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CB 1 and ethanol effects on glutamatergic transmission in the central amygdala of male and female msP and Wistar rats.
- Source :
-
Addiction biology [Addict Biol] 2018 Mar; Vol. 23 (2), pp. 676-688. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Jun 28. - Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- The central amygdala (CeA) is involved in the processing of anxiety and stress and plays a role in ethanol consumption. Chronic ethanol recruits stress systems in the CeA, leading to aversive withdrawal symptoms. Although primarily GABAergic, CeA contains glutamatergic afferents, and we have reported inhibitory effects of ethanol on locally evoked glutamatergic responses in CeA of Wistar and Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats. Notably, msP rats display enhanced anxiety, stress and alcohol drinking, simulating the alcohol-dependent phenotype. Endocannabinoids are also involved in regulation of stress, and we previously demonstrated that cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB <subscript>1</subscript> ) activation decreases CeA GABAergic signaling and blocks ethanol enhancement of GABAergic signaling. Here, we sought to investigate the effects of CB <subscript>1</subscript> activation (WIN 55,212-2; Win) and antagonism (AM251) with and without acute ethanol on glutamatergic synapses in CeA of female and male Wistar and msP rats. Using intracellular sharp pipette electrophysiology, we examined the effects of CB <subscript>1</subscript> compounds on locally evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in CeA and compared effects between strains, gender and estrous cycle. Acute ethanol decreased EPSP amplitudes in Wistars, and in male but not female msPs. Win decreased EPSP amplitudes in msPs, and in male but not female Wistars. Combined application of Win and ethanol resulted in strain-specific effects in female rats. We found no tonic CB <subscript>1</subscript> signaling at glutamatergic synapses in CeA of any groups, and no interaction with ethanol. Collectively, these observations demonstrate sex-strain-specific differences in ethanol and endocannabinoid effects on CeA glutamatergic signaling.<br /> (© 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.)
- Subjects :
- Animals
Central Amygdaloid Nucleus metabolism
Female
Glutamic Acid metabolism
Male
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Benzoxazines pharmacology
Central Amygdaloid Nucleus drug effects
Central Nervous System Depressants pharmacology
Ethanol pharmacology
Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials drug effects
Glutamic Acid drug effects
Morpholines pharmacology
Naphthalenes pharmacology
Piperidines pharmacology
Pyrazoles pharmacology
Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 agonists
Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 antagonists & inhibitors
Synaptic Transmission drug effects
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1369-1600
- Volume :
- 23
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Addiction biology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 28656627
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.12525