Generation of silent synapses in dentate gyrus correlates with development of alcohol addiction.

ABSTRACT: The brain circuits and synaptic processes that underlie alcohol addiction are currently the subject of intensive research. Here we focus on hippocampal circuitry and show that chemogenetic inhibition of dentate gyrus (DG) during presentation of alcohol-associated cues has long-lasting effects on mice behavior. DG inhibition enhances alcohol seeking and drinking, suggesting that DG regulates addiction-related behaviors. To test this hypothesis, we perform whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from the granule cells of DG and look for electrophysiological correlates of alcohol addiction. We observe that presentation of alcohol-associated cue light that induces relapse to alcohol-seeking results in generation of silent synapses, that lack functional AMPA receptors. Furthermore, using human criter

SUBMITTER: Beroun A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6098144 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature