Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sean D. Regnier, William W. Stoops, Joshua A. Lile, Joseph L. Alcorn III, B. Levi Bolin, Anna R. Reynolds, Lon R. Hays, Abner O. Rayapati, Craig R. Rush
Summary: Despite decades of research, the FDA has not approved any pharmacotherapy for cocaine use disorder. This study investigated the use of naltrexone-bupropion combinations as a potential treatment option. The results showed that these combinations did not significantly decrease cocaine self-administration and did not provide support for their use in treating cocaine use disorder. Future research should explore novel drug combinations to reduce cocaine self-administration.
PHARMACOLOGY BIOCHEMISTRY AND BEHAVIOR
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Lauren M. DePoy, Darius D. Becker-Krail, Wei Zong, Kaitlyn Petersen, Neha M. Shah, Jessica H. Brandon, Alyssa M. Miguelino, George C. Tseng, Ryan W. Logan, Colleen A. McClung
Summary: The circadian transcription factor NPAS2 plays a significant role in substance use disorder, affecting reward mechanisms and activity in a sex and time-specific manner. Npas2 mutant mice show increased cocaine self-administration and reinforcement during the dark phase, with females demonstrating a more pronounced increase.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Andrea Cippitelli, Madeline Martinez, Gilles Zribi, Gerta Cami-Kobeci, Stephen M. Husbands, Lawrence Toll
Summary: This study found that PPL-138 effectively reduces cocaine consumption and relapse in rats. The compound increased locomotor activity in female rats but had no effect on food responses in both sexes. The suppression of cocaine self-administration by PPL-138 could be reversed by blocking mu-opioid receptors but not NOP receptors. Additionally, PPL-138 also reduced the reinstatement of cocaine seeking behavior.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Danuta Kowalczyk-Pachel, Malgorzata Iciek, Anna Bilska-Wilkosz, Magdalena Gorny, Joanna Jastrzebska, Kinga Kaminska, Paulina Dudzik, Malgorzata Filip, Elzbieta Lorenc-Koci
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of cocaine on thiols and reactive sulfur species in the liver and kidney of rats, finding that cocaine leads to a decrease in reactive sulfur species in the liver and an increase in the kidney, with these changes being maintained during drug abstinence. Additionally, cocaine alters cysteine metabolism towards an anaerobic pathway in the kidney.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Lucia Caffino, Francesca Mottarlini, Giorgia Targa, Michel M. M. Verheij, Judith Homberg, Fabio Fumagalli
Summary: The study found that the deletion of serotonin transporter (SERT) may sensitize the glutamatergic synapses of the nucleus accumbens core to long-term but not short-term intake of cocaine.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Monica H. Dawes, Paige M. Estave, Steven E. Albertson, Conner W. Wallace, Katherine M. Holleran, Sara R. Jones
Summary: This study found that the addition of nicotine can enhance the reinforcing strength of cocaine, leading to increased motivation to take cocaine in rats. However, under extended access conditions, rats co-administering cocaine and nicotine showed reduced responses without escalation.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Hadas Ahdoot-Levi, Ofri Croitoru, Tzofnat Bareli, Einav Sudai, Hilla Peer-Nissan, Avi Jacob, Iris Gispan, Rachel Maayan, Abraham Weizman, Gal Yadid
Summary: Research has shown that the neurosteroid DHEA has a long-lasting effect on reducing cocaine-seeking behavior and has a positive impact on hippocampal cell structure. The study emphasizes the critical role of astrocytes and neurons in overcoming addiction behavior.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
Craig R. Rush, William W. Stoops, Joshua A. Lile, Joseph L. Alcorn, B. Levi Bolin, Anna R. Reynolds, Lon R. Hays, Abner O. Rayapati
Summary: The study demonstrated the initial efficacy of topiramate-phentermine combinations for treating cocaine use disorder, with significant reductions in cocaine self-administration.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Christian Montanari, Maria E. Secci, Ashlyn Driskell, Katherine O. McDonald, Connor L. Schratz, Nicholas W. Gilpin
Summary: The study found that chronic nicotine injections increase alcohol consumption and that alcohol self-administration rapidly decreases when nicotine is no longer available, suggesting potential clinical implications for social drinkers using nicotine products.
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Lianwei Mu, Xiaojie Liu, Hao Yu, Mengming Hu, Vladislav Friedman, Thomas J. Kelly, Li Zhao, Qing-song Liu
Summary: Ibudilast effectively reduces the reinforcing effects of cocaine and relapse to cocaine seeking behavior. This may be achieved by restoring the balance between excitation and inhibition in VTA dopamine neurons.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hai-Ying Zhang, Lindsay De Biase, Ramesh Chandra, Hui Shen, Qing-Rong Liu, Eliot Gardner, Mary Kay Lobo, Zheng-Xiong Xi
Summary: Cannabinoid CB2 receptors are involved in drug reward and addiction. Repeated cocaine exposure increases CB2R expression in the brain and spleen, while repeated heroin administration leads to a dose-dependent reduction in CB2 mRNA expression in the striatum. Upregulation of CB2R mainly occurs in D-1-MSNs, not in D-2-MSNs or microglia.
ACTA PHARMACOLOGICA SINICA
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Matthew J. Horchar, Joy L. Kappesser, Maria R. Broderick, Makayla R. Wright, Justin R. Yates
Summary: This study found that the GluN2B-selective antagonist Ro 63-1908 and the NMDA receptor channel blocker MK-801 can increase the overall demand for cocaine and reduce demand elasticity, but do not affect demand intensity.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Irena Smaga, Karolina Wydra, Kacper Witek, Paulina Surpwla, Agata Suder, Renata Pieniazek, Lucia Caffino, Fabio Fumagalli, Marek Sanak, Malgorzata Filip
Summary: This study demonstrated that Tat-NR2B9c attenuated cocaine seeking behavior and cue-induced reinstatement in rats, while also reducing levels of GluN2B/PSD95 complexes in the ventral hippocampus. These findings suggest that disrupting GluN2B/PSD95 complexes during cocaine abstinence and extinction training may be a helpful strategy in reducing reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Dakota B. Zinani, Hanna N. Wetzel, Andrew B. Norman
Summary: This study revealed significant differences in the intake rate, satiety threshold, and half-life of different DAT inhibitors in rats. The duration of lever-pressing following termination of drug access was correlated with the t(1/2) estimates, suggesting a relationship between the time needed for animals to stop lever pressing and the PK properties of the agonist.
Article
Neurosciences
Kyle A. Windisch, Michelle Morochnik, Brian Reed, Mary Jeanne Kreek
Summary: The mu opioid receptor antagonist/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) partial agonist nalmefene (NMF) did not significantly reduce cocaine intake, but acute pretreatment of 1 mg/kg NMF significantly potentiated cocaine motivation. Further research with KOR selective partial or full agonists is required to determine their effect on cocaine reinforcement.
