While the effect of stress on ethanol consumption has been extensively studied in several animal models, these studies have yielded equivocal findings, with results depending on a myriad of factors including the type of stressor used, timing of stress presentation, initial ethanol preference, among many others. The INIAstress Consortium has contributed to this literature, mostly demonstrating that acute/sub-chronic administration of various stressors results in suppression of ethanol intake in various mouse models. In contrast, results from our laboratory have demonstrated that repeated cycles of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure reliably produces escalation of voluntary ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice. Further, it has become evident that repeated cycles of CIE exposure constitutes a potent stressor itself, producing profound disturbances in neural and physiological systems. This has led to the overarching notion that chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal experience produces persistent perturbations in neurophysiological systems within stress and reward circuits that tax the organism beyond normal homeostatic limits (i.e., a state of allostasis). These neuroadaptations are postulated to not only impact stress responsiveness, but also play a role in driving/promoting excessive levels of drinking associated with dependence. A major objective of this Mouse CIE Core is to provide comprehensive behavioral phenotypic evaluation of the effect of ethanol dependence (CIE exposure) and stress on voluntary ethanol intake in various genetic mouse models, as well as provide organ tissue samples (e.g., brain, plasma, adrenals) for use in other INIAstress projects. Specifically, studies conducted in this Core will focus on characterizing the effects of CIE exposure alone and in combination with various stress procedures on voluntary drinking in dependent and nondependent animals. These studies will be conducted with C57BL/6 mice, as well as unique mouse models that have been generated by the INIAstress Consortium, including BXD Rl strains and conditional (inducible) knockout mice with targeted gene deletions. This will provide critical information for guiding more in-depth analyses (endocrine, neurochemical, electrophysiological, genetic/genomic) in other research components of the INIAstress Consortium. In this way, the Core serves a centralized function in not only informing other projects about optimal experimental parameters regarding CIE/stress interactions in various mouse genotypes, but it also creates a framework that will facilitate integration of diverse research findings from various INIAstress projects relevant to the overall research theme and goals of the Consortium.

Public Health Relevance

Excessive alcohol consumption and alcoholism are major public health concerns. This Research Core serves a central function in the INAstress Consortium by providing valuable information and resources regarding stress-ethanol interactions that will not only inform and guide other research projects in the Consortium, but also provide the general field with novel and unique information that will advance our understanding about factors and mechanisms that promote excessive drinking. This is critical for development of new and more effective treatments for alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Resource-Related Research Projects--Cooperative Agreements (U24)
Project #
4U24AA020929-05
Application #
9000607
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAA1)
Program Officer
Regunathan, Soundar
Project Start
2012-02-10
Project End
2017-01-31
Budget Start
2016-02-01
Budget End
2017-01-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Medical University of South Carolina
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
183710748
City
Charleston
State
SC
Country
United States
Zip Code
29403
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Haun, Harold L; Griffin, William C; Lopez, Marcelo F et al. (2018) Increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in medial prefrontal cortex selectively reduces excessive drinking in ethanol dependent mice. Neuropharmacology 140:35-42
Farris, Sean P; Riley, Brien P; Williams, Robert W et al. (2018) Cross-species molecular dissection across alcohol behavioral domains. Alcohol 72:19-31
Nimitvilai, Sudarat; Lopez, Marcelo F; Woodward, John J (2018) Effects of monoamines on the intrinsic excitability of lateral orbitofrontal cortex neurons in alcohol-dependent and non-dependent female mice. Neuropharmacology 137:1-12
Rinker, Jennifer A; Fulmer, Diana B; Trantham-Davidson, Heather et al. (2017) Differential potassium channel gene regulation in BXD mice reveals novel targets for pharmacogenetic therapies to reduce heavy alcohol drinking. Alcohol 58:33-45
Wang, Chongwen; Zhang, Kehan; Zhou, Zhe et al. (2017) Vancomycin-modified Fe3O4@SiO2@Ag microflowers as effective antimicrobial agents. Int J Nanomedicine 12:3077-3094
Lopez, Marcelo F; Miles, Michael F; Williams, Robert W et al. (2017) Variable effects of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure on ethanol drinking in a genetically diverse mouse cohort. Alcohol 58:73-82
Becker, Howard C (2017) Influence of stress associated with chronic alcohol exposure on drinking. Neuropharmacology 122:115-126
Porcu, Patrizia; O'Buckley, Todd K; Lopez, Marcelo F et al. (2017) Initial genetic dissection of serum neuroactive steroids following chronic intermittent ethanol across BXD mouse strains. Alcohol 58:107-125
van der Vaart, Andrew D; Wolstenholme, Jennifer T; Smith, Maren L et al. (2017) The allostatic impact of chronic ethanol on gene expression: A genetic analysis of chronic intermittent ethanol treatment in the BXD cohort. Alcohol 58:93-106

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