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Monday, August 10, 2009

Differential Effects of Chronic Ethanol Consumption and Withdrawal on Homer/Glutamate Receptor Expression in Subregions of the Accumbens and Amygdala of P Rats
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Early View 10 Aug 2009

Homer proteins are constituents of scaffolding complexes that regulate the trafficking and function of central Group1 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Research supports the involvement of these proteins in ethanol-induced neuroplasticity in mouse.
In this study, we examined the effects of short versus long-term withdrawal from chronic ethanol consumption on Homer and glutamate receptor protein expression within striatal and amygdala subregions of selectively bred, alcohol-preferring P rats.

Overall, these subregion specific, ethanol-induced increases in mGluR/Homer2/NR2 expression within the NAC and amygdala suggest changes in glutamatergic plasticity had taken place. This may be a result of learning and subsequent memory formation of ethanol's rewarding effects in these brain structures, which may, in part, mediate the chronic relapsing nature of alcohol abuse.


Rerquest Reprint E-Mail: szumlinski@psych.ucsb.edu

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