Ethanol has concentration-dependent effects on hypothalamic POMC neuronal excitability.

ABSTRACT: Alcohol abuse is a worldwide public health concern, yet the precise molecular targets of alcohol in the brain are still not fully understood. Alcohol may promote its euphoric and motivational effects, in part, by activating the endogenous opioid system. One particular component of this system consists of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) -producing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ArcN) of the hypothalamus, which project to reward-related brain areas. To identify the physiological effects of ethanol on ArcN POMC neurons, we utilized whole cell patch-clamp recordings and bath application of ethanol (5-40 mM) to identify alterations in spontaneous baseline activity, rheobase, spiking characteristics, or intrinsic neuronal properties. We found that 10 mM ethanol increased the number of depolarizatio

SUBMITTER: Leyrer-Jackson JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7292773 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature