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Angoa-Perez M, Kuhn DM. The pharmacology and neurotoxicology of synthetic cathinones. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2023; 99:61-82. [PMID: 38467489 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The synthetic cathinones are man-made compounds derived from the naturally occurring drug cathinone, which is found in the khat plant. The drugs in this pharmacological class that will be the focus of this chapter include mephedrone, MDPV, methcathinone and methylone. These drugs are colloquially known as "bath salts". This misnomer suggests that these drugs are used for health improvement or that they have legitimate medical uses. The synthetic cathinones are dangerous drugs with powerful pharmacological effects that include high abuse potential, hyperthermia and hyperlocomotion. These drugs also share many of the pharmacological effects of the amphetamine class of drugs including methamphetamine, amphetamine and MDMA and therefore have high potential to cause damage to the central nervous system. The synthetic cathinones are frequently taken in combination with other psychoactive drugs such as alcohol, marijuana and the amphetamine-like stimulants, creating a situation where heightened pharmacological and neurotoxicological effects are likely to occur. Despite the structural features shared by the synthetic cathinones and amphetamine-like stimulants, including their actions at monoamine transporters and receptors, the effects of the synthetic cathinones do not always match those of the amphetamines. In particular, the synthetic cathinones are far less neurotoxic than their amphetamine counterparts, they produce a weaker hyperthermia, and they cause less glial activation. This chapter will briefly review the pharmacology and neurotoxicology of selected synthetic cathinones with the aim of delineating key areas of agreement and disagreement in the literature particularly as it relates to neurotoxicological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Angoa-Perez
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Donald M Kuhn
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States.
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Khom S, Borgonetti V, Vozella V, Kirson D, Rodriguez L, Gandhi P, Bianchi PC, Snyder A, Vlkolinsky R, Bajo M, Oleata CS, Ciccocioppo R, Roberto M. Glucocorticoid receptors regulate central amygdala GABAergic synapses in Marchigian-Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 25:100547. [PMID: 37547774 PMCID: PMC10401345 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Impairments in the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and enhanced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activity in the central amygdala (CeA) are critical mechanisms in the pathogenesis of alcohol use disorder (AUD). The GR antagonist mifepristone attenuates craving in AUD patients, alcohol consumption in AUD models, and decreases CeA γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission in alcohol-dependent rats. Previous studies suggest elevated GR activity in the CeA of male alcohol-preferring Marchigian-Sardinian (msP) rats, but its contribution to heightened CeA GABA transmission driving their characteristic post-dependent phenotype is largely unknown. We determined Nr3c1 (the gene encoding GR) gene transcription in the CeA in male and female msP and Wistar rats using in situ hybridization and studied acute effects of mifepristone (10 μM) and its interaction with ethanol (44 mM) on pharmacologically isolated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) and electrically evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (eIPSPs) in the CeA using ex vivo slice electrophysiology. Female rats of both genotypes expressed more CeA GRs than males, suggesting a sexually dimorphic GR regulation of CeA activity. Mifepristone reduced sIPSC frequencies (GABA release) and eIPSP amplitudes in msP rats of both sexes, but not in their Wistar counterparts; however, it did not prevent acute ethanol-induced increase in CeA GABA transmission in male rats. In msP rats, GR regulates CeA GABAergic signaling under basal conditions, indicative of intrinsically active GR. Thus, enhanced GR function in the CeA represents a key mechanism contributing to maladaptive behaviors associated with AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, Vienna, A 1090, Austria
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Valentina Vozella
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Pauravi Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Paula Cristina Bianchi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Angela Snyder
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Christopher S. Oleata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | | | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Bodnar RJ. Endogenous opiates and behavior: 2021. Peptides 2023; 164:171004. [PMID: 36990387 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2023.171004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
This paper is the forty-fourth consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2021 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonizts and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (1), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (2) and humans (3), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (4), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (5), stress and social status (6), learning and memory (7), eating and drinking (8), drug abuse and alcohol (9), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (10), mental illness and mood (11), seizures and neurologic disorders (12), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (13), general activity and locomotion (14), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (15), cardiovascular responses (16), respiration and thermoregulation (17), and immunological responses (18).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, CUNY, 65-30 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
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Rodriguez L, Kirson D, Wolfe SA, Patel RR, Varodayan FP, Snyder AE, Gandhi PJ, Khom S, Vlkolinsky R, Bajo M, Roberto M. Alcohol Dependence Induces CRF Sensitivity in Female Central Amygdala GABA Synapses. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:7842. [PMID: 35887190 PMCID: PMC9318832 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronically relapsing disease characterized by loss of control in seeking and consuming alcohol (ethanol) driven by the recruitment of brain stress systems. However, AUD differs among the sexes: men are more likely to develop AUD, but women progress from casual to binge drinking and heavy alcohol use more quickly. The central amygdala (CeA) is a hub of stress and anxiety, with corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-CRF1 receptor and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)-ergic signaling dysregulation occurring in alcohol-dependent male rodents. However, we recently showed that GABAergic synapses in female rats are less sensitive to the acute effects of ethanol. Here, we used patch-clamp electrophysiology to examine the effects of alcohol dependence on the CRF modulation of rat CeA GABAergic transmission of both sexes. We found that GABAergic synapses of naïve female rats were unresponsive to CRF application compared to males, although alcohol dependence induced a similar CRF responsivity in both sexes. In situ hybridization revealed that females had fewer CeA neurons containing mRNA for the CRF1 receptor (Crhr1) than males, but in dependence, the percentage of Crhr1-expressing neurons in females increased, unlike in males. Overall, our data provide evidence for sexually dimorphic CeA CRF system effects on GABAergic synapses in dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larry Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Dean Kirson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Sarah A. Wolfe
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Reesha R. Patel
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Florence P. Varodayan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - Angela E. Snyder
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Pauravi J. Gandhi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Sophia Khom
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Roman Vlkolinsky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Michal Bajo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
| | - Marisa Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (L.R.); (S.A.W.); (R.R.P.); (F.P.V.); (A.E.S.); (P.J.G.); (S.K.); (R.V.); (M.B.)
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Reeves KC, Shah N, Muñoz B, Atwood BK. Opioid Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Neurotransmission in the Brain. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:919773. [PMID: 35782382 PMCID: PMC9242007 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.919773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioids mediate their effects via opioid receptors: mu, delta, and kappa. At the neuronal level, opioid receptors are generally inhibitory, presynaptically reducing neurotransmitter release and postsynaptically hyperpolarizing neurons. However, opioid receptor-mediated regulation of neuronal function and synaptic transmission is not uniform in expression pattern and mechanism across the brain. The localization of receptors within specific cell types and neurocircuits determine the effects that endogenous and exogenous opioids have on brain function. In this review we will explore the similarities and differences in opioid receptor-mediated regulation of neurotransmission across different brain regions. We discuss how future studies can consider potential cell-type, regional, and neural pathway-specific effects of opioid receptors in order to better understand how opioid receptors modulate brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin C. Reeves
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Nikhil Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Braulio Muñoz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Brady K. Atwood
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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