BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence supports a role for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) in modulating the neural and behavioral actions of ethanol (EtOH) and other drugs of abuse. METHODS: We used a 5-HTT knockout (KO) mouse model to further study this relationship. 5-Hydroxytryptamine transporter KO mice were tested for the sedative/hypnotic, hypothermia-inducing, motor-incoordinating (via accelerating rotarod), and depression-related (via tail suspension test) effects of acute EtOH administration. Reward-related effects of EtOH were assessed in 5-HTT KO mice using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. 5-Hydroxytryptamine transporter KO mice were tested for voluntary consumption of EtOH in a modified 2-bottle choice test that measured the temporal organization of drinking over the circadian cycle via "lickometers." RESULTS: Replicating previous findings, 5-HTT KO mice exhibited significantly increased sensitivity to EtOH-induced sedation/hypnosis relative to wild-type controls. Additionally, 5-HTT KO mice showed motor-coordination deficits at baseline and in response to EtOH. Hypothermic, pro-depressive-like, and reward-related effects of EtOH were no different across genotypes. Gross EtOH consumption was modestly reduced in 5-HTT KO mice, due to significantly lesser consumption during the peak period of drinking in the early dark phase. CONCLUSIONS: Data extend the finding that loss of 5-HTT gene function alters certain neural and behavioral effects of EtOH, with implications for better understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of alcoholism.
BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence supports a role for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) in modulating the neural and behavioral actions of ethanol (EtOH) and other drugs of abuse. METHODS: We used a 5-HTT knockout (KO) mouse model to further study this relationship. 5-Hydroxytryptamine transporter KO mice were tested for the sedative/hypnotic, hypothermia-inducing, motor-incoordinating (via accelerating rotarod), and depression-related (via tail suspension test) effects of acute EtOH administration. Reward-related effects of EtOH were assessed in 5-HTT KO mice using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. 5-Hydroxytryptamine transporter KO mice were tested for voluntary consumption of EtOH in a modified 2-bottle choice test that measured the temporal organization of drinking over the circadian cycle via "lickometers." RESULTS: Replicating previous findings, 5-HTT KO mice exhibited significantly increased sensitivity to EtOH-induced sedation/hypnosis relative to wild-type controls. Additionally, 5-HTT KO mice showed motor-coordination deficits at baseline and in response to EtOH. Hypothermic, pro-depressive-like, and reward-related effects of EtOH were no different across genotypes. Gross EtOH consumption was modestly reduced in 5-HTT KO mice, due to significantly lesser consumption during the peak period of drinking in the early dark phase. CONCLUSIONS: Data extend the finding that loss of 5-HTT gene function alters certain neural and behavioral effects of EtOH, with implications for better understanding the pathophysiology and treatment of alcoholism.
Authors: Ryan S Trim; Alan N Simmons; Neil J Tolentino; Shana A Hall; Scott C Matthews; Shannon K Robinson; Tom L Smith; Claudia B Padula; Martin P Paulus; Susan F Tapert; Marc A Schuckit Journal: Alcohol Clin Exp Res Date: 2010-05-07 Impact factor: 3.455
Authors: Ana M D Carneiro; David C Airey; Brent Thompson; Chong-Bin Zhu; Lu Lu; Elissa J Chesler; Keith M Erikson; Randy D Blakely Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2009-01-28 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Meredith A Fox; Anne M Andrews; Jens R Wendland; Klaus-Peter Lesch; Andrew Holmes; Dennis L Murphy Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2007-08-22 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: Dennis L Murphy; Meredith A Fox; Kiara R Timpano; Pablo R Moya; Renee Ren-Patterson; Anne M Andrews; Andrew Holmes; Klaus-Peter Lesch; Jens R Wendland Journal: Neuropharmacology Date: 2008-09-11 Impact factor: 5.250