Aberrant insular cortex connectivity in abstinent alcohol-dependent rats is reversed by dopamine D3 receptor blockade.

ABSTRACT: A few studies have reported aberrant functional connectivity in alcoholic patients, but the specific neural circuits involved remain unknown. Moreover, it is unclear whether these alterations can be reversed upon treatment. Here, we used functional MRI to study resting state connectivity in rats following chronic intermittent exposure to ethanol. Further, we evaluated the effects of SB-277011-a, a selective dopamine D3 receptor antagonist, known to decrease ethanol consumption. Alcohol-dependent and control rats (N = 13/14 per group), 3 weeks into abstinence, were administered SB-277011-a or vehicle before fMRI sessions. Resting state connectivity networks were extracted by independent component analysis. A dual-regression analysis was performed using independent component maps as spatial

SUBMITTER: Scuppa G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7187338 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature