GABA受体与药物依赖性的研究进展

药物成瘾是一种全球性的公共卫生问题,其发生机制十分复杂。γ-氨基丁酸(γ-aminobutyric acid,GABA)是中枢神经系统中主要的抑制性神经递质,其通过调节GABA受体(如:GABA_A,GABA_B)的活性参与多种药物成瘾和依赖性的发生与发展过程。吗啡、可卡因、甲基苯丙胺等药物引起的奖赏、戒断和复吸作用与GABA受体的激活或抑制密切相关。本文将对GABA受体在药物依赖中的作用及机制进行综述,从而为治疗药物成瘾提供新的策略。     

α7烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体在烟碱成瘾不同阶段发挥的作用及其作用机制

烟碱是烟草中备受关注的致瘾性物质,是吸烟者持续使用烟草制品的主要原因之一。Alpha7烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体(alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor,α7nAChR)在中枢神经系统广泛存在,其功能涵盖学习记忆、认知障碍、神经退行性疾病和药物成瘾等多个方面。近年来,大量研究报道了调控α7nAChR对实验动物在烟碱成瘾形成及戒断阶段行为学的影响,明确了α7nAChR在烟碱成瘾机制中发挥的重要作用。本文主要综述了α7nAChR在烟碱成瘾不同阶段发挥的作用及其作用机制,以期为相关研究者进一步的深入研究提供理论支持。     

米非司酮(RU486)对吗啡成瘾后新颖环境探究活动量的影响

精神成瘾性药物急性戒断后行为活动量增加是一个突出表现,本实验以米非司酮(RU486)为干涉药物,抑制糖皮质激素与受体结合,间接抑制戒断期间DA递质升高所引起活动量的增加。结果表明,米非司酮可以明显降低成瘾后急性戒断期间的活动量,但是对腹腔注射生理盐水动物活动量影响不显著。结论:进一步验证糖皮质激素在吗啡成瘾戒断期间的易化作用,同时也表明RU486可以在一定程度上缓解戒断后药物敏感化行为     

甲基苯丙胺成瘾的表观遗传学机制

苯丙胺类兴奋剂是全世界第二大滥用程度的药物,甲基苯丙胺作为苯胺类兴奋剂中的主要药物,是中国滥用的“头号毒品”。而现有的研究对甲基苯丙胺成瘾机制尚不清晰,且临床上对药物成瘾的治疗依然存在无药可医的局面。因此,发现新的成瘾机制和治疗策略尤为迫切。甲基苯丙胺成瘾与额前叶皮质（mPFC）、中脑腹侧被盖区（VTA）和伏隔核（NAc）中的多巴胺（DA）、谷氨酸（Glu）、去甲肾上腺素（NE）和血清素（SNRIS）等神经递质的异常释放有关。研究表明,这些神经递质受到表观遗传机制中组蛋白乙酰化、甲基化、泛素化和非编码RNA等调节,某些基因的表达在甲基苯丙胺的诱导过程中增强或被抑制,导致甲基苯丙胺依赖性产生。本文将针对表观遗传学对甲基苯丙胺成瘾机制的影响进行着重论述,以期推进临床开发甲基苯丙胺戒断药物的研究。     

涡虫再生实验的观察及其机理的探索

本文对涡虫再生进行了实验和观察,并对其机制进行了探索。涡虫素有“刀下切不死”的动物之称,它有很强的再生能力。为了观察涡虫的再生能力、并探索其机理,我们利用学生实验后的剩余材料进行了涡虫再生实验,现将实验方法、观察结果及其机理的分析综合如下。     

毒品成瘾与自噬的研究进展

毒品成瘾是一种严重危害人类健康和社会安定的疾病,但目前还缺乏有效的治疗药物和治疗手段。大量研究表明,自噬与毒品成瘾有着密不可分的联系,在毒品成瘾中有着重要的作用。因此,了解毒品成瘾过程中自噬及其相关分子的变化规律,将有助于人们对毒品成瘾机制及戒断的理解。现将以自噬为关注点,重点介绍自噬与毒品成瘾之间的相互关系,对该领域的研究进展进行综述。     

药物成瘾记忆的神经生物机制及临床干预方法

药物成瘾者戒断后的持久复吸是治疗药物成瘾的难点.成瘾者出现持续复吸的重要原因是由于成瘾记忆的长期存在.成瘾物质的长期反复使用导致前额叶-边缘多巴胺系统结构和功能的适应性改变,这种改变是成瘾记忆形成的神经基础.本文从学习记忆的角度来理解成瘾形成,介绍了成瘾记忆的初始形成阶段、习惯化阶段和成瘾行为维持阶段及其相应的神经基础.回顾了近年来成瘾记忆的临床干预方法,包括消退干预方法、增强消退干预的多情境干预方法,以及直接干预消除成瘾记忆的记忆再巩固干预方法,并总结了虚拟现实、神经调控技术在成瘾记忆干预中的应用.对记忆再巩固干预方法与虚拟现实、神经调控技术相结合干预成瘾记忆进行展望,为药物成瘾的临床干预和治疗提供了新方法、新思路.     

中央杏仁核中促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素神经元调控吗啡戒断诱发的负性情绪北大核心CSCD

成瘾药物戒断诱发负性情绪并伴有脑内应激系统的激活,是导致负性强化并使成瘾个体持续觅药和复吸的重要因素。促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素(corticotrophin-releasing hormone, CRH)是应激系统发挥生理作用的重要递质,在介导焦虑、恐惧等负性情绪的重要核团--中央杏仁核(central amygdala, Ce A)中广泛分布。然而在Ce A中这类表达CRH的神经元在成瘾药物戒断引发的负性情绪中作用还并不清楚。本研究采用CRH-Cre转基因小鼠,通过依赖Cre-Lox P系统的化学遗传学方法特异性激活或抑制小鼠Ce A中的CRH神经元,结合条件性位置厌恶(conditioned place aversion, CPA)、高架十字迷宫、自主活动能力测试等行为学实验,探究Ce A中CRH神经元对小鼠吗啡戒断产生的厌恶、焦虑等负性情绪的影响。结果显示,抑制Ce A中CRH神经元可抑制小鼠吗啡戒断诱导的CPA形成,并降低小鼠焦虑水平。直接激活Ce A中CRH神经元可使未经历吗啡暴露的小鼠产生CPA和焦虑。吗啡自然戒断和CRH神经元的活性改变对小鼠的自主活动能力都没有显著影响。以上结果提示,Ce A中CRH神经元参与调控小鼠吗啡戒断诱导的负性情绪。本研究为药物成瘾与复吸机制提供了理论依据。     

网络成瘾者奖赏系统和认知控制系统的神经机制

网络成瘾作为一种行为成瘾,已成为严重影响人们心理健康的全球性问题.根据大脑发育的神经生物模型,揭示网络成瘾者奖赏和认知控制系统的神经机制是解决网络成瘾问题的关键,也是心理学研究的重大问题.行为研究探讨了网络成瘾具有高奖赏寻求和低认知控制特征;神经机制研究揭示了奖赏和认知控制系统的缺陷是网络成瘾行为的高风险因素;与药物成瘾的比较研究发现,网络成瘾有着独特的奖赏机制.这些研究深化了对网络成瘾心理和神经机制的理解,但仍存在网络成瘾筛查和入组标准不科学、分型笼统、因果研究匮乏、干预和治疗效果具有争议、研究范式存在漏洞等一些急需解决的问题.     

中央杏仁核中促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素神经元调控吗啡戒断诱发的负性情绪

成瘾药物戒断诱发负性情绪并伴有脑内应激系统的激活,是导致负性强化并使成瘾个体持续觅药和复吸的重要因素。促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素(corticotrophin-releasing hormone, CRH)是应激系统发挥生理作用的重要递质,在介导焦虑、恐惧等负性情绪的重要核团——中央杏仁核(central amygdala, Ce A)中广泛分布。然而在Ce A中这类表达CRH的神经元在成瘾药物戒断引发的负性情绪中作用还并不清楚。本研究采用CRH-Cre转基因小鼠,通过依赖Cre-Lox P系统的化学遗传学方法特异性激活或抑制小鼠Ce A中的CRH神经元,结合条件性位置厌恶(conditioned place aversion, CPA)、高架十字迷宫、自主活动能力测试等行为学实验,探究Ce A中CRH神经元对小鼠吗啡戒断产生的厌恶、焦虑等负性情绪的影响。结果显示,抑制Ce A中CRH神经元可抑制小鼠吗啡戒断诱导的CPA形成,并降低小鼠焦虑水平。直接激活Ce A中CRH神经元可使未经历吗啡暴露的小鼠产生CPA和焦虑。吗啡自然戒断和CRH神经元的活性改变对小鼠的自主活动能力都没有显著影响。以上结果提示,Ce A中CRH神经元参与调控小鼠吗啡戒断诱导的负性情绪。本研究为药物成瘾与复吸机制提供了理论依据。     

Connection between classroom abuse and manifest aggressiveness, anxiety and altruism

The objective of this paper is to find out if the students exposed to abuse differ in their level of anxiety, aggressiveness, and altruism from other students, and to test if the pattern of these differences differs depending on whether the abuse they suffer is emotional or physical. The research was carried out on a sample of 127 senior elementary school students. The data was gathered at the end of the 2003/04 school year, and obtained through the respondents' self-statements in questionnaires about childhood abuse and by the scales of manifest aggressiveness, anxiety and altruism. The frequency analysis has shown that various forms of emotional abuse are more common in schools than physical abuse, and that they are reaching disturbing proportions. For example, more than half of the participants in the study reported facing intimidation and threats in school, and over a third of them have been yelled at. Although less commonplace, physical abuse in school can by no means be ignored. Those students who suffer from frequent physical abuse are more dissatisfied with school (r=0.174, p<0.05), display more aggressiveness (r=0.441, p<0.001), and are more often boys (r=0.324, p<0.01). Those students who are frequently emotionally abused are more anxious (r=0.281, p<0.01), dissatisfied with school (r=0.237, p<0.01), and display more manifest aggressiveness (r=398, p<0.01). The discriminant analysis has shown that the bullied students can be differentiated from their non-abused schoolmates as they are manifestly more anxious and aggressive, regardless of whether they suffer physical or emotional abuse. Instances of different forms of emotional and physical classroom abuse have increased alarmingly. Such traumatic experiences affect children's health and functioning in school, as well as in their private lives. The interdisciplinary studies of this phenomenon and the education of all those who work with young people emerge as the top priority in the prevention of this kind of abuse.     

Modeling the influence of cyclodextrins on oral absorption of low solubility drugs: II. Experimental validation

A model was developed for predicting the influence of cyclodextrins (CDs) delivered as a physical mixture with drug on oral absorption. CDs are cyclic oligosaccharides which form inclusion complexes with many drugs and are often used as solubilizing agents. The purpose of this work is to compare the simulation predictions with in vitro as well as in vivo experimental results to test the model's ability to capture the influence of CD on key processes in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract environment. Dissolution and absorption kinetics of low solubility drugs (Naproxen and Nifedipine) were tested in the presence and absence of CD in a simulated gastrointestinal environment. Model predictions were also compared with in vivo experimental results (Glibenclamide and Carbamazepine) from the literature to demonstrate the model's ability to predict oral bioavailability. Comparisons of simulation and experimental results indicate that a model incorporating the influence of CD (delivered as a physical mixture) on dissolution kinetics and binding of neutral drug can predict trends in the influence of CD on bioavailability. Overall, a minimal effect of CD dosed as a physical mixture was observed and predicted. Modeling may aid in enabling rational design of CD containing formulations. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010; 105: 421–430. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Development of effective therapeutics for polysubstance use disorders

Traditional pharmacotherapies for substance use disorders have focused on mono-substance abuse. However, recent epidemiological studies have found polysubstance use disorders (PUD) are becoming more prevalent and the abuse of adulterated drugs has led to increasing unintentional overdose deaths. Unfortunately, there are no approved pharmacological agents for PUD. Hence, a therapeutic model of interest to address this growing epidemic is immunopharmacotherapy, where individuals are inoculated with conjugate vaccines formulated with haptens that mimic the drug of abuse. These conjugate vaccines have demonstrated significant therapeutic potential against mono-substance abuse, thus recent studies have applied this model to address PUD. This review presents immunopharmacotherapeutic advancements against polysubstance abuse and discusses necessary developments for conjugate vaccines in order to effectively treat this unaddressed epidemic.     

Comparative research on substance abuse and self-perception among adolescents with physical handicap

The research on substance (alcohol, tobacco and drug) abuse and on self-perception was done by comparing a test group of physically disabled adolescents and a test group of non-disabled adolescents. The respondents of the experimental group were students of the only special high school for physically handicapped persons in Croatia, Zagreb. The respondents of the control group were the students of two regular high schools in the capital of Croatia. The instrument used in this research was a self-reported, anonymous questionnaire. The respondents completed the questionnaire in the classroom. The data analysis regarding alcohol abuse indicated that physically disabled adolescents drink more often and out of quite different motives than their non-disabled peers. Regarding the prevalence, frequency, quantity and motives for smoking, no statistically significant difference has been found between the tested groups. On the contrary, significant differences between handicapped and non-disabled adolescents were evident regarding drug abuse. Only one physically disabled examinee used a drug--marijuana, only a few times a year. On the other hand, almost one quarter of the non-disabled adolescents use at least one, five at the most, type of drug sometimes or often. The results on the self-perception scale show that adolescent with physical disabilities have a much more negative attitude toward themselves than non-disabled controls. Their self-esteem and self-confidence are seriously diminished. Described findings could have a mighty impact on ways of preventing substance abuse, and on ways of increasing self-esteem among disabled and non-disabled adolescents.     

睡眠研究中相关动物选择的进展

在睡眠研究使用的各种实验动物中,除了常用的啮齿类动物,还有猫、果蝇、猴和斑马鱼等.啮齿类动物因制作其睡眠相关的模型简便易行而得到广泛的应用,主要是采用各种物理化学方法制作失眠动物模型;转基因小鼠主要应用于药物干预睡眠及睡眠发生机制的研究;果蝇和斑马鱼多用于遗传学中睡眠的研究;猫用于睡眠研究的历史悠久,多用于体内试验,对内源性神经递质进行定量分析;猴睡眠结构与人相似,被广泛用于神经生物学,行为药理学等领域与睡眠的关系研究中.由于各种实验动物特殊的生理特征,在睡眠研究中多根据研究目的选择不同的实验动物.     

Drugs of abuse and HIV infection/replication: implications for mother-fetus transmission

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and progression of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) can be modulated by a number of cofactors, including drugs of abuse. Opioids, cocaine, cannabinoids, methamphetamine (METH), alcohol, and other substances of abuse have been implicated as risk factors for HIV infection, as they all have the potential to compromise host immunity and facilitate viral replication. Although epidemiologic evidence regarding the impact of drugs of abuse on HIV disease progression is mixed, in vitro studies as well as studies using in vivo animal models have indicated that drugs of abuse have the ability to enhance HIV infection/replication. Drugs of abuse may also be a risk factor for perinatal transmission of HIV. Because high levels of viral load in maternal blood are associated with increased risk of HIV vertical transmission, it is likely that drugs of abuse play an important role in promoting mother-fetus transmission. Furthermore, because the neonatal immune system differs qualitatively from the adult system, it is possible that maternal exposure to drugs of abuse would exacerbate neonatal immunity defects, facilitating HIV infection of neonate immune cells and promoting HIV vertical transmission. The availability and use of antiretroviral therapy for women infected with HIV increase, there is an increasing interest in determining the impact of drug abuse on efficacy of AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG)-standardized treatment regimens for woman infected with HIV in the context of HIV vertical transmission.     

Are Individual and Community Acceptance and Witnessing of Intimate Partner Violence Related to Its Occurrence? Multilevel Structural Equation Model

Background

Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is a serious and widespread problem worldwide. Much of the research on IPVAW focused on individual-level factors and attention has been paid to the contextual factors. The aim of this study was to develop and test a model of individual- and community-level factors associated with IPVAW.

Methods and Findings

We conducted a (multivariate) multilevel structural equation analysis on 8731 couples nested within 883 communities in Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey 2008. Variables included in the model were derived from respondents'' answers to the experience of IPVAW, attitudes towards wife beating and witnessing physical violence in childhood. We found that women that witnessed physical violence were more likely to have tolerant attitudes towards IPVAW and women with tolerant attitudes were more likely to have reported spousal IPVAW abuse. Women with husbands with tolerant attitudes towards IPVAW were more likely to have reported spousal abuse. We found that an increasing proportion of women in the community with tolerant attitudes was significantly positively associated with spousal sexual and emotional abuse, but not significantly associated with spousal physical abuse. In addition, we found that an increasing proportion of men in the community with tolerant attitudes and an increasing proportion of women who had witnessed physical violence in the community was significantly positively associated with spousal physical abuse, but not significantly associated with spousal sexual and emotional abuse. There was a positive correlation between all three types of IPVAW at individual- and community-level.

Conclusions

We found that community tolerant attitudes context in which people live is associated with exposure to IPVAW even after taking into account individual tolerant attitudes. Public health interventions designed to reduce IPVAW must address people and the communities in which they live in order to be successful.     

Expert systems in treating substance abuse.

Computer programs can assist humans in solving complex problems that cannot be solved by traditional computational techniques using mathematic formulas. These programs, or "expert systems," are commonly used in finance, engineering, and computer design. Although not routinely used in medicine at present, medical expert systems have been developed to assist physicians in solving many kinds of medical problems that traditionally require consultation from a physician specialist. No expert systems are available specifically for drug abuse treatment, but at least one is under development. Where access to a physician specialist in substance abuse is not available for consultation, this expert system will extend specialized substance abuse treatment expertise to nonspecialists. Medical expert systems are a developing technologic tool that can assist physicians in practicing better medicine.     

Integrating synaptic plasticity and striatal circuit function in addiction

Exposure to addictive drugs causes changes in synaptic function within the striatal complex, which can either mimic or interfere with the induction of synaptic plasticity. These synaptic adaptations include changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a ventral striatal subregion important for drug reward and reinforcement, as well as the dorsal striatum, which may promote habitual drug use. As the behavioral effects of drugs of abuse are long-lasting, identifying persistent changes in striatal circuits induced by in vivo drug experience is of considerable importance. Within the striatum, drugs of abuse have been shown to induce modifications in dendritic morphology, ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluR) and the induction of synaptic plasticity. Understanding the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying these changes in striatal circuit function will provide insight into how drugs of abuse usurp normal learning mechanisms to produce pathological behavior.