The expression of opioid genes in non-classical reward areas depends on early life conditions and ethanol intake

Brain Research
Linnea GranholmIngrid Nylander

Abstract

The young brain is highly sensitive to environmental influences that can cause long-term changes in neuronal function, possibly through altered gene expression. The endogenous opioid system continues to mature after birth and because of its involvement in reward, an inadequate maturation of this system could lead to enhanced susceptibility for alcohol use disorder. Recent studies show that the classical reward areas nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area are less affected by early life stress whereas endogenous opioids in non-classical areas, e.g. dorsal striatum and amygdala, are highly responsive. The aim was to investigate the interaction between early life conditions and adult voluntary ethanol intake on opioid gene expression. Male Wistar rats were exposed to conventional rearing, 15, or 360min of daily maternal separation (MS) postnatal day 1-21, and randomly assigned to ethanol or water drinking postnatal week 10-16. Rats exposed to early life stress (MS360) had increased opioid receptor gene (Oprm1, Oprd1 and Oprk1) expression in the dorsal striatum. Ethanol drinking was associated with lower striatal Oprd1 and Oprk1 expression solely in rats exposed to early life stress. Furthermore, rats exposed to early life st...Continue Reading

Citations

Apr 13, 2018·Scientific Reports·Arianna NovatiJulia M Schulze-Hentrich
Apr 20, 2018·The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics·Yan Zhou, Mary Jeanne Kreek
May 8, 2018·Journal of Molecular Neuroscience : MN·María José Franco-TormoEric Murillo-Rodríguez
Dec 6, 2019·Peptides·Richard J Bodnar
Apr 8, 2021·The European Journal of Neuroscience·Sophia C LevisStephen V Mahler
May 1, 2021·Journal of Personalized Medicine·Lynn M OswaldCarla L Storr

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