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Rahamim N, Liran M, Aronovici C, Flumin H, Gordon T, Urshansky N, Barak S. Inhibition of ERK1/2 or CRMP2 Disrupts Alcohol Memory Reconsolidation and Prevents Relapse in Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5478. [PMID: 38791516 PMCID: PMC11122309 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Relapse to alcohol abuse, often caused by cue-induced alcohol craving, is a major challenge in alcohol addiction treatment. Therefore, disrupting the cue-alcohol memories can suppress relapse. Upon retrieval, memories transiently destabilize before they reconsolidate in a process that requires protein synthesis. Evidence suggests that the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), governing the translation of a subset of dendritic proteins, is crucial for memory reconsolidation. Here, we explored the involvement of two regulatory pathways of mTORC1, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT and extracellular regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), in the reconsolidation process in a rat (Wistar) model of alcohol self-administration. We found that retrieval of alcohol memories using an odor-taste cue increased ERK1/2 activation in the amygdala, while the PI3K-AKT pathway remained unaffected. Importantly, ERK1/2 inhibition after alcohol memory retrieval impaired alcohol-memory reconsolidation and led to long-lasting relapse suppression. Attenuation of relapse was also induced by post-retrieval administration of lacosamide, an inhibitor of collapsin response mediator protein-2 (CRMP2)-a translational product of mTORC1. Together, our findings indicate the crucial role of ERK1/2 and CRMP2 in the reconsolidation of alcohol memories, with their inhibition as potential treatment targets for relapse prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nofar Rahamim
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; (N.R.)
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel (N.U.)
| | - Mirit Liran
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel (N.U.)
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Coral Aronovici
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; (N.R.)
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel (N.U.)
| | - Hila Flumin
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; (N.R.)
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel (N.U.)
| | - Tamar Gordon
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; (N.R.)
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel (N.U.)
| | - Nataly Urshansky
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel (N.U.)
| | - Segev Barak
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel; (N.R.)
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel (N.U.)
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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Li C, McElroy BD, Phillips J, McCloskey NS, Shi X, Unterwald EM, Kirby LG. Role of α1-GABA A receptors in the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus in models of opioid reward, anxiety, and depression. J Psychopharmacol 2024; 38:188-199. [PMID: 38293836 PMCID: PMC10921389 DOI: 10.1177/02698811241227672] [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: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT))-mediated system plays an important role in stress-related psychiatric disorders and substance abuse. Our previous studies showed that stress and drug exposure can modulate the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN)-5-HT system via γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptors. Moreover, GABAA receptor-mediated inhibition of serotonergic DRN neurons is required for stress-induced reinstatement of opioid seeking. AIM/METHODS To further test the role of GABAA receptors in the 5-HT system in stress and opioid-sensitive behaviors, our current study generated mice with conditional genetic deletions of the GABAA α1 subunit to manipulate GABAA receptors in either the DRN or the entire population of 5-HT neurons. The GABAA α1 subunit is a constituent of the most abundant GABAA subtype in the brain and the most highly expressed subunit in 5-HT DRN neurons. RESULTS Our results showed that mice with DRN-specific knockout of α1-GABAA receptors exhibited a normal phenotype in tests of anxiety- and depression-like behaviors as well as swim stress-induced reinstatement of morphine-conditioned place preference. By contrast, mice with 5-HT neuron-specific knockout of α1-GABAA receptors exhibited an anxiolytic phenotype at baseline and increased sensitivity to post-morphine withdrawal-induced anxiety. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that GABAA receptors on 5-HT neurons contribute to anxiety-like behaviors and sensitivity of those behaviors to opioid withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Li
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bryan D McElroy
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jared Phillips
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville TN, USA
| | - Nicholas S McCloskey
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xiangdang Shi
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ellen M Unterwald
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lynn G Kirby
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Milton AL. Drug memory reconsolidation: from molecular mechanisms to the clinical context. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:370. [PMID: 38040677 PMCID: PMC10692359 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02666-1] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its rediscovery at the beginning of the 21st Century, memory reconsolidation has been proposed to be a therapeutic target for reducing the impact of emotional memories that can go awry in mental health disorders such as drug addiction (substance use disorder, SUD). Addiction can be conceptualised as a disorder of learning and memory, in which both pavlovian and instrumental learning systems become hijacked into supporting drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviours. The past two decades of research have characterised the details of the molecular pathways supporting the reconsolidation of pavlovian cue-drug memories, with more recent work indicating that the reconsolidation of instrumental drug-seeking memories also relies upon similar mechanisms. This narrative review considers what is known about the mechanisms underlying the reconsolidation of pavlovian and instrumental memories associated with drug use, how these approaches have translated to experimental medicine studies, and the challenges and opportunities for the clinical use of reconsolidation-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Milton
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Caban Rivera C, Price R, Fortuna RP, Li C, Do C, Shinkle J, Ghilotti MG, Shi X, Kirby LG, Smith GM, Unterwald EM. The ventral hippocampus and nucleus accumbens as neural substrates for cocaine contextual memory reconsolidation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569314. [PMID: 38076811 PMCID: PMC10705494 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Drug craving triggered by cues that were once associated with drug intoxication is a major contributor to continued drug-seeking behaviors. Addictive drugs engage molecular pathways of associative learning and memory. Reactivated memories are vulnerable to disruption by interference with the process of reconsolidation, hence targeting reconsolidation could be a strategy to reduce cue-induced drug craving and relapse. Here we examined the circuitry of cocaine contextual memory reconsolidation and explored neuroplasticity following memory reactivation. Mice underwent chemogenetic inhibition of either nucleus accumbens (NA) neurons or the glutamatergic projection neurons from the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) to NA using inhibitory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (iDREADD). Mice underwent cocaine conditioned place preference followed by reactivation of the cocaine contextual memory. Clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) was administered after memory reactivation to inhibit either NA neurons or the accumbens-projecting vHPC neurons during the reconsolidation period. When retested 3 days later, a significant reduction in the previously established preference for the cocaine context was found in both conditions. FosTRAP2-Ai14 mice were used to identify neurons activated by cocaine memory recall and to evaluate plasticity in NA medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and vHPC pyramidal neurons upon recall of cocaine memories. Results indicate a significant increase in dendritic spine density in NA MSNs activated by cocaine memory recall, particularly of the thin spine type. Sholl analysis indicated longer dendritic length and more branching of NA MSNs after cocaine memory recall than without memory reactivation. vHPC neurons showed increased spine density, with the most robust change in stubby spines. These results implicate a circuit involving glutamatergic projections from the vHPC onto NA neurons which is necessary for the reconsolidation of cocaine memories. Interruption of cocaine memory reconsolidation reduced drug-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Caban Rivera
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Rachael Price
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ricardo P. Fortuna
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Chen Li
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Chau Do
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Justin Shinkle
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Marco G. Ghilotti
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xiangdang Shi
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Lynn G. Kirby
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - George M. Smith
- Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ellen M. Unterwald
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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