1
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Carmack SA, Vendruscolo JCM, Adrienne McGinn M, Miranda-Barrientos J, Repunte-Canonigo V, Bosse GD, Mercatelli D, Giorgi FM, Fu Y, Hinrich AJ, Jodelka FM, Ling K, Messing RO, Peterson RT, Rigo F, Edwards S, Sanna PP, Morales M, Hastings ML, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF. Corticosteroid sensitization drives opioid addiction. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:2492-2501. [PMID: 35296810 PMCID: PMC10406162 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01501-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The global crisis of opioid overdose fatalities has led to an urgent search to discover the neurobiological mechanisms of opioid use disorder (OUD). A driving force for OUD is the dysphoric and emotionally painful state (hyperkatifeia) that is produced during acute and protracted opioid withdrawal. Here, we explored a mechanistic role for extrahypothalamic stress systems in driving opioid addiction. We found that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonism with mifepristone reduced opioid addiction-like behaviors in rats and zebrafish of both sexes and decreased the firing of corticotropin-releasing factor neurons in the rat amygdala (i.e., a marker of brain stress system activation). In support of the hypothesized role of glucocorticoid transcriptional regulation of extrahypothalamic GRs in addiction-like behavior, an intra-amygdala infusion of an antisense oligonucleotide that blocked GR transcriptional activity reduced addiction-like behaviors. Finally, we identified transcriptional adaptations of GR signaling in the amygdala of humans with OUD. Thus, GRs, their coregulators, and downstream systems may represent viable therapeutic targets to treat the "stress side" of OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Carmack
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Janaina C M Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - M Adrienne McGinn
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jorge Miranda-Barrientos
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Vez Repunte-Canonigo
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gabriel D Bosse
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Daniele Mercatelli
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico M Giorgi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Yu Fu
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anthony J Hinrich
- Center for Genetic Diseases, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Francine M Jodelka
- Center for Genetic Diseases, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Karen Ling
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, Department of Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Randall T Peterson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Scott Edwards
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Pietro P Sanna
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marisela Morales
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michelle L Hastings
- Center for Genetic Diseases, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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2
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Scarlata MJ, Keeley RJ, Carmack SA, Tsai PJ, Vendruscolo JCM, Lu H, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF, Stein EA. Cingulate circuits are associated with escalation of heroin use and naloxone-induced increases in heroin self-administration. Addict Neurosci 2022; 1:100002. [PMID: 37323812 PMCID: PMC10270679 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2021.100002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is defined as a compulsion to seek and take opioids, loss of control over intake and the development of a negative emotional state when access to opioids is denied. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in a rat model of OUD, we demonstrate that the escalation of heroin self-administration (SA) and the increased heroin SA following an injection of an opioid receptor antagonist (naloxone) are associated with changes in distinct brain circuits, centered on the cingulate cortex (Cg). Here, SA escalation score was negatively associated with changes in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the Cg and the dorsal striatum. Conversely, increased heroin SA following naloxone injection, was associated with increased connectivity between the Cg and the extended amygdala and hypothalamus. Naloxone-induced increased SA was also positively associated with changes in the amplitude of low frequency fluctuations within the Cg, a measure of spontaneous neuronal activity. Characterizing the distinct brain circuit and behavior changes associated with different facets of addiction increases our understanding of OUD and may provide insight into addiction prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- MJ Scarlata
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, United States of America
| | - RJ Keeley
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, United States of America
| | - SA Carmack
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - P-J Tsai
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, United States of America
| | - JCM Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - H Lu
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, United States of America
| | - GF Koob
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - LF Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - EA Stein
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, United States of America
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3
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Pantazis CB, Gonzalez LA, Tunstall BJ, Carmack SA, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF. Cues conditioned to withdrawal and negative reinforcement: Neglected but key motivational elements driving opioid addiction. Sci Adv 2021; 7:7/15/eabf0364. [PMID: 33827822 PMCID: PMC8026136 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf0364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a debilitating disorder that affects millions of people. Neutral cues can acquire motivational properties when paired with the positive emotional effects of drug intoxication to stimulate relapse. However, much less research has been devoted to cues that become conditioned to the aversive effects of opioid withdrawal. We argue that environmental stimuli promote motivation for opioids when cues are paired with withdrawal (conditioned withdrawal) and generate opioid consumption to terminate conditioned withdrawal (conditioned negative reinforcement). We review evidence that cues associated with pain drive opioid consumption, as patients with chronic pain may misuse opioids to escape physical and emotional pain. We highlight sex differences in withdrawal-induced stress reactivity and withdrawal cue processing and discuss neurocircuitry that may underlie withdrawal cue processing in dependent individuals. These studies highlight the importance of studying cues associated with withdrawal in dependent individuals and point to areas for exploration in OUD research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline B Pantazis
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Luis A Gonzalez
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brendan J Tunstall
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Stephanie A Carmack
- Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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4
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Tsai PJ, Keeley RJ, Carmack SA, Vendruscolo JCM, Lu H, Gu H, Vendruscolo LF, Koob GF, Lin CP, Stein EA, Yang Y. Converging Structural and Functional Evidence for a Rat Salience Network. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:867-878. [PMID: 32981657 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The salience network (SN) is dysregulated in many neuropsychiatric disorders, including substance use disorder. Though the SN was initially described in humans, identification of a rodent SN would provide the ability to mechanistically interrogate this network in preclinical models of neuropsychiatric disorders. METHODS We used modularity analysis on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of rats (n = 32) to parcellate rat insula into functional subdivisions and to identify a potential rat SN based on functional connectivity patterns from the insular subdivisions. We then used mouse tract tracing data from the Allen Brain Atlas to confirm the network's underlying structural connectivity. We next compared functional connectivity profiles of the SN across rats, marmosets (n = 10), and humans (n = 30). Finally, we assessed the rat SN's response to conditioned cues in rats (n = 21) with a history of heroin self-administration. RESULTS We identified a putative rat SN, which consists of primarily the ventral anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex, based on functional connectivity patterns from the ventral anterior insular division. Functional connectivity architecture of the rat SN is supported by the mouse neuronal tracer data. Moreover, the anatomical profile of the identified rat SN is similar to that of nonhuman primates and humans. Finally, we demonstrated that the rat SN responds to conditioned cues and increases functional connectivity to the default mode network during conditioned heroin withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS The neurobiological identification of a rat SN, together with a demonstration of its functional relevance, provides a novel platform with which to interrogate its functional significance in normative and neuropsychiatric disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Jung Tsai
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Robin J Keeley
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Stephanie A Carmack
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Janaina C M Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hanbing Lu
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hong Gu
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - George F Koob
- Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ching-Po Lin
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Elliot A Stein
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Yihong Yang
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
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5
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Pantoni MM, Carmack SA, Hammam L, Anagnostaras SG. Dopamine and norepinephrine transporter inhibition for long-term fear memory enhancement. Behav Brain Res 2019; 378:112266. [PMID: 31580915 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Psychostimulants are highly effective cognitive-enhancing therapeutics yet have a significant potential for abuse and addiction. While psychostimulants likely exert their rewarding and addictive properties through dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibition, the mechanisms of their procognitive effects are less certain. By one prevalent view, psychostimulants exert their procognitive effects exclusively through norepinephrine transporter (NET) inhibition, however increasing evidence suggests that DAT also plays a critical role in their cognitive-enhancing properties, including long-term memory enhancement. The present experiments test the hypothesis that combined strong NET and weak DAT inhibition will mimic the fear memory-enhancing but not the addiction-related effects of psychostimulants in mice. We examined the effects of the high affinity NET inhibitors atomoxetine or nisoxetine and the low affinity DAT inhibitor bupropion, either alone or in combination, on short- and long-term memory of Pavlovian fear conditioning. We also examined the addiction-related effects of combined strong NET and weak DAT inhibition using conditioned place preference and a locomotor activity test. While atomoxetine or nisoxetine alone enhanced short-term fear memory, the addition of bupropion was required to significantly enhance long-term fear memory. Additionally, combined atomoxetine and bupropion did not produce substantial motor stimulation or place preference. These findings suggest that combining strong NET and weak DAT inhibition could lead to the development of a highly effective cognitive enhancer that lacks the potential for addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline M Pantoni
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0109, USA.
| | - Stephanie A Carmack
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0109, USA
| | - Leen Hammam
- Division of Biology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0109, USA
| | - Stephan G Anagnostaras
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0109, USA; Program in Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0109, USA
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6
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Carmack SA, Keeley RJ, Vendruscolo JCM, Lowery-Gionta EG, Lu H, Koob GF, Stein EA, Vendruscolo LF. Heroin addiction engages negative emotional learning brain circuits in rats. J Clin Invest 2019; 129:2480-2484. [PMID: 30913040 DOI: 10.1172/jci125534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is associated with the emergence of persistent negative emotional states during drug abstinence that drive compulsive drug taking and seeking. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in rats identified neurocircuits that were activated by stimuli that were previously paired with heroin withdrawal. The activation of amygdala and hypothalamic circuits was related to the degree of heroin dependence, supporting the significance of conditioned negative affect in sustaining compulsive-like heroin seeking and taking and providing neurobiological insights into the drivers of the current opioid crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robin J Keeley
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Hanbing Lu
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Elliot A Stein
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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7
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Comins JA, Carmack SA, Leydesdorff L. Patent citation spectroscopy (PCS): Online retrieval of landmark patents based on an algorithmic approach. J Informetr 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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8
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Vendruscolo JCM, Tunstall BJ, Carmack SA, Schmeichel BE, Lowery-Gionta EG, Cole M, George O, Vandewater SA, Taffe MA, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF. Compulsive-Like Sufentanil Vapor Self-Administration in Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:801-809. [PMID: 28812595 PMCID: PMC5809787 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Opioid misuse is at historically high levels in the United States, with inhalation (ie, smoking and vaping) being one of the most common routes of consumption. We developed and validated a novel preclinical model of opioid self-administration by inhalation that does not require surgery and reliably produces somatic and motivational signs of dependence. Rats were trained to perform an operant response (nosepoke) to receive 10 s of vaporized sufentanil, a potent opioid, in 2 h daily sessions. Rats readily and concentration-dependently self-administered vaporized sufentanil. Rats exhibited a significant increase in responding for sufentanil when given the preferential μ-opioid receptor inverse agonist naloxone, suggesting the participation of μ-opioid receptors in the reinforcing properties of sufentanil vapor. Serum sufentanil concentrations significantly correlated with the number of sufentanil vapor deliveries. Rats that were given long access (LgA; 12 h/day) but not short access (ShA; 1 h/day) to vaporized sufentanil escalated their drug intake over time and exhibited both naloxone-precipitated somatic signs of opioid withdrawal and spontaneous withdrawal-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. After 6 months of forced drug abstinence, LgA rats returned to pre-escalation baseline levels of responding for sufentanil and mechanical sensitivity. Upon subsequent re-escalation (ie, after the return to extended access to sufentanil vapor), LgA rats again developed naloxone-precipitated somatic signs of withdrawal and spontaneous withdrawal-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. These findings demonstrate that the operant sufentanil vapor self-administration model has both face and construct validity and therefore will be useful for investigating the neurobiological basis of opioid addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaina C M Vendruscolo
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brendan J Tunstall
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephanie A Carmack
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brooke E Schmeichel
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Maury Cole
- La Jolla Alcohol Research, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sophia A Vandewater
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael A Taffe
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA,Neurobiology of Addiction Section, NIH/NIDA – IRP/INRB, 251 Bayview Boulevard, BRC Room 08A727, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA, Tel: +1 443 740 2869, Fax: +1 443 740 2827, E-mail:
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9
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Harrison EM, Carmack SA, Block CL, Sun J, Anagnostaras SG, Gorman MR. Circadian waveform bifurcation, but not phase-shifting, leaves cued fear memory intact. Physiol Behav 2017; 169:106-113. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Revised: 10/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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10
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Abstract
The transition from moderate to compulsive alcohol drinking is driven by increasingly dysfunctional reward and stress systems. We review behavioral and pharmacological studies of alcohol self-administration in rats that were mainly conducted within the framework of the alcohol vapor model of dependence. We discuss neurotransmitter systems that are implicated in alcohol drinking, with a focus on contrasting those neurotransmitter systems that drive behavior in the dependent vs. nondependent states. We hypothesize that the identification of systems that become increasingly dysfunctional in alcohol dependence will reveal possible targets for successful interventions to reduce the motivation that drives compulsive alcohol drinking. In our opinion, drugs that (1) normalize, rather than block, a hypofunctional reward system via restoration of the function of hypothalamic stress systems, and (2) desensitize extrahypothalamic stress systems have the potential to selectively and effectively curb compulsive alcohol drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Tunstall
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Stephanie A Carmack
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - George F Koob
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.,National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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11
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Priddy BM, Carmack SA, Thomas LC, Vendruscolo JCM, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF. Sex, strain, and estrous cycle influences on alcohol drinking in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2016; 152:61-67. [PMID: 27498303 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2016.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Although women appear to be more vulnerable to alcohol-induced pathophysiology than men, the neurobiological basis for sex differences is largely unknown, partially because most studies on alcohol drinking are conducted in male subjects only. The present study examined sex differences in alcohol consumption in two rat strains, Long Evans and Wistar, using multiple behavioral paradigms. The effects of the estrous cycle on alcohol consumption were monitored throughout the study. The results indicated that females drank more alcohol than males when given either continuous or intermittent access to alcohol (vs. water) in their home cages (voluntary drinking). Under operant conditions, no sex or strain differences were found in drinking prior to development of alcohol dependence. However, upon dependence induction by chronic, intermittent alcohol vapor exposure, Wistar rats of both sexes substantially escalated their alcohol intake compared with their nondependent drinking levels, whereas Long Evans rats only exhibited a moderate escalation of drinking. Under these conditions, the estrous cycle had no effect on alcohol drinking in any strain and drinking model. Thus, strain, sex, and drinking conditions interact to modulate nondependent and dependent alcohol drinking. The present results emphasize the importance of including sex and strain as biological variables in exploring individual differences in alcohol drinking and dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany M Priddy
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephanie A Carmack
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lisa C Thomas
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Janaina C M Vendruscolo
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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12
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Carmack SA, Block CL, Howell KK, Anagnostaras SG. Methylphenidate enhances acquisition and retention of spatial memory. Neurosci Lett 2014; 567:45-50. [PMID: 24680747 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Psychostimulants containing methylphenidate (MPH) are increasingly being used both on and off-label to enhance learning and memory. Still, almost no studies have investigated MPH's ability to specifically improve spatial or long-term memory. Here we examined the effect of training with 1 or 10mg/kg MPH on hidden platform learning in the Morris water maze. 10mg/kg MPH improved memory acquisition and retention, while 1mg/kg MPH improved memory retention. Taken together with prior evidence that low, clinically relevant, doses of MPH (0.01-1mg/kg MPH) enhance fear memory we conclude that MPH broadly enhances memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Carmack
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego 92093-0109, United States
| | - Carina L Block
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego 92093-0109, United States
| | - Kristin K Howell
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego 92093-0109, United States
| | - Stephan G Anagnostaras
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego 92093-0109, United States; Program in Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego 92093-0109, United States.
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13
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Howell KK, Monk BR, Carmack SA, Mrowczynski OD, Clark RE, Anagnostaras SG. Inhibition of PKC disrupts addiction-related memory. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:70. [PMID: 24639635 PMCID: PMC3945752 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2013] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The atypical PKC isoforms, PKMζ and PKCλ have been proposed as integral substrates of long-term memory (LTM). Inhibition of these isoforms has recently been demonstrated to be sufficient for impairing the expression and maintenance of long-term potentiation. Additionally, the pseudosubstrate inhibitor, zeta inhibitory peptide (ZIP), which effectively blocks PKMζ and PKCλ, has previously been shown to disrupt associative memory; very little is known about its effects on pathological nonassociative forms of memory related to addiction. The neural and molecular substrates of memory and addiction have recently been argued to overlap. Here, we used ZIP to disrupt PKMζ and PKCλ activity to examine their role in cocaine sensitization, a nonassociative, addiction-related memory argued to underlie the transition from casual to pathological drug use. We examined the effects of both continuous and acute administration of ZIP. Even a single application of ZIP blocked the development of sensitization; sustained inhibition using osmotic pumps produced an almost complete blockade of sensitization. Further, a single application of ZIP was shown to reduce membrane-bound AMPAR expression. These results demonstrate a novel, critical role for the atypical PKC isoforms in nonassociative memory and cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin K Howell
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bradley R Monk
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie A Carmack
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Oliver D Mrowczynski
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert E Clark
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center San Diego, CA, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Stephan G Anagnostaras
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA ; Program in Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Abstract
Methylphenidate (MPH), introduced more than 60 years ago, accounts for two-thirds of current prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although many studies have modeled MPH's effect on executive function, almost none have directly modeled its effect on long-term memory (LTM), even though improvement in LTM is a critical target of therapeutic intervention in ADHD. We examined the effects of a wide range of doses of MPH (0.01–10 mg/kg, i.p.) on Pavlovian fear learning, a leading model of memory. MPH's effects were then compared to those of atomoxetine (0.1–10 mg/kg, i.p.), bupropion (0.5–20 mg/kg, i.p.), and citalopram (0.01–10 mg/kg, i.p.). At low, clinically relevant doses, MPH enhanced fear memory; at high doses it impaired memory. MPH's memory-enhancing effects were not confounded by its effects on locomotion or anxiety. Further, MPH-induced memory enhancement seemed to require both dopamine and norepinephrine transporter inhibition. Finally, the addictive potential of MPH (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) was compared to those of two other psychostimulants, amphetamine (0.005 mg/kg and 1.5 mg/kg) and cocaine (0.15 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg), using a conditioned place preference and behavioral sensitization paradigm. We found that memory-enhancing effects of psychostimulants observed at low doses are readily dissociable from their reinforcing and locomotor activating effects at high doses. Together, our data suggest that fear conditioning will be an especially fruitful platform for modeling the effects of psychostimulants on LTM in drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Carmack
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0109, USA
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15
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Carmack SA, Howell KK, Anagnostaras SG. Modulation of behavior by methylphenidate. FASEB J 2012. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.847.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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16
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Howell K, Carmack SA, Anagnostaras SG. The effect of PKMζ inhibition on cocaine‐induced place preference and locomotor sensitization. FASEB J 2012. [DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.659.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stephan G Anagnostaras
- PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan Diego, La JollaCA
- NeuroscienceUniversity of CaliforniaSan Diego, La JollaCA
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Carmack SA, Wood SC, Anagnostaras SG. Amphetamine and extinction of cued fear. Neurosci Lett 2009; 468:18-22. [PMID: 19853020 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2009.10.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2009] [Revised: 09/15/2009] [Accepted: 10/15/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Much research is focused on developing novel drugs to improve memory. In particular, psychostimulants have been shown to enhance memory and have a long history of safe use in humans. In prior work, we have shown that very low doses of amphetamine administered before training on a Pavlovian fear-conditioning task can dramatically facilitate the acquisition of cued fear. The current experiment sought to expand these findings to the extinction of cued fear, a well-known paradigm with therapeutic implications for learned phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder. If extinction reflects new learning, one might expect drugs that enhance the acquisition of cued fear to also enhance the extinction of cued fear. This experiment examined whether 0.005 or 0.05 mg/kg of D-amphetamine (therapeutic doses shown to enhance acquisition) also enhance the extinction of cued fear. Contrary to our hypothesis, amphetamine did not accelerate extinction. Thus, at doses that enhance acquisition of conditioned fear, amphetamine does not appear to enhance extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Carmack
- Molecular Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093-0109, USA.
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