Targeting corticostriatal transmission for the treatment of cannabinoid use disorder

It is generally assumed that the rewarding effects of cannabinoids are mediated by cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1Rs) the activation of which disinhibits dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). However, this mechanism cannot fully explain novel results indicating that dopaminergic neurons also mediate the aversive effects of cannabinoids in rodents, and previous results showing that preferentially presynaptic adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) antagonists counteract self-administration of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in nonhuman primates (NHPs). Based on recent experiments in rodents and imaging studies in humans, we propose that the activation of frontal corticostriatal glutamatergic transmission constitutes an additional and necessary mechanism. Here, we review evidence supporting the involvement of cortical astrocytic CB1Rs in the activation of corticostriatal neurons and that A2AR receptor heteromers localized in striatal glutamatergic terminals mediate the counteracting effects of the presynaptic A2AR antagonists, constituting potential targets for the treatment of cannabinoid use disorder (CUD).

Signaling-specific inhibition of the CB1 receptor for cannabis use disorder: phase 1 and phase 2a randomized trials

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is widespread, and there is no pharmacotherapy to facilitate its treatment. AEF0117, the first of a new pharmacological class, is a signaling-specific inhibitor of the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1-SSi). AEF0117 selectively inhibits a subset of intracellular effects resulting from Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) binding without modifying behavior per se. In mice and non-human primates, AEF0117 decreased cannabinoid self-administration and THC-related behavioral impairment without producing significant adverse effects. In single-ascending-dose (0.2 mg, 0.6 mg, 2 mg and 6 mg; n = 40) and multiple-ascending-dose (0.6 mg, 2 mg and 6 mg; n = 24) phase 1 trials, healthy volunteers were randomized to ascending-dose cohorts (n = 8 per cohort; 6:2 AEF0117 to placebo randomization). In both studies, AEF0117 was safe and well tolerated (primary outcome measurements). In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover phase 2a trial, volunteers with CUD were randomized to two ascending-dose cohorts (0.06 mg, n = 14; 1 mg, n = 15). AEF0117 significantly reduced cannabis' positive subjective effects (primary outcome measurement, assessed by visual analog scales) by 19% (0.06 mg) and 38% (1 mg) compared to placebo (P < 0.04). AEF0117 (1 mg) also reduced cannabis self-administration (P < 0.05). In volunteers with CUD, AEF0117 was well tolerated and did not precipitate cannabis withdrawal. These data suggest that AEF0117 is a safe and potentially efficacious treatment for CUD.ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT03325595 , NCT03443895 and NCT03717272 .

Astrocytic Mechanisms Involving Kynurenic Acid Control Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol-Induced Increases in Glutamate Release in Brain Reward-Processing Areas

The reinforcing effects of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in rats and monkeys, and the reinforcement-related dopamine-releasing effects of THC in rats, can be attenuated by increasing endogenous levels of kynurenic acid (KYNA) through systemic administration of the kynurenine 3-monooxygenase inhibitor, Ro 61-8048. KYNA is a negative allosteric modulator of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) and is synthesized and released by astroglia, which express functional α7nAChRs and cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1Rs). Here, we tested whether these presumed KYNA autoreceptors (α7nAChRs) and CB1Rs regulate glutamate release. We used in vivo microdialysis and electrophysiology in rats, RNAscope in situ hybridization in brain slices, and primary culture of rat cortical astrocytes. Acute systemic administration of THC increased extracellular levels of glutamate in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcS), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). THC also reduced extracellular levels of KYNA in the NAcS. These THC effects were prevented by administration of Ro 61-8048 or the CB1R antagonist, rimonabant. THC increased the firing activity of glutamatergic pyramidal neurons projecting from the mPFC to the NAcS or to the VTA in vivo. These effects were averted by pretreatment with Ro 61-8048. In vitro, THC elicited glutamate release from cortical astrocytes (on which we demonstrated co-localization of the CB1Rs and α7nAChR mRNAs), and this effect was prevented by KYNA and rimonabant. These results suggest a key role of astrocytes in interactions between the endocannabinoid system, kynurenine pathway, and glutamatergic neurotransmission, with ramifications for the pathophysiology and treatment of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.

Effect of Novel Allosteric Modulators of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors on Drug Self-administration and Relapse: A Review of Preclinical Studies and Their Clinical Implications

Results from preclinical rodent studies during the last 20 years implicated glutamate neurotransmission in different brain regions in drug self-administration and rodent models of relapse. These results, along with evidence for drug-induced neuroadaptations in glutamatergic neurons and receptors, suggested that addiction might be treatable by medications that inhibit glutamatergic responses to drugs of abuse, drug-associated cues, and stressors. This idea is supported by findings in rodent and primate models that drug self-administration and relapse are reduced by systemic injections of antagonists of ionotropic glutamate receptors or metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) or orthosteric agonists of mGluR2/3. However, these compounds have not advanced to clinical use because of potential side effects and other factors. This state of affairs has led to the development of positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) and negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) of mGluRs. PAMs and NAMs of mGluRs, either of which can inhibit evoked glutamate release, may be suitable for testing in humans. We reviewed results from recent studies of systemically injected PAMs and NAMs of mGluRs in rodents and monkeys, focusing on whether they reduce drug self-administration, reinstatement of drug seeking, and incubation of drug craving. We also review results from rat studies in which PAMs or NAMs of mGluRs were injected intracranially to reduce drug self-administration and reinstatement. We conclude that PAMs and NAMs of mGluRs should be considered for clinical trials.

Preclinical Studies of Cannabinoid Reward, Treatments for Cannabis Use Disorder, and Addiction-Related Effects of Cannabinoid Exposure

Cannabis use has become increasingly accepted socially and legally, for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Without reliable information about the effects of cannabis, people cannot make informed decisions regarding its use. Like alcohol and tobacco, cannabis can have serious adverse effects on health, and some people have difficulty discontinuing their use of the drug. Many cannabis users progress to using and becoming addicted to other drugs, but the reasons for this progression are unclear. The natural cannabinoid system of the brain is complex and involved in many functions, including brain development, reward, emotion, and cognition. Animal research provides an objective and controlled means of obtaining information about: (1) how cannabis affects the brain and behavior, (2) whether medications can be developed to treat cannabis use disorder, and (3) whether cannabis might produce lasting changes in the brain that increase the likelihood of becoming addicted to other drugs. This review explains the tactics used to address these issues, evaluates the progress that has been made, and offers some directions for future research.

Synthetic cannabinoids found in "spice" products alter body temperature and cardiovascular parameters in conscious male rats

BACKGROUND

The misuse of synthetic cannabinoids is a persistent public health concern. Because these drugs target the same cannabinoid receptors as the active ingredient of marijuana, Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), we compared the effects of synthetic cannabinoids and THC on body temperature and cardiovascular parameters.

METHODS

Biotelemetry transmitters for the measurement of body temperature or blood pressure (BP) were surgically implanted into separate groups of male rats. THC and the synthetic cannabinoids CP55,940, JWH-018, AM2201 and XLR-11 were injected s.c., and rats were placed into isolation cubicles for 3h.

RESULTS

THC and synthetic cannabinoids produced dose-related decreases in body temperature that were most prominent in the final 2h of the session. The rank order of potency was CP55,940>AM2201=JWH-018>THC=XLR-11. The cannabinoid inverse agonist rimonabant antagonized the hypothermic effect of all compounds. Synthetic cannabinoids elevated BP in comparison to vehicle treatment during the first h of the session, while heart rate was unaffected. The rank order of potency for BP increases was similar to that seen for hypothermia. Hypertensive effects of CP55,940 and JWH-018 were not antagonized by rimonabant or the neutral antagonist AM4113. However, the BP responses to both drugs were antagonized by pretreatment with either the ganglionic blocker hexamethonium or the α₁ adrenergic antagonist prazosin.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that synthetic cannabinoids produce hypothermia in rats by a mechanism involving cannabinoid receptors, while they increase BP by a mechanism independent of these sites. The hypertensive effect appears to involve central sympathetic outflow.

Attenuation of Cocaine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference and Motor Activity via Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor Agonism and CB1 Receptor Antagonism in Rats

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown the involvement of cannabinoid (CB) receptors in the behavioral and neurobiological effects of psychostimulants. Most of these studies have focused on the role of CB1 receptors in the psychostimulant effects of cocaine, while very few have investigated the respective role of CB2 receptors. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the extent of CB receptor involvement in the expression of cocaine-induced effects.

METHODS

The role of CB1 and CB2 receptors in the rewarding and motor properties of cocaine was assessed in conditioned place preference, conditioned motor activity, and open field activity in rats.

RESULTS

The CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (3 mg/kg) decreased the acquisition and the expression of conditioned place preference induced by cocaine (20 mg/kg). Rimonabant inhibited cocaine-elicited conditioned motor activity when administered during the expression of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference. Rimonabant decreased ambulatory and vertical activity induced by cocaine. The CB2 receptor agonist JWH-133 (10 mg/kg) decreased the acquisition and the expression of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference. JWH-133 inhibited cocaine-elicited conditioned motor activity when administered during the acquisition and the expression of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference. JWH-133 decreased ambulatory activity and abolished vertical activity induced by cocaine. The effects of JWH-133 on cocaine conditioned and stimulated responses were abolished when the CB2 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist AM630 (5 mg/kg) was preadministered.

CONCLUSIONS

Cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors modulate cocaine-induced rewarding behavior and appear to have opposite roles in the regulation of cocaine's reinforcing and psychomotor effects.

Self-administration of the anandamide transport inhibitor AM404 by squirrel monkeys

RATIONALE

N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-arachidonamide (AM404) is an anandamide transport inhibitor shown to reduce rewarding and relapse-inducing effects of nicotine in several animal models of tobacco dependence. However, the reinforcing/rewarding effects of AM404 are not clear.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated whether AM404 maintains self-administration behavior or reinstates extinguished drug seeking in squirrel monkeys.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In monkeys with a history of anandamide or cocaine self-administration, we substituted injections of AM404 (1-100 μg/kg/injection). Using a 10-response, fixed-ratio schedule, self-administration behavior was maintained by AM404. Dose-response curves had inverted U shapes, with peak response rates occurring at a dose of 10 μg/kg/injection. In anandamide-experienced monkeys, we also demonstrated self-administration of another anandamide transport inhibitor VDM11. In addition to supporting self-administration, priming injections of AM404 (0.03-0.3 mg/kg) reinstated drug-seeking behavior previously reinforced by cannabinoids (∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or anandamide) or cocaine. Both AM404 self-administration behavior and reinstatement of drug seeking by AM404 were reduced by treatment with the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant (0.3 mg/kg). Moreover, the reinforcing effects of AM404 were potentiated by the treatment with the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 (0.3 mg/kg) suggesting a major role of anandamide in these effects. Finally, AM404 (0.3 mg/kg) potentiated the reinforcing effects of anandamide but not those of cocaine.

CONCLUSIONS

In non-human primates, AM404 effectively reinforced self-administration behavior and induced reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior in abstinent monkeys. These effects appeared to be mediated by cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Therefore, compounds that promote actions of endocannabinoids throughout the brain by inhibiting their membrane transport may have a potential for abuse.

Methamphetamine addiction: involvement of CREB and neuroinflammatory signaling pathways

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Addiction to psychostimulant methamphetamine (METH) remains a major public health problem in the world. Animal models that use METH self-administration incorporate many features of human drug-taking behavior and are very helpful in elucidating mechanisms underlying METH addiction. These models are also helping to decipher the neurobiological substrates of associated neuropsychiatric complications. This review summarizes our work on the influence of METH self-administration on dopamine systems, transcription and immune responses in the brain.

METHODS

We used the rat model of METH self-administration with extended access (15 h/day for eight consecutive days) to investigate the effects of voluntary METH intake on the markers of dopamine system integrity and changes in gene expression observed in the brain at 2 h-1 month after cessation of drug exposure.

RESULTS

Extended access to METH self-administration caused changes in the rat brain that are consistent with clinical findings reported in neuroimaging and postmortem studies of human METH addicts. In addition, gene expression studies using striatal tissues from METH self-administering rats revealed increased expression of genes involved in cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway and in the activation of neuroinflammatory response in the brain.

CONCLUSION

These data show an association of METH exposure with activation of neuroplastic and neuroinflammatory cascades in the brain. The neuroplastic changes may be involved in promoting METH addiction. Neuroinflammatory processes in the striatum may underlie cognitive deficits, depression, and parkinsonism reported in METH addicts. Therapeutic approaches that include suppression of neuroinflammation may be beneficial to addicted patients.

Effects of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors on working memory in rats

RATIONALE

Manipulations of the endocannabinoid system could potentially produce therapeutic effects with minimal risk of adverse cannabis-like side effects. Inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) increase endogenous levels of the cannabinoid-receptor agonist, anandamide, and show promise for treating a wide range of disorders. However, their effects on learning and memory have not been fully characterized.

OBJECTIVES

We determined the effects of five structurally different FAAH inhibitors in an animal model of working memory known to be sensitive to impairment by delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

METHODS

A delayed nonmatching-to-position procedure was used in rats. Illuminated nosepoke holes were used to provide sample cues (left versus right) and record responses (correct versus incorrect) after delays ranging from 0 to 28 s. Various test drugs were given acutely up to two times per week before daily sessions.

RESULTS

One FAAH inhibitor, AM3506 (3 mg/kg), decreased accuracy in the memory task. Four other FAAH inhibitors (URB597, URB694, PF-04457845, and ARN14633) and a monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor (JZL184, which blocks the degradation of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol) had no effect. Testing of AM3506 in combination with antagonists for receptors known to be affected by anandamide and other fatty acid amides indicated that the impairment induced by AM3506 was mediated by cannabinoid CB1 receptors, and not by alpha-type peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR-alpha) or vanilloid transient receptor potential cation channels (TRPV1).

CONCLUSIONS

FAAH inhibitors differ with respect to their potential for memory impairment, abuse liability, and probably other cannabis-like effects, and they should be evaluated individually for specific therapeutic and adverse effects.

Screening Medications for the Treatment of Cannabis Use Disorder

Cannabis use has been increasingly accepted legally and in public opinion. However, cannabis has the potential to produce adverse physical and mental health effects, and cannabis use disorder (CUD) occurs in a substantial percentage of both occasional and daily cannabis users. Many people have difficulty discontinuing use despite receiving treatment. Therefore, it would be beneficial to develop safe and effective medications for treating CUD. To achieve this, methods have been developed for screening and evaluating potential medications using animal models and controlled experimental protocols in human volunteers. In this chapter, we describe: (1) animal models available for assessing the effect of potential medications on specific aspects of CUD, (2) the main findings obtained so far with these animal models, (3) the approaches used to assess potential medications in humans in laboratory experiments and clinical trials, and (4) the effectiveness of several potential pharmacotherapies on particular aspects of CUD modeled in these human studies.

The Novel Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 2 Positive Allosteric Modulator, AZD8529, Decreases Nicotine Self-Administration and Relapse in Squirrel Monkeys

BACKGROUND

Based on rodent studies, group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR2 and mGluR3) were suggested as targets for addiction treatment. However, LY379268 and other group II agonists do not discriminate between the mainly presynaptic inhibitory mGluR2 (the proposed treatment target) and mGluR3. These agonists also produce tolerance over repeated administration and are no longer considered for addiction treatment. Here, we determined the effects of AZD8529, a selective positive allosteric modulator of mGluR2, on abuse-related effects of nicotine in squirrel monkeys and rats.

METHODS

We first assessed modulation of mGluR2 function by AZD8529 using functional in vitro assays in membranes prepared from a cell line expressing human mGluR2 and in primate brain slices. We then determined AZD8529 (.03-10 mg/kg, intramuscular injection) effects on intravenous nicotine self-administration and reinstatement of nicotine seeking induced by nicotine priming or nicotine-associated cues. We also determined AZD8529 effects on food self-administration in monkeys and nicotine-induced dopamine release in accumbens shell in rats.

RESULTS

AZD8529 potentiated agonist-induced activation of mGluR2 in the membrane-binding assay and in primate cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. In monkeys, AZD8529 decreased nicotine self-administration at doses (.3-3 mg/kg) that did not affect food self-administration. AZD8529 also reduced nicotine priming- and cue-induced reinstatement of nicotine seeking after extinction of the drug-reinforced responding. In rats, AZD8529 decreased nicotine-induced accumbens dopamine release.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide evidence for efficacy of positive allosteric modulators of mGluR2 in nonhuman primate models of nicotine reinforcement and relapse. This drug class should be considered for nicotine addiction treatment.

Effects of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) Inhibitors in Non-Human Primate Models of Nicotine Reward and Relapse

Inhibition of the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) counteracts reward-related effects of nicotine in rats, but it has not been tested for this purpose in non-human primates. Therefore, we studied the effects of the first- and second-generation O-arylcarbamate-based FAAH inhibitors, URB597 (cyclohexyl carbamic acid 3'-carbamoyl-3-yl ester) and URB694 (6-hydroxy-[1,1'-biphenyl]-3-yl-cyclohexylcarbamate), in squirrel monkeys. Both FAAH inhibitors: (1) blocked FAAH activity in brain and liver, increasing levels of endogenous ligands for cannabinoid and α-type peroxisome proliferator-activated (PPAR-α) receptors; (2) shifted nicotine self-administration dose-response functions in a manner consistent with reduced nicotine reward; (3) blocked reinstatement of nicotine seeking induced by reexposure to either nicotine priming or nicotine-associated cues; and (4) had no effect on cocaine or food self-administration. The effects of FAAH inhibition on nicotine self-administration and nicotine priming-induced reinstatement were reversed by the PPAR-α antagonist, MK886. Unlike URB597, which was not self-administered by monkeys in an earlier study, URB694 was self-administered at a moderate rate. URB694 self-administration was blocked by pretreatment with an antagonist for either PPAR-α (MK886) or cannabinoid CB1 receptors (rimonabant). In additional experiments in rats, URB694 was devoid of THC-like or nicotine-like interoceptive effects under drug-discrimination procedures, and neither of the FAAH inhibitors induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens shell--consistent with their lack of robust reinforcing effects in monkeys. Overall, both URB597 and URB694 show promise for the initialization and maintenance of smoking cessation because of their ability to block the rewarding effects of nicotine and prevent nicotine priming-induced and cue-induced reinstatement.

Cannabinoid abuse and addiction: Clinical and preclinical findings

Cannabinoid abuse disorders represent a widespread public health issue, but there are no approved medications for their treatment. This review describes efforts to understand the mechanisms of cannabinoid abuse and its adverse effects, to identify molecular targets for pharmacotherapy, and to evaluate potential treatments in human volunteers and animal models of cannabinoid reward, withdrawal, and relapse.

Reducing cannabinoid abuse and preventing relapse by enhancing endogenous brain levels of kynurenic acid

In the reward circuitry of the brain, α-7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) modulate effects of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), marijuana's main psychoactive ingredient. Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is an endogenous negative allosteric modulator of α7nAChRs. Here we report that the kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) inhibitor Ro 61-8048 increases brain KYNA levels and attenuates cannabinoid-induced increases in extracellular dopamine in reward-related brain areas. In the self-administration model of drug abuse, Ro 61-8048 reduced the rewarding effects of THC and the synthetic cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 in squirrel monkeys and rats, respectively, and it also prevented relapse to drug-seeking induced by reexposure to cannabinoids or cannabinoid-associated cues. The effects of enhancing endogenous KYNA levels with Ro 61-8048 were prevented by positive allosteric modulators of α7nAChRs. Despite a clear need, there are no medications approved for treatment of marijuana dependence. Modulation of KYNA offers a pharmacological strategy for achieving abstinence from marijuana and preventing relapse.

CREB phosphorylation regulates striatal transcriptional responses in the self-administration model of methamphetamine addiction in the rat

Neuroplastic changes in the dorsal striatum participate in the transition from casual to habitual drug use and might play a critical role in the development of methamphetamine (METH) addiction. We examined the influence of METH self-administration on gene and protein expression that may form substrates for METH-induced neuronal plasticity in the dorsal striatum. Male Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered METH (0.1mg/kg/injection, i.v.) or received yoked saline infusions during eight 15-h sessions and were euthanized 2h, 24h, or 1month after cessation of METH exposure. Changes in gene and protein expression were assessed using microarray analysis, RT-PCR and Western blots. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by PCR was used to examine epigenetic regulation of METH-induced transcription. METH self-administration caused increases in mRNA expression of the transcription factors, c-fos and fosb, the neurotrophic factor, Bdnf, and the synaptic protein, synaptophysin (Syp) in the dorsal striatum. METH also caused changes in ΔFosB, BDNF and TrkB protein levels, with increases after 2 and 24h, but decreases after 1month of drug abstinence. Importantly, ChIP-PCR showed that METH self-administration caused enrichment of phosphorylated CREB (pCREB), but not of histone H3 trimethylated at lysine 4 (H3K4me3), on promoters of c-fos, fosb, Bdnf and Syp at 2h after cessation of drug intake. These findings show that METH-induced changes in gene expression are mediated, in part, by pCREB-dependent epigenetic phenomena. Thus, METH self-administration might trigger epigenetic changes that mediate alterations in expression of genes and proteins serving as substrates for addiction-related synaptic plasticity.

Psychostimulant pharmacological profile of paraxanthine, the main metabolite of caffeine in humans

Caffeine induces locomotor activation by its ability to block adenosine receptors. Caffeine is metabolized to several methylxanthines, with paraxanthine being the main metabolite in humans. In this study we show that in rats paraxanthine has a stronger locomotor activating effect than caffeine or the two other main metabolites of caffeine, theophylline and theobromine. As previously described for caffeine, the locomotor activating doses of paraxanthine more efficiently counteract the locomotor depressant effects of an adenosine A(1) than an adenosine A(2A) receptor agonist. In drug discrimination experiments in rats trained to discriminate a maximal locomotor activating dose of caffeine, paraxanthine, unlike theophylline, generalized poorly to caffeine suggesting the existence of additional mechanisms other than adenosine antagonism in the behavioral effects of paraxanthine. Pretreatment with the nitric oxide inhibitor N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) reduced the locomotor activating effects of paraxanthine, but not caffeine. On the other hand, pretreatment with the selective cGMP-preferring phosphodiesterase PDE9 inhibitor BAY 73-6691, increased locomotor activity induced by caffeine, but not paraxanthine. Ex vivo experiments demonstrated that paraxanthine, but not caffeine, can induce cGMP accumulation in the rat striatum. Finally, in vivo microdialysis experiments showed that paraxanthine, but not caffeine, significantly increases extracellular levels of dopamine in the dorsolateral striatum, which was blocked by l-NAME. These findings indicate that inhibition of cGMP-preferring PDE is involved in the locomotor activating effects of the acute administration of paraxanthine. The present results demonstrate a unique psychostimulant profile of paraxanthine, which might contribute to the reinforcing effects of caffeine in humans.

Inhibition of FAAH and activation of PPAR: new approaches to the treatment of cognitive dysfunction and drug addiction

Enhancing the effects of endogenously-released cannabinoid ligands in the brain might provide therapeutic effects more safely and effectively than administering drugs that act directly at the cannabinoid receptor. Inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) prevent the breakdown of endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), prolonging and enhancing the effects of these ligands when they are naturally released. This review considers recent research on the effects of FAAH inhibitors and PPAR activators in animal models of addiction and cognition (specifically learning and memory). These studies show that FAAH inhibitors can produce potentially therapeutic effects, some through cannabinoid receptors and some through PPAR. These effects include enhancing certain forms of learning, counteracting the rewarding effects of nicotine and alcohol, relieving symptoms of withdrawal from cannabis and other drugs, and protecting against relapse-like reinstatement of drug self-administration. Since FAAH inhibition might have a wide range of therapeutic actions but might also share some of the adverse effects of cannabis, it is noteworthy that at least one FAAH-inhibiting drug (URB597) has been found to have potentially beneficial effects but no indication of liability for abuse or dependence. Although these areas of research are new, the preliminary evidence indicates that they might lead to improved therapeutic interventions and a better understanding of the brain mechanisms underlying addiction and memory.

Modification of pharmacokinetic and abuse-related effects of cocaine by human-derived cocaine hydrolase in monkeys

Although substantial research effort has focused on developing pharmacological treatments for cocaine abuse, no effective medications have been developed. Recent studies show that enzymes that metabolize cocaine in the periphery, forestalling its entry into the brain, can prevent cocaine toxicity and its behavioral effects in rodents. Here we report on effects of one such enzyme (Albu-CocH) on the pharmacokinetic and behavioral effects of cocaine in squirrel monkeys. Albu-CocH was developed from successive mutations of human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and has 1000-fold greater catalytic activity against cocaine than naturally occurring BChE. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that Albu-CocH (5 mg/kg) had a half-life of 56.6 hours in squirrel monkeys. In these studies, plasma levels of cocaine following i.v. 1 mg/kg cocaine were reduced 2 hours after administration of Albu-CocH, whereas plasma levels of the cocaine metabolite ecgonine methyl ester were increased. These effects were still evident 72 hours following Albu-CocH administration. In behavioral experiments in monkeys, pre-treatment with 5 mg/kg Albu-CocH dramatically decreased self-administration of a reinforcing dose of i.v. cocaine (30 µg/kg/injection) for over 24 hours. Pre-treatment with 5 mg/kg Albu-CocH also attenuated the reinstatement of extinguished cocaine self-administration by an i.v. priming injection of cocaine (0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg) and, in separate studies, attenuated the discriminative-stimulus effects of cocaine. The ability of Albu-CocH to attenuate the abuse-related effects of cocaine in squirrel monkeys indicates that further investigation of BChE mutants as potential treatment for cocaine abuse and toxicity is warranted.

Novel use of a lipid-lowering fibrate medication to prevent nicotine reward and relapse: preclinical findings

Experimental drugs that activate α-type peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα) have recently been shown to reduce the rewarding effects of nicotine in animals, but these drugs have not been approved for human use. The fibrates are a class of PPARα-activating medications that are widely prescribed to improve lipid profiles and prevent cardiovascular disease, but these drugs have not been tested in animal models of nicotine reward. Here, we examine the effects of clofibrate, a representative of the fibrate class, on reward-related behavioral, electrophysiological, and neurochemical effects of nicotine in rats and squirrel monkeys. Clofibrate prevented the acquisition of nicotine-taking behavior in naive animals, substantially decreased nicotine taking in experienced animals, and counteracted the relapse-inducing effects of re-exposure to nicotine or nicotine-associated cues after a period of abstinence. In the central nervous system, clofibrate blocked nicotine's effects on neuronal firing in the ventral tegmental area and on dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens shell. All of these results suggest that fibrate medications might promote smoking cessation. The fact that fibrates are already approved for human use could expedite clinical trials and subsequent implementation of fibrates as a treatment for tobacco dependence, especially in smokers with abnormal lipid profiles.

Blockade of dopamine d4 receptors attenuates reinstatement of extinguished nicotine-seeking behavior in rats

Since cloning of the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4), its role in the brain has remained unclear. It has been reported that polymorphism of the DRD4 gene in humans is associated with reactivity to cues related to tobacco smoking. However, the role of DRD4 in animal models of nicotine addiction has seldom been explored. In our study, male Long-Evans rats learned to intravenously self-administer nicotine under a fixed-ratio (FR) schedule of reinforcement. Effects of the selective DRD4 antagonist L-745,870 were evaluated on nicotine self-administration behavior and on reinstatement of extinguished nicotine-seeking behavior induced by nicotine-associated cues or by priming injections of nicotine. L-745,870 was also tested on reinstatement of extinguished food-seeking behavior as a control. In addition, the selective DRD4 agonist PD 168,077 was tested for its ability to reinstate extinguished nicotine-seeking behavior. Finally, L-745,870 was tested in Sprague Dawley rats trained to discriminate administration of 0.4 mg/kg nicotine from vehicle under an FR schedule of food delivery. L-745,870 significantly attenuated reinstatement of nicotine-seeking induced by both nicotine-associated cues and nicotine priming. In contrast, L-745,870 did not affect established nicotine self-administration behavior or reinstatement of food-seeking behavior induced by food cues or food priming. L-745,870 did not produce nicotine-like discriminative-stimulus effects and did not alter discriminative-stimulus effects of nicotine. PD 168,077 did not reinstate extinguished nicotine-seeking behavior. As DRD4 blockade by L-745,870 selectively attenuated both cue- and nicotine-induced reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior, without affecting cue- or food-induced reinstatement of food-seeking behavior, DRD4 antagonists are potential therapeutic agents against tobacco smoking relapse.

Blockade of nicotine reward and reinstatement by activation of alpha-type peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors

BACKGROUND

Recent findings indicate that inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) counteract the rewarding effects of nicotine in rats. Inhibition of FAAH increases levels of several endogenous substances in the brain, including the endocannabinoid anandamide and the noncannabinoid fatty acid ethanolamides oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide, which are ligands for alpha-type peroxisome proliferator-activated nuclear receptors (PPAR-α). Here, we evaluated whether directly acting PPAR-α agonists can modulate reward-related effects of nicotine.

METHODS

We combined behavioral, neurochemical, and electrophysiological approaches to evaluate effects of the PPAR-α agonists [[4-Chloro-6-[(2,3-dimethylphenyl)amino]-2-pyrimidinyl]thio]acetic acid (WY14643) and methyl oleoylethanolamide (methOEA; a long-lasting form of OEA) on 1) nicotine self-administration in rats and squirrel monkeys; 2) reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behavior in rats and monkeys; 3) nicotine discrimination in rats; 4) nicotine-induced electrophysiological activity of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons in anesthetized rats; and 5) nicotine-induced elevation of dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell of freely moving rats.

RESULTS

The PPAR-α agonists dose-dependently decreased nicotine self-administration and nicotine-induced reinstatement in rats and monkeys but did not alter food- or cocaine-reinforced operant behavior or the interoceptive effects of nicotine. The PPAR-α agonists also dose-dependently decreased nicotine-induced excitation of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area and nicotine-induced elevations of dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell of rats. The ability of WY14643 and methOEA to counteract the behavioral, electrophysiological, and neurochemical effects of nicotine was reversed by the PPAR-α antagonist 1-[(4-Chlorophenyl)methyl]-3-[(1,1-dimethylethyl)thio]-a,a-dimethyl-5-(1-methylethyl)-1H-Indole-2-propanoic acid (MK886).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that PPAR-α might provide a valuable new target for antismoking medications.

Animal models of cannabinoid reward

The endogenous cannabinoid system is involved in numerous physiological and neuropsychological functions. Medications that target this system hold promise for the treatment of a wide variety of disorders. However, as reward is one of the most prominent of these functions, medications that activate this system must be evaluated for abuse potential. Meanwhile, cannabis is already being used chronically by millions of people, many of whom eventually seek treatment for cannabis dependence. Therefore, there is a need for procedures that can be used to: (i) better understand the mechanisms of cannabinoid reward; (ii) evaluate the abuse potential of new medications; and (iii) evaluate the effectiveness of medications developed for treating cannabis dependence. Animal models of cannabinoid reward provide a means of accomplishing these goals. In this review, we briefly describe and evaluate these models, their advantages and their shortcomings. Special emphasis is placed on intravenous cannabinoid self-administration in squirrel monkeys, a valid, reliable and flexible model that we have developed over the past decade. Although the conditions under which cannabinoid drugs have rewarding effects may be more restricted than with other drugs of abuse such as cocaine and heroin, work with these models indicates that cannabinoid reward involves similar brain mechanisms and produces the same kinds of reward-related behaviour. By continuing to use these animal models as tools in the development of new medications, it should be possible to take advantage of the potential benefits provided by the endocannabinoid system while minimizing its potential for harm.

Adenosine-cannabinoid receptor interactions. Implications for striatal function

Adenosine and endocannabinoids are very ubiquitous non-classical neurotransmitters that exert a modulatory role on the transmission of other more 'classical' neurotransmitters. In this review we will focus on their common role as modulators of dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission in the striatum, the main input structure of the basal ganglia. We will pay particular attention to the role of adenosine A(2A) receptors and cannabinoid CB(1) receptors. Experimental results suggest that presynaptic CB(1) receptors interacting with A(2A) receptors in cortico-striatal glutamatergic terminals that make synaptic contact with dynorphinergic medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) are involved in the motor-depressant and addictive effects of cannabinoids. On the other hand, postsynaptic CB(1) receptors interacting with A(2A) and D(2) receptors in the dendritic spines of enkephalinergic MSNs and postsynaptic CB(1) receptors in the dendritic spines of dynorphinergic MSN are probably involved in the cataleptogenic effects of cannabinoids. These receptor interactions most probably depend on the existence of a variety of heteromers of A(2A), CB(1) and D(2) receptors in different elements of striatal spine modules. Drugs selective for the different striatal A(2A) and CB(1) receptor heteromers could be used for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders and drug addiction and they could provide effective drugs with fewer side effects than currently used drugs.

Regulation of sigma-1 receptors and endoplasmic reticulum chaperones in the brain of methamphetamine self-administering rats

sigma-1 Receptors are endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperones that are implicated in the neuroplasticity associated with psychostimulant abuse. We immunocytochemically examined the distribution of sigma-1 receptors in the brain of drug-naive rats and then examined the dynamics of sigma-1 receptors and other ER chaperones in specific brain subregions of rats that self-administered methamphetamine, received methamphetamine passively, or received only saline injections. sigma-1 Receptors were found to be expressed in moderate to high levels in the olfactory bulb, striatum, nucleus accumbens shell, olfactory tubercle, amygdala, hippocampus, red nucleus, ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra, and locus ceruleus. Methamphetamine, whether self-administered or passively received, significantly elevated ER chaperones including the sigma-1 receptor, BiP, and calreticulin in the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra. In the olfactory bulb, however, only the sigma-1 receptor chaperone was increased, and this increase occurred only in rats that actively self-administered methamphetamine. Consistent with an increase in sigma-1 receptors, extracellular signal-regulated kinase was found to be activated and protein kinase A attenuated in the olfactory bulb of methamphetamine self-administering rats. sigma-1 Receptors in the olfactory bulb were found to be colocalized with dopamine D1 receptors. These results indicate that methamphetamine induces ER stress in the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra in rats whether the drug is received actively or passively. However, the changes seen only in rats that actively self-administered methamphetamine suggest that D1 and sigma-1 receptors in the olfactory bulb might play an important role in the motivational conditioning/learning aspects of methamphetamine self-administration in the rat.

Effects of cannabinoid receptor antagonists on maintenance and reinstatement of methamphetamine self-administration in rhesus monkeys

Cannabinoid receptor antagonists have shown some promise as treatments capable of reducing abuse and relapse to a number of abused drugs. In rodents, such effects have been observed with methamphetamine self-administration. However, the effects of cannabinoid receptor antagonists on methamphetamine self-administration and relapse have not been studied in primates. In the present study, rhesus monkeys were trained to respond on a three-component operant schedule. During the first 5-min component, fixed-ratio responses were reinforced by food, during the second 90- or 180-min component fixed-ratio responses were reinforced by i.v. methamphetamine. The third component was identical to the first. There was a 5-min timeout between each component. The effects of the cannabinoid receptor antagonists AM 251 and rimonabant were tested at various doses against self-administration of 3microg/kg/injection methamphetamine, and 1mg/kg AM 251 and 0.3mg/kg rimonabant were tested against the methamphetamine dose-effect function. The 1mg/kg dose of AM 251 was also tested for its ability to alter reinstatement of extinguished self-administration responding. The cannabinoid receptor antagonist AM 251 was found to reduce methamphetamine self-administration at doses that did not affect food-reinforced responding. The cannabinoid receptor antagonist rimonabant had similar, but less robust effects. AM 251 also prevented reinstatement of extinguished methamphetamine seeking that was induced by re-exposure to a combination of methamphetamine and methamphetamine-associated cues. These results indicate that cannabinoid receptor antagonists might have therapeutic effects for the treatment of methamphetamine dependence.

Methamphetamine self-administration is associated with persistent biochemical alterations in striatal and cortical dopaminergic terminals in the rat

Methamphetamine (meth) is an illicit psychostimulant that is abused throughout the world. Repeated passive injections of the drug given in a single day or over a few days cause significant and long-term depletion of dopamine and serotonin in the mammalian brain. Because meth self-administration may better mimic some aspects of human drug-taking behaviors, we examined to what extent this pattern of drug treatment might also result in damage to monoaminergic systems in the brain. Rats were allowed to intravenously self-administer meth (yoked control rats received vehicle) 15 hours per day for 8 days before being euthanized at either 24 hours or at 7 and 14 days after cessation of drug taking. Meth self-administration by the rats was associated with a progressive escalation of daily drug intake to 14 mg/kg per day. Animals that self-administered meth exhibited dose-dependent decreases in striatal dopamine levels during the period of observation. In addition, there were significant reductions in the levels of striatal dopamine transporter and tyrosine hydroxylase proteins. There were also significant decreases in the levels of dopamine, dopamine transporter, and tyrosine hydroxylase in the cortex. In contrast, meth self-administration caused only transient decreases in norepinephrine and serotonin levels in the two brain regions, with these values returning to normal at seven days after cessation of drug taking. Importantly, meth self-administration was associated with significant dose-dependent increases in glial fibrillary acidic protein in both striatum and cortex, with these changes being of greater magnitude in the striatum. These results suggest that meth self-administration by rats is associated with long-term biochemical changes that are reminiscent of those observed in post-mortem brain tissues of chronic meth abusers.

Anandamide-induced behavioral disruption through a vanilloid-dependent mechanism in rats

RATIONALE

Endocannabinoids are involved in a variety of behavioral and physiological processes that are just beginning to be understood. In the five-choice serial reaction-time task, exogenous cannabinoids have been found to alter attention, but endocannabinoids such as anandamide have not been studied.

OBJECTIVES

We used this task to evaluate the effects of anandamide in rats. Since anandamide is a ligand for not only cannabinoid receptors but also transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptors, and as recently suggested, peroxisome proliferator-activated nuclear receptor-alpha (PPARalpha), we also determined whether anandamide's effects in this task were mediated by each of these receptors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Whenever one of five holes was illuminated for 2 s, a food pellet was delivered if a response occurred in that hole during the light or within 2 s after the light.

RESULTS

Anandamide increased omission errors and decreased responding during inter-trial intervals. These effects were blocked by the TRPV1 antagonist capsazepine, but not by the cannabinoid-receptor antagonist rimonabant or the PPARalpha antagonist MK886. Testing with open-field activity and food-consumption procedures in the same rats suggested that the disruption of operant responding observed in the attention task was not due to motor depression, anxiety, decreased appetite, or an inability to find and consume food pellets.

CONCLUSIONS

The vanilloid-dependent behavioral disruption induced by anandamide was specific to the operant attention task. These effects of anandamide resemble effects of systemically administered dopamine antagonists and might reflect changes in vanilloid-mediated dopamine transmission.

Drug addiction

Many drugs of abuse, including cannabinoids, opioids, alcohol and nicotine, can alter the levels of endocannabinoids in the brain. Recent studies show that release of endocannabinoids in the ventral tegmental area can modulate the reward-related effects of dopamine and might therefore be an important neurobiological mechanism underlying drug addiction. There is strong evidence that the endocannabinoid system is involved in drug-seeking behavior (especially behavior that is reinforced by drug-related cues), as well as in the mechanisms that underlie relapse to drug use. The cannabinoid CB(1) antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant has been shown to reduce the behavioral effects of stimuli associated with drugs of abuse, including nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana. Thus, the endocannabinoid system represents a promising target for development of new treatments for drug addiction.

Interactions between histamine H3 and dopamine D2 receptors and the implications for striatal function

The striatum contains a high density of histamine H(3) receptors, but their role in striatal function is poorly understood. Previous studies have demonstrated antagonistic interactions between striatal H(3) and dopamine D(1) receptors at the biochemical level, while contradictory results have been reported about interactions between striatal H(3) and dopamine D(2) receptors. In this study, by using reserpinized mice, we demonstrate the existence of behaviorally significant antagonistic postsynaptic interactions between H(3) and D(1) and also between H(3) and dopamine D(2) receptors. The selective H(3) receptor agonist imetit inhibited, while the H(3) receptor antagonist thioperamide potentiated locomotor activation induced by either the D(1) receptor agonist SKF 38393 or the D(2) receptor agonist quinpirole. High scores of locomotor activity were obtained with H(3) receptor blockade plus D(1) and D(2) receptor co-activation, i.e., when thioperamide was co-administered with both SKF 38393 and quinpirole. Radioligand binding experiments in striatal membrane preparations showed the existence of a strong and selective H(3)-D(2) receptor interaction at the membrane level. In agonist/antagonist competition experiments, stimulation of H(3) receptors with several H(3) receptor agonists significantly decreased the affinity of D(2) receptors for the agonist. This kind of intramembrane receptor-receptor interactions are a common biochemical property of receptor heteromers. In fact, by using Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer techniques in co-transfected HEK-293 cells, H(3) (but not H(4)) receptors were found to form heteromers with D(2) receptors. This study demonstrates an important role of postsynaptic H(3) receptors in the modulation of dopaminergic transmission by means of a negative modulation of D(2) receptor function.

[Future medications for tobacco and cannabis dependence]

Worldwide more than 3 million deaths a year are attributable to smoking, and tobacco use is on the rise in developing countries. Consequently, smoking is one of the few causes of mortality that is increasing, with deaths projected to reach 10 million annually in 30-40 years. Cannabinoids, which are usually used in the form of marijuana, have become the most frequently used illicit drugs, but there is no pharmacological treatment for marijuana dependence. Although the dopaminergic system plays a critical role in reinforcing the effects of drugs of abuse, other neurotransmitter systems are also involved. Here we review recent results obtained with antagonists targeting cannabinoid CB1 receptors, dopamine D3 receptors and opioid receptors, that directly or indirectly modulate dopaminergic transmission. These promising approaches warrant clinical trials in the treatment of tobacco and marijuana dependence.

Adenosine A1-A2A receptor heteromers: new targets for caffeine in the brain

The contribution of blockade of adenosine A1 and A2A receptor to the psychostimulant effects of caffeine is still a matter of debate. When analyzing motor activity in rats, acutely administered caffeine shows a profile of a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist, although with preferential A1 receptor antagonism. On the other hand, tolerance to the effects of A1 receptor blockade seems to be mostly responsible for the tolerance to the motor-activating effects of caffeine, while the residual motor-activating effects of caffeine in tolerant individuals seem to involve A2A receptor blockade. These behavioral studies correlate with in vivo microdialysis experiments that suggest that A1 receptor-mediated modulation of striatal glutamate release is involved in the psychostimulant effects of caffeine. Experiments in transfected cells demonstrate the ability of A1 receptors to heteromerize with A2A receptors and the A1-A2A receptor heteromer can be biochemically identified in the striatum, in striatal glutamatergic terminals. The striatal A1-A2A receptor heteromer provides a "concentration-dependent switch" mechanism by which low and high concentrations of synaptic adenosine produce the opposite effects on glutamate release. The analysis of the function of A1-A2A receptor heteromers during chronic treatment with caffeine gives new clues about the well-known phenomenon of tolerance to the psychostimulant effects of caffeine.

Striatal adenosine A2A and cannabinoid CB1 receptors form functional heteromeric complexes that mediate the motor effects of cannabinoids

The mechanism of action responsible for the motor depressant effects of cannabinoids, which operate through centrally expressed cannabinoid CB1 receptors, is still a matter of debate. In the present study, we report that CB1 and adenosine A2A receptors form heteromeric complexes in co-transfected HEK-293T cells and rat striatum, where they colocalize in fibrilar structures. In a human neuroblastoma cell line, CB1 receptor signaling was found to be completely dependent on A2A receptor activation. Accordingly, blockade of A2A receptors counteracted the motor depressant effects produced by the intrastriatal administration of a cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist. These biochemical and behavioral findings demonstrate that the profound motor effects of cannabinoids depend on physical and functional interactions between striatal A2A and CB1 receptors.

Using drug-discrimination techniques to study the abuse-related effects of psychoactive drugs in rats

Drug-discrimination (DD) techniques can be used to study abuse-related effects by establishing the interoceptive effects of a training drug (e.g., cocaine) as a cue for performing a specific operant response (e.g., lever pressing reinforced by food). During training with this protocol, pressing one lever is reinforced when the training drug is injected before the start of the session, and responding on a second lever is reinforced when vehicle is injected before the session. Lever choice during test sessions can then be used as an indication of whether a novel drug has effects similar to the training drug, or whether a potential therapeutic alters the effects of the training drug. Although training can be lengthy (up to several months), the pharmacological specificity of DD procedures make them a perfect complement to other techniques used to study drug-abuse phenomena, such as intravenous self-administration and conditioned place-preference procedures.

The endogenous cannabinoid anandamide produces delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-like discriminative and neurochemical effects that are enhanced by inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase but not by inhibition of anandamide transport

Anandamide is an endogenous ligand for brain cannabinoid CB(1) receptors, but its behavioral effects are difficult to measure due to rapid inactivation. Here we used a drug-discrimination procedure to test the hypothesis that anandamide, given i.v. or i.p., would produce discriminative effects like those of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in rats when its metabolic inactivation was inhibited. We also used an in vivo microdialysis procedure to investigate the effects of anandamide, given i.v. or i.p., on dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell in rats. When injected i.v., methanandamide (AM-356), a metabolically stable anandamide analog, produced clear dose-related THC-like discriminative effects, but anandamide produced THC-like discriminative effects only at a high 10-mg/kg dose that almost eliminated lever-press responding. Cyclohexyl carbamic acid 3'-carbamoyl-biphenyl-3-yl ester (URB-597), an inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the main enzyme responsible for metabolic inactivation of anandamide, produced no THC-like discriminative effects alone but dramatically potentiated discriminative effects of anandamide, with 3 mg/kg anandamide completely substituting for the THC training dose. URB-597 also potentiated the ability of anandamide to increase dopamine levels in the accumbens shell. The THC-like discriminative-stimulus effects of anandamide after URB-597 and methanandamide were blocked by the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant, but not the vanilloid VR1 receptor antagonist capsazepine. Surprisingly, the anandamide transport inhibitors N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraenamide (AM-404) and N-(3-furylmethyl)eicosa-5,8,11,14-tetraenamide (UCM-707) did not potentiate THC-like discriminative effects of anandamide or its dopamine-elevating effects. Thus, anandamide has THC-like discriminative and neurochemical effects that are enhanced after treatment with a FAAH inhibitor but not after treatment with transport inhibitors, suggesting brain area specificity for FAAH versus transport/FAAH inactivation of anandamide.

Anandamide administration alone and after inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) increases dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell in rats

Although endogenous cannabinoid systems have been implicated in the modulation of the rewarding effects of abused drugs and food, little is known about the direct effects of endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors on brain reward processes. Here we show for the first time that the intravenous administration of anandamide, an endogenous ligand for cannabinoid receptors, and its longer-lasting synthetic analog methanandamide, increase the extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell of awake, freely moving rats, an effect characteristic of most drugs abused by humans. Anandamide produced two distinctly different effects on dopamine levels: (1) a rapid, transient increase that was blocked by the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant, but not by the vanilloid VR1 receptor antagonist capsazepine, and was magnified and prolonged by the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme inhibitor, URB597; (2) a smaller delayed and long-lasting increase, not sensitive to CB1, VR1 or FAAH blockade. Both effects were blocked by infusing either tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 microm) or calcium-free Ringer's solution through the microdialysis probe, demonstrating that they were dependent on the physiologic activation of dopaminergic neurotransmission. Thus, these results indicate that anandamide, through the activation of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, participates in the signaling of brain reward processes.

The endogenous cannabinoid anandamide and its synthetic analog R(+)-methanandamide are intravenously self-administered by squirrel monkeys

Anandamide, an endogenous ligand for brain cannabinoid CB(1) receptors, produces many behavioral effects similar to those of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Reinforcing effects of THC have been demonstrated in experimental animals, but there is only indirect evidence that endogenous cannabinoids such as anandamide participate in brain reward processes. We now show that anandamide serves as an effective reinforcer of drug-taking behavior when self-administered intravenously by squirrel monkeys. We also show that methanandamide, a synthetic long-lasting anandamide analog, similarly serves as a reinforcer of drug-taking behavior. Finally, we show that the reinforcing effects of both anandamide and methanandamide are blocked by pretreatment with the cannabinoid CB(1) receptor antagonist rimonabant (SR141716). These findings strongly suggest that release of endogenous cannabinoids is involved in brain reward processes and that activation of cannabinoid CB(1) receptors by anandamide could be part of the signaling of natural rewarding events.

A comparison of drug-seeking behavior maintained by D-amphetamine, L-deprenyl (selegiline), and D-deprenyl under a second-order schedule in squirrel monkeys

L-Deprenyl (selegiline) is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and has been proposed as an aid for cigarette smoking cessation and a treatment for psychostimulant abuse. L-Deprenyl is metabolized in the body to L-methamphetamine and L-amphetamine, suggesting that it may have abuse potential. The current study assessed whether L-deprenyl or its isomer would maintain drug-seeking behavior on a second-order schedule and whether L-deprenyl would alter drug-seeking behavior maintained by D-amphetamine if given as a pretreatment. Squirrel monkeys learned to respond on a second-order schedule of reinforcement, where every tenth response was followed by a brief light flash, and the first brief light flash after 30 min was paired with intravenous (i.v.) injection of D-amphetamine (0.56 mg/kg), administered over a 2-min period at the end of the session. When responding was stable, saline or different i.v. doses of D-amphetamine (0.3-1.0 mg/kg), L-deprenyl (0.1-10.0 mg/kg), and D-deprenyl (0.1-3.0 mg/kg) were substituted for 10 days each. Subsequently, monkeys were pretreated with 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg L-deprenyl intramuscularly 30 min prior to D-amphetamine baseline sessions. D-Amphetamine maintained high rates of drug-seeking behavior on the second-order schedule. D-Deprenyl maintained high rates of drug-seeking behavior similar to D-amphetamine. L-Deprenyl maintained lower rates of responding that were not significantly above saline substitution levels. Pretreatment with L-deprenyl failed to alter drug-seeking behavior maintained by D-amphetamine. These results indicate that D-deprenyl, but not L-deprenyl, may have abuse potential. Under conditions where drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviors are actively maintained by D-amphetamine, L-deprenyl, at doses that specifically inhibit type B monoamine oxidase, may not be effective as a treatment.

Metabolic transformation plays a primary role in the psychostimulant-like discriminative-stimulus effects of selegiline [(R)-(-)-deprenyl]

l-Deprenyl [selegiline, (R)-(-)-deprenyl] is a selective inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and proposed as an antidepressant and an aid for cigarette-smoking cessation and treatment of psychostimulant abuse. Beneficial therapeutic effects of (R)-(-)-deprenyl may also result from indirect actions. Brain levels of dopamine and beta-phenylethylamine (beta-PEA), a behaviorally active endogenous trace amine, increase after (R)-(-)-deprenyl treatment due to MAO-B blockade and (R)-(-)-deprenyl is metabolized to (R)-(-)-methamphetamine and (R)-(-)-amphetamine, suggesting that (R)-(-)-deprenyl may have psychostimulant-like behavioral effects. Indeed, (R)-(-)-deprenyl produces psychostimulant-like discriminative-stimulus effects in experimental animals. Here, we tested the hypothesis that psychostimulant-like behavioral effects of (R)-(-)-deprenyl are mainly mediated by its metabolites. Male Fisher F344 rats were trained to discriminate i.p. injection of 1.0 mg/kg (S)-(+)-methamphetamine or 10.0 mg/kg cocaine from injection of saline using two-lever choice schedules of food delivery or stimulus shock termination. When (R)-(-)-deprenyl was tested by substitution, it had (S)-(+)-methamphetamine- and cocaine-like discriminative-stimulus effects, but only at doses of 10 to 30 mg/kg, doses 10 to 20 times higher than those selective for MAO-B inhibition. Ro 16-6491 [N-(2-aminoethyl)-4-chlorobenzamide hydrochloride], a selective inhibitor of MAO-B enzyme activity without psychoactive metabolites, had no psychostimulant-like discriminative effects. In addition, blockade of (R)-(-)-deprenyl's metabolism with SKF 525A (beta-DEAE-diphenylpropylacetate hydrochloride; 50 mg/kg i.p.) reduced or eliminated (R)-(-)-deprenyl's psychostimulant-like discriminative effects. When beta-PEA synthesis was blocked by NSD 1015 (m-hydroxy-benzyl-hydrazine; 30 mg/kg i.p.), there was a modest reversal of (R)-(-)-deprenyl's psychostimulant-like discriminative effects under some conditions, indicating a facilitatory modulation of the psychostimulant-like discriminative effects of (R)-(-)-deprenyl metabolites by elevated levels of beta-PEA under certain conditions.

Discriminative stimulus and reinforcing effects of p-fluoro-L-deprenyl in monkeys

RATIONALE

para-Fluoro-L-deprenyl (Fludepryl), a halogenated derivative of L-deprenyl, shares structural similarities with amphetamine and may have potential as a medication for psychostimulant abuse.

OBJECTIVES

p-Fluoro-L-deprenyl was evaluated for psychomotor stimulant, discriminative stimulus, and reinforcing effects in squirrel monkeys.

METHODS

One group of monkeys was trained under a ten-response fixed-ratio (FR10) schedule of stimulus termination to discriminate between methamphetamine (0.32 mg/kg, i.m.) and saline. Other monkeys were trained to self-administer i.v. cocaine under either a simple FR10 schedule or a second-order fixed-interval 5-min schedule with FR10 components.

RESULTS

Full generalization to the methamphetamine-training stimulus was produced by an i.m. dose of 10.0 mg/kg p-fluoro-L-deprenyl. L-Deprenyl and the metabolites of p-fluoro-L-deprenyl, p-fluoro-L-amphetamine, and p-fluoro-L-methylamphetamine were more potent, producing full generalization at doses of 1.0-3.2 mg/kg. Under the FR10 schedule of drug injection, persistent self-administration behavior was maintained by i.v. cocaine injections but not by injections of vehicle or injection doses of p-fluoro-L-deprenyl up to 1.0 mg/kg. However, p-fluoro-L-deprenyl did maintain moderate levels of i.v. self-administration responding under the second-order schedule of drug injection. Peak response rates maintained by 0.1-mg/kg injections of p-fluoro-L-deprenyl were significantly greater than those associated with saline substitution, yet significantly lower than those maintained by cocaine or D-amphetamine.

CONCLUSIONS

p-Fluoro-L-deprenyl has methamphetamine-like discriminative-stimulus properties in squirrel monkeys that appear at higher doses than for its parent compound, L-deprenyl. It also appears to function as a relatively limited reinforcer of intravenous self-administration behavior in monkeys trained to self-administer i.v. cocaine.

Self-administration of cannabinoids by experimental animals and human marijuana smokers

Drug self-administration behavior has been one of the most direct and productive approaches for studying the reinforcing effects of psychoactive drugs, which are critical in determining their abuse potential. Cannabinoids, which are usually abused by humans in the form of marijuana, have become the most frequently abused illicit class of drugs in the United States. The early elucidation of the structure and stereochemistry of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in 1964, which is now recognized as the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, activated cannabinoid research worldwide. This review examines advances in research on cannabinoid self-administration behavior by humans and laboratory animals. There have been numerous laboratory demonstrations of the reinforcing effects of cannabinoids in human subjects, but reliable self-administration of cannabinoids by laboratory animals has only recently been demonstrated. It has now been shown that strong and persistent self-administration behavior can be maintained in experimentally and drug-naïve squirrel monkeys by doses of THC comparable to those in marijuana smoke inhaled by humans. Furthermore, reinforcing effects of some synthetic CB1 cannabinoid agonists have been recently reported using intravenous and intracerebroventricular self-administration procedures in rats and mice. These findings support previous conclusions that THC has a pronounced abuse liability comparable to other drugs of abuse under certain experimental conditions. Self-administration of THC by squirrel monkeys provides the most reliable animal model for human marijuana abuse available to date. This animal model now makes it possible to study the relative abuse liability of other natural and synthetic cannabinoids and to preclinically assess new therapeutic strategies for the treatment or prevention of marijuana abuse in humans.

Involvement of adenosine A1 receptors in the discriminative-stimulus effects of caffeine in rats

RATIONALE

Caffeine is a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist in vitro, but involvement of different adenosine receptor subtypes, particularly adenosine A1 and A 2A receptors, in the central effects of caffeine remains a matter of debate.

OBJECTIVE

Investigate the role of adenosine A1 and A 2A receptors in the discriminative-stimulus effects of caffeine.

METHODS

Rats were trained to discriminate an injection of 30 mg/kg (i.p.) caffeine from saline. The selective A1 receptor antagonist CPT, the selective A 2A receptor antagonist MSX-3 and the non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist DMPX were assessed for their ability to produce caffeine-like discriminative effects. The ability of CPT, MSX-3, the A1 receptor agonist CPA and the A 2A receptor agonist CGS21680 to reduce the discriminative effects of caffeine was also tested. Radioligand binding experiments with membrane preparations from rat striatum and transfected mammalian cell lines were performed to characterize binding affinity profiles of the different adenosine antagonists used in the present study (caffeine, DMPX, CPT and MSX-3) in relation to all known adenosine receptors (A1, A 2A, A 2B, A3).

RESULTS

DMPX and CPT, but not MSX-3, produced significant caffeine-like discriminative effects. MSX-3, but not CPT, markedly reduced the discriminative effects of caffeine and the caffeine-like discriminative effects of CPT. Furthermore, the A1 receptor agonist CPA, but not the A 2A agonist CGS21680, reduced caffeine's discriminative effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Adenosine A1 receptor blockade is involved in the discriminative-stimulus effects of behaviorally relevant doses of caffeine; A 2A receptor blockade does not play a central role in caffeine's discriminative effects and counteracts the A1 receptor-mediated discriminative-stimulus effects of caffeine.

Sigma1 receptor upregulation after chronic methamphetamine self-administration in rats: a study with yoked controls

RATIONALE

Sigma(1) receptors (Sig-1R) are implicated in behavioral sensitization, conditioned place preference, and cellular restructuring induced by psychostimulants. We previously reported that rats which actively self-administered methamphetamine for 5 weeks and were then withdrawn from methamphetamine for 24 h showed downregulation of dopamine D(2) autoreceptors (approximately 30%) in the midbrain and this was not seen in rats that passively received injections of methamphetamine or saline at the same time (yoked controls). Involvement of Sig-1R in the self-administration of psychostimulants, however, has never been reported.

OBJECTIVES

This study examined neuroadaptive changes in Sig-1R in the brains of rats self-administering methamphetamine.

METHODS

Three groups of rats were tested simultaneously 5 days per week, for 5 weeks (25 daily sessions). Two groups served as yoked controls and passively received an injection of either 0.1 mg/kg methamphetamine or saline (not contingent on responding) each time a response-contingent injection of 0.1 mg/kg methamphetamine was actively self-administered by the first group of rats. Protein and mRNA levels of Sig-1R were then measured by Western and Northern blottings, respectively.

RESULTS

There was a marked upregulation of Sig-1R proteins (50%) in the midbrain and altered levels of Sig-1R mRNA in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of rats that learned to actively self-administer methamphetamine, but not in yoked methamphetamine- or saline-control rats.

CONCLUSIONS

Neuroadaptive increases in Sig-1R seen in this study may contribute to the reinforcing effects of methamphetamine. This upregulation of Sig-1R may be mediated by increased protein kinase A activity due to downregulation of dopamine D(2) autoreceptors.

Histamine h3 receptor antagonists potentiate methamphetamine self-administration and methamphetamine-induced accumbal dopamine release

Methamphetamine administration increases brain levels of histamine and neuronal histamine attenuates several of methamphetamine's behavioral effects. The role of different subtypes of histamine receptors in this negative feedback, however, remains unclear. There is some evidence on possible involvement of histamine H3 receptors in these actions of methamphetamine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of two histamine H3 receptor antagonists, clobenpropit and thioperamide, on rewarding and neurochemical effects of methamphetamine utilizing three in vivo methodologies, drug self-administration, drug discrimination, and microdialysis in Sprague-Dawley rats. In rats self-administering methamphetamine intravenously under a fixed-ratio schedule, presession treatment with thioperamide (1.0-3.0 mg/kg, subcutaneous, s.c.) or clobenpropit (1.0-3.0 mg/kg, s.c.) potentiated the reinforcing effects of methamphetamine, as indicated by a dose-dependent increase in responding for a low 0.03 mg/kg dose of methamphetamine, that by itself failed to maintain responding above saline substitution levels, and a decrease in responding for a higher 0.06 mg/kg training dose of methamphetamine. In contrast, neither thioperamide nor clobenpropit treatment increased responding during saline substitution. In other rats trained to discriminate intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 1.0 mg/kg methamphetamine from i.p. injection of saline, both thioperamide and clobenpropit (0.3-3.0 mg/kg, s.c.) dose dependently increased methamphetamine-appropriate responding when administered with a low 0.3 mg/kg i.p. dose of methamphetamine, which by itself produced predominantly saline-appropriate responding. However, thioperamide and clobenpropit produced only saline-appropriate responding when administered with saline vehicle. Finally, thioperamide and clobenpropit potentiated methamphetamine-induced elevations in extracellular dopamine levels in the shell of the nucleus accumbens, but did not increase brain dopamine levels when given alone. These findings point to histamine H3 receptors as a new and important receptor system modulating the reinforcing, subjective, and neurochemical actions of methamphetamine.

The opioid antagonist naltrexone reduces the reinforcing effects of Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in squirrel monkeys

RATIONALE

Experimental evidence from animal studies suggests reciprocal functional interactions between endogenous brain cannabinoid and opioid systems. There is recent evidence for a role of the opioid system in the modulation of the reinforcing effects of synthetic cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonists in rodents. Since Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the natural psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, is actively and persistently self-administered by squirrel monkeys, this provides an opportunity to directly study involvement of opioid systems in the reinforcing effects of THC in non-human primates.

OBJECTIVES

To study the effects of naltrexone, an opioid antagonist, on THC self-administration behavior in squirrel monkeys.

METHODS

Monkeys pressed a lever for intravenous injections of THC under a ten-response, fixed-ratio (FR) schedule with a 60-s time-out after each injection. Effects of pre-session treatment with naltrexone (0.03-0.3 mg/kg intramuscularly, 15 min before session) for 5 consecutive days on self-administration of different doses of THC (2-8 microg/kg per injection) were studied.

RESULTS

Self-administration responding for THC was significantly reduced by pretreatment with 0.1 mg/kg naltrexone for five consecutive daily sessions. Naltrexone pretreatment had no significant effect on cocaine self-administration responding under identical conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-administration behavior under a fixed-ratio schedule of intravenous THC injection was markedly reduced by daily pre-session treatment with naltrexone, but remained above saline self-administration levels. These findings demonstrate for the first time the modulation of the reinforcing effects of THC by an opioid antagonist in a non-human primate model of marijuana abuse.