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Psychosomatic Medicine 61:630-650 (1999)
© 1999 American Psychosomatic Society

SPECIAL ISSUE: PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH

Drugs of Abuse and Brain Gene Expression

German Torres, PhD and Judith M. Horowitz, PhD

From the Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo (G.T.), and Department of Social Sciences, Medaille College (J.M.H.), Buffalo, NY.

Address reprint requests to: German Torres, PhD, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260. Email: gtorres{at}acsu.buffalo.edu

Addictive drugs like cocaine, ethanol, and morphine activate signal transduction pathways that regulate brain gene expression. Such regulation is modulated by the presence of certain transcription factor proteins present in a given neuron. This article summarizes the effects of several addictive drugs on transcriptional processes contributing to the development of a drug-dependent state. The characterization of drug-induced changes in gene expression shows promise for improving our understanding of drug-addiction phenomena and cellular modes of cocaine, ethanol, and morphine action.

Key Words: addiction • dopamine • genes • mutagenesis • rodents • striatum

Abbreviations: ACTH = adrenocorticotropin hormone; cAMP = cyclicadenosine monophosphate; CART = cocaine- and amphetamine-regulatedtranscript; CBP = CREB-binding protein; CRE = cAMP-regulatedenhancer; CREB = cAMP response-element binding protein; CRF =corticotropin-releasing factor; DA = dopamine; FRAs =Fos-related antigens; G-proteins = guaninenucleotide–binding proteins; GABA = {gamma}-aminobutyric acid; IEG = immediate-early gene; JAK2-STAT = Janus kinase–signaltransducer and activator of transcription; LC = locus ceruleus; NE = norepinephrine; NGFI = nerve growth factor I; NMDA= N-methyl-D-aspartate; PKA = proteinkinase A; PVh = paraventricular nucleus of thehypothalamus; 5-HT = 5-hydroxytryptamine; SN = substantianigra; THP = tetrahydropapaveroline; VMAT2 = vesicularmonoamine transporter 2; VTA = ventral tegmental area.




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