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  • 1.
    Aoun, E. G.
    et al.
    Brown Univ, RI 02912 USA.
    Jimenez, V. A.
    Oregon Hlth and Sci Univ, OR 97201 USA.
    Vendruscolo, L. F.
    Scripps Res Inst, CA 92037 USA; NIDA, MD 20892 USA.
    Walter, N. A. R.
    Oregon Hlth and Sci Univ, OR 97201 USA.
    Barbier, Estelle
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Ferrulli, A.
    Univ Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Italy.
    Haass-Koffler, C. L.
    Brown Univ, RI 02912 USA; NIAAA, MD 20892 USA; NIDA, MD 20892 USA.
    Darakjian, P.
    Oregon Hlth and Sci Univ, OR 97201 USA.
    Lee, M. R.
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA; NIDA, MD 20892 USA.
    Addolorato, G.
    Univ Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Italy.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Hitzemann, R.
    Oregon Hlth and Sci Univ, OR 97201 USA.
    Koob, G. F.
    Scripps Res Inst, CA 92037 USA; NIAAA, MD 20852 USA.
    Grant, K. A.
    Oregon Hlth and Sci Univ, OR 97201 USA.
    Leggio, L.
    Brown Univ, RI 02912 USA; NIAAA, MD 20892 USA; NIDA, MD 20892 USA.
    A relationship between the aldosterone-mineralocorticoid receptor pathway and alcohol drinking: preliminary translational findings across rats, monkeys and humans2018In: Molecular Psychiatry, ISSN 1359-4184, E-ISSN 1476-5578, Vol. 23, no 6, p. 1466-1473Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Aldosterone regulates electrolyte and fluid homeostasis through binding to the mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs). Previous work provides evidence for a role of aldosterone in alcohol use disorders (AUDs). We tested the hypothesis that high functional activity of the mineralocorticoid endocrine pathway contributes to vulnerability for AUDs. In Study 1, we investigated the relationship between plasma aldosterone levels, ethanol self-administration and the expression of CYP11B2 and MR (NR3C2) genes in the prefrontal cortex area (PFC) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) in monkeys. Aldosterone significantly increased after 6- and 12-month ethanol self-administration. NR3C2 expression in the CeA was negatively correlated to average ethanol intake during the 12 months. In Study 2, we measured Nr3c2 mRNA levels in the PFC and CeA of dependent and nondependent rats and the correlates with ethanol drinking during acute withdrawal. Low Nr3c2 expression levels in the CeA were significantly associated with increased anxiety-like behavior and compulsive-like drinking in dependent rats. In Study 3, the relationship between plasma aldosterone levels, alcohol drinking and craving was investigated in alcohol-dependent patients. Non-abstinent patients had significantly higher aldosterone levels than abstinent patients. Aldosterone levels positively correlated with the number of drinks consumed, craving and anxiety scores. These findings support a relationship between ethanol drinking and the aldosterone/MR pathway in three different species.

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  • 2.
    Augier, Eric
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Barbier, Estelle
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Dulman, Russell S
    Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
    Licheri, Valentina
    Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Göteborg, 413 90 Göteborg, Sweden.
    Augier, Gaëlle
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Domi, Esi
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Barchiesi, Riccardo
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Farris, Sean
    The Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
    Nätt, Daniel
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Mayfield, R Dayne
    The Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
    Adermark, Louise
    Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Göteborg, 413 90 Göteborg, Sweden.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    A molecular mechanism for choosing alcohol over an alternative reward.2018In: Science, ISSN 0036-8075, E-ISSN 1095-9203, Vol. 360, no 6395, p. 1321-1326Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Alcohol addiction leads to increased choice of alcohol over healthy rewards. We established an exclusive choice procedure in which ~15% of outbred rats chose alcohol over a high-value reward. These animals displayed addiction-like traits, including high motivation to obtain alcohol and pursuit of this drug despite adverse consequences. Expression of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter GAT-3 was selectively decreased within the amygdala of alcohol-choosing rats, whereas a knockdown of this transcript reversed choice preference of rats that originally chose a sweet solution over alcohol. GAT-3 expression was selectively decreased in the central amygdala of alcohol-dependent people compared to those who died of unrelated causes. Impaired GABA clearance within the amygdala contributes to alcohol addiction, appears to translate between species, and may offer targets for new pharmacotherapies for treating this disorder.

  • 3.
    Augier, Eric
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Dulman, Russell S.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Damadzic, Ruslan
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Pilling, Andrew
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Hamilton, Paul
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    The GABA(B) Positive Allosteric Modulator ADX71441 Attenuates Alcohol Self-Administration and Relapse to Alcohol Seeking in Rats2017In: Neuropsychopharmacology, ISSN 0893-133X, E-ISSN 1740-634X, Vol. 42, no 9, p. 1789-1799Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    GABAergic signaling is involved in modulating the reinforcing properties of alcohol, and GABA(B) receptors have been proposed as a potential target for clinical treatment of alcoholism. The orthosteric GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen has been shown to suppress operant self-administration of alcohol in animals and alcohol use in alcohol-dependent patients, but its utility is limited by a narrow therapeutic index. We tested the effects of ADX71441, a novel GABA(B) receptor positive allosteric modulator, on alcohol-related behaviors in rats. We first assessed the effects of ADX71441 ( 1, 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg, I.P.) on both non-dependent and dependent male Wistar rats trained to self-administer 20% alcohol. We then determined the effects of ADX71441 on stress-induced as well as cue-induced relapse-like behavior. Finally, we sought to identify the brain regions through which ADX71441 may act to prevent relapse-like behavior by mapping the neuronal activation induced by stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking using c-Fos immunohistochemistry. ADX71441 dose-dependently decreased alcohol self-administration of both dependent and non-dependent animals, but its potency was higher in alcohol-dependent rats. Furthermore, both cue-and stress-induced alcohol seeking were blocked by the GABA(B) receptor positive allosteric modulator. Finally, pretreatment with 3 mg/kg of ADX71441 before stress-induced reinstatement significantly decreased c-Fos expression in a network of brain regions implicated in stress-induced relapse, comprising the nucleus accumbens shell, the dorsal raphe nucleus and the medial prefrontal cortex. Our findings support a causal role of GABAB receptors in alcohol reinforcement and relapse to alcohol seeking. These effects are observed in the absence of significant sedative side effects. Jointly, these observations indicate that GABAB receptor positive allosteric modulators merit being tested clinically for the treatment of alcoholism. Our data also point to a potential biomarker of target engagement for early clinical studies.

  • 4.
    Augier, Eric
    et al.
    Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN). Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Dulman, Russell S.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Rauffenbart, Caroline
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Augier, Gaelle
    Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN). Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Cross, Alan J.
    AstraZeneca Neurosci, MA USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN). Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    The mGluR2 Positive Allosteric Modulator, AZD8529, and Cue-Induced Relapse to Alcohol Seeking in Rats2016In: Neuropsychopharmacology, ISSN 0893-133X, E-ISSN 1740-634X, Vol. 41, no 12, p. 2932-2940Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR2 and mGluR3) may control relapse of alcohol seeking, but previously available Group II agonists were unable to discriminate between mGluR2 and mGluR3. Here we use AZD8529, a novel positive allosteric mGluR2 modulator, to determine the role of this receptor for alcohol-related behaviors in rats. We assessed the effects of AZD8529 (20 and 40 mg/kg s.c.) on male Wistar rats trained to self-administer 20% alcohol and determined the effects of AZD8529 on self-administration, as well as stress-induced and cue-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking. The on-target nature of findings was evaluated in Indiana P-rats, a line recently shown to carry a mutation that disrupts the gene encoding mGluR2. The behavioral specificity of AZD8529 was assessed using self-administration of 0.2% saccharin and locomotor activity tests. AZD8529 marginally decreased alcohol self-administration at doses that neither affected 0.2% saccharin self-administration nor locomotor activity. More importantly, cue- but not stress-induced alcohol seeking was blocked by the mGluR2 positive allosteric modulator. This effect of AZD8529 was completely absent in P rats lacking functional mGluR2s, demonstrating the receptor specificity of this effect. Our findings provide evidence fora causal role of mGluR2 in cue induced relapse to alcohol seeking. They contribute support for the notion that positive allosteric modulators of mGluR2 block relapse-like behavior across different drug categories.

  • 5.
    Augier, Eric
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Dulman, Russell S.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, USA.
    Singley, Erick
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    A Method for Evaluating the Reinforcing Properties of Ethanol in Rats without Water Deprivation, Saccharin Fading or Extended Access Training2017In: Journal of Visualized Experiments, E-ISSN 1940-087X, no 119, article id e53305Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Operant oral self-administration methods are commonly used to study the reinforcing properties of ethanol in animals. However, the standard methods require saccharin/sucrose fading, water deprivation and/or extended training to initiate operant responding in rats. This paper describes a novel and efficient method to quickly initiate operant responding for ethanol that is convenient for experimenters and does not require water deprivation or saccharin/sucrose fading, thus eliminating the potential confound of using sweeteners in ethanol operant self-administration studies. With this method, Wistar rats typically acquire and maintain self-administration of a 20% ethanol solution in less than two weeks of training. Furthermore, blood ethanol concentrations and rewards are positively correlated for a 30 min self-administration session. Moreover, naltrexone, an FDA-approved medication for alcohol dependence that has been shown to suppress ethanol self-administration in rodents, dose-dependently decreases alcohol intake and motivation to consume alcohol for rats self-administering 20% ethanol, thus validating the use of this new method to study the reinforcing properties of alcohol in rats.

  • 6.
    Aziz, Abdul Maruf Asif
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Cell Biology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Brothers, Shaun
    University of Miami Health System, University of Miami, Miami, USA.
    Sartor, Gregory
    University of Miami Health System, University of Miami, Miami, USA.
    Holm, Lovisa
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Cell Biology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN). Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Wahlestedt, Claes
    University of Miami Health System, University of Miami, Miami, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Cell Biology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    The nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor agonist SR-8993 as a candidate therapeutic for alcohol use disorders: validation in rat models2016In: Psychopharmacology, ISSN 0033-3158, E-ISSN 1432-2072, Vol. 233, no 19-20, p. 3553-3563Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    RATIONALE: Alcoholism is a complex disorder in which diverse pathophysiological processes contribute to initiation and progression, resulting in a high degree of heterogeneity among patients. Few pharmacotherapies are presently available, and patient responses to these are variable. The nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptor has been suggested to play a role both in alcohol reward and in negatively reinforced alcohol seeking. Previous studies have shown that NOP-receptor activation reduces alcohol intake in genetically selected alcohol-preferring as well as alcohol-dependent rats. NOP activation also blocks stress- and cue-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior.

    OBJECTIVES: Here, we aimed to examine a novel, potent, and brain-penetrant small-molecule NOP-receptor agonist, SR-8993, in animal models of alcohol- as well as anxiety-related behavior using male Wistar rats.

    RESULTS: SR-8993 was mildly anxiolytic when given to naïve animals and potently reversed acute alcohol withdrawal-induced ("hangover") anxiety. SR-8993 reduced both home-cage limited access drinking, operant responding for alcohol, and escalation induced through prolonged intermittent access to alcohol. SR-8993 further attenuated stress- as well as cue-induced relapse to alcohol seeking. For the effective dose (1.0 mg/kg), non-specific effects such as sedation may be limited, since a range of control behaviors were unaffected, and this dose did not interact with alcohol elimination.

    CONCLUSION: These findings provide further support for NOP-receptor agonism as a promising candidate treatment for alcoholism and establish SR-8993 or related molecules as suitable for further development as therapeutics.

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  • 7.
    Badiani, Aldo
    et al.
    Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Sussex Addiction Research and Intervention Centre (SARIC), University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
    Berridge, Kent C.
    Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Nutt, David J.
    Imperial College, London, UK.
    Robinson, Terry E.
    Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
    Comments: Addiction research and theory: a commentary on the Surgeon Generals Report on alcohol, drugs, and health2018In: Addiction Biology, ISSN 1355-6215, E-ISSN 1369-1600, Vol. 23, no 1, p. 3-5Article in journal (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    The Office of the Surgeon General recently produced its first Report on the consequences of alcohol and drug abuse on health, making several very laudable policy recommendations. The Report also emphasizes the importance of adequate funding for biomedical research, which is good news for both researchers and patients. However, the Report is marred by a biased viewpoint on the psychology and neurobiology of drug addiction. We highlight here four controversial issues that were depicted as facts in the Report, thereby potentially misleading non-expert readers about the current state-of-the-art understanding of the psychology and neurobiology of drug addiction. It will be important to recognize a fuller range of scientific viewpoints in addiction neuroscience to avoid amplifying this bias in the coming years.

  • 8.
    Baker, Maggie
    et al.
    NIAAA, USA.
    Lindell, Stephen G.
    NIAAA, USA.
    Driscoll, Carlos A.
    NIAAA, USA.
    Zhou, Zhifeng
    NIAAA, USA.
    Yuan, Qiaoping
    NIAAA, USA.
    Schwandt, Melanie L.
    NIAAA, USA.
    Miller-Crews, Isaac
    NIAAA, USA.
    Simpson, Elizabeth A.
    Eunice Shriver Kennedy National Institute Child Health and Huma, MD 20837 USA.
    Paukner, Annika
    Eunice Shriver Kennedy National Institute Child Health and Huma, MD 20837 USA.
    Francesco Ferrari, Pier
    University of Claude Bernard Lyon, France.
    Kumar Sindhu, Ravi
    NIAAA, MD 20852 USA.
    Razaqyar, Muslima
    NIAAA, USA.
    Sommer, Wolfgang H.
    Heidelberg University, Germany; Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Lopez, Juan F.
    University of Michigan, MI 48109 USA.
    Thompson, Robert C.
    University of Michigan, MI 48109 USA.
    Goldman, David
    NIAAA, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Dee Higley, J.
    Brigham Young University, UT 84602 USA.
    Suomi, Stephen J.
    Eunice Shriver Kennedy National Institute Child Health and Huma, MD 20837 USA.
    Barr, Christina S.
    NIAAA, USA.
    Early rearing history influences oxytocin receptor epigenetic regulation in rhesus macaques2017In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, ISSN 0027-8424, E-ISSN 1091-6490, Vol. 114, no 44, p. 11769-11774Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Adaptations to stress can occur through epigenetic processes and may be a conduit for informing offspring of environmental challenge. We employed ChIP-sequencing for H3K4me3 to examine effects of early maternal deprivation (peer-rearing, PR) in archived rhesus macaque hippocampal samples (male, n = 13). Focusing on genes with roles in stress response and behavior, we assessed the effects of rearing on H3K4me3 binding by ANOVA. We found decreased H3K4me3 binding at genes critical to behavioral stress response, the most robust being the oxytocin receptor gene OXTR, for which we observed a corresponding decrease in RNA expression. Based on this finding, we performed behavioral analyses to deter mine whether a gain-of-function nonsynonymous OXTR SNP inter acted with early stress to influence relevant behavioral stress reactivity phenotypes (n = 194), revealing that this SNP partially rescued the PR phenotype. PR infants exhibited higher levels of separation anxiety and arousal in response to social separation, but infants carrying the alternative OXTR allele did not exhibit as great a separation response. These data indicate that the oxytocin system is involved in social-separation response and suggest that epigenetic down-modulation of OXTR could contribute to behavior al differences observed in PR animals. Epigenetic changes at OXTR may represent predictive adaptive responses that could impart readiness to respond to environmental challenge or maintain proximity to a caregiver but also contribute to behavioral pathology. Our data also demonstrate that OXTR polymorphism can permit animals to partially overcome the detrimental effects of early maternal deprivation, which could have translational implications for human psychiatric disorders.

  • 9.
    Barbier, Estelle
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Barchiesi, Riccardo
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Domi, Ana
    Univ Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Chanthongdee, Kanat
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Mahidol Univ, Thailand.
    Domi, Esi
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Gaëlle
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Xu, Li
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Sichuan Prov Peoples Hosp, Peoples R China.
    Adermark, Louise
    Univ Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Downregulation of Synaptotagmin 1 in the Prelimbic Cortex Drives Alcohol-Associated Behaviors in Rats2021In: Biological Psychiatry, ISSN 0006-3223, E-ISSN 1873-2402, Vol. 89, no 4, p. 398-406Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    BACKGROUND: Alcohol addiction is characterized by persistent neuroadaptations in brain structures involved in motivation, emotion, and decision making, including the medial prefrontal cortex, the nucleus accumbens, and the amygdala. We previously reported that induction of alcohol dependence was associated with long-term changes in the expression of genes involved in neurotransmitter release. Specifically, Syt1, which plays a key role in neurotransmitter release and neuronal functions, was downregulated. Here, we therefore examined the role of Syt1 in alcohol-associated behaviors in rats. METHODS: We evaluated the effect of Syt1 downregulation using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) containing a short hairpin RNA against Syt1. Cre-dependent Syt1 was also used in combination with an rAAV2 retro-Cre virus to assess circuit-specific effects of Syt1 knockdown (KD). RESULTS: Alcohol-induced downregulation of Syt1 is specific to the prelimbic cortex (PL), and KD of Syt1 in the PL resulted in escalated alcohol consumption, increased motivation to consume alcohol, and increased alcohol drinking despite negative consequences ("compulsivity"). Syt1 KD in the PL altered the excitation/inhibition balance in the basolateral amygdala, while the nucleus accumbens core was unaffected. Accordingly, a projection-specific Syt1 KD in the PL-basolateral amygdala projection was sufficient to increase compulsive alcohol drinking, while a KD of Syt1 restricted to PL-nucleus accumbens core projecting neurons had no effect on tested alcohol-related behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data suggest that dysregulation of Syt1 is an important mechanism in long-term neuroadaptations observed after a history of alcohol dependence, and that Syt1 regulates alcohol-related behaviors in part by affecting a PL-basolateral amygdala brain circuit.

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  • 10.
    Barbier, Estelle
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    mTORC and ProSAPiP1: How Alcohol Changes Synapses of Reward Circuitry2017In: Neuron, ISSN 0896-6273, E-ISSN 1097-4199, Vol. 96, no 1Article in journal (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Alcohol addiction is characterized by broad and persistent changes in brain function, but the underlying neural adaptations remain largely unknown. In this issue of Neuron, Laguesse et al. (2017) describe a neural mechanism through which long-term alcohol exposure induces structural and synaptic adaptations that promote excessive alcohol use.

  • 11.
    Barbier, Estelle
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Johnstone, A. L.
    University of Miami, FL 33136 USA.
    Khomtchouk, B. B.
    University of Miami, FL 33136 USA.
    Tapocik, J. D.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Pitcairn, C.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Rehman, F.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Borich, A.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Schank, J. R.
    University of Georgia, GA 30602 USA.
    Rienas, C. A.
    University of Miami, FL 33136 USA.
    Van Booven, D. J.
    University of Miami, FL 33136 USA.
    Sun, H.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Nätt, Daniel
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Wahlestedt, C.
    University of Miami, FL 33136 USA; University of Miami, FL 33136 USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry. NIAAA, MD USA.
    Dependence-induced increase of alcohol self-administration and compulsive drinking mediated by the histone methyltransferase PRDM22017In: Molecular Psychiatry, ISSN 1359-4184, E-ISSN 1476-5578, Vol. 22, no 12, p. 1746-1758Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Epigenetic processes have been implicated in the pathophysiology of alcohol dependence, but the specific molecular mechanisms mediating dependence-induced neuroadaptations remain largely unknown. Here, we found that a history of alcohol dependence persistently decreased the expression of Prdm2, a histone methyltransferase that monomethylates histone 3 at the lysine 9 residue (H3K9me1), in the rat dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC). Downregulation of Prdm2 was associated with decreased H3K9me1, supporting that changes in Prdm2 mRNA levels affected its activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by massively parallel DNA sequencing showed that genes involved in synaptic communication are epigenetically regulated by H3K9me1 in dependent rats. In non-dependent rats, viral-vector-mediated knockdown of Prdm2 in the dmPFC resulted in expression changes similar to those observed following a history of alcohol dependence. Prdm2 knockdown resulted in increased alcohol self-administration, increased aversion-resistant alcohol intake and enhanced stress-induced relapse to alcohol seeking, a phenocopy of postdependent rats. Collectively, these results identify a novel epigenetic mechanism that contributes to the development of alcohol-seeking behavior following a history of dependence.

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  • 12.
    Barbier, Estelle
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Tapocik, Jenica D.
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Juergens, Nathan
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Pitcairn, Caleb
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Borich, Abbey
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Schank, Jesse R.
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Sun, Hui
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Schuebel, Kornel
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Zhou, Zhifeng
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Yuan, Qiaoping
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Vendruscolo, Leandro F.
    NIDA, MD 21224 USA.
    Goldman, David
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    DNA Methylation in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Regulates Alcohol-Induced Behavior and Plasticity2015In: Journal of Neuroscience, ISSN 0270-6474, E-ISSN 1529-2401, Vol. 35, no 15, p. 6153-6164Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Recent studies have suggested an association between alcoholism and DNA methylation, a mechanism that can mediate long-lasting changes in gene transcription. Here, we examined the contribution of DNA methylation to the long-term behavioral and molecular changes induced by a history of alcohol dependence. In search of mechanisms underlying persistent rather than acute dependence-induced neuroadaptations, we studied the role of DNA methylation regulating medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) gene expression and alcohol-related behaviors in rats 3 weeks into abstinence following alcohol dependence. Postdependent rats showed escalated alcohol intake, which was associated with increased DNA methylation as well as decreased expression of genes encoding synaptic proteins involved in neurotransmitter release in the mPFC. Infusion of the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor RG108 prevented both escalation of alcohol consumption and dependence-induced downregulation of 4 of the 7 transcripts modified in postdependent rats. Specifically, RG108 treatment directly reversed both downregulation of synaptotagmin 2 (Syt2) gene expression and hypermethylation on CpG#5 of its first exon. Lentiviral inhibition of Syt2 expression in the mPFC increased aversion-resistant alcohol drinking, supporting a mechanistic role of Syt2 in compulsive-like behavior. Our findings identified a functional role of DNA methylation in alcohol dependence-like behavioral phenotypes and a candidate gene network that may mediate its effects. Together, these data provide novel evidence for DNA methyltransferases as potential therapeutic targets in alcoholism.

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  • 13.
    Barchiesi, Riccardo
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Chanthongdee, Kanat
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Mahidol Univ, Thailand.
    Domi, Esi
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Gobbo, Francesco
    Univ Edinburgh, Scotland.
    Coppola, Andrea
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Asratian, Anna
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Toivainen, Sanne
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Holm, Lovisa
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Gaëlle
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Xu, Li
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Univ Elect Sci & Technol China, Peoples R China.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Barbier, Estelle
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Stress-induced escalation of alcohol self-administration, anxiety-like behavior, and elevated amygdala Avp expression in a susceptible subpopulation of rats2021In: Addiction Biology, ISSN 1355-6215, E-ISSN 1369-1600, Vol. 26, no 5, article id e13009Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Comorbidity between alcohol use and anxiety disorders is associated with more severe symptoms and poorer treatment outcomes than either of the conditions alone. There is a well-known link between stress and the development of these disorders, with post-traumatic stress disorder as a prototypic example. Post-traumatic stress disorder can arise as a consequence of experiencing traumatic events firsthand and also after witnessing them. Here, we used a model of social defeat and witness stress in rats, to study shared mechanisms of stress-induced anxiety-like behavior and escalated alcohol self-administration. Similar to what is observed clinically, we found considerable individual differences in susceptibility and resilience to the stress. Both among defeated and witness rats, we found a subpopulation in which exposure was followed by emergence of increased anxiety-like behavior and escalation of alcohol self-administration. We then profiled gene expression in tissue from the amygdala, a key brain region in the regulation of stress, alcohol use, and anxiety disorders. When comparing "comorbid" and resilient socially defeated rats, we identified a strong upregulation of vasopressin and oxytocin, and this correlated positively with the magnitude of the alcohol self-administration and anxiety-like behavior. A similar trend was observed in comorbid witness rats. Together, our findings provide novel insights into molecular mechanisms underpinning the comorbidity of escalated alcohol self-administration and anxiety-like behavior.

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  • 14.
    Barchiesi, Riccardo
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Chanthongdee, Kanat
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Mahidol Univ, Thailand.
    Petrella, Michele
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Xu, Li
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Söderholm, Simon
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Domi, Esi
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Gaëlle
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Coppola, Andrea
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Wiskerke, Joost
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Szczot, Ilona
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Domi, Ana
    Univ Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Adermark, Louise
    Univ Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Cantù, Claudio
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Barbier, Estelle
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    An epigenetic mechanism for over-consolidation of fear memories2022In: Molecular Psychiatry, ISSN 1359-4184, E-ISSN 1476-5578, Vol. 27, no 12, p. 4893-4904Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Excessive fear is a hallmark of anxiety disorders, a major cause of disease burden worldwide. Substantial evidence supports a role of prefrontal cortex-amygdala circuits in the regulation of fear and anxiety, but the molecular mechanisms that regulate their activity remain poorly understood. Here, we show that downregulation of the histone methyltransferase PRDM2 in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex enhances fear expression by modulating fear memory consolidation. We further show that Prdm2 knock-down (KD) in neurons that project from the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex to the basolateral amygdala (dmPFC-BLA) promotes increased fear expression. Prdm2 KD in the dmPFC-BLA circuit also resulted in increased expression of genes involved in synaptogenesis, suggesting that Prdm2 KD modulates consolidation of conditioned fear by modifying synaptic strength at dmPFC-BLA projection targets. Consistent with an enhanced synaptic efficacy, we found that dmPFC Prdm2 KD increased glutamatergic release probability in the BLA and increased the activity of BLA neurons in response to fear-associated cues. Together, our findings provide a new molecular mechanism for excessive fear responses, wherein PRDM2 modulates the dmPFC -BLA circuit through specific transcriptomic changes.

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  • 15.
    Bejerot, Susanne
    et al.
    Karolinska Institutet, Clinical Neuroscience Stockholm, Sweden .
    Landén, Mikael
    Göteborgs universitet, Sahlgrenska akademin, Sweden.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Anckarsäter, Henrik
    Göteborgs universitet, Sahlgrenska akademin, Sweden.
    Waern, Magda
    Göteborgs universitet, Sahlgrenska akademin, Sweden.
    Socialstyrelsens målnivåer signalerar brist på tillit2017In: Läkartidningen, ISSN 0023-7205, E-ISSN 1652-7518, Vol. 114Article in journal (Other academic)
  • 16.
    Bernardi, R. E.
    et al.
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Zohsel, K.
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Hirth, N.
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Treutlein, J.
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN). Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Laucht, M.
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Spanagel, R.
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Sommer, W. H.
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    A gene-by-sex interaction for nicotine reward: evidence from humanized mice and epidemiology2016In: Translational Psychiatry, E-ISSN 2158-3188, Vol. 6, no e861Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    It has been proposed that vulnerability to nicotine addiction is moderated by variation at the mu-opioid receptor locus (OPRM1), but results from human studies vary and prospective studies based on genotype are lacking. We have developed a humanized mouse model of the most common functional OPRM1 polymorphism rs1799971_A4G (A118G). Here we use this model system together with a cohort of German youth to examine the role of the OPRM1 A118G variation on nicotine reward. Nicotine reinforcement was examined in the humanized mouse model using i.v. self-administration. Male (n = 17) and female (n = 26) mice homozygous either for the major human A allele (AA) or the minor G allele (GG) underwent eight daily 2 h sessions of nicotine self-administration. Furthermore, male (n = 104) and female (n = 118) subjects homozygous for the A allele or carrying the G allele from the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk were evaluated for pleasurable and unpleasant experiences during their initial smoking experience. A significant sex-by-genotype effect was observed for nicotine self-administration. Male 118GG mice demonstrated higher nicotine intake than male 118AA mice, suggesting increased nicotine reinforcement. In contrast, there was no genotype effect in female mice. Human male G allele carriers reported increased pleasurable effects from their first smoking experience, as compared to male homozygous A, female G and female homozygous A allele carriers. The 118G allele appears to confer greater sensitivity to nicotine reinforcement in males, but not females.

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  • 17.
    Bilbao, Ainhoa
    et al.
    University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
    Robinson, J Elliott
    Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Malanga, C J
    Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
    Spanagel, Rainer
    University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
    Sommer, Wolfgang H
    University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
    Thorsell, Annika
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    A Pharmacogenetic Determinant of Mu-Opioid Receptor Antagonist Effects on Alcohol Reward and Consumption: Evidence from Humanized Mice.2015In: Biological Psychiatry, ISSN 0006-3223, E-ISSN 1873-2402, Vol. 77, no 10, p. 850-858Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that therapeutic responses to naltrexone in alcoholism are moderated by variation at the mu-opioid receptor gene locus (OPRM1). This remains controversial because human results vary and no prospectively genotyped studies have been reported. We generated humanized mice carrying the respective human OPRM1 A118G alleles. Here, we used this model system to examine the role of OPRM1 A118G variation for opioid antagonist effects on alcohol responses.

    METHODS: Effects of naltrexone on alcohol reward were examined using intracranial self-stimulation. Effects of naltrexone or nalmefene on alcohol intake were examined in continuous access home cage two-bottle free-choice drinking and operant alcohol self-administration paradigms.

    RESULTS: Alcohol lowered brain stimulation reward thresholds in 118GG mice in a manner characteristic of rewarding drugs, and this effect was blocked by naltrexone. Brain stimulation reward thresholds were unchanged by alcohol or naltrexone in 118AA mice. In the home cage, increased alcohol intake emerged in 118GG mice with increasing alcohol concentrations and was 33% higher at 17% alcohol. At this concentration, naltrexone selectively suppressed alcohol intake in 118GG animals to a level virtually identical to that of 118AA mice. No effect of naltrexone was found in the latter group. Similarly, both naltrexone and nalmefene were more effective in suppressing operant alcohol self-administration in 118GG mice.

    CONCLUSIONS: In a model that allows close experimental control, OPRM1 A118G variation robustly moderates effects of opioid antagonism on alcohol reward and consumption. These findings strongly support a personalized medicine approach to alcoholism treatment that takes into account OPRM1 genotype.

  • 18.
    Björk, Karl
    et al.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Terasmaa, Anton
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Sun, Hui
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Sommer, Wolfgang H.
    Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Ethanol-induced activation of AKT and DARPP-32 in the mouse striatum mediated by opioid receptors2010In: Addiction Biology, ISSN 1355-6215, E-ISSN 1369-1600, Vol. 15, no 3, p. 299-303Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The reinforcing properties of ethanol are in part attributed to interactions between opioid and dopaminergic signaling pathways, but intracellular mediators of such interactions are poorly understood. Here we report that an acute ethanol challenge induces a robust phosphorylation of two key signal transduction kinases, AKT and DARPP-32, in the striatum of mice. Ethanol-induced AKT phosphorylation was blocked by the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone but unaffected by blockade of dopamine D2 receptors via sulpiride. In contrast, DARPP-32 phosphorylation was abolished by both antagonists. These data suggest that ethanol acts via two distinct but potentially synergistic striatal signaling cascades. One of these is D2-dependent, while the other is not. These findings illustrate that pharmacology of ethanol reward is likely more complex than that for other addictive drugs.

  • 19.
    Björk, Karl
    et al.
    Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden .
    Tronci, Valeria
    Psychobiology Section, NIDA, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA .
    Thorsell, Annika
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Tanda, Gianluigi
    Psychobiology Section, NIDA, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA .
    Hirth, Natalie
    University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany .
    Heilig, Markus
    Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA .
    Hansson, Anita C.
    Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Sommer, Wolfgang H
    Laboratory of Clinical and Translational Studies, NIAAA, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    β-Arrestin 2 knockout mice exhibit sensitized dopamine release and increased reward in response to a low dose of alcohol2013In: Psychopharmacology, ISSN 0033-3158, E-ISSN 1432-2072, Vol. 230, no 3, p. 439-449Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Rationale

    The rewarding effects of alcohol have been attributed to interactions between opioid and dopaminergic system within the mesolimbic reward pathway. We have previously shown that ablation of β-arrestin 2 (Arrb2), a crucial regulator of μ-opioid receptor function, attenuates alcohol-induced hyperlocomotion and c-fos activation in the nucleus accumbens.

    Objectives

    Here, we further investigated the role of Arrb2 in modulating alcohol-induced dopamine (DA) release and conditioned place preference (CPP). We also assessed the functional importance of Arrb2 for μ-opioid receptor surface expression and signaling following an acute alcohol challenge.

    Methods

    Alcohol-evoked (0.375, 0.75, and 1.5 g/kg intraperitoneally) DA release was measured by in vivo microdialysis in the shell of nucleus accumbens. Reward was assessed by the CPP paradigm. Receptor function was assessed by μ-receptor binding and [35S]GTP-γ-S autoradiography.

    Results

    In Arrb2 knockout mice accumbal DA levels reach maximum response at a lower dose compared to wild-type (wt) animals. In line with these results, Arrb2 knockout mice display increased CPP for alcohol as compared to wt mice. Finally, Arrb2 mutant mice display increased μ-opioid receptor signaling in the ventral and dorsal striatum and amygdala in response to a low dose of alcohol, indicating impaired desensitization mechanisms in these mice.

    Conclusions

    Our results show that Arrb2 modulates the response to low doses of alcohol on various levels including μ-opioid receptor signaling, DA release, and reward. They also reveal a clear dissociation between the effects of Arrb2 on psychomotor and reward behaviors.

  • 20.
    Bäckryd, Emmanuel
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Anaesthetics, Operations and Specialty Surgery Center, Pain and Rehabilitation Center.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Hoffmann, Mikael
    Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Society and Health. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Comment on Hauser et al.: Medical use of opioids in Europe - Methodological concerns about data from the International Narcotics Control Board2022In: European Journal of Pain, ISSN 1090-3801, E-ISSN 1532-2149, Vol. 26, no 4, p. 937-938Article in journal (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    n/a

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  • 21.
    Bäckryd, Emmanuel
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Division of Community Medicine. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Anaesthetics, Operations and Specialty Surgery Center, Pain and Rehabilitation Center.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Hoffmann, Mikael
    Stiftelsen NEPI - nätverk för läkmedelsepidemiologi - Linköping, Sweden .
    Dynamiken i förskrivningen av opioider i Sverige 2000–2015 - Markanta omfördelningar inom opioidgruppen, men ingen »epidemi«2017In: Läkartidningen, ISSN 0023-7205, E-ISSN 1652-7518, Vol. 114Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Opioid prescription changes in Sweden 2000-2015 In contrast to the well-established »opioid epidemic« in the US, very little is known about how the prescription of opioids in Sweden has developed during the last decade. Aggregated data from the open Statistical database of the Swedish Board of Health and Welfare were analyzed descriptively. The yearly prevalence of opioid prescription did not change 2006-2015, but there were dramatic shifts in the choice of opioids. During this period, dextropropoxyphene was pulled off the market. Tramadol was used by fewer individuals (-54 % over the decade), but dosages expressed as Defined Daily Dose/patient/year (DDD/pat/y) increased (+41 %). In contrast, oxycodone and morphine were used by more individuals (+465 % and +137 %, respectively), but DDD/pat/y decreased during the period (-56% and -54%). Studies on non-aggregated data from available registries are needed to further elucidate the circumstances and possible consequences of these shifts in opioid prescription patterns.

  • 22.
    Bäckryd, Emmanuel
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Prevention, Rehabilitation and Community Medicine. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Anaesthetics, Operations and Specialty Surgery Center, Pain and Rehabilitation Center.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Hoffmann, Mikael
    Linköping University, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Society and Health. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Opioid availability statistics from the International Narcotics Control Board do not reflect the medical use of opioids: comparison with sales data from Scandinavia2021In: Scandinavian Journal of Pain, ISSN 1877-8860, E-ISSN 1877-8879, Vol. 21, no 4, p. 696-706Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Objectives: Opioid analgesics are essential in clinical practice, but their excessive use is associated with addiction risk. Increases in opioid prescription rates have fuelled an epidemic of opioid addiction in the USA, making statistics on medical opioid use a critical warning signal. A dramatic 150% increase in Swedish opioid access 2001-2013 was recently reported based on data from the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB; Berterame et al. 2016) in conflict with other studies of opioid use in the Nordic countries. This article aims to analyse to what degree published INCB statistics on opioids in Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) reflect actual medical use and study the methodological reasons for putative discrepancies. Methods: Data on aggregated total national sales of opioids for the whole population, including hospitals, were collected from the Swedish e-Health Authority. Total sales data for Denmark and drugs dispensed at pharmacies in Norway are publicly available through the relevant authorities websites. Results: INCB opioid statistics during the period 2001-2013 were markedly inconsistent with sales data from Scandinavia, calling the reliability of INCB data into question. INCB-data were flawed by (a) over-representing the volume of fentanyl, (b) under-reporting of codeine, and (c) by not including tramadol. Conclusions: Opioid availability, as expressed by INCB statistics, does not reflect medical opioid use. It is crucial to underline that INCB statistics are based on the manual compilation of national production, import and export data from manufacturers and drug companies. This is not the same amount that is prescribed and consumed within the health care system. Moreover, there are methodological problems in the INCB reports, in particular concerning fentanyl, codeine and tramadol. We suggest that INCB should carefully review the quality of their data on medical opioids.

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  • 23.
    Böhme, Rebecca
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV).
    Frost-Karlsson, Morgan
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV). Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Olausson, Håkan
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Anaesthetics, Operations and Specialty Surgery Center, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology. Linköping University, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV).
    Johansson Capusan, Andrea
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Sharpened self-other distinction in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder2020In: NeuroImage: Clinical, E-ISSN 2213-1582, Vol. 27, article id 102317Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Introduction

    Differentiation between self-produced tactile stimuli and touch by others is necessary for social interactions and for a coherent concept of “self”. In attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder (ADHD), tactile hypersensitivity and social cognition problems are part of the symptomatology, but pathophysiological mechanisms are largely unknown. Differentiation of self- and non-self- generated sensations might be key to understand and develop novel strategies for managing hypersensitivity. Here, we compared the neural signatures of affective self- and other-touch between adults with ADHD and neurotypical controls (NC).

    Methods

    Twenty-eight adult ADHD participants and 30 age- and gender-matched NC performed a self-other-touch-task during functional magnetic resonance imaging: they stroked their own arm, an object, or were stroked by the experimenter. In addition, tactile detection thresholds and rubber hand illusion (RHI) were measured.

    Results

    ADHD participants had more autistic traits than NC and reported to engage less in interpersonal touch. They also reported to be more sensitive to tactile stimuli. Compared to NC, ADHD participants showed enhanced responses to both the self- and other-touch conditions: stronger deactivation during self-touch in the anterior and posterior insula, and increased activation during other-touch in primary somatosensory cortex. ADHD participants had intact tactile detection thresholds, but were less susceptible to the RHI.

    Conclusions

    Unaltered detection thresholds suggest that peripheral processing is intact, and that hypersensitivity might be driven by central mechanisms. This has clinical implications for managing somatosensory hypersensitivity in ADHD. The more pronounced differentiation between self- and other-touch might indicate a clearer self-other-distinction. This is of interest regarding body ownership perception in both NC and ADHD, and possibly other psychiatric conditions with altered self-experiences, like schizophrenia. A sharper boundary of the own body might relate to deficits in social cognition and tactile hypersensitivity.

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  • 24.
    Böhme, Rebecca
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV).
    Hauser, Steven
    Univ Virginia, VA 22904 USA.
    Gerling, Gregory J.
    Univ Virginia, VA 22904 USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Psykiatriska kliniken inkl beroendekliniken.
    Olausson, Håkan
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Anaesthetics, Operations and Specialty Surgery Center, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology. Linköping University, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV).
    Distinction of self-produced touch and social touch at cortical and spinal cord levels2019In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, ISSN 0027-8424, E-ISSN 1091-6490, Vol. 116, no 6, p. 2290-2299Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Differentiation between self-produced tactile stimuli and touch by others is necessary for social interactions and for a coherent concept of "self." The mechanisms underlying this distinction are unknown. Here, we investigated the distinction between self-and other-produced light touch in healthy volunteers using three different approaches: fMRI, behavioral testing, and somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs) at spinal and cortical levels. Using fMRI, we found self-other differentiation in somatosensory and sociocognitive areas. Other-touch was related to activation in several areas, including somatosensory cortex, insula, superior temporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, striatum, amygdala, cerebellum, and prefrontal cortex. During self-touch, we instead found deactivation in insula, anterior cingulate cortex, superior temporal gyrus, amygdala, parahippocampal gyrus, and prefrontal areas. Deactivation extended into brain areas encoding low-level sensory representations, including thalamus and brainstem. These findings were replicated in a second cohort. During self-touch, the sensorimotor cortex was functionally connected to the insula, and the threshold for detection of an additional tactile stimulus was elevated. Differential encoding of self-vs. other-touch during fMRI correlated with the individual self-concept strength. In SEP, cortical amplitudes were reduced during self-touch, while latencies at cortical and spinal levels were faster for other-touch. We thus demonstrated a robust self-other distinction in brain areas related to somatosensory, social cognitive, and interoceptive processing. Signs of this distinction were evident at the spinal cord. Our results provide a framework for future studies in autism, schizophrenia, and emotionally unstable personality disorder, conditions where symptoms include social touch avoidance and poor self-vs.-other discrimination.

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  • 25.
    Carvalho, Andre F.
    et al.
    Ctr Addict and Mental Hlth, Canada; Univ Toronto, Canada.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Psykiatriska kliniken inkl beroendekliniken.
    Perez, Augusto
    Corp Nuevos Rumbos, Colombia.
    Probst, Charlotte
    Ctr Addict and Mental Hlth, Canada.
    Rehm, Jurgen
    Ctr Addict and Mental Hlth, Canada; Univ Toronto, Canada; Univ Toronto, Canada; Univ Toronto, Canada; Ctr Addict and Mental Hlth, Canada; Tech Univ Dresden, Germany; Tech Univ Dresden, Germany; Sechenov First Moscow State Med Univ, Russia.
    Alcohol use disorders2019In: The Lancet, ISSN 0140-6736, E-ISSN 1474-547X, Vol. 394, no 10200, p. 781-792Article, review/survey (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Alcohol use disorders consist of disorders characterised by compulsive heavy alcohol use and loss of control over alcohol intake. Alcohol use disorders are some of the most prevalent mental disorders globally, especially in high-income and upper-middle-income countries; and are associated with high mortality and burden of disease, mainly due to medical consequences, such as liver cirrhosis or injury. Despite their high prevalence, alcohol use disorders are undertreated partly because of the high stigma associated with them, but also because of insufficient systematic screening in primary health care, although effective and cost-effective psychosocial and pharmacological interventions do exist. Primary health care should be responsible for most treatment, with routine screening for alcohol use, and the provision of a staggered treatment response, from brief advice to pharmacological treatment. Clinical interventions for these disorders should be embedded in a supportive environment, which can be bolstered by the creation of alcohol control policies aimed at reducing the overall level of consumption.

  • 26.
    Ciccocioppo, Roberto
    et al.
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Gehlert, Donald R.
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Ryabinin, Andrey
    Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
    Kaur, Simranjit
    Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
    Cippitelli, Andrea
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Lê, Anh D.
    University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
    Hipskind, Philip A.
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Hamdouchi, Chafiq
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Lu, Jianliang
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Hembre, Erik J.
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Cramer, Jeffrey
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Song, Min
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    McKinzie, David
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Morin, Michelle
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Economidou, Daina
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Stopponi, Serena
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Cannella, Nazzareno
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Braconi, Simone
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Kallupi, Marsida
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    de Guglielmo, Giordano
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Massi, Maurizio
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    George, David T.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Gilman, Jody
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Hersh, Jacqueline
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Tauscher, Johannes T.
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Hunt, Stephen P.
    University College London, UK.
    Hommer, Daniel
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcolholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Stress-related neuropeptides and alcoholism: CRH, NPY, and beyond2009In: Alcohol, ISSN 0741-8329, E-ISSN 1873-6823, Vol. 43, no 7, p. 491-498Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This article summarizes the proceedings of a symposium held at the conference on "Alcoholism and Stress: A Framework for Future Treatment Strategies" in Volterra, Italy, May 6-9, 2008. Chaired by Markus Heilig and Roberto Ciccocioppo, this symposium offered a forum for the presentation of recent data linking neuropetidergic neurotransmission to the regulation of different alcohol-related behaviors in animals and in humans. Dr. Donald Gehlert described the development of a new corticotrophin-releasing factor receptor 1 antagonist and showed its efficacy in reducing alcohol consumption and stress-induced relapse in different animal models of alcohol abuse. Dr. Andrey Ryabinin reviewed recent findings in his laboratory, indicating a role of the urocortin 1 receptor system in the regulation of alcohol intake. Dr. Annika Thorsell showed data supporting the significance of the neuropeptide Y receptor system in the modulation of behaviors associated with a history of ethanol intoxication. Dr. Roberto Ciccocioppo focused his presentation on the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) receptors as treatment targets for alcoholism. Finally, Dr. Markus Heilig showed recent preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting that neurokinin 1 antagonism may represent a promising new treatment for alcoholism. Collectively, these investigators highlighted the significance of neuropeptidergic neurotransmission in the regulation of neurobiological mechanisms of alcohol addiction. Data also revealed the importance of these systems as treatment targets for the development of new medication for alcoholism.

  • 27.
    Cippitelli, Andrea
    et al.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Damadzic, Ruslan
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Frankola, Kate
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Goldstein, Andrea
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Singley, Erick
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Eskay, Robert L
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Alcohol-induced neurodegeneration, suppression of transforming growth factor-beta, and cognitive impairment in rats: prevention by group II metabotropic glutamate receptor activation2010In: Biological Psychiatry, ISSN 0006-3223, E-ISSN 1873-2402, Vol. 67, no 9, p. 823-830Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    BACKGROUND: Glutamatergic neurotransmission has been implicated in mechanisms of alcohol-induced neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we examined whether the group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist LY379268 prevents neuronal death and learning deficits in a rat model of binge-like exposure to alcohol.

    METHODS: Following 4-day binge alcohol exposure concurrent with LY379268 or vehicle treatment, Fluoro-Jade B and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) staining were carried out, and reversal learning in the Morris water maze was assessed.

    RESULTS: Fluoro-Jade B staining indicating neurodegeneration was most extensive in the ventral hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex (EC). LY379268 was potently neuroprotective in the EC but not in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. In parallel, binge alcohol exposure suppressed TGF-beta expression in both the EC and dentate gyrus, whereas LY379268 increased TGF-beta in the EC only. Finally, neuroprotective effects of LY379268 were accompanied by prevention of deficits in spatial reversal learning.

    CONCLUSIONS: Our data support a neuroprotective role for group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists and TGF-beta in alcohol-induced neurodegeneration.

  • 28.
    Cippitelli, Andrea
    et al.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Damadzic, Ruslan
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Hamelink, Carol
    National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Brunnquell, Michael
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Eskay, Robert L.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Binge-like ethanol consumption increases corticosterone levels and neurodegneration whereas occupancy of type II glucocorticoid receptors with mifepristone is neuroprotective2014In: Addiction Biology, ISSN 1355-6215, E-ISSN 1369-1600, Vol. 19, no 1, p. 27-36Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Excessive ethanol (EtOH) use leads to impaired memory and cognition. Using a rat model of binge-like intoxication, we tested whether elevated corticosterone (Cort) levels contribute to the neurotoxic consequences of EtOH exposure. Rats were adrenalectomized (Adx) and implanted with cholesterol pellets, or cholesterol pellets containing Cort in order to achieve basal, medium, or high blood concentrations of Cort. Intragastric EtOH or an isocaloric control solution was given three times daily for 4 days to achieve blood alcohol levels ranging between 200 and 350 mg/dl. Mean 24-hour plasma levels of Cort were ∼110 and ∼40 ng/ml in intact EtOH-treated and intact control animals, respectively. Basal Cort replacement concentrations in EtOH-treated Adx animals did not exacerbate alcohol-induced neurodegeneration in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) or the entorhinal cortex (EC) as observed by amino-cupric silver staining. In contrast, Cort replacement pellets resulting in plasma Cort levels twofold higher (medium) than normal, or greater than twofold higher (high) in Adx-Cort-EtOH animals increased neurodegeneration. In separate experiments, pharmacological blockade of the Type II glucocorticoid (GC) receptor was initiated with mifepristone (RU38486; 0, 5, 15 mg/kg/day, i.p.). At the higher dose, mifepristone decreased the number of degenerating hippocampal DG cells in binge-EtOH-treated intact animals, whereas, only a trend for reduction was observed in 15 mg/kg/day mifepristone-treated animals in the EC, as determined by fluoro-jade B staining. These results suggest that elevated circulating Cort in part mediates EtOH-induced neurotoxicity in the brain through activation of Type II GC receptors.

  • 29.
    Cippitelli, Andrea
    et al.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Damadzic, Ruslan
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Hansson, Anita C.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Singley, Erick
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Sommer, Wolfgang H.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Eskay, Robert
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Neuropeptide Y (NPY) suppresses yohimbine-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking2010In: Psychopharmacology, ISSN 0033-3158, E-ISSN 1432-2072, Vol. 208, no 3, p. 417-426Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    INTRODUCTION: Reinstatement of responding to a previously alcohol-associated lever following extinction is an established model of relapse-like behavior and can be triggered by stress exposure. Here, we examined whether neuropeptide Y (NPY), an endogenous anti-stress mediator, blocks reinstatement of alcohol-seeking induced by the pharmacological stressor yohimbine.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: NPY [5.0 or 10.0 mug/rat, intracerebroventricularly (ICV)] dose-dependently blocked the reinstatement of alcohol seeking induced by yohimbine (1.25 mg/kg, i.p.) but failed to significantly suppress the maintenance of alcohol self-administration. We then used c-fos expression mapping to examine neuronal activation following treatment with yohimbine or NPY alone or yohimbine following NPY pre-treatment.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The analysis was focused on a network of structures previously implicated in yohimbine-induced reinstatement, comprised of central (CeA) and basolateral (BLA) amygdala and the shell of the nucleus accumbens (Nc AccS). Within this network, both yohimbine and NPY potently induced neuronal activation, and their effects were additive, presumably indicating activation of excitatory and inhibitory neuronal populations, respectively.

    CONCLUSION: These results suggest that NPY selectively suppresses relapse to alcohol seeking induced by stressful events and support the NPY system as an attractive target for the treatment of alcohol addiction.

  • 30.
    Cippitelli, Andrea
    et al.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Damadzic, Ruslan
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Singley, Erick
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Ciccocioppo, Roberto
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Eskay, Robert L.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Pharmacological blockade of corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1 (CRH1R) reduces voluntary consumption of high alcohol concentrations in non-dependent Wistar rats2012In: Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, ISSN 0091-3057, E-ISSN 1873-5177, Vol. 100, no 3, p. 522-529Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    BACKGROUND: A dysregulation of the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) system has been implicated in the development of excessive alcohol consumption and dependence. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the CRH system is also recruited when non-dependent Wistar rats escalate to high alcohol intake in the intermittent (alternate days) model of drinking.

    METHODS: We compared intermittent and continuous access to 20% (v/v) alcohol in a two-bottle free choice drinking paradigm. Following a total of twenty 24-hour exposures for every experimental group, we assessed signs of alcohol withdrawal, including anxiety-like behavior and sensitivity to stress. The selective CRH1 receptor (CRH1R) antagonist antalarmin (0, 10, 20 mg/kg, i.p.) was tested on alcohol consumption.

    RESULTS: Intermittent access to 20% alcohol led non-selected Wistar rats to escalate their voluntary intake to a high and stable level, whereas continuously exposed animals maintained a lower consumption. These groups did not differ in physical withdrawal signs. In addition, no differences were found when anxiogenic-like behavior was studied, neither under basal conditions or following restraint stress. Nevertheless, sensitivity to the treatment with the CRH1R antalarmin was observed since a reduction of 20% alcohol intake was found in both groups of animals regardless of the regimen of alcohol exposure. In addition, antalarmin was effective when injected to animals exposed to intermittent 10% (v/v) alcohol whereas it failed to suppress 10% continuous alcohol intake.

    CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacological blockade of CRH1R reduced alcohol drinking when sustained high levels of intake were achieved suggesting that the CRH system plays a key role when high doses of ethanol are consumed by non-dependent subjects. This supports the notion that CRH system not only maintains the dependent state but also engages the transition to dependence.

  • 31.
    Cippitelli, Andrea
    et al.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Karlsson, Camilla
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Shaw, Janice L.
    Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Gehlert, Donald R.
    Eli Lilly, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Suppression of alcohol self-administration and reinstatement of alcohol seeking by melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCH1-R) antagonism in Wistar rats2010In: Psychopharmacology, ISSN 0033-3158, E-ISSN 1432-2072, Vol. 211, no 4, p. 367-375Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    RATIONALE: Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is involved in regulation of appetitive behaviors as well as emotional reactivity and reward, behavioral domains relevant to alcohol addiction.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated the effects of the non-peptide MCH1 receptor antagonist, GW803430 [6-(4-chloro-phenyl)-3-[3-methoxy-4-(2-pyrrolidin-1-yl-ethoxy)-phenyl]-3H-thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-one; 3-30 mg/kg, i.p.] on alcohol-related behaviors in Wistar rats.

    RESULTS: Ex vivo binding experiments demonstrated that the GW803430 dose range used resulted in high central MCH1 receptor occupancy. Alcohol self-administration was dose-dependently and potently suppressed, by approximately 80% at the highest dose. Reinstatement of alcohol-seeking induced by alcohol-associated cues was essentially eliminated. In contrast, reinstatement induced by footshock stress was not significantly altered. Taste preference for a quinine/saccharin solution, locomotor activity, and alcohol elimination were unaffected.

    CONCLUSION: Together, these observations support a specific involvement of the MCH system in mediating alcohol reward and cue-induced relapse to alcohol seeking. MCH1-R antagonism may constitute an attractive treatment target for alcohol use disorders.

  • 32.
    Cippitelli, Andrea
    et al.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Rezvani, Amir H.
    Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
    Robinson, J. Elliott
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Eisenberg, Lindsay
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Levin, Edward D.
    Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
    Bonaventure, Pascal
    Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, San Diego, USA.
    Motley, S. Timothy
    Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, San Diego, USA.
    Lovenberg, Timothy W.
    Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, San Diego, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    The novel, selective, brain-penetrant neuropeptide Y Y2 receptor antagonist, JNJ-31020028, tested in animal models of alcohol consumption, relapse, and anxiety2011In: Alcohol, ISSN 0741-8329, E-ISSN 1873-6823, Vol. 45, no 6, p. 567-576Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Neuropeptide Y (NPY) signaling has been shown to modulate stress responses and to be involved in regulation of alcohol intake and dependence. The present study explores the possibility that blockade of NPY Y2 autoreceptors using a novel, blood-brain barrier penetrant NPY Y2 receptor antagonist, JNJ-31020028 (N-(4-{4-[2-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-1-phenylethyl]piperazin-1-yl}-3-fluorophenyl)-2-pyridin-3-ylbenzamide), may achieve a therapeutically useful activation of the NPY system in alcohol- and anxiety-related behavioral models. We examined JNJ-31020028 in operant alcohol self-administration, stress-induced reinstatement to alcohol seeking, and acute alcohol withdrawal (hangover)-induced anxiety. Furthermore, we tested its effects on voluntary alcohol consumption in a genetic animal model of alcohol preference, the alcohol-preferring (P) rat. Neither systemic (0, 15, 30, and 40 mg/kg, subcutaneously [s.c.]) nor intracerebroventricular (0.0, 0.3, and 1.0 nmol/rat) administration of JNJ-31020028 affected alcohol-reinforced lever pressing or relapse to alcohol seeking behavior following stress exposure. Also, when its effects were tested on unlimited access to alcohol in P rats, preference for alcohol solution was transiently suppressed but without affecting voluntary alcohol intake. JNJ-31020028 (15 mg/kg, s.c.) did reverse the anxiogenic effects of withdrawal from a single bolus dose of alcohol on the elevated plus-maze, confirming the anxiolytic-like properties of NPY Y2 antagonism. Our data do not support Y2 antagonism as a mechanism for reducing alcohol consumption or relapse-like behavior, but the observed effects on withdrawal-induced anxiety suggest that NPY Y2 receptor antagonists may be a putative treatment for the negative affective states following alcohol withdrawal.

  • 33.
    Cortes, Carlos R.
    et al.
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Grodin, Erica N.
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Mann, Claire L.
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Mathur, Karan
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Kerich, Michael
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Zhu, Xi
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Schwandt, Melanie
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Diazgranados, Nancy
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    George, David T.
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Momenan, Reza
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Insula Sensitivity to Unfairness in Alcohol Use Disorder2018In: Alcohol and Alcoholism, ISSN 0735-0414, E-ISSN 1464-3502, Vol. 53, no 3, p. 201-208Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Aims: Social decision making has recently been evaluated in alcohol use disorder (AUD) using the ultimatum game (UG) task, suggesting a possible deficit in aversive emotion regulation elicited by the unfairness during this task. Despite the relevance to relapse of this possible faulty regulation, the brain correlates of the UG in AUD are unknown. Methods: In total, 23 AUD and 27 healthy controls (HC) played three consecutive fMRI runs of the UG, while behavioral and brain responses were recorded. Results: Overall, acceptance rate of unfair offers did not differ between groups, but there was a difference in the rate of behavioral change across runs. We found significant anterior insula (aINS) activation in both groups for both fair and unfair conditions, but only HC showed a trend towards increased activation during unfair vs. fair offers. There were not overall whole-brain between-group significant differences. We found a trend of signal attenuation, instead of an increase, in the aINS for AUD when compared to HC during the third run, which is consistent with our recent findings of selective insula atrophy in AUD. Conclusion: We found differential group temporal dynamics of behavioral response in the UG. The HC group had a low acceptance rate for unfair offers in the first two runs that increased markedly for the third run; whereas the AUD group was consistent in their rejection of unfair offers across the three runs. We found a strong significant decrease in neural response across runs for both groups. Short summary: This fMRI study of UG in alcohol use disorder found behavioral group differences in acceptance rate across runs, which together with significant BOLD-signal decrease across runs in UG-related regions in both groups, highlights the impairment of strategy in AUD and the effect of repetitive exposure to unfairness in this task.

  • 34.
    de Wit, H.
    et al.
    Univ Chicago, IL 60637 USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Bershad, A. K.
    Univ Calif Los Angeles, CA USA.
    Does acute stress play a role in the lasting therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs?2023In: Neuropsychopharmacology, ISSN 0893-133X, E-ISSN 1740-634XArticle in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Psychedelic drugs, when used in the context of psychotherapy, can produce significant and long-lasting memories with enduring beneficial effects. Yet, the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms that underlie these beneficial effects remain a mystery. Here, we suggest that both the quality and durability of memories of the drug-facilitated therapeutic experience may be mediated, in part, by the acute stress responses induced by the drugs. It is known that high doses of psychedelic drugs activate autonomic and hormonal stress responses. For evolutionarily adaptive reasons, acute stress is known to i) instill meaning to the immediate context in which it is experienced, and ii) lead to the formation of salient and lasting memories of the events surrounding the stress. Thus, the stress-inducing effect of psychedelic drugs may contribute to the reported sense of meaning, as well as the durability of the memory of the drug experience. When used in a therapeutic context these actions may i) enhance the salience of insights gained during the experience and ii) strengthen the memories formed by these experiences. Future empirical studies will help to determine whether acute stress contributes to the emotional significance and lasting effects of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

  • 35.
    Domi, Esi
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Barbier, Estelle
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Gaëlle
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Gehlert, D.
    Cerecor, MD USA; Matrix Pharmaceut Consulting, CO USA.
    Barchiesi, Riccardo
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Thorsell, Annika
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Holm, Lovisa
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Preclinical evaluation of the kappa-opioid receptor antagonist CERC-501 as a candidate therapeutic for alcohol use disorders2018In: Neuropsychopharmacology, ISSN 0893-133X, E-ISSN 1740-634X, Vol. 43, no 9, p. 1805-1812Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Prior work suggests a role of kappa-opioid signaling in the control of alcohol drinking, in particular when drinking is escalated due to alcohol-induced long-term neuroadaptations. Here, we examined the small molecule selective kappa antagonist CERC-501 in rat models of alcohol-related behaviors, with the objective to evaluate its potential as a candidate therapeutic for alcohol use disorders. We first tested the effect of CERC-501 on acute alcohol withdrawal-induced anxiety-like behavior. CERC-501 was then tested on basal as well as escalated alcohol self-administration induced by 20% alcohol intermittent access. Finally, we determined the effects of CERC-501 on relapse to alcohol seeking triggered by both stress and alcohol-associated cues. Control experiments were performed to confirm the specificity of CERC-501 effects on alcohol-related behaviors. CERC-501 reversed anxiety-like behavior induced by alcohol withdrawal. It did not affect basal alcohol self-administration but did dose-dependently suppress self-administration that had escalated following long-term intermittent access to alcohol. CERC-501 blocked relapse to alcohol seeking induced by stress, but not when relapse-like behavior was triggered by alcohol-associated cues. The effects of CERC-501 were observed in the absence of sedative side effects and were not due to effects on alcohol metabolism. Thus, in a broad battery of preclinical alcohol models, CERC-501 has an activity profile characteristic of anti-stress compounds. Combined with its demonstrated preclinical and clinical safety profile, these data support clinical development of CERC-501 for alcohol use disorders, in particular for patients with negatively reinforced, stress-driven alcohol seeking and use.

  • 36.
    Domi, Esi
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Univ Camerino, Italy.
    Caputi, Francesca Felicia
    Alma Mater Studiorum Univ Bologna, Italy.
    Romualdi, Patrizia
    Alma Mater Studiorum Univ Bologna, Italy.
    Domi, Ana
    Univ Camerino, Italy.
    Scuppa, Giulia
    Univ Camerino, Italy.
    Candeletti, Sanzio
    Alma Mater Studiorum Univ Bologna, Italy.
    Atkins, Alison Lynn
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Divison of Neurobiology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Psykiatriska kliniken inkl beroendekliniken.
    Demopulos, Gregory
    Omeros Corp, WA 98101 USA.
    Gaitanaris, George
    Omeros Corp, WA 98101 USA.
    Ciccocioppo, Roberto
    Univ Camerino, Italy.
    Ubaldi, Massimo
    Univ Camerino, Italy.
    Activation of PPAR gamma Attenuates the Expression of Physical and Affective Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms through Mechanisms Involving Amygdala and Hippocampus Neurotransmission2019In: Journal of Neuroscience, ISSN 0270-6474, E-ISSN 1529-2401, Vol. 39, no 49, p. 9864-9875Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    An isoform of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), PPAR gamma, is the receptor for the thiazolidinedione class of antidiabetic medications including pioglitazone. Neuroanatomical data indicate PPAR gamma localization in brain areas involved in drug addiction. Preclinical and clinical data have shown that pioglitazone reduces alcohol and opioid self-administration, relapse to drug seeking, and plays a role in emotional responses. Here, we investigated the behavioral effect of PPAR gamma manipulation on nicotine withdrawal in male Wistar rats and in male mice with neuron-specific PPAR gamma deletion (PPAR gamma(()(+/+)())) and their littermate wild-type (PPAR gamma((-/-))) controls. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and RNAscope in situ hybridization assays were used for assessing the levels of expression and cell-type localization of PPAR gamma function, Memory, Mortality, Older subjects, Structural brain abnormalities during nicotine withdrawal. Brain site-specific microinjections of the PPAR gamma agonist pioglitazone were performed to explore the role of this system on nicotine withdrawal at a neurocircuitry level. Results showed that activation of PPAR gamma by pioglitazone abolished the expression of somatic and affective nicotine withdrawal signs in rats and in (PPAR gamma(()(+/+)())) mice. This effect was blocked by the PPAR gamma antagonist GW9662. During early withdrawal and protracted abstinence, the expression of PPAR gamma increased in GABAergic and glutamatergic cells of the amygdala and hippocampus, respectively. Hippocampal microinjections of pioglitazone reduced the expression of the physical signs of withdrawal, whereas excessive anxiety associated with protracted abstinence was prevented by pioglitazone microinjection into the amygdala. Our results demonstrate the implication of the neuronal PPAR gamma in nicotine withdrawal and indicates that activation of PPAR gamma may offer an interesting strategy for smoking cessation.

  • 37.
    Domi, Esi
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Domi, Ana
    Univ Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Adermark, Louise
    Univ Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Neurobiology of alcohol seeking behavior2021In: Journal of Neurochemistry, ISSN 0022-3042, E-ISSN 1471-4159, Vol. 157, no 5, p. 1585-1614Article, review/survey (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Alcohol addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse consequences. A main challenge of addiction treatment is to prevent relapse, which occurs in more than >50% of newly abstinent patients with alcohol disorder within 3 months. In people suffering from alcohol addiction, stressful events, drug-associated cues and contexts, or re-exposure to a small amount of alcohol trigger a chain of behaviors that frequently culminates in relapse. In this review, we first present the preclinical models that were developed for the study of alcohol seeking behavior, namely the reinstatement model of alcohol relapse and compulsive alcohol seeking under a chained schedule of reinforcement. We then provide an overview of the neurobiological findings obtained using these animal models, focusing on the role of opioids systems, corticotropin-release hormone and neurokinins, followed by dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurotransmissions in alcohol seeking behavior.

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  • 38.
    Domi, Esi
    et al.
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Uhrig, Stefanie
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Soverchia, Laura
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Spanagel, Rainer
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Hansson, Anita C.
    Heidelberg University, Germany.
    Barbier, Estelle
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Cell Biology. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN). Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Ciccocioppo, Roberto
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Ubaldi, Massimo
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Genetic Deletion of Neuronal PPAR gamma Enhances the Emotional Response to Acute Stress and Exacerbates Anxiety: An Effect Reversed by Rescue of Amygdala PPAR gamma Function2016In: JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, ISSN 0270-6474, Vol. 36, no 50, p. 12611-12623Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    PPAR gamma is one of the three isoforms of the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs). PPAR gamma is activated by thiazolidinediones such as pioglitazone and is targeted to treat insulin resistance. PPAR gamma is densely expressed in brain areas involved in regulation of motivational and emotional processes. Here, we investigated the role of PPAR gamma in the brain and explored its role in anxiety and stress responses in mice. The results show that stimulation of PPAR gamma by pioglitazone did not affect basal anxiety, but fully prevented the anxiogenic effect of acute stress. Using mice with genetic ablation of neuronal PPAR gamma (PPAR gamma(NestinCre)), we demonstrated that a lack of receptors, specifically in neurons, exacerbated basal anxiety and enhanced stress sensitivity. The administration of GW9662, a selective PPAR gamma antagonist, elicited a marked anxiogenic response in PPAR gamma wild-type (WT), but not in PPAR gamma(NestinCre) knock-out (KO) mice. Using c-Fos immunohistochemistry, we observed that acute stress exposure resulted in a different pattern of neuronal activation in the amygdala (AMY) and the hippocampus (HIPP) of PPAR gamma(NestinCre) KO mice compared with WT mice. No differences were found between WT and KO mice in hypothalamic regions responsible for hormonal response to stress or in blood corticosterone levels. Microinjection of pioglitazone into the AMY, but not into the HIPP, abolished the anxiogenic response elicited by acute stress. Results also showed that, in both regions, PPAR gamma colocalizes with GABAergic cells. These findings demonstrate that neuronal PPAR gamma is involved the regulation of the stress response and that the AMY is a key substrate for the anxiolytic effect of PPAR gamma

  • 39.
    Domi, Esi
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Xu, Li
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Sichuan Prov Peoples Hosp, Peoples R China.
    Paetz, Marvin
    Heidelberg Univ, Germany.
    Nordeman, Anton
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Gaëlle
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Holm, Lovisa
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Toivainen, Sanne
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Hansson, Anita C.
    Heidelberg Univ, Germany.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    Nicotine increases alcohol self-administration in male rats via a mu-opioid mechanism within the mesolimbic pathway2020In: British Journal of Pharmacology, ISSN 0007-1188, E-ISSN 1476-5381, Vol. 177, no 19, p. 4516-4531Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background and Purpose: Alcohol and nicotine use disorders are commonly comorbid. Both alcohol and nicotine can activate opioid systems in reward-related brain regions, leading to adaptive changes in opioid signalling upon chronic exposure. The potential role of these adaptations for comorbidity is presently unknown. Here, we examined the contribution of mu and kappa-opioid receptors to nicotine-induced escalation of alcohol self-administration in rats. Experimental Approach: Chronic nicotine was tested on alcohol self-administration and motivation to obtain alcohol. We then tested the effect of the kappa antagonist CERC-501 and the preferential mu receptor antagonist naltrexone on basal and nicotine-escalated alcohol self-administration. To probe mu or kappa receptor adaptations, receptor binding and G-protein coupling assays were performed in reward-related brain regions. Finally, dopaminergic activity in response to alcohol was examined, using phosphorylation of DARPP-32 in nucleus accumbens as a biomarker. Key Results: Nicotine robustly induced escalation of alcohol self-administration and motivation to obtain alcohol. This was blocked by naltrexone but not by CERC-501. Escalation of alcohol self-administration was associated with decreased DAMGO-stimulated mu receptor signalling in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and decreased pDARPP-32 in the nucleus accumbens shell in response to alcohol. Conclusions and Implications: Collectively, these results suggest that nicotine contributes to escalate alcohol self-administration through a dysregulation of mu receptor activity in the VTA. These data imply that targeting mu rather than kappa receptors may be the preferred pharmacotherapeutic approach for the treatment of alcohol use disorder when nicotine use contributes to alcohol consumption.

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  • 40.
    Domi, Esi
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Univ Camerino, Italy.
    Xu, Li
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Toivainen Eloff, Sanne
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Wiskerke, Joost
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Coppola, Andrea
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Holm, Lovisa
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Petrella, Michele
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping. Linköping University, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV).
    Activation of GABA(B) receptors in central amygdala attenuates activity of PKC delta plus neurons and suppresses punishment-resistant alcohol self-administration in rats2023In: Neuropsychopharmacology, ISSN 0893-133X, E-ISSN 1740-634X, Vol. 48, p. 1386-1395Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Alcohol use despite negative consequences is a core phenomenon of alcohol addiction. We recently used alcohol self-administration that is resistant to footshock punishment as a model of this behavior, and found that activity of PKC delta + GABAergic neurons in the central amygdala (CeA) is a determinant of individual susceptibility for punishment resistance. In the present study, we examined whether activation of GABA(B) receptors in CeA can attenuate the activity of PKC delta + neurons in this region, and whether this will result in suppression of punishment- resistant alcohol self-administration in the minority of rats that show this behavior. Systemic administration of the clinically approved GABA(B) agonist baclofen (1 and 3 mg/kg) dose- dependently reduced punishment-resistant alcohol self-administration. Bilateral microinjections of baclofen into CeA (64 ng in 0.3 mu l/side) reduced the activity of PKC delta + neurons, as measured by Fos expression. This manipulation also selectively suppressed punished alcohol self-administration in punishment-resistant rats. Expression analysis indicated that virtually all CeA PKC delta + neurons express the GABA(B) receptor. Using in vitro electrophysiology, we found that baclofen induced hyperpolarization of CeA neurons, reducing their firing rate in response to depolarizing current injections. Together, our findings provide a potential mechanism that contributes to the clinical efficacy of baclofen in alcohol addiction. Therapeutic use of baclofen itself is limited by problems of tolerance and need for dose escalation. Our findings support a mechanistic rationale for developing novel, improved alcohol addiction medications that target GABA(B) receptors, and that lack these limitations, such as e.g., GABA(B) positive allosteric modulators (PAM:s).

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  • 41.
    Domi, Esi
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Xu, Li
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Univ Elect Sci & Technol China, Peoples R China.
    Toivainen, Sanne
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Nordeman, Anton
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Gobbo, Francesco
    Univ Edinburgh, Scotland.
    Venniro, Marco
    Univ Maryland, MD 21201 USA.
    Shaham, Yavin
    Natl Inst Drug Abuse NIDA, MD 21224 USA.
    Messing, Robert O.
    Univ Texas Austin, TX 78712 USA; Univ Texas Austin, TX 78712 USA; Univ Texas Austin, TX 78712 USA.
    Visser, Esther
    Vrije Univ Amsterdam, Netherlands.
    van den Oever, Michel C.
    Vrije Univ Amsterdam, Netherlands.
    Holm, Lovisa
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Barbier, Estelle
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Augier, Eric
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping.
    A neural substrate of compulsive alcohol use2021In: Science Advances, E-ISSN 2375-2548, Vol. 7, no 34, article id eabg9045Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Alcohol intake remains controlled in a majority of users but becomes "compulsive," i.e., continues despite adverse consequences, in a minority who develop alcohol addiction. Here, using a footshock-punished alcohol self-administration procedure, we screened a large population of outbred rats to identify those showing compulsivity operationalized as punishment-resistant self-administration. Using unsupervised clustering, we found that this behavior emerged as a stable trait in a subpopulation of rats and was associated with activity of a brain network that included central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). Activity of PKC delta(+) inhibitory neurons in the lateral subdivision of CeA (CeL) accounted for similar to 75% of variance in punishment-resistant alcohol taking. Activity-dependent tagging, followed by chemogenetic inhibition of neurons activated during punishment-resistant self-administration, suppressed alcohol taking, as did a virally mediated shRNA knockdown of PKC delta in CeA. These findings identify a previously unknown mechanism for a core element of alcohol addiction and point to a novel candidate therapeutic target.

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  • 42.
    Elliott Robinson, J.
    et al.
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA; University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    Vardy, Eyal
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    DiBerto, Jeffrey F.
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA; University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    Chefer, Vladimir I.
    NIDA, MD USA.
    White, Kate L.
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    Fish, Eric W.
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    Chen, Meng
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA; University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    Gigante, Eduardo
    NIDA, MD USA.
    Krouse, Michael C.
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    Sun, Hui
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Roth, Bryan L.
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA; University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Malanga, C. J.
    University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA; University of N Carolina, NC 27599 USA.
    Receptor Reserve Moderates Mesolimbic Responses to Opioids in a Humanized Mouse Model of the OPRM1 A118G Polymorphism2015In: Neuropsychopharmacology, ISSN 0893-133X, E-ISSN 1740-634X, Vol. 40, no 11, p. 2614-2622Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    The OPRM1 A118G polymorphism is the most widely studied mu-opioid receptor (MOR) variant. Although its involvement in acute alcohol effects is well characterized, less is known about the extent to which it alters responses to opioids. Prior work has shown that both electrophysiological and analgesic responses to morphine but not to fentanyl are moderated by OPRM1 A118G variation, but the mechanism behind this dissociation is not known. Here we found that humanized mice carrying the 118GG allele (h/mOPRM1-118GG) were less sensitive than h/mOPRM1-118AA littermates to the rewarding effects of morphine and hydrocodone but not those of other opioids measured with intracranial self-stimulation. Reduced morphine reward in 118GG mice was associated with decreased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and reduced effects on GABA release in the ventral tegmental area that were not due to changes in drug potency or efficacy in vitro or receptor-binding affinity. Fewer MOR-binding sites were observed in h/mOPRM1-118GG mice, and pharmacological reduction of MOR availability unmasked genotypic differences in fentanyl sensitivity. These findings suggest that the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism decreases sensitivity to low-potency agonists by decreasing receptor reserve without significantly altering receptor function.

  • 43.
    Epstein, David H.
    et al.
    NIDA, MD 21224 USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Shaham, Yavin
    NIDA, MD 21224 USA.
    Science-Based Actions Can Help Address the Opioid Crisis2018In: TIPS - Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, ISSN 0165-6147, E-ISSN 1873-3735, Vol. 39, no 11, p. 911-916Article in journal (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    The epidemic of addiction and over-dose is real. Addiction among pain patients accounts for only a small proportion but a large number. Scientific opinion leaders can be most effective on two fronts, each relatively low-tech: dissemination and oversight of empirically established treatments, and promulgation of social-science-based strategies for population-level prevention.

  • 44.
    Filipcic, Igor
    et al.
    Psychiat Hosp Sveti Ivan, Croatia; Josip Juraj Strossmayer Univ Osijek, Croatia; Univ Zagreb, Croatia.
    Filipcic, Ivona Simunovic
    Univ Hosp Ctr Zagreb, Croatia.
    Milovac, Zeljko
    Psychiat Hosp Sveti Ivan, Croatia.
    Sucic, Strahimir
    Psychiat Hosp Sveti Ivan, Croatia.
    Gajsak, Tomislav
    Psychiat Hosp Sveti Ivan, Croatia.
    Ivezic, Ena
    Psychiat Hosp Sveti Ivan, Croatia; Josip Juraj Strossmayer Univ Osijek, Croatia.
    Basic, Silvio
    Josip Juraj Strossmayer Univ Osijek, Croatia; Dubrava Univ Hosp, Croatia.
    Bajic, Zarko
    Psychiat Hosp Sveti Ivan, Croatia.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Psykiatriska kliniken inkl beroendekliniken.
    Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation using a figure-8-coil or an H1-Coil in treatment of major depressive disorder; A randomized clinical trial2019In: Journal of Psychiatric Research, ISSN 0022-3956, E-ISSN 1879-1379, Vol. 114, p. 113-119Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an evidence-based treatment option for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, comparisons of efficacy between the two FDA-approved protocols of rTMS modalities are lacking. The aim of this industry-independent, randomized-controlled, single-blind trial was to evaluate clinical outcome of the two FDA-approved rTMS protocols delivered by H1-coil and the figure-8-coil, in MDD patients. A total of 228 MDD patients were randomized to 20 sessions of H1-coil or 8-coil as an adjunct to standard-of-care pharmacotherapy, or standard-of-care pharmacotherapy alone. Baseline MDD symptom severity was almost the same in the three groups. Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D17) mean score was 17 (5.3) in H1-coil, 17 (5.4) in 8-coil, and 19 (6.1) in control group. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients achieving remission defined as HAM-D17 score amp;lt;= 7 at end-of-treatment at week-4. In the intention-to-treat analysis odds ratio for remission was 1.74 (CI95% 0.79-3.83) in H1-coil compared to the 8-coil group. The difference between two rTMS protocols was not significant. Remission rate was significantly greater in both HF-rTMS groups compared to the control: 60% (CI95% 48-71%), 43% (C195% 31-55%) and 11% (CI95% 5-20%) respectively. The response was significantly better in H1-coil, than in 8-coil group OR = 2.33; CI95% 1.04-5.21 (P = 0.040). The HAM-D17 was lowered by 59% in the H1-coil, 41% in the 8-coil (P = 0.048), and 17% in the control group (P amp;lt; 0.001 vs H1-coil; P = 0.003 vs 8-coil). Safety, tolerability, and the changes in quality of life were comparable. We confirmed the safety and efficacy of both FDA-approved protocols as adjunctive treatments of MDD. Better response rate and greater reduction of depression severity were observed in the H1-coil group, but without a significant difference in the remission rate between the two rTMS modalities.

  • 45.
    Gehlert, Donald R.
    et al.
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Cippitelli, Andrea
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Lê, Anh Dzung
    University of Toronto, Canada.
    Hipskind, Philip A
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Hamdouchi, Chafiq
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Lu, Jianliang
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Hembre, Erik J.
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Cramer, Jeffrey
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Song, Min
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    McKinzie, David
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Morin, Michelle
    Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Ciccocioppo, Roberto
    University of Camerino, Italy.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    3-(4-Chloro-2-morpholin-4-yl-thiazol-5-yl)-8-(1-ethylpropyl)-2,6-dimethyl-imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine: a novel brain-penetrant, orally available corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 antagonist with efficacy in animal models of alcoholism2007In: Journal of Neuroscience, ISSN 0270-6474, E-ISSN 1529-2401, Vol. 27, no 10, p. 2718-2726Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    We describe a novel corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRF1) antagonist with advantageous properties for clinical development, and its in vivo activity in preclinical alcoholism models. 3-(4-Chloro-2-morpholin-4-yl-thiazol-5-yl)-8-(1-ethylpropyl)-2,6-dimethyl-imidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine (MTIP) inhibited 125I-sauvagine binding to rat pituitary membranes and cloned human CRF1 with subnanomolar affinities, with no detectable activity at the CRF2 receptor or other common drug targets. After oral administration to rats, MTIP inhibited 125I-sauvagine binding to rat cerebellar membranes ex vivo with an ED50 of approximately 1.3 mg/kg and an oral bioavailability of 91.1%. Compared with R121919 (2,5-dimethyl-3-(6-dimethyl-4-methylpyridin-3-yl)-7-dipropylamino-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine) and CP154526 (N-butyl-N-ethyl-4,9-dimethyl-7-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-3,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.3.0]nona-2,4,8,10-tetraen-2-amine), MTIP had a markedly reduced volume of distribution and clearance. Neither open-field activity nor baseline exploration of an elevated plus-maze was affected by MTIP (1-10 mg/kg). In contrast, MTIP dose-dependently reversed anxiogenic effects of withdrawal from a 3 g/kg alcohol dose. Similarly, MTIP blocked excessive alcohol self-administration in Wistar rats with a history of dependence, and in a genetic model of high alcohol preference, the msP rat, at doses that had no effect in nondependent Wistar rats. Also, MTIP blocked reinstatement of stress-induced alcohol seeking both in postdependent and in genetically selected msP animals, again at doses that were ineffective in nondependent Wistar rats. Based on these findings, MTIP is a promising candidate for treatment of alcohol dependence.

  • 46.
    George, David T.
    et al.
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Gilman, Jodi
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Hersh, Jacqueline
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Thorsell, Annika
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Herion, David
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Geyer, Christopher
    National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Peng, Xiaomei
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Kielbasa, William
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Rawlings, Robert
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Brandt, John E.
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Gehlert, Donald R.
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Tauscher, Johannes T.
    Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
    Hunt, Stephen P.
    University College London, UK.
    Hommer, Daniel
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH; Bethesda, MD, USA.
    Neurokinin 1 receptor antagonism as a possible therapy for alcoholism2008In: Science, ISSN 0036-8075, E-ISSN 1095-9203, Vol. 319, no 5869, p. 1536-1539Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Alcohol dependence is a major public health challenge in need of new treatments. As alcoholism evolves, stress systems in the brain play an increasing role in motivating continued alcohol use and relapse. We investigated the role of the neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R), a mediator of behavioral stress responses, in alcohol dependence and treatment. In preclinical studies, mice genetically deficient in NK1R showed a marked decrease in voluntary alcohol consumption and had an increased sensitivity to the sedative effects of alcohol. In a randomized controlled experimental study, we treated recently detoxified alcoholic inpatients with an NK1R antagonist (LY686017; n = 25) or placebo (n = 25). LY686017 suppressed spontaneous alcohol cravings, improved overall well-being, blunted cravings induced by a challenge procedure, and attenuated concomitant cortisol responses. Brain functional magnetic resonance imaging responses to affective stimuli likewise suggested beneficial LY686017 effects. Thus, as assessed by these surrogate markers of efficacy, NK1R antagonism warrants further investigation as a treatment in alcoholism.

  • 47.
    Gowin, Joshua L.
    et al.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Vatsalya, Vatsalya
    NIAAA, MD USA; University of Louisville, KY 40292 USA; Robley Rex VAMC, KY USA.
    Westman, Jonathan G.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Schwandt, Melanie L.
    NIAAA, MD 20892 USA.
    Bartlett, Selena
    Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Neuro and Inflammation Science. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Linköping University, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN). Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Momenan, Reza
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    Ramchandani, Vijay A.
    NIAAA, MD USA.
    The Effect of Varenicline on the Neural Processing of Fearful Faces and the Subjective Effects of Alcohol in Heavy Drinkers2016In: Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, ISSN 0145-6008, E-ISSN 1530-0277, Vol. 40, no 5, p. 979-987Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Background: Pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder have been shown to reduce hazardous drinking and improve overall health. The effect sizes for the effectiveness of these medications, however, are small, underscoring the need to expand the range of therapeutics and develop personalized treatment approaches. Recent studies have suggested that varenicline, an 42-nicotinic partial agonist widely used for smoking cessation, can help alcoholics reduce drinking, but the neurocognitive underpinnings of its effectiveness remain largely unexplored. Methods: In this double-blind study, 32 heavy drinkers were randomized to receive varenicline (2 mg/d) or placebo. After 2 weeks of dosing, participants underwent functional MRI scans, during which they viewed images of faces with either neutral or fearful expressions at baseline and following an intravenous alcohol infusion to a target breath alcohol concentration of 80 mg%. Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response was analyzed with Analysis of Functional Neuroimaging software. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the effects of facial expression (fearful vs. neutral) and medication (placebo vs. varenicline) on BOLD response. The effect of medication on measures of subjective response to alcohol was also examined. Results: Results indicated a significant facial expression-by-medication interaction in the left amygdala. The groups showed equivalent activation to neutral faces, but, whereas the placebo group showed increased activation to fearful faces, the varenicline group showed no change in activation. Amygdala activation to fearful faces correlated with number of drinks in the previous 90 days and Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale scores. There was no effect of varenicline on subjective response to alcohol. Conclusions: Our results indicate that varenicline may disrupt amygdala response to fearful faces in heavy drinkers. Further, amygdala activation correlated with alcohol consumption, suggesting that the effects of varenicline may be related to aspects of drinking behavior. These results suggest that amygdala response to fearful faces may be developed as a biomarker of the effectiveness of medications being developed for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.

  • 48.
    Grodin, Erica N.
    et al.
    Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
    Sussman, Lauren
    Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
    Sundby, Kelsey
    Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
    Brennan, Grace M
    Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
    Diazgranados, Nancy
    Office of the Clinical Directory, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Momenan, Reza
    Clinical NeuroImaging Research Core, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
    Neural Correlates of Compulsive Alcohol Seeking in Heavy Drinkers2018In: Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, ISSN 2451-9022, Vol. 3, no 12, p. 1022-1031Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Compulsive alcohol use, the tendency to continue alcohol seeking and taking despite negative consequences, is a hallmark of alcohol use disorder. Preclinical rodent studies have suggested a role for the medial prefrontal cortex, anterior insula, and nucleus accumbens in compulsive alcohol seeking. It is presently unknown whether these findings translate to humans. We used a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm and tested the hypothesis that heavy drinkers would compulsively seek alcohol despite the risk of an aversive consequence, and that this behavior would be associated with the activity of frontostriatal circuitry.

  • 49.
    Hamilton, Paul
    et al.
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Sacchet, Matthew D.
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Hjornevik, Trine
    Oslo Univ Hosp, Norway; Norwegian Med Cyclotron Ctr, Norway; Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Chin, Frederick T.
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Shen, Bin
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Kämpe, Robin
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
    Park, Jun Hyung
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Knutson, Brian D.
    Stanford Univ, CA USA.
    Williams, Leanne M.
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Borg, Nicholas
    Stanford Univ, CA USA.
    Zaharchuk, Greg
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Camacho, M. Catalina
    Univ Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA.
    Mackey, Sean
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Local Health Care Services in Central Östergötland, Department of Psychiatry.
    Drevets, Wayne C.
    Janssen Res and Dev LLC, NJ USA.
    Glover, Gary H.
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Gambhir, Sanjiv S.
    Stanford Univ, CA 94305 USA.
    Gotlib, Ian H.
    Stanford Univ, CA USA.
    Striatal dopamine deficits predict reductions in striatal functional connectivity in major depression: a concurrent C-11-raclopride positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging investigation2018In: Translational Psychiatry, E-ISSN 2158-3188, Vol. 8, article id 264Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by the altered integration of reward histories and reduced responding of the striatum. We have posited that this reduced striatal activation in MDD is due to tonically decreased stimulation of striatal dopamine synapses which results in decremented propagation of information along the corticostriatal-pallido-thalamic (CSPT) spiral. In the present investigation, we tested predictions of this formulation by conducting concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and C-11-raclopride positron emission tomography (PET) in depressed and control (CTL) participants. We scanned 16 depressed and 14 CTL participants with simultaneous fMRI and C-11-raclopride PET. We estimated raclopride binding potential (BPND), voxel-wise, and compared MDD and CTL samples with respect to BPND in the striatum. Using striatal regions that showed significant between-group BPND differences as seeds, we conducted whole-brain functional connectivity analysis using the fMRI data and identified brain regions in each group in which connectivity with striatal seed regions scaled linearly with BPND from these regions. We observed increased BPND in the ventral striatum, bilaterally, and in the right dorsal striatum in the depressed participants. Further, we found that as BPND increased in both the left ventral striatum and right dorsal striatum in MDD, connectivity with the cortical targets of these regions (default-mode network and salience network, respectively) decreased. Deficits in stimulation of striatal dopamine receptors in MDD could account in part for the failure of transfer of information up the CSPT circuit in the pathophysiology of this disorder.

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  • 50.
    Hansen, Johan Liseth
    et al.
    Quantify Res, Sweden; Univ Oslo, Norway.
    Heilig, Markus
    Linköping University, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience. Linköping University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Region Östergötland, Psykiatricentrum, Psykiatriska kliniken i Linköping. Linköping University, Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV).
    Kalso, Eija
    Helsinki Univ Hosp, Finland; Univ Helsinki, Finland.
    Stubhaug, Audun
    Oslo Univ Hosp, Norway; Univ Oslo, Norway.
    Knutsson, Douglas
    Quantify Res, Sweden.
    Sandin, Patrik
    Quantify Res, Sweden.
    Dorling, Patricia
    Pfizer Inc, NY USA.
    Beck, Craig
    Pfizer Ltd, England.
    Grip, Emilie Toresson
    Quantify Res, Sweden; Karolinska Inst, Sweden.
    Blakeman, Karin Hygge
    Pfizer AB, Sweden.
    Arendt-Nielsen, Lars
    Aalborg Univ, Denmark.
    Problematic opioid use among osteoarthritis patients with chronic post-operative pain after joint replacement: analyses from the BISCUITS study2023In: Scandinavian Journal of Pain, ISSN 1877-8860, E-ISSN 1877-8879, Vol. 23, no 2, p. 353-363Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Objectives: Opioids are commonly used to manage pain, despite an increased risk of adverse events and complications when used against recommendations. This register study uses data of osteoarthritis (OA) patients with joint replacement surgery to identify and characterize problematic opioid use (POU) prescription patterns.Methods: The study population included adult patients diagnosed with OA in specialty care undergoing joint replacement surgery in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden during 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2014. Those with cancer or OA within three years before the first eligible OA diagnosis were excluded. Patients were allocated into six POU cohorts based on dose escalation, frequency, and dosing of prescription opioids post-surgery (definitions were based on guidelines, previous literature, and clinical experience), and matched on age and sex to patients with opioid use, but not in any of the six cohorts. Data on demographics, non-OA pain diagnoses, cardiovascular diseases, psychiatric disorders, and clinical characteristics were used to study patient characteristics and predictors of POU.Results: 13.7% of patients with OA and a hip/knee joint replacement were classified as problematic users and they had more comorbidities and higher pre-surgery doses of opioids than matches. Patients dispensing high doses of opioids pre-surgery dispensed increased doses post-surgery, a pattern not seen among patients prescribed lower doses pre-surgery. Being dispensed 1-4,500 oral morphine equivalents in the year pre-surgery or having a non-OA pain diagnosis was associated with post-surgery POU (OR: 1.44-1.50, and 1.11-1.20, respectively).Conclusions: Based on the discovered POU predictors, the study suggests that prescribers should carefully assess pain management strategies for patients with a history of comorbidities and pre-operative, long-term opioid use. Healthcare units should adopt risk assessment tools and ensure that these patients are followed up closely. The data also demonstrate potential areas for further exploration in improving patient outcomes and trajectories.

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