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Monday, February 1, 2010

Neurokinin-1 receptors (NK1R:s), alcohol consumption, and alcohol reward in mice


Reduced voluntary alcohol consumption was recently found in neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R)-deficient (KO) mice. It remains unknown whether this reflects developmental effects or direct regulation of alcohol consumption by NK1R:s, and whether the reduced consumption reflects motivational effects.

The objective of this study is to obtain an expanded preclinical validation of NK1R antagonism as a candidate therapeutic mechanism in alcohol use disorders.

Acute blockade of NK1R:s mimics the effects of NKR1 gene deletion on alcohol consumption, supporting a direct rather than developmental role of the receptor in regulation of alcohol intake. Inactivation of NK1R:s critically modulates alcohol reward and escalation, two key characteristics of addiction.

These data provide critical support for NK1R antagonism as a candidate mechanism for treatment of alcoholism.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: markus.heilig@mail.nih.gov

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