson RL, Sammel MD, Cao W, Strasser AA, Sofuoglu M, Kuzma A, Loughead J, Morrow AL, Epperson CN. Effect of progesterone administration in male and female smokers on nicotine withdrawal and neural response to smoking cues: role of progesterone conversion to allopregnanolone. Biol Sex Differ 2022; 13:60. [PMID: 36274158 PMCID: PMC9590190 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-022-00472-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Progesterone administration has therapeutic effects in tobacco use disorder (TUD), with females benefiting more than males. Conversion of progesterone to the neurosteroid allopregnanolone is hypothesized to partly underlie the therapeutic effects of progesterone; however, this has not been investigated clinically. METHODS Smokers (n = 18 males, n = 21 females) participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 200 mg progesterone daily across 4 days of abstinence. The ratio of allopregnanolone:progesterone was analyzed in relationship to nicotine withdrawal, smoking urges, mood states, subjective nicotine effects, and neural response to smoking cues. RESULTS Allopregnanolone:progesterone ratio interacted with sex to predict withdrawal symptoms (p = 0.047), such that females with higher allopregnanolone:progesterone ratios reported lower withdrawal severity (b = - 0.98 [- 1.95, - 0.01]; p = 0.048). In addition, allopregnanolone:progesterone ratio interacted with sex to predict confusion (p = 0.014) and fatigue (p = 0.034), such that females with higher allopregnanolone:progesterone ratios reported less confusion (b = - 0.45 [- 0.78, - 0.12]; p = 0.008) and marginally lower fatigue (b = - 0.50 [- 1.03, 0.02]; p = 0.062. Irrespective of sex, higher ratios of allopregnanolone:progesterone were associated with stronger "good effects" of nicotine (b = 8.39 [2.58, 14.20]); p = 0.005) and weaker "bad effects" of nicotine (b = - 7.13 [- 13.53, - 0.73]; p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS Conversion of progesterone to allopregnanolone correlated with smoking-related outcomes in both sex-dependent and sex-independent ways. Sex-dependent effects suggest that conversion of progesterone to allopregnanolone may contribute to greater therapeutic benefits in females but not males with TUD. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov registration, retrospectively registered: NCT01954966; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01954966 \.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Novick
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of CO-Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E 17th Pl, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Korrina A Duffy
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of CO-Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E 17th Pl, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Rachel L Johnson
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of CO-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Mary D Sammel
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of CO-Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E 17th Pl, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of CO-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Wen Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Andrew A Strasser
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Mehmet Sofuoglu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Alexandra Kuzma
- Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VM, 05405, USA
| | - James Loughead
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - A Leslie Morrow
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pharmacology and the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - C Neill Epperson
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of CO-Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 E 17th Pl, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of CO-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
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Dos Anjos Rosário B, de Fátima SantanaNazaré M, de Souza DV, Le Sueur-Maluf L, Estadella D, Ribeiro DA, de Barros Viana M. The influence of sex and reproductive cycle on cocaine-induced behavioral and neurobiological alterations: a review. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:3107-3140. [PMID: 36264315 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06479-4] [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: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This systematic review (SR) was aimed at answering two questions: (1) how sex and ovarian hormones alter behavior associated with cocaine use; (2) which possible neurobiological mechanisms explain behavioral differences. Three different researchers conducted a search in PUBMED for all kinds of articles published between the years of 1991 to 2021 on the theme "reproductive cycle and cocaine", "estrous cycle and cocaine", "menstrual cycle and cocaine", "fluctuation of ovarian hormones and cocaine", "estrogen and cocaine" and "progesterone and cocaine". Sixty original studies were identified and subdivided into experimental rodent studies and clinical trials. Experimental studies were characterized by author/year, species/strain, sex/number, age/weight, dose/route/time of administration, hormonal assessment, or administration. Clinical trials were characterized by author/year, sex/number, age, exclusion criterion, dose/route of administration/time of cocaine, and hormonal assessment. Results gathered showed that rodent females develop increased consumption, seeking behavior, craving, relapse, locomotion, increases in stress and anxiety, among other behavioral alterations during peaks of estrogen. These observations are related to the direct effects played by ovarian hormones (in particularly estradiol), in dopamine, but also in serotonin neurons, and in brain regions such as the tegmental area, the nucleus accumbens, the hypothalamus, the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. Increased sensitization to cocaine presented by high estradiol females was linked to the activation of a CBR1-mediated mechanism and GABA-A-dependent suppression of inhibitory synaptic activity of the prelimbic prefrontal cortex. Estradiol facilitation of cocaine-increased locomotion and self-administration was shown to require the release of glutamate and the activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors subtype 5. Clinical studies also tend to point to a stimulatory effect of estradiol on cocaine sensitization and a neuroprotective effect of progesterone. In conclusion, the results of the present review indicate a need for further preclinical and clinical trials and neurobiological studies to better understand the relationship between sex and ovarian hormones on cocaine sensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daniel Vitor de Souza
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luciana Le Sueur-Maluf
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Débora Estadella
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel Araki Ribeiro
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Milena de Barros Viana
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Oliva A, Reed SC, Brooks DJ, Levin FR, Evans SM. Safety and tolerability of progesterone treatment for women with cocaine use disorder: a pilot treatment trial. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2022; 48:586-595. [PMID: 36095308 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2114004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Background: Problematic cocaine use remains a significant public health issue, particularly among women. However, no concerted efforts have been made to target a pharmacological treatment option for women with cocaine use disorder (CUD) despite preclinical, human laboratory, and a limited number of clinical studies demonstrating that progesterone can attenuate the effects of cocaine to a greater extent in women than men.Objectives: To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of progesterone for treating women with CUD.Methods: A 10-week double-blind randomized treatment trial was conducted. Prior to randomization, participants were required to achieve cocaine abstinence (1 week) before assignment to progesterone (up to 400 mg/day) or placebo. The primary efficacy outcomes were days to relapse and cocaine abstinence during the last 3 weeks of the trial. The frequency of side effects was also assessed.Results: 227 women were assessed for eligibility. Twenty-five women entered treatment and 21 were randomized to progesterone (n = 11) or placebo (n = 10). The majority of women relapsed in less than 4 days with no differences between the two groups. Further, there were no significant differences between the progesterone and placebo groups in terms of cocaine abstinence during the last 3 weeks of the trial (27% and 10% respectively). The most commonly reported side effects were headache and fatigue, but no group differences were noted.Conclusions: Progesterone was well tolerated and safe and supports further study is in a larger sample to determine if exogenous progesterone is an effective treatment option for women with CUD.(ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00632099).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Oliva
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephanie C Reed
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel J Brooks
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Frances R Levin
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Suzette M Evans
- Division on Substance Use Disorders, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
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Hormonal milieu drives economic demand for cocaine in female rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1484-1492. [PMID: 35338254 PMCID: PMC9205886 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01304-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
There are substantial sex differences in drug abuse, and a key feature of cocaine addiction is pathologically high motivation for drug. We investigated the role of ovarian hormones on cocaine demand in female rats using a within-session threshold behavioral economics (BE) procedure, which allows us to compare motivation for drug across hormonal states and sex while controlling for differences in dose and intake. This approach quantifies demand elasticity (α) and free consumption (Q0, consumption at null effort) to determine motivation for cocaine. Overall, female rats showed greater motivation for cocaine compared to males. However, this difference was cycle phase-dependent - motivation for cocaine when females were in proestrus was lower compared to the same animals across cycle phases, and overall similar to that of males. Hormonal cycle phase accounted for 70% of the within-subject variance in demand elasticity, obscuring other individual differences in female demand. High serum progesterone (P4; e.g., in proestrus) predicted decreased cocaine motivation (high demand elasticity), whereas serum estradiol (E2) correlated to greater intake at null effort (Q0). However, individual differences were revealed across OVX females, who displayed a range of demand elasticity, as seen in males. E2 replacement in OVX females increased motivation for cocaine, whereas P4 replacement decreased motivation. We also found that as few as 4 weeks of cocaine self-administration accelerated estropause in female rats as young as 12 weeks old. By 13 weeks of self-administration, proestrus epochs were no longer observed, and cocaine demand was potentiated by persistent estrus in all females. Thus, P4 signaling is a key modulator of cocaine demand in females that may underlie previously observed sex differences in addiction phenotypes.
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20
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Sex Differences in Psychostimulant Abuse: Implications for Estrogen Receptors and Histone Deacetylases. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050892. [PMID: 35627277 PMCID: PMC9140379 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050892] [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: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance abuse is a chronic pathological disorder that negatively affects many health and neurological processes. A growing body of literature has revealed gender differences in substance use. Compared to men, women display distinct drug-use phenotypes accompanied by recovery and rehabilitation disparities. These observations have led to the notion that sex-dependent susceptibilities exist along the progression to addiction. Within this scope, neuroadaptations following psychostimulant exposure are thought to be distinct for each sex. This review summarizes clinical findings and animal research reporting sex differences in the subjective and behavioral responses to cocaine, methamphetamine, and nicotine. This discussion is followed by an examination of epigenetic and molecular alterations implicated in the addiction process. Special consideration is given to histone deacetylases and estrogen receptor-mediated gene expression.
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21
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Peart DR, Andrade AK, Logan CN, Knackstedt LA, Murray JE. Regulation of Cocaine-related Behaviors by Estrogen and Progesterone. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104584. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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22
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Nicolas C, Zlebnik NE, Farokhnia M, Leggio L, Ikemoto S, Shaham Y. Sex Differences in Opioid and Psychostimulant Craving and Relapse: A Critical Review. Pharmacol Rev 2022; 74:119-140. [PMID: 34987089 PMCID: PMC11060335 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.121.000367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
A widely held dogma in the preclinical addiction field is that females are more vulnerable than males to drug craving and relapse. Here, we first review clinical studies on sex differences in psychostimulant and opioid craving and relapse. Next, we review preclinical studies on sex differences in psychostimulant and opioid reinstatement of drug seeking after extinction of drug self-administration, and incubation of drug craving (time-dependent increase in drug seeking during abstinence). We also discuss ovarian hormones' role in relapse and craving in humans and animal models and speculate on brain mechanisms underlying their role in cocaine craving and relapse in rodent models. Finally, we discuss imaging studies on brain responses to cocaine cues and stress in men and women.The results of the clinical studies reviewed do not appear to support the notion that women are more vulnerable to psychostimulant and opioid craving and relapse. However, this conclusion is tentative because most of the studies reviewed were correlational, not sufficiently powered, and not a priori designed to detect sex differences. Additionally, imaging studies suggest sex differences in brain responses to cocaine cues and stress. The results of the preclinical studies reviewed provide evidence for sex differences in stress-induced reinstatement and incubation of cocaine craving but not cue- or cocaine-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking. These sex differences are modulated in part by ovarian hormones. In contrast, the available data do not support the notion of sex differences in craving and relapse/reinstatement for methamphetamine or opioids in rodent models. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This systematic review summarizes clinical and preclinical studies on sex differences in psychostimulant and opioid craving and relapse. Results of the clinical studies reviewed do not appear to support the notion that women are more vulnerable to psychostimulant and opioid craving and relapse. Results of preclinical studies reviewed provide evidence for sex differences in reinstatement and incubation of cocaine seeking but not for reinstatement or incubation of methamphetamine or opioid seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Nicolas
- Neurocentre Magendie, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France (C.N.); Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Present address: Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, School of Medicine, Riverside, CA (N.E.Z.); Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD (M.F., L.L., S.I., Y.S.); and Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (M.F., L.L.)
| | - Natalie E Zlebnik
- Neurocentre Magendie, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France (C.N.); Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Present address: Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, School of Medicine, Riverside, CA (N.E.Z.); Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD (M.F., L.L., S.I., Y.S.); and Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (M.F., L.L.)
| | - Mehdi Farokhnia
- Neurocentre Magendie, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France (C.N.); Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Present address: Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, School of Medicine, Riverside, CA (N.E.Z.); Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD (M.F., L.L., S.I., Y.S.); and Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (M.F., L.L.)
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Neurocentre Magendie, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France (C.N.); Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Present address: Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, School of Medicine, Riverside, CA (N.E.Z.); Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD (M.F., L.L., S.I., Y.S.); and Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (M.F., L.L.)
| | - Satoshi Ikemoto
- Neurocentre Magendie, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France (C.N.); Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Present address: Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, School of Medicine, Riverside, CA (N.E.Z.); Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD (M.F., L.L., S.I., Y.S.); and Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (M.F., L.L.)
| | - Yavin Shaham
- Neurocentre Magendie, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France (C.N.); Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Present address: Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside, School of Medicine, Riverside, CA (N.E.Z.); Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD (M.F., L.L., S.I., Y.S.); and Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (M.F., L.L.)
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23
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Abstract
LEARNING OBJECTIVE After participating in this activity, learners should be better able to:• Discuss and outline the general and overlapping effects of the menstrual cycle on women's mental health. ABSTRACT A growing body of research demonstrates menstrual cycle-dependent fluctuations in psychiatric symptoms; these fluctuations can therefore be considered as prevalent phenomena. Possible mechanisms underlying these fluctuations posit behavioral, psychological, and neuroendocrine influences. Recent reviews document cyclic exacerbation of symptoms and explore these mechanisms in the context of specific and often single disorders. The question remains, however, as to whether there are general and overlapping effects of the menstrual cycle on women's mental health. To address this gap, we synthesized the literature examining the exacerbation of a variety of psychiatric symptoms across the menstrual cycle in adult women. Results show that the premenstrual and menstrual phases are most consistently implicated in transdiagnostic symptom exacerbation. Specifically, strong evidence indicates increases in psychosis, mania, depression, suicide/suicide attempts, and alcohol use during these phases. Anxiety, stress, and binge eating appear to be elevated more generally throughout the luteal phase. The subjective effects of smoking and cocaine use are reduced during the luteal phase, but fewer data are available for other substances. Less consistent patterns are demonstrated for panic disorder, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder, and it is difficult to draw conclusions for symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and trichotillomania because of the limited data. Future research should focus on developing standardized approaches to identifying menstrual cycle phases and adapting pharmacological and behavioral interventions for managing fluctuations in psychiatric symptoms across the menstrual cycle.
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Warren JG, Fallon VM, Goodwin L, Gage SH, Rose AK. Menstrual Cycle Phase, Hormonal Contraception, and Alcohol Consumption in Premenopausal Females: A Systematic Review. Front Glob Womens Health 2021; 2:745263. [PMID: 34816249 PMCID: PMC8594041 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2021.745263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Women may be particularly vulnerable to alcohol harm, but many current theories fail to acknowledge the unique factors that influence female alcohol use. The biological mechanisms underlying female alcohol consumption have largely been unexplored, although recently the menstrual cycle has been highlighted as a potentially important factor. This systematic review, using a narrative synthesis, examined the association between the menstrual cycle phases on alcohol consumption and aimed to determine whether hormonal contraception influences this association. The review follows PRISMA and SWiM guidelines, registration number: CRD42018112744. Electronic searches were conducted in the relevant databases with keyword (e.g., "menstrua*"; "alcohol"). Thousand six hundred and sixty-two titles were identified, 16 of which were included in the review. Results were inconsistent regarding whether an association between menstrual cycle phase and alcohol consumption was found. Furthermore, there was inconsistency regarding which phase was associated with higher consumption, and different factors were reported to have moderated the direction, e.g., family history of alcohol use disorder (AUD), premenstrual syndrome (PMS). These conflicting results may be partly explained by variability in both study quality and design, and differences in measurement of cycle phase and alcohol consumption. More robust research is needed before conclusions can be drawn with regard to the role of the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception on female drinking behavior. This review provides recommendations to strengthen research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine G. Warren
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Victoria M. Fallon
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Goodwin
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Suzanne H. Gage
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail K. Rose
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Liverpool Centre for Alcohol Research, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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25
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Woodcock EA, Zakiniaeiz Y, Morris ED, Cosgrove KP. Sex and the dopaminergic system: Insights from addiction studies. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2021; 175:141-165. [PMID: 33008522 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64123-6.00011-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences are present in psychiatric disorders associated with disrupted dopamine function, and thus, sex differences in dopamine neurobiology may underlie these clinical disparities. In this chapter, we review sex differences in the dopaminergic system with a focus on substance use disorders, especially tobacco smoking, as our exemplar disorder. This chapter is organized into five sections describing sex differences in the dopaminergic system: (1) neurobiology, (2) role of sex hormones, (3) genetic underpinnings, (4) cognitive function, and (5) influence on addiction. In each section, we provide an overview of the topic area, summarize sex differences identified to date, highlight addiction research, especially clinical neuroimaging studies, and suggest avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Woodcock
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Yale Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Yasmin Zakiniaeiz
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Yale Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Evan D Morris
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States; Invicro, LLC, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Kelly P Cosgrove
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Yale Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.
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26
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Martin EL, Doncheck EM, Reichel CM, McRae-Clark AL. Consideration of sex as a biological variable in the translation of pharmacotherapy for stress-associated drug seeking. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100364. [PMID: 34345636 PMCID: PMC8319013 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is a frequent precipitant of relapse to drug use. Pharmacotherapies targeting a diverse array of neural systems have been assayed for efficacy in attenuating stress-induced drug-seeking in both rodents and in humans, but none have shown enough evidence of utility to warrant routine use in the clinic. We posit that a critical barrier in effective translation is inattention to sex as a biological variable at all phases of the research process. In this review, we detail the neurobiological systems implicated in stress-induced relapse to cocaine, opioids, methamphetamine, and cannabis, as well as the pharmacotherapies that have been used to target these systems in rodent models, the human laboratory, and in clinical trials. In each of these areas we additionally describe the potential influences of biological sex on outcomes, and how inattention to fundamental sex differences can lead to biases during drug development that contribute to the limited success of large clinical trials. Based on these observations, we determine that of the pharmacotherapies discussed only α2-adrenergic receptor agonists and oxytocin have a body of research with sufficient consideration of biological sex to warrant further clinical evaluation. Pharmacotherapies that target β-adrenergic receptors, other neuroactive peptides, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neuroactive steroids, and the endogenous opioid and cannabinoid systems require further assessment in females at the preclinical and human laboratory levels before progression to clinical trials can be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Martin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Doncheck
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Carmela M Reichel
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Aimee L McRae-Clark
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
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27
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The why behind the high: determinants of neurocognition during acute cannabis exposure. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:439-454. [PMID: 34045693 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00466-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Acute cannabis intoxication may induce neurocognitive impairment and is a possible cause of human error, injury and psychological distress. One of the major concerns raised about increasing cannabis legalization and the therapeutic use of cannabis is that it will increase cannabis-related harm. However, the impairing effect of cannabis during intoxication varies among individuals and may not occur in all users. There is evidence that the neurocognitive response to acute cannabis exposure is driven by changes in the activity of the mesocorticolimbic and salience networks, can be exacerbated or mitigated by biological and pharmacological factors, varies with product formulations and frequency of use and can differ between recreational and therapeutic use. It is argued that these determinants of the cannabis-induced neurocognitive state should be taken into account when defining and evaluating levels of cannabis impairment in the legal arena, when prescribing cannabis in therapeutic settings and when informing society about the safe and responsible use of cannabis.
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28
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Liu SX, Gades MS, Swain Y, Ramakrishnan A, Harris AC, Tran PV, Gewirtz JC. Repeated morphine exposure activates synaptogenesis and other neuroplasticity-related gene networks in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex of male and female rats. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 221:108598. [PMID: 33626484 PMCID: PMC8026706 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid abuse is a chronic disorder likely involving stable neuroplastic modifications. While a number of molecules contributing to these changes have been identified, the broader spectrum of genes and gene networks that are affected by repeated opioid administration remain understudied. METHODS We employed Next-Generation RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) followed by quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation to investigate changes in gene expression and their regulation in adult male and female rats' dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) after a regimen of daily injection of morphine (5.0 mg/kg; 10 days). Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze affected molecular pathways, gene networks, and associated regulatory factors. A complementary behavioral study evaluated the effects of the same morphine injection regimen on locomotor activity, pain sensitivity, and somatic withdrawal signs. RESULTS Behaviorally, repeated morphine injection induced locomotor hyperactivity and hyperalgesia in both sexes. 90 % of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in morphine-treated rats were upregulated in both males and females, with a 35 % overlap between sexes. A substantial number of DEGs play roles in synaptic signaling and neuroplasticity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed enrichment of H3 acetylation, a transcriptionally activating chromatin mark. Although broadly similar, some differences were revealed in the gene ontology networks enriched in females and males. CONCLUSIONS Our results cohere with findings from previous studies based on a priori gene selection. Our results also reveal novel genes and molecular pathways that are upregulated by repeated morphine exposure, with some common to males and females and others that are sex-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mari S. Gades
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, MN 55455
| | - Yayi Swain
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, MN 55455,Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, 914 S 8th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404
| | | | - Andrew C. Harris
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, MN 55455,Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, MN 55455,Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, 914 S 8th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404
| | - Phu V. Tran
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, MN 55455
| | - Jonathan C. Gewirtz
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, MN 55455,Corresponding author: Jonathan Gewirtz Department of Psychology University of Minnesota Elliott Hall 75 East River Road Minneapolis, MN 55455
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29
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Abstract
Purpose of Review Substance use disorders (SUD) affect differentially women and men. Although the prevalence has been reported higher in men, those women with addictive disorders present a more vulnerable profile and are less likely to enter treatment than men. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of how sex and gender may influence epidemiology, clinical manifestations, social impact, and the neurobiological basis of these differences of women with SUD, based on human research. Recent Findings The differences in prevalence rates between genders are getting narrower; also, women tend to increase the amount of consumption more rapidly than men, showing an accelerated onset of the SUD (telescoping effect). In respect to clinical features, the most important differences are related to the risk of experience psychiatric comorbidity, the exposure to intimate partner violence, and the associated high risks in sexual and reproductive health; and those who are mothers and addicted to substances are at risk of losing the custody of children accumulating more adverse life events. Some of these differences can be based on neurobiological differences: pharmacokinetic response to substances, sensitivity to gonadal hormones, differences in neurobiological systems as glutamate, endocannabinoids, and genetic differences. Summary Specific research in women who use drugs is very scarce and treatments are not gender-sensitive oriented. For these reasons, it is important to guarantee access to the appropriate treatment of women who use drugs and a need for a gender perspective in the treatment and research of substance use disorders.
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30
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Ambrase A, Lewis CA, Barth C, Derntl B. Influence of ovarian hormones on value-based decision-making systems: Contribution to sexual dimorphisms in mental disorders. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 60:100873. [PMID: 32987043 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Women and men exhibit differences in behavior when making value-based decisions. Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain these findings, stressing differences in functional lateralization of the brain, functional activation, neurotransmitter involvement and more recently, sex hormones. While a significant interaction of neurotransmitter systems and sex hormones has been shown for both sexes, decision-making in women might be particularly affected by variations of ovarian hormones. In this review we have gathered information from animal and human studies on how ovarian hormones affect decision-making processes in females by interacting with neurotransmitter systems at functionally relevant brain locations and thus modify the computation of decision aspects. We also review previous findings on impaired decision-making in animals and clinical populations with substance use disorder and depression, emphasizing how little we know about the role of ovarian hormones in aberrant decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiste Ambrase
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Carolin A Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany; Emotion Neuroimaging Lab, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; International Max Planck Research School on Neuroscience of Communication: Function, Structure, and Plasticity, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claudia Barth
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Birgit Derntl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tuebingen, Germany; TübingenNeuroCampus, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; LEAD Research School and Graduate Network, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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31
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Zhuang JY, Wang JX, Lei Q, Zhang W, Fan M. Neural Basis of Increased Cognitive Control of Impulsivity During the Mid-Luteal Phase Relative to the Late Follicular Phase of the Menstrual Cycle. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:568399. [PMID: 33304251 PMCID: PMC7693576 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.568399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle have been shown to influence reward-related motivation and impulsive behaviors. Here, with the aim of examining the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive control of impulsivity, we compared event-related monetary delay discounting task behavior and concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed brain activity as well as resting state (rs)-fMRI activity, between women in the mid-luteal phase (LP) and women in the late follicular phase (FP). The behavioral data were analyzed and related to neural activation data. In the delay discounting task, women in the late FP were more responsive to short-term rewards (i.e., showed a greater discount rate) than women in the mid-LP, while also showing greater activity in the dorsal striatum (DS). Discount rate (transformed k) correlated with functional connectivity between the DS and dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), consistent with previous findings indicating that DS-dlPFC circuitry may regulate impulsivity. Our rs-fMRI data further showed that the right dlPFC was significantly more active in the mid-LP than in late FP, and this effect was sensitive to absolute and relative estradiol levels during the mid-LP. DS-dlPFC functional connectivity magnitude correlated negatively with psychometric impulsivity scores during the late FP, consistent with our behavioral data and further indicating that relative estradiol levels may play an important role in augmenting cognitive control. These findings provide new insight into the treatment of conditions characterized by hyper-impulsivity, such as obsessive compulsive disorder, Parkinson disease, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In conclusion, our results suggest that cyclical gonadal hormones affect cognitive control of impulsive behavior in a periodic manner, possibility via DS-dlPFC circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Ying Zhuang
- Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Xi Wang
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qin Lei
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weidong Zhang
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingxia Fan
- Department of Physics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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32
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Strickland JC, Lacy RT. Behavioral economic demand as a unifying language for addiction science: Promoting collaboration and integration of animal and human models. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2020; 28:404-416. [PMID: 32105136 PMCID: PMC7390687 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The intersection of pharmacological, psychological, and economic theory within behavioral economics has helped advance an understanding of substance use disorder. A notable contribution of this approach is the conceptualization of reinforcement from a behavioral economic demand perspective. Demand analyses provide a multidimensional view of reinforcement in which distinct behavioral mechanisms are measured that impact decision making and drug consumption. This review describes the state of research on behavioral economic demand as a common language for addiction science researchers across varied model systems and stages of a translational continuum. We first provide an overview of the theoretical concepts and procedures used to evaluate demand in animal and human models. The potential for demand to serve as a common language for diverse research groups in psychopharmacology and addiction science (e.g., those evaluating neurobehavioral outcomes, medications development, clinical practice) is then described. An overview is also provided of existing empirical studies that, while small in number, suggest good linguistic and conceptual overlap between animal and human demand models when studying biological, environmental, and pharmacological individual difference vulnerabilities underlying drug-taking behavior. Refinement of methodological procedures and incorporation of more nuanced environmental features should help improve correspondence between animal and human demand studies as well as clinical translation of such findings. Our hope is that this review and commentary ultimately serves as inspiration for new collaborative efforts involving behavioral economic demand between animal and human researchers who share a common goal of improving substance use treatment outcomes and broader psychological wellbeing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin C. Strickland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Ryan T. Lacy
- Department of Psychology, Franklin & Marshall College, P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17604, USA
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33
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Proaño SB, Meitzen J. Estradiol decreases medium spiny neuron excitability in female rat nucleus accumbens core. J Neurophysiol 2020; 123:2465-2475. [PMID: 32432511 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00210.2020] [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] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The menstrual cycle in humans and its analogous cycle in rodents, the estrous cycle, modulate brain function and behavior. Both cycles are characterized by the cyclical fluctuation of ovarian hormones including estrogens such as estradiol. Estradiol induces cycle- and sex-dependent differences in the phenotype and incidence of many behaviors, including those related to reward and motivation. The nucleus accumbens core (AcbC), a limbic and premotor system nexus region, directly regulates these behaviors. We previously showed that the estrous cycle modulates intrinsic excitability and excitatory synapse properties of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the AcbC. The identity of the underlying hormone mechanism is unknown, with estradiol being a prime candidate. The present study tests the hypothesis that estradiol induces estrous cycle-relevant differences in MSN electrophysiology. To accomplish this goal, a time- and dose-dependent estradiol replacement paradigm designed to simulate the rise of circulating estradiol levels across the estrous cycle was employed in ovariectomized adult female rats as well as a vehicle control group. Estradiol replacement decreased MSN excitability by modulating properties such as resting membrane potential, input resistance in both the linear and rectified ranges, and rheobase compared with vehicle-treated females. These differences in MSN excitability mimic those previously described regarding estrous cycle effects on MSN electrophysiology. Excitatory synapse properties were not modulated in response to this estradiol replacement paradigm. These data are the first to demonstrate that an estrous cycle-relevant estradiol exposure modulates MSN electrophysiology, providing evidence of the fundamental neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating the AcbC.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The present study shows, for the first time, that an estrous cycle-relevant estradiol exposure modulates nucleus accumbens neuron excitability. This evidence provides insight into the neuroendocrine mechanisms by which estradiol cyclically alters neuron properties during the estrous cycle. Overall, these data emphasize the significant influence of hormone action in the brain and especially individual neuron physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B Proaño
- Graduate Program in Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - John Meitzen
- W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
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34
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Proaño SB, Krentzel AA, Meitzen J. Differential and synergistic roles of 17β-estradiol and progesterone in modulating adult female rat nucleus accumbens core medium spiny neuron electrophysiology. J Neurophysiol 2020; 123:2390-2405. [PMID: 32401164 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00157.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Naturally occurring cyclical changes in sex steroid hormones such as 17β-estradiol and progesterone can modulate neuron function and behavior in female mammals. One example is the estrous cycle in rats, which is composed of multiple phases. We previously reported evidence of differences between estrous cycle phases in excitatory synapse and intrinsic electrophysiological properties of rat nucleus accumbens core (AcbC) medium spiny neurons (MSNs). The AcbC is a nexus between the limbic and premotor systems and is integral for controlling motivated and reward-associated behaviors and disorders, which are sensitive to the estrous cycle and hormones. The present study expands our prior findings by testing whether circulating levels of estradiol and progesterone correlate with changes in MSN electrophysiology across estrous cycle phases. As part of this project, the excitatory synapse and intrinsic excitability properties of MSNs in late proestrus of adult female rats were assessed. Circulating levels of estradiol correlate with resting membrane potential, the time constant of the membrane, and rheobase. Circulating levels of progesterone correlate with miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) frequency and amplitude. Circulating levels of estradiol and progesterone together correlate with mEPSC amplitude, resting membrane potential, and input resistance. The late proestrus phase features a prominent and unique decrease in mEPSC frequency. These data indicate that circulating levels of estradiol and progesterone alone or in combination interact with specific MSN electrophysiological properties, indicating differential and synergistic roles of these hormones. Broadly, these findings illustrate the underlying endocrine actions regarding how the estrous cycle modulates MSN electrophysiology.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This research indicates that estradiol and progesterone act both differentially and synergistically to modulate neuron physiology in the nucleus accumbens core. These actions by specific hormones provide key data indicating the endocrine mechanisms underlying how the estrous cycle modulates neuron physiology in this region. Overall, these data reinforce that hormones are an important influence on neural physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B Proaño
- Graduate Program in Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Amanda A Krentzel
- W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - John Meitzen
- W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.,Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
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35
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Richards JR, Mefford JM, Patel JJ, Parikh AK, Eder AZ, Elder JW. The association between cocaine use detected on drug screening and rhabdomyolysis. TOXICOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/24734306.2020.1752536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- John R. Richards
- Department of Emdergency Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Jason M. Mefford
- Department of Emdergency Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Jaymin J. Patel
- Department of Emdergency Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Aman K. Parikh
- Department of Emdergency Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Anke Z. Eder
- Department of Emdergency Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Joshua W. Elder
- Department of Emdergency Medicine, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Swenson S, Blum K, McLaughlin T, Gold MS, Thanos PK. The therapeutic potential of exercise for neuropsychiatric diseases: A review. J Neurol Sci 2020; 412:116763. [PMID: 32305746 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.116763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Exercise is known to have a myriad of health benefits. There is much to be learned from the effects of exercise and its potential for prevention, attenuation and treatment of multiple neuropsychiatric diseases and behavioral disorders. Furthermore, recent data and research on exercise benefits with respect to major health crises, such as, that of opioid and general substance use disorders, make it very important to better understand and review the mechanisms of exercise and how it could be utilized for effective treatments or adjunct treatments for these diseases. In addition, mechanisms, epigenetics and sex differences are examined and discussed in terms of future research implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Swenson
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Kenneth Blum
- Western Univesity Health Sciences, Graduate College, Pomona, CA, USA
| | | | - Mark S Gold
- Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Panayotis K Thanos
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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Datta U, Schoenrock SE, Bubier JA, Bogue MA, Jentsch JD, Logan RW, Tarantino LM, Chesler EJ. Prospects for finding the mechanisms of sex differences in addiction with human and model organism genetic analysis. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12645. [PMID: 32012419 PMCID: PMC7060801 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite substantial evidence for sex differences in addiction epidemiology, addiction-relevant behaviors and associated neurobiological phenomena, the mechanisms and implications of these differences remain unknown. Genetic analysis in model organism is a potentially powerful and effective means of discovering the mechanisms that underlie sex differences in addiction. Human genetic studies are beginning to show precise risk variants that influence the mechanisms of addiction but typically lack sufficient power or neurobiological mechanistic access, particularly for the discovery of the mechanisms that underlie sex differences. Our thesis in this review is that genetic variation in model organisms are a promising approach that can complement these investigations to show the biological mechanisms that underlie sex differences in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udita Datta
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaine
| | - Sarah E. Schoenrock
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, Department of GeneticsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - Jason A. Bubier
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaine
| | - Molly A. Bogue
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaine
| | - James D. Jentsch
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, PsychologyState University of New York at BinghamtonBinghamtonNew York
| | - Ryan W. Logan
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, PsychiatryUniversity of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburghPennsylvania
| | - Lisa M. Tarantino
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, Department of GeneticsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth Carolina
| | - Elissa J. Chesler
- Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction, The Jackson LaboratoryBar HarborMaine
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Lacy RT, Austin BP, Strickland JC. The influence of sex and estrous cyclicity on cocaine and remifentanil demand in rats. Addict Biol 2020; 25:e12716. [PMID: 30779409 PMCID: PMC6916383 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The application of behavioral economic demand theory in addiction science has proved useful for evaluating individual characteristics underlying abuse liability. Two factors that have received comparably little attention within this literature are sex and gonadal hormones. We determined cocaine and remifentanil demand in male and female rats using a within‐session procedure. Cocaine and remifentanil demand were evaluated for 15 consecutive days using a balanced, crossover design that randomized drug order. This design allowed for the evaluation of temporal and exposure effects on two independent dimensions of demand, unconstrained demand (Q0) and demand elasticity (α). Estrous cyclicity was tracked to determine the contribution of phase to demand. No overall sex differences were observed. Increased unconstrained demand for cocaine and remifentanil was observed in females during periods in which estrogen was high (eg, estrus phase). Unconstrained remifentanil demand escalated over the 15‐day testing period, but escalation was not observed for cocaine or for demand elasticity. A significant exposure effect was also observed in which greater prior remifentanil intake increased unconstrained cocaine demand and reduced cocaine demand elasticity. These effects were directionally specific as no significant effects of prior cocaine exposure were observed on remifentanil demand measures. These data suggest that unconstrained demand and demand elasticity do not differ between male and female subjects; however, that unconstrained demand is associated with estrous cyclicity. These findings also suggest that opioid exposure enhances subsequent demand for psychomotor stimulants, which may be important when considering recent increases in nonmedical prescription opioid use in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T. Lacy
- Department of Psychology Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster PA USA
| | - Bridget P. Austin
- Department of Psychology Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster PA USA
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39
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Smid MC, Metz TD, Gordon AJ. Stimulant Use in Pregnancy: An Under-recognized Epidemic Among Pregnant Women. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2019; 62:168-184. [PMID: 30601144 PMCID: PMC6438363 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Stimulant use, including cocaine, methamphetamines, ecstasy, and prescription stimulants, in pregnancy is increasingly common. In the United States, stimulants are the second most widely used and abused substances during pregnancy and pregnant women using stimulants in pregnancy are at increased risk of adverse perinatal, neonatal, and childhood outcomes. In this review, we describe the pharmacology, pathophysiology, and epidemiology of stimulants, summarize the maternal and neonatal effects of perinatal stimulant use, and outline treatment options for stimulant use disorders among pregnant women. Development of effective treatment strategies for stimulant use disorders identified among pregnant women are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela C Smid
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, University of Utah School of Medicine
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center (IDEAS), Salt Lake City VA Health Care System, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Torri D Metz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
| | - Adam J Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, University of Utah School of Medicine
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center (IDEAS), Salt Lake City VA Health Care System, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Sherman BJ, Caruso MA, McRae-Clark AL. Exogenous progesterone for cannabis withdrawal in women: Feasibility trial of a novel multimodal methodology. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2019; 179:22-26. [PMID: 30711528 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2019.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in cannabis use disorder (CUD) and its treatment have been identified. Women report more severe withdrawal and have shown worse treatment outcomes. Ovarian hormones are implicated in these differences and research suggests that exogenous progesterone may be an effective pharmacotherapy. METHODS The current randomized, placebo-controlled, feasibility trial tested a novel multimodal methodology for administering exogenous progesterone during acute cannabis withdrawal. Eight heavy cannabis using women received micronized progesterone (200 mg bid) (n = 3) or matching placebo (n = 5) during the early follicular phase of their menstrual cycle over a 5-day study period while abstaining from cannabis. Laboratory visits (days 1 and 5) included biological and self-report assessments, while home-based procedures (days 2-4) included ambulatory assessments, video data capture and tele-drug testing, and biological assessments. Primary outcomes were medication adherence and salivary hormone levels, and the exploratory outcome was cannabis withdrawal severity. RESULTS Medication adherence rates were high as assessed via self-report (100.0%) and video data capture (98.0%). Salivary progesterone levels differed between groups over time (p < 0.027) and the progesterone group achieved levels within the normal range during the luteal phase in healthy adults. All tele-drug tests were negative confirming cannabis abstinence and there was an indication (p = 0.07) of reduced cannabis craving among participants receiving progesterone. CONCLUSION More effective and sex-based treatments for cannabis use disorder are needed. The current study provides a novel multimodal methodology with low participant burden for investigating new medications for cannabis withdrawal. Clinical trials of progesterone for cannabis withdrawal may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Sherman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical Unviersity of South Carolina, 67 President Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
| | - Margaret A Caruso
- Department of Psychology, Auburn University, 226 Thach Hall, AL 36849, USA
| | - Aimee L McRae-Clark
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical Unviersity of South Carolina, 67 President Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Ralph H. Johnson VAMC, 109 Bee Street, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
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Bedwell JS, Spencer CC, Chirino CA, O’Donnell JP. The Sweet Taste Test: Relationships with Anhedonia Subtypes, Personality Traits, and Menstrual Cycle Phases. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-019-09717-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Milivojevic V, Covault J, Angarita GA, Siedlarz K, Sinha R. Neuroactive steroid levels and cocaine use chronicity in men and women with cocaine use disorder receiving progesterone or placebo. Am J Addict 2018; 28:16-21. [PMID: 30537098 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.12828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Neuroactive steroids (NAS) may play a role in addiction, with observed increases in response to acute stress and drug use, but decreases with chronic substance use, suggesting that NAS neuroadaptations may occur with chronic substance use. However, levels of NAS in addicted individuals have not been systematically examined. Here, we evaluated a panel of NAS in men and women with cocaine use disorder (CUD) who participated in a clinical laboratory study of progesterone. METHODS Forty six CUD individuals were enrolled in a randomized placebo-controlled laboratory study to evaluate progesterone effects on levels of various NAS. On day 5 of a 7-day inpatient treatment regimen of 400 mg/day progesterone (15M/8F) or placebo (14M/9F), plasma levels of NAS known to be downstream of progesterone (allopregnanolone, pregnanolone), and NAS not in the progesterone synthesis pathway (androstanediol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA] and the NAS precursor, pregnenolone) were analyzed using highly sensitive gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The relationship between each of the NAS and chronicity of cocaine use was also assessed. RESULTS Progesterone versus placebo significantly increased the GABAergic NAS allopregnanolone and pregnanolone in both CUD men and women. Levels of pregnenolone, testosterone, its GABAergic metabolite androstanediol, and the non-GABAergic DHEA were unaffected by progesterone treatment, and testosterone and androstanediol levels were significantly higher in men than women. Importantly, lower pregnenolone and androstanediol levels were associated with greater years of cocaine use. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE GABAergic NAS that are upstream from the progesterone synthesis pathway appear susceptible to chronic effects of cocaine use. (Am J Addict 2019;28:16-21).
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Affiliation(s)
- Verica Milivojevic
- The Yale Stress Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jonathan Covault
- Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Gustavo A Angarita
- Connecticut Mental Health Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kristen Siedlarz
- Alcohol Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut
| | - Rajita Sinha
- The Yale Stress Center, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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Jacobs AA, Cangiano M. Medication-Assisted Treatment Considerations for Women with Opiate Addiction Disorders. Prim Care 2018; 45:731-742. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pop.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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44
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Petersen N, London ED. Addiction and Dopamine: Sex Differences and Insights from Studies of Smoking. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2018; 23:150-159. [PMID: 30746429 PMCID: PMC6368096 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mesolimbic dopaminergic function influences addiction through effects on reinforcement learning, decision-making, and impulsivity. This review covers sex differences in dopaminergic neurochemistry, their hormonal and genetic determinants, and how differences in dopaminergic tone interact with sex and/or ovarian hormone status to affect cognitive functions. Findings from research on cigarette smoking reveal sex differences in striatal and midbrain dopamine D2-type receptor availability and striatal dopamine release that suggest mechanisms of nicotine dependence, and stronger subjective responses to nicotine and efficacy of nicotine replacement therapies in male smokers than in their female counterparts. Opportunities exist to extend such efforts in studies of how sex and hormone status influence other addictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Petersen
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90024
| | - Edythe D. London
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90024,Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90024,Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 90024,Corresponding author: Dr. Edythe D. London, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute, University of California Los Angeles, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA, Tel: 310 825 0606, Fax: 310 825-0812,
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Newman EL, Leonard MZ, Arena DT, de Almeida RMM, Miczek KA. Social defeat stress and escalation of cocaine and alcohol consumption: Focus on CRF. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 9:151-165. [PMID: 30450381 PMCID: PMC6236516 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Both the ostensibly aversive effects of unpredictable episodes of social stress and the intensely rewarding effects of drugs of abuse activate the mesocorticolimbic dopamine systems. Significant neuroadaptations in interacting stress and reward neurocircuitry may underlie the striking connection between stress and substance use disorders. In rodent models, recurring intermittent exposure to social defeat stress appears to produce a distinct profile of neuroadaptations that translates most readily to the repercussions of social stress in humans. In the present review, preclinical rodent models of social defeat stress and subsequent alcohol, cocaine or opioid consumption are discussed with regard to: (1) the temporal pattern of social defeat stress, (2) male and female protocols of social stress-escalated drug consumption, and (3) the neuroplastic effects of social stress, which may contribute to escalated drug-taking. Neuroadaptations in corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and CRF modulation of monoamines in the ventral tegmental area and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis are highlighted as potential mechanisms underlying stress-escalated drug consumption. However, the specific mechanisms that drive CRF-mediated increases in dopamine require additional investigation as do the stress-induced neuroadaptations that may contribute to the development of compulsive patterns of drug-taking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Newman
- Psychology Dept., Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA
| | | | | | - Rosa M M de Almeida
- Institute of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Klaus A Miczek
- Psychology Dept., Tufts University, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.,Dept. of Neuroscience, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
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Shahbabaie A, Hatami J, Farhoudian A, Ekhtiari H, Khatibi A, Nitsche MA. Optimizing Electrode Montages of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Attentional Bias Modification in Early Abstinent Methamphetamine Users. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:907. [PMID: 30147655 PMCID: PMC6096722 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Chronic use of most psychoactive drugs may lead to substance dependence and drug addiction. Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder, and current pharmacological and behavioral therapies are not fully efficient. Attentional bias (AB) is hypothesized to have a causal contribution to substance abuse, addiction development and, maintenance. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been of increasing interest in the past few years as a means for modulating neuroplasticity of the human brain. Although several studies have reported promising therapeutic effects for tDCS in drug abusers, there is no consensus about optimal electrode montages and target brain regions. This study was aimed to compare effectiveness of several electrode montages in modifying AB. Methods and Materials: Ninety early-abstinent methamphetamine users were recruited from several residential drug-rehabilitation centers in Tehran province. They were randomly assigned to six groups with different electrode montages, targeting the left or right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) as follows: Two conditions with anodal tDCS over the right DLPFC (return electrode placed over the left shoulder or left supraorbital ridge), three conditions with the anode positioned over the left DLPFC (return electrode over the right shoulder, right supraorbital ridge, or contralateral DLPFC), and one sham condition. Active stimulation intensity was 2 mA DC, delivered for 13 min followed by a 20-min rest and another 13 min of stimulation. The probe detection task (PDT) was performed to assess AB. The positive and negative affect scale (PANAS), and the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS) were used to assess baseline affective status before the intervention. Results: Mixed model analysis showed that the left DLPFC/right shoulder and left DLPFC/right DLPFC montages reduced AB toward drug-cues in comparison with sham stimulation. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that anodal stimulation over the left DLPFC reduces AB in methamphetamine users. This study offers promising findings for further studies investigating tDCS as a clinical device to modify AB in drug users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Shahbabaie
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
- Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran
- Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Hatami
- Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Farhoudian
- Substance Abuse and Dependence Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Ekhtiari
- Institute for Cognitive Science Studies, Tehran, Iran
- Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Khatibi
- Department of Psychology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Michael A. Nitsche
- Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany
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Mulligan EM, Nelson BD, Infantolino ZP, Luking KR, Sharma R, Hajcak G. Effects of menstrual cycle phase on electrocortical response to reward and depressive symptoms in women. Psychophysiology 2018; 55:e13268. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Brady D. Nelson
- Department of Psychology; Stony Brook University; Stony Brook New York
| | | | | | - Radhika Sharma
- Department of Psychology; Stony Brook University; Stony Brook New York
| | - Greg Hajcak
- Department of Psychology; Florida State University; Tallahassee Florida
- Department of Biomedical Sciences; Florida State University; Tallahassee Florida
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Role of Exogenous Progesterone in the Treatment of Men and Women with Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review. CNS Drugs 2018; 32:421-435. [PMID: 29761343 PMCID: PMC6235727 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-018-0525-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain problematic as many individuals are untreated or do not benefit from the currently available interventions. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel pharmacological interventions to treat SUDs. Evidence suggests that the female sex hormone, progesterone, attenuates the craving for and the euphoric effects of drugs of abuse. Research to date has demonstrated that progesterone may modulate responses to drugs of abuse and may have utility as a novel treatment for SUDs. A literature search was conducted to identify and examine studies that administered exogenous progesterone. Sixteen publications were identified, exploring the utility of exogenous progesterone or its metabolite, allopregnanolone, among a range of substances, including amphetamines (one study), benzodiazepines (one study), cocaine (nine studies), and tobacco/nicotine (five studies). Results indicated that exogenous progesterone and, its metabolite allopregnanolone, demonstrated preliminary efficacy as a treatment for substance use in both men and women. Notably, progesterone appears to target negative affect and augment cognitive functioning, especially among female substance users. Additional research is needed to explore the potential use of exogenous progesterone and allopregnanolone in the treatment of SUDs, including that associated with alcohol and opioids, but considering the current promising findings, exogenous progesterone and allopregnanolone may have utility as novel pharmacological treatments for SUDs.
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49
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Rezvani AH, Tizabi Y, Slade S, Getachew B, Levin ED. Sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine attenuate nicotine self-administration in rats. Neurosci Lett 2018; 668:98-102. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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50
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17β-Estradiol Potentiates the Reinstatement of Cocaine Seeking in Female Rats: Role of the Prelimbic Prefrontal Cortex and Cannabinoid Type-1 Receptors. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:781-790. [PMID: 28825421 PMCID: PMC5809785 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Clinical observations imply that female cocaine addicts experience enhanced relapse vulnerability compared with males, an effect tied to elevated estrogen phases of the ovarian hormone cycle. Although estrogens can enhance drug-seeking behavior, they do not directly induce reinstatement on their own. To model this phenomenon, we tested whether an estrogen could augment drug-seeking behavior in response to an ordinarily subthreshold reinstatement trigger. Following cocaine self-administration and extinction, female rats were ovariectomized to isolate estrogen effects on reinstatement. Although neither peak proestrus levels of the primary estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2; 10 μg/kg, i.p., 1-h pretreatment) nor a subthreshold cocaine dose (1.25 mg/kg, i.p.) alone were sufficient to reinstate drug-seeking behavior, pretreatment with E2 potentiated reinstatement to the ordinarily subthreshold cocaine dose. Furthermore, E2 microinfusions revealed that E2 (5 μg/0.3 μl, 15-min pretreatment) acts directly within the prelimbic prefrontal cortex (PrL-PFC) to potentiate reinstatement. As E2 has been implicated in endocannabinoid mobilization, which can disinhibit PrL-PFC projection neurons, we investigated whether cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R) activation is necessary for E2 to potentiate reinstatement. The CB1R antagonist AM251 (1 or 3 mg/kg, i.p., 30-min pretreatment) administered prior to E2 and cocaine suppressed reinstatement in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, PrL-PFC AM251 microinfusions (300 ng/side, 15-min pretreatment) also suppressed E2-potentiated reinstatement. Together, these results suggest that E2 can augment reactivity to an ordinarily subthreshold relapse trigger in a PrL-PFC CB1R activation-dependent manner.
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