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Hogarth L. Addiction is driven by excessive goal-directed drug choice under negative affect: translational critique of habit and compulsion theory. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:720-735. [PMID: 31905368 PMCID: PMC7265389 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0600-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Drug addiction may be a goal-directed choice driven by excessive drug value in negative affective states, a habit driven by strong stimulus-response associations, or a compulsion driven by insensitivity to costs imposed on drug seeking. Laboratory animal and human evidence for these three theories is evaluated. Excessive goal theory is supported by dependence severity being associated with greater drug choice/economic demand. Drug choice is demonstrably goal-directed (driven by the expected value of the drug) and can be augmented by stress/negative mood induction and withdrawal-effects amplified in those with psychiatric symptoms and drug use coping motives. Furthermore, psychiatric symptoms confer risk of dependence, and coping motives mediate this risk. Habit theory of addiction has weaker support. Habitual behaviour seen in drug-exposed animals often does not occur in complex decision scenarios, or where responding is rewarded, so habit is unlikely to explain most human addictive behaviour where these conditions apply. Furthermore, most human studies have not found greater propensity to habitual behaviour in drug users or as a function of dependence severity, and the minority that have can be explained by task disengagement producing impaired explicit contingency knowledge. Compulsion theory of addiction also has weak support. The persistence of punished drug seeking in animals is better explained by greater drug value (evinced by the association with economic demand) than by insensitivity to costs. Furthermore, human studies have provided weak evidence that propensity to discount cost imposed on drug seeking is associated with dependence severity. These data suggest that human addiction is primarily driven by excessive goal-directed drug choice under negative affect, and less by habit or compulsion. Addiction is pathological because negative states powerfully increase expected drug value acutely outweighing abstinence goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Hogarth
- School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Washington Singer Building, Perry Road, Exeter, EX4 4QG, UK.
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Cofresí RU, Bartholow BD, Piasecki TM. Evidence for incentive salience sensitization as a pathway to alcohol use disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:897-926. [PMID: 31672617 PMCID: PMC6878895 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The incentive salience sensitization (ISS) theory of addiction holds that addictive behavior stems from the ability of drugs to progressively sensitize the brain circuitry that mediates attribution of incentive salience (IS) to reward-predictive cues and its behavioral manifestations. In this article, we establish the plausibility of ISS as an etiological pathway to alcohol use disorder (AUD). We provide a comprehensive and critical review of evidence for: (1) the ability of alcohol to sensitize the brain circuitry of IS attribution and expression; and (2) attribution of IS to alcohol-predictive cues and its sensitization in humans and non-human animals. We point out gaps in the literature and how these might be addressed. We also highlight how individuals with different alcohol subjective response phenotypes may differ in susceptibility to ISS as a pathway to AUD. Finally, we discuss important implications of this neuropsychological mechanism in AUD for psychological and pharmacological interventions attempting to attenuate alcohol craving and cue reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto U Cofresí
- University of Missouri, Department of Psychological Sciences, Columbia, MO 65211, United States.
| | - Bruce D Bartholow
- University of Missouri, Department of Psychological Sciences, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Thomas M Piasecki
- University of Missouri, Department of Psychological Sciences, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
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Kouimtsidis C, Duka T, Palmer E, Lingford-Hughes A. Prehabilitation in Alcohol Dependence as a Treatment Model for Sustainable Outcomes. A Narrative Review of Literature on the Risks Associated With Detoxification, From Animal Models to Human Translational Research. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:339. [PMID: 31156483 PMCID: PMC6531862 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review paper, we discuss how the overarching concept of prehabilitation is applicable to alcohol dependence. Central to prehabilitation are the concepts of expected harm, risks, and proactive planning to eliminate the harm or cope with the risks. We review the evidence from animal models, psychological experimental studies, as well as pharmacological studies, on the potential risks and harms associated with medically assisted alcohol detoxification and the current treatment paradigm for alcohol dependence. Animal models provide an approximation mostly of the physical aspect of alcohol withdrawal and detoxification process and make predictions about the development of the phenomena in humans. Despite their limitations, these models provide good evidence that withdrawal from chronic ethanol use induces cognitive impairment, which is worsened by repeated bouts of withdrawal and that these impairments are dependent on the duration of alcohol withdrawal. Initial clinical observations with alcohol-dependent patients confirmed increased incidence of seizures. In recent years, accumulating evidence suggests that patients who have had repeated episodes of withdrawal also show changes in their affect, increased craving, as well as significant deterioration of cognitive abilities, when compared to patients with fewer withdrawals. Alcohol dependence is associated with tolerance and withdrawal, with neuroadaptations in γ-Aminobutyric Acid-A Receptor (GABA-A) and glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors playing key roles. It is suggested that dysregulation of the NMDA receptor system underpins alcohol-related memory impairments. Finally, we discuss the Structured Preparation for Alcohol Detoxification (SPADe) as an example of how prehabilitation has been applied in clinical practice. We discuss the importance of partial control over drinking as an interim step toward abstinence and early introduction of lifestyle changes for both the patient and the immediate environment prior to detoxification and while the patient is still drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Theodora Duka
- Sussex Addiction Research and Intervention Centre (SARIC), School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Palmer
- Centre for Psychiatry, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Hogarth L, Lam‐Cassettari C, Pacitti H, Currah T, Mahlberg J, Hartley L, Moustafa A. Intact goal‐directed control in treatment‐seeking drug users indexed by outcome‐devaluation and Pavlovian to instrumental transfer: critique of habit theory. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 50:2513-2525. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lee Hogarth
- School of Psychology University of Exeter Exeter UK
- School of Psychology University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Christa Lam‐Cassettari
- MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development Western Sydney University Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Helena Pacitti
- School of Psychology University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Tara Currah
- School of Psychology University of Exeter Exeter UK
| | - Justin Mahlberg
- School of Social Sciences and Psychology Western Sydney University Sydney NSW Australia
| | | | - Ahmed Moustafa
- MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development Western Sydney University Sydney NSW Australia
- School of Social Sciences and Psychology Western Sydney University Sydney NSW Australia
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5
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Relationship of low doses of alcohol voluntarily consumed during adolescence and early adulthood with subsequent behavioral flexibility. Behav Pharmacol 2018; 28:531-544. [PMID: 28906303 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Previous alcohol use is associated with impaired decision-making and impulsivity in humans, but the relationship between alcohol use and decision-making/impulsivity is unclear. In two experiments, we determined whether chronic intermittent access to alcohol during adolescence and early adulthood would alter or be correlated with performance in a go/no-go reversal task, a devaluation task, or operant extinction. Rats received 6 weeks of chronic intermittent access to 20% alcohol or water from postnatal day 26 to 66 and then behavioral testing was initiated 1.5-2.5 weeks later. We found no evidence that voluntary alcohol consumption altered behavior in either task. However, we found that rats that consumed more alcohol made fewer commission errors in reversal learning compared with rats that drank less. There was no relationship between alcohol consumption and reversal learning omission errors. Alcohol consumption was not correlated with the magnitude of the devaluation effect, but rats that consumed more alcohol showed faster extinction during the devaluation test. Our results suggest that the relationships between behavioral flexibility and alcohol consumption may represent individual differences. Future work will determine the neurobiological and genetic bases of these behavioral differences.
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Cartoni E, Balleine B, Baldassarre G. Appetitive Pavlovian-instrumental Transfer: A review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:829-848. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Barker JM, Lench DH, Chandler LJ. Reversal of alcohol dependence-induced deficits in cue-guided behavior via mGluR2/3 signaling in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:235-42. [PMID: 26449720 PMCID: PMC4703438 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4101-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Alcohol use disorders are associated with deficits in adaptive behavior. While some behavioral impairments that are associated with alcohol use disorders may predate exposure to drugs of abuse, others may result directly from exposure to drugs of abuse, including alcohol. Identifying a causal role for how alcohol exposure leads to these impairments will enable further investigation of the neurobiological mechanisms by which it acts to dysregulate adaptive behavior. OBJECTIVES In the present study, we examined the effects of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure (CIE) on the use of reward-paired cues to guide consummatory behaviors in a mouse model, and further, how manipulations of mGluR2/3 signaling-known to be dysregulated after chronic alcohol exposure-may alter the expression of this behavior. METHODS Adult male C57B/6J mice were trained to self-administer 10 % ethanol and exposed to CIE via vapor inhalation. After CIE exposure, mice were trained in a Pavlovian task wherein a cue (tone) was paired with the delivery of a 10 % sucrose unconditioned stimulus. The use of the reward-paired cue to guide licking behavior was determined across training. The effect of systemic mGluR2/3 manipulation on discrimination between cue-on and cue-off intervals was assessed by administration of the mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 or the antagonist LY341495 prior to a testing session. RESULTS Exposure to CIE resulted in reductions in discrimination between cue-on and cue-off intervals, with CIE-exposed mice exhibiting significantly lower consummatory behavior during reward-paired cues than air controls. In addition, systemic administration of an mGluR2/3 agonist restored the use of reward-paired cues in CIE-exposed animals without impacting behavior in air controls. Conversely, administration of an mGluR2/3 antagonist mimicked the effects of CIE on cue-guided licking behavior, indicating that mGluR2/3 signaling can bidirectionally regulate the ability to use reward-paired cues to guide behavior. CONCLUSIONS Together, these data suggest that chronic ethanol exposure drives impairments in the ability to use reward-paired cues to adaptively regulate behavior and that mGluR2/3 receptors represent a therapeutic target for restoration of these deficits in behavioral control in the alcoholic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline M Barker
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Daniel H Lench
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - L Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
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DePoy L, Daut R, Wright T, Camp M, Crowley N, Noronha B, Lovinger D, Holmes A. Chronic alcohol alters rewarded behaviors and striatal plasticity. Addict Biol 2015; 20:345-8. [PMID: 24666522 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) alters neural functions and behaviors mediated by the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) and prefrontal cortex. Here, we examined the effects of prolonged (16-bout) CIE on DLS plasticity and DLS-mediated behaviors. Ex vivo electrophysiological recordings revealed loss in efficacy of DLS synaptically induced activation and absent long-term depression after CIE. CIE increased two-bottle choice drinking and impaired Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer but not discriminated approach. These data suggest prolonged CIE impaired DLS plasticity, to produce associated changes in drinking and cue-controlled reward-seeking. Given recent evidence that less-prolonged CIE can promote certain dorsal striatal-mediated behaviors, CIE may drive chronicity-dependent adaptations in corticostriatal systems regulating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren DePoy
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Rachel Daut
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Tara Wright
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Marguerite Camp
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Nicole Crowley
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Bianca Noronha
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - David Lovinger
- Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience; National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH; Bethesda MD USA
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Worbe Y, Irvine M, Lange I, Kundu P, Howell NA, Harrison NA, Bullmore ET, Robbins TW, Voon V. Neuronal correlates of risk-seeking attitudes to anticipated losses in binge drinkers. Biol Psychiatry 2014; 76:717-24. [PMID: 24387822 PMCID: PMC4192134 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.11.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Revised: 10/04/2013] [Accepted: 11/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal decision making under risk is associated with a number of psychiatric disorders. Here, we focus on binge drinkers (BD), characterized by repeated episodes of heavy alcohol intoxication. Previous studies suggest a decreased sensitivity to aversive conditioning in BD. Here, we asked whether BD might be characterized by enhanced risk seeking related to decreased sensitivity to the anticipation of negative outcomes. METHODS Using an anticipatory risk-taking task (40 BD and 70 healthy volunteers) and an adapted version of this task for functional magnetic resonance imaging (21 BD and 21 healthy volunteers), we assessed sensitivity to reward and loss across risk probabilities. RESULTS In the behavioral task, BD showed a higher number of risky choices in high-risk losses. In the neuroimaging task, the high-risk attitude in the loss condition was associated with greater activity in dorsolateral prefrontal, lateral orbitofrontal, and superior parietal cortices in BD. Explicit exposure of BD to the probability and magnitude of loss, via introduction of feedback, resulted in a subsequent decrease in risky choices. This change in risk attitude in BD was associated with greater activity in inferior frontal gyrus, which also correlated with the percentage of decrease in risky choices after feedback presentation, suggesting a possible role for cognitive control toward risk-seeking attitudes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that a decrease in sensitivity to the anticipation of high-risk negative outcomes might underlie BD behavior. Presentation of explicit feedback of probability and loss in BD can potentially modify risk-taking attitudes, which have important public health implications and suggest possible therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia Worbe
- Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Irvine
- Department of Psychiatry, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Iris Lange
- Department of Psychiatry, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Prantik Kundu
- Department of Psychiatry, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas A Howell
- Department of Psychiatry, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Neil A Harrison
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton
| | - Edward T Bullmore
- Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Cambridgeshire & Peterborough National Health Service Foundation Trust, Cambridge, United Kingdom; GlaxoSmithKline, Clinical Unit Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Valerie Voon
- Behavioural and Clinical Neurosciences Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Dreumont SE, Cunningham CL. Effects of acute withdrawal on ethanol-induced conditioned place preference in DBA/2J mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:777-85. [PMID: 24096534 PMCID: PMC3910420 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3291-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Reexposure to ethanol during acute withdrawal might facilitate the transition to alcoholism by enhancing the rewarding effect of ethanol. OBJECTIVE The conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure was used to test whether ethanol reward is enhanced during acute withdrawal. METHODS DBA/2J mice were exposed to an unbiased one-compartment CPP procedure. Ethanol (0.75, 1.0, or 1.5 g/kg IP) was paired with a distinctive floor cue (CS+), whereas saline was paired with a different floor cue (CS-). The withdrawal (W) group received CS+ trials during acute withdrawal produced by a large dose of ethanol (4 g/kg) given 8 h before each trial. The no-withdrawal (NW) group did not experience acute withdrawal during conditioning trials but was matched for acute withdrawal experience. Floor preference was tested in the absence of ethanol or acute withdrawal. RESULTS All groups eventually showed a dose-dependent preference for the ethanol-paired cue, but development of CPP was generally more rapid and stable in the W groups than in the NW groups. Acute withdrawal suppressed the normal activating effect of ethanol during CS+ trials, but there were no group differences in test activity. CONCLUSIONS Acute withdrawal enhanced ethanol's rewarding effect as indexed by CPP. Since this effect depended on ethanol exposure during acute withdrawal, the enhancement of ethanol reward was likely mediated by the alleviation of acute withdrawal, i.e., negative reinforcement. Enhancement of ethanol reward during acute withdrawal may be a key component in the shift from episodic to chronic ethanol consumption that characterizes alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Dreumont
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience and Portland Alcohol Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239-3098, USA
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Genauck A, Huys QJM, Heinz A, Rapp MA. Pawlowsch-Instrumentelle Transfereffekte bei Alkoholabhängigkeit. SUCHT 2013. [DOI: 10.1024/0939-5911.a000256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Hintergrund: Alkoholabhängigkeit ist eine Verkettung ungünstiger Entscheidungen in Bezug auf Alkoholkonsum. Dieses Entscheidungsmuster scheint sich u. a wegen pawlowsch-instrumentellen Transfereffekten (PIT-Effekten) immer wieder zu reproduzieren. Ziel dieser Literaturzusammenschau ist, wichtige Befunde zum Zusammenhang zwischen PIT-Effekten und Suchterkrankungen zusammenzutragen und offene Fragen im Hinblick auf PIT bei Alkoholabhängigkeit aufzuzeigen. Methoden: Die Literaturzusammenschau nutzte keine systematische Literaturrecherche, sondern basierte auf den Recherchen im Rahmen der Forschergruppe 1617 (Learning and Habitization in Alcohol Dependence, LeAD) der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). Ergebnisse: PIT-Effekte könnten im Zusammenhang mit Alkoholabhängigkeit möglicherweise zu einem Teufelskreis führen. Dieser besteht aus der Verstärkung von PIT-Effekten durch Alkoholkonsum und verstärktem Alkoholkonsum aufgrund von verstärkten PIT-Effekten. Diskussion: PIT-Effekte bei Alkoholabhängigkeit sind bisher vorwiegend aus Tierstudien bekannt. Das PIT-Paradigma kann uns allerdings auch in der humanen Suchtforschung Aufschluss darüber geben, wie bestimmte Reizmuster Alkoholabhängige zum wiederholten Alkoholkonsum motivieren. Demnach können PIT-Experimente womöglich auch helfen Alkoholrückfälle vorherzusagen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Genauck
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin
| | - Quentin J. M. Huys
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit, Institut für Biomedizinische Technik, Universität Zürich und ETH Zürich
- Klinik für Psychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik, Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Zürich
| | - Andreas Heinz
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin
| | - Michael A. Rapp
- Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin
- Klinik für Gerontopsychiatrie Asklepios Fachklinikum Brandenburg
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Ripley TL, Stephens DN. Critical thoughts on current rodent models for evaluating potential treatments of alcohol addiction and withdrawal. Br J Pharmacol 2011; 164:1335-56. [PMID: 21470204 PMCID: PMC3229765 DOI: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2011.01406.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2010] [Revised: 02/21/2011] [Accepted: 02/24/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite years of neurobiological research that have helped to identify potential therapeutic targets, we do not have a reliable pharmacological treatment for alcoholism. There are a range of possible explanations for this failure, including arguments that alcoholism is a spectrum disorder and that different population subtypes may respond to different treatments. This view is supported by categorisations such as early- and late-onset alcoholism, whilst multifactorial genetic factors may also alter responsivity to pharmacological agents. Furthermore, experience of alcohol withdrawal may play a role in future drinking in a way that may distinguish alcoholism from other forms of addiction. Additionally, our neurobiological models, based largely upon results from rodent studies, may not mimic specific aspects of the human condition and may reflect different underlying phenomena and biological processes from the clinical pattern. As a result, potential treatments may be targeting inappropriate aspects of alcohol-related behaviours. Instead, we suggest a more profitable approach is (a) to identify well-defined intermediate behavioural phenotypes in human experimental models that reflect defined aspects of the human clinical disorder and (b) to develop animal models that are homologous with those phenotypes in terms of psychological processes and underlying neurobiological mechanisms. This review describes an array of animal models currently used in the addiction field and what they tell us about alcoholism. We will then examine how established pharmacological agents have been developed using only a limited number of these models, before describing some alternative novel approaches to achieving homology between animal and human experimental measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamzin L Ripley
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK.
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Chen G, Buck KJ. Rostroventral caudate putamen involvement in ethanol withdrawal is influenced by a chromosome 4 locus. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2010; 9:768-76. [PMID: 20608999 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00611.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Physiological dependence and associated withdrawal episodes are thought to constitute a motivational force that sustains alcohol use and abuse and may contribute to relapse in dependent individuals. Although no animal model duplicates alcoholism, models for specific factors, like withdrawal, are useful for identifying potential genetic and neural determinants of liability in humans. Previously, we identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL) and gene (Mpdz, which encodes the multi-PDZ domain protein) on chromosome 4 with a large effect on alcohol withdrawal in mice. Using congenic mice that confirm this QTL and c-Fos expression as a high-resolution marker of neuronal activation, we report that congenic mice show significantly less neuronal activity associated with alcohol withdrawal in the rostroventral caudate putamen (rvCP), but not other parts of the striatum, compared with background strain mice. Moreover, bilateral rvCP lesions significantly increase alcohol withdrawal severity. Using retrograde (fluorogold) and anterograde (Texas Red conjugated dextran amine) tract tracing, we found that ∼25% of c-Fos immunoreactive rvCP neurons project to caudolateral substantia nigra pars reticulata (clSNr), which we previously found is crucially involved in withdrawal following acute and repeated alcohol exposure. Our results expand upon work suggesting that this QTL impacts alcohol withdrawal via basal ganglia circuitry associated with limbic function, and indicate that an rvCP-clSNr projection plays a critical role. Given the growing body of evidence that the syntenic region of human chromosome 9p and human MPDZ gene are associated with alcohol abuse, our results may facilitate research on alcohol dependence and associated withdrawal in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Chen
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience and Portland Alcohol Research Center, Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA
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14
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Holmes NM, Marchand AR, Coutureau E. Pavlovian to instrumental transfer: a neurobehavioural perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2010; 34:1277-95. [PMID: 20385164 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 174] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2009] [Revised: 03/16/2010] [Accepted: 03/31/2010] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) is a key concept in developing our understanding of cue-controlled behaviours. Here we have reviewed the literature on behavioural and neurobiological factors that influence PIT. Meta-analyses of the data for individual groups in PIT studies revealed that PIT is related to both the order and amounts of instrumental and Pavlovian training, and that it is critically determined by competition between instrumental and Pavlovian responses. We directly addressed the role of response competition in PIT in two experiments which showed that extensive Pavlovian conditioning produced more Pavlovian magazine visits and weaker PIT than moderate Pavlovian conditioning (Experiment 1); and that PIT lost after extensive Pavlovian conditioning was restored by Pavlovian extinction training (Experiment 2). These findings confirm that response competition is indeed an important determinant of PIT. This has significant implications for lesion and inactivation studies that assess the neurobiological substrates of PIT, as well as attempts to demonstrate PIT in the drug self-administration paradigm where the effect is yet to be reliably shown.
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Stephens DN, Duka T. Review. Cognitive and emotional consequences of binge drinking: role of amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2008; 363:3169-79. [PMID: 18640918 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2008.0097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Binge drinking is an increasingly recognized problem within the UK. We have studied the relationship of binge drinking to cognitive and emotional functioning in young adults, and have found evidence for increased impulsivity, impairments in spatial working memory and impaired emotional learning. Since in human studies it is difficult to understand whether such behavioural changes pre-date or are a consequence of binge drinking, we have also studied parallel behaviours in a rodent model, in which rats are exposed to intermittent episodes of alcohol consumption and withdrawal. In this model, and in parallel with our findings in human binge drinkers, and alcoholic patients who have undergone multiple episodes of detoxification, we have found evidence for impairments in aversive conditioning as well as increased impulsivity. These behavioural changes are accompanied by facilitated excitatory neurotransmission and reduced plasticity (long-term potentiation (LTP)) in amygdala and hippocampus. The impaired LTP is accompanied by both impaired associative learning and inappropriate generalization of previously learned associations to irrelevant stimuli. We propose that repeated episodes of withdrawal from alcohol induce aberrant neuronal plasticity that results in altered cognitive and emotional competences.
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Affiliation(s)
- David N Stephens
- Department of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK.
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Involvement of the limbic basal ganglia in ethanol withdrawal convulsivity in mice is influenced by a chromosome 4 locus. J Neurosci 2008; 28:9840-9. [PMID: 18815268 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1713-08.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Physiological dependence and associated withdrawal episodes are thought to constitute a motivational force that sustains ethanol (alcohol) use/abuse and may contribute to relapse in alcoholics. Although no animal model duplicates alcoholism, models for specific factors, like the withdrawal syndrome, are useful for identifying potential genetic and neural determinants of liability in humans. We generated congenic mice that confirm a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 4 with a large effect on predisposition to alcohol withdrawal. Using c-Fos expression as a high-resolution marker of neuronal activation, congenic mice demonstrated significantly less neuronal activity associated with ethanol withdrawal than background strain mice in the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), subthalamic nucleus (STN), rostromedial lateral globus pallidus, and ventral pallidum. Notably, neuronal activation in subregions of the basal ganglia associated with limbic function was more intense than in subregions associated with sensorimotor function. Bilateral lesions of caudolateral SNr attenuated withdrawal severity after acute and repeated ethanol exposures, whereas rostrolateral SNr and STN lesions did not reduce ethanol withdrawal severity. Caudolateral SNr lesions did not affect pentylenetetrazol-enhanced convulsions. Our results suggest that this QTL impacts ethanol withdrawal via basal ganglia circuitry associated with limbic function and that the caudolateral SNr plays a critical role. These are the first analyses to elucidate circuitry by which a confirmed addiction-relevant QTL influences behavior. This mouse QTL is syntenic with human chromosome 9p. Given the growing body of evidence that a gene(s) on chromosome 9p influences alcoholism, our results can facilitate human research on alcohol dependence and withdrawal.
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Fujiwara E, Brand M, Borsutzky S, Steingass HP, Markowitsch HJ. Cognitive performance of detoxified alcoholic Korsakoff syndrome patients remains stable over two years. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2008; 30:576-87. [PMID: 17852615 DOI: 10.1080/13803390701557271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Excessive alcohol consumption is assumed to promote cognitive decline, eventually increasing the risk of dementia. However, little is known about the time course of cognitive functions in patients with chronic alcoholic Korsakoff syndrome (KS). Therefore, we assessed neuropsychological performance in 20 detoxified chronic KS inpatients at time 1 (T1) with a follow-up after two years (T2). The neuropsychological tests assessed verbal and visual short- and long-term memory, working memory, basic executive functions, language, general knowledge, and visual-spatial abilities. Surveys with caregivers and medical records provided information about current and previous disease-related parameters, drinking history, additional pathologies, as well as psychosocial and cognitive therapy within the two-year period. At both sessions, the majority of the KS patients' results were inferior to those of normal subjects. Comparing T1 and T2 revealed no significant decline in any of the investigated functions. Instead, general knowledge, visual long-term memory, and verbal fluency improved slightly after two years, though they still remained within pathological range. Comparing most improved and most deteriorated patients, better outcome occurred more frequently in men than women and was associated with higher premorbid education and fewer detoxifications in the past. In this sample of detoxified KS patients there was no indication of accelerated cognitive decline or onset of dementia-like symptoms over two years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Fujiwara
- Physiological Psychology, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
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Feng HJ, Yang L, Faingold CL. Role of the amygdala in ethanol withdrawal seizures. Brain Res 2007; 1141:65-73. [PMID: 17289000 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2006] [Revised: 12/22/2006] [Accepted: 01/05/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol withdrawal (ETX) after induction of ethanol dependence results in a syndrome that includes enhanced seizure susceptibility. During ETX in rodents, generalized audiogenic seizures (AGS) can be triggered by intense acoustic stimulation. Previous studies have implicated specific brainstem nuclei in the neuronal network that initiates and propagates AGS during ETX. Although ethanol and ETX are known to affect amygdala neurons, involvement of the amygdala in the network subserving AGS is unclear. Since ethanol and ETX affect N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the amygdala, the present study evaluated the effect of focally microinjecting a NMDA antagonist into the amygdala of rats treated with a binge protocol (intragastric administration of ethanol 3 times daily for 4 days). Separate experiments examined extracellular neuronal firing in the amygdala. Cannulae or microwire electrodes were chronically implanted into the amygdala, and changes in seizure behaviors and/or extracellular action potentials were evaluated. Bilateral focal microinjection of a NMDA antagonist, 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoate (AP7), into either central nucleus or lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LAMG) significantly reduced AGS. The doses of AP7 and time course of effect were similar in each site, suggesting that both amygdala nuclei participate in the AGS network. Acoustic responses of LAMG neurons were significantly decreased 1 h after the first ethanol dose and also during ETX, as compared to pre-binge controls. However, LAMG neurons consistently exhibited rapid tonic firing during the generalized tonic convulsions of AGS. These findings suggest a critical role of the amygdala in the ETX seizure network in generating tonic convulsions during AGS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Jun Feng
- Department of Pharmacology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, PO Box 19629, Springfield, IL 62794-9629, USA
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Borlikova GG, Le Merrer J, Stephens DN. Previous experience of ethanol withdrawal increases withdrawal-induced c-fos expression in limbic areas, but not withdrawal-induced anxiety and prevents withdrawal-induced elevations in plasma corticosterone. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2006; 185:188-200. [PMID: 16470400 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-005-0301-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2005] [Accepted: 12/21/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Increased anxiety is a characteristic of the acute ethanol withdrawal syndrome. Repeated exposure of rats to withdrawal from chronic ethanol increases sensitivity to seizures. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether repeated withdrawal experience increases withdrawal-induced anxiety and stress, and if it changes withdrawal-induced activation of related brain areas. METHODS Rats were chronically treated with an ethanol-containing liquid diet either for 24 days continuously (single withdrawal, SWD) or interspersed with 2x3-day withdrawal periods (repeated withdrawal, RWD), or with a control diet. Eight hours after ethanol withdrawal, anxiety-like behaviour was tested in the elevated plus-maze, blood corticosterone levels were measured, and expression level of markers of neuronal activity and plasticity, c-fos and zif268, was assessed. RESULTS Eight hours after ethanol withdrawal, SWD rats showed increased anxiety on the elevated plus-maze relative to control rats. Rats given previous withdrawal experiences did not show further increases in measures of anxiety. Corticosterone levels were elevated during withdrawal in SWD rats but not in RWD rats. RWD resulted in marked increases in c-fos expression in amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens and dorsolateral periaqueductal grey. In contrast, zif268 expression was not increased after RWD, and in central amygdala the marked increase in zif268 seen after SWD was absent after RWD. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest increased ability of withdrawal to activate neuronal circuits but reduced plasticity after RWD. We suggest parallels between the consequences of repeated ethanol withdrawal and repeated exposure to stress, and discuss implications of withdrawal for brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilyana G Borlikova
- Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK
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Stephens DN, Ripley TL, Borlikova G, Schubert M, Albrecht D, Hogarth L, Duka T. Repeated ethanol exposure and withdrawal impairs human fear conditioning and depresses long-term potentiation in rat amygdala and hippocampus. Biol Psychiatry 2005; 58:392-400. [PMID: 16018978 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2004] [Revised: 01/18/2005] [Accepted: 04/13/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In rats, repeated episodes of alcohol consumption and withdrawal (RWD) impair fear conditioning to discrete cues. METHODS Fear conditioning was measured in human binge drinkers as the increased startle response in the presence of a CS+ conditioned to aversive white noise. Secondly, the ability of tone CSs, paired with footshock, to induce c-fos expression, a marker of neuronal activity, in limbic structures subserving emotion was studied in rats. Additionally, consequences of RWD on subsequent induction of long term potentiation (LTP) in external capsule/lateral amygdala and Schaffer collateral/hippocampus CA1 pathways were studied in rat brain slices. RESULTS Fear conditioning was impaired in young human binge drinkers. The ability of fear-conditioned CSs to increase c-fos expression in limbic brain areas was reduced following RWD, as was LTP induction. Rats conditioned prior to RWD, following RWD showed generalization of conditioned fear from the tone CS+ to a neutral control stimulus, and a novel tone. CONCLUSIONS Binge-like drinking impairs fear conditioning, reduces LTP, and results in inappropriate generalization of learned fear responses. We propose a mechanism whereby RWD-induced synaptic plasticity reduces capacity for future learning, while allowing unconditioned stimuli access to neuronal pathways underlying conditioned fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- David N Stephens
- Department of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, United Kingdom.
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Little HJ, Stephens DN, Ripley TL, Borlikova G, Duka T, Schubert M, Albrecht D, Becker HC, Lopez MF, Weiss F, Drummond C, Peoples M, Cunningham C. Alcohol withdrawal and conditioning. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2005; 29:453-64. [PMID: 15770122 DOI: 10.1097/01.alc.0000156737.56425.e3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This review contains the proceedings from a symposium held at the RSA conference in 2003 on "Alcohol Withdrawal and Conditioning." The presentations covered a range of interactions between conditioning and alcohol withdrawal, in both animal behavior and the clinic. Dr. D.N. Stephens first described his studies exploring the consequences of alcohol dependence and repeated experience of withdrawal on the conditioning process. His data suggested that repeated withdrawal from moderate alcohol intake impairs amygdala-dependent mechanisms for learning about aversive events. Dr. H. Becker then detailed studies examining the consequences of repeated ethanol withdrawal experience on subsequent ethanol drinking behavior in mice, and conditions in which motivational properties of odor cues that are associated with different phases of ethanol withdrawal influence such relapse behavior. The data suggested that cues associated with acute withdrawal or "recovery" from withdrawal may serve as modulating factors in influencing subsequent ethanol drinking behavior, and that the timing of the cues determines their consequences. Dr. F. Weiss described recent findings from animal models of relapse that suggested the efficacy of alcohol-associated contextual stimuli in eliciting alcohol-seeking behavior resembles the endurance of conditioned cue reactivity and cue-induced cocaine craving in humans. The interactive effects of stress and ethanol-related environmental stimuli were found to be dependent on concurrent activation of endogenous opioid and corticotropin-releasing factor systems. Conditioning factors (i.e., exposure to drug-associated stimuli) and stress could therefore interact to augment vulnerability to relapse. Dr. C. Drummond then addressed the clinical aspects of conditioning during alcohol withdrawal and described studies showing exposure of alcoholics to alcohol-related cues elicited greater subjective and physiological responses than exposure to neutral cues. The former responsivity showed a relationship with a measure of motivation to drink alcohol. Finally, Dr. C. Cunningham provided a summary of the concepts involved in the presentations and discussed the conditioning processes that affect behavior during and after alcohol withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary J Little
- Department of Pharmacology, George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 ORE, UK.
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Breese GR, Overstreet DH, Knapp DJ. Conceptual framework for the etiology of alcoholism: a "kindling"/stress hypothesis. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2005; 178:367-80. [PMID: 15765253 PMCID: PMC2958094 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-004-2016-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2003] [Accepted: 08/23/2004] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The rationale for proposing the "kindling"/stress hypothesis is to provide a conceptual basis for the insidious development and maintenance of alcohol abuse. OBJECTIVE AND RESULTS An objective of the hypothesis is to emphasize how continued alcohol abuse is linked to progressive neural adaptation. Work has shown that repeated withdrawals from chronic low levels of alcohol sensitize ("kindle") anxiety-like behavior ("anxiety") in rats, a finding consistent with multiple withdrawal kindling of seizure activity. Additionally, stress substitutes for initial cycles of the multiple withdrawal protocol to sensitize withdrawal-induced anxiety, which is indicative that stress is capable of facilitating neuroadaptive processes related to withdrawal. The persistence of adaptation caused by stress and multiple withdrawals is revealed by the appearance of withdrawal-induced anxiety following a future re-exposure to a single 5-day period of alcohol. This persisting adaptation also permits stress to induce anxiety during a period of abstinence--a response not observed in animals without previous exposure to alcohol. Furthermore, stress interacts with repeated withdrawals to enhance voluntary alcohol drinking. Results of other preclinical and clinical studies reported in the literature are integrated with these investigations in support of the proposed hypothesis. CONCLUSIONS The "kindling"/stress hypothesis is based on the premise that repeated withdrawals from cycles of chronic alcohol exposure contribute to a progressive development of persisting adaptive change that sensitizes withdrawal-induced anxiety and allows stress to evoke symptoms associated with negative affect during abstinence. Thus, these consequences of repeated withdrawals account for the evolution of major characteristics of alcoholism, which include worsened acute withdrawal symptoms and increased stress-induced negative affect during abstinence, both of which enhance the likelihood of relapse--and with relapse an inability to limit an abusive pattern of alcohol intake. The "kindling"/stress hypothesis provides a clear strategy for future studies to explore the advancing neural adaptation proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- George R Breese
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 3007 Thurston-Bowles Building CB-7178, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7178, USA.
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