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Monday, October 26, 2009

Glycine Receptors in the Nucleus Accumbens Involved in the Ethanol Intake-Reducing Effect of Acamprosate
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Early View 23 Oct 2009

We have previously demonstrated that strychnine-sensitive glycine receptors (GlyRs) in the nucleus accumbens (nAc) and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the ventral tegmental area are involved in mediating ethanol (EtOH)-induced elevation of dopamine in the rat mesolimbic dopamine system. This neuronal circuitry was also demonstrated to mediate dopamine elevation in the nAc after both taurine, an endogenous agonist of GlyRs, and acamprosate, a synthetic derivate of homotaurine. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the EtOH intake-reducing effect of acamprosate involves accumbal GlyRs.

Based on current and previous results, we suggest that acamprosate primarily interacts with accumbal GlyRs and secondarily with ventral tegmental nAChRs, in a similar manner to that previously observed with EtOH and taurine. The interaction between acamprosate and GlyRs does not only influence dopamine output in the nAc but also EtOH consumption, giving further support for our hypothesis that GlyRs are of importance in EtOH reinforcement.


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