Dynorphin and κ-Opioid Receptor Dysregulation in the Dopaminergic Reward System of Human Alcoholics.

ABSTRACT: Molecular changes induced by excessive alcohol consumption may underlie formation of dysphoric state during acute and protracted alcohol withdrawal which leads to craving and relapse. A main molecular addiction hypothesis is that the upregulation of the dynorphin (DYN)/κ-opioid receptor (KOR) system in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of alcohol-dependent individuals causes the imbalance in activity of D1- and D2 dopamine receptor (DR) expressing neural circuits that results in dysphoria. We here analyzed post-mortem NAc samples of human alcoholics to assess changes in prodynorphin (PDYN) and KOR (OPRK1) gene expression and co-expression (transcriptionally coordinated) patterns. To address alterations in D1- and D2-receptor circuits, we studied the regulatory interactions between these pathways

SUBMITTER: Bazov I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6061161 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature