Functional Plasticity and Genetic Variation (eBook)

Cover 1
International Review of Neurobiology 2
Copyright 5
Contents 6
Contributors 10
Preface 12
The Role of microRNAs in Drug Addiction: A Big Lesson from Tiny Molecules 14
I. Introduction 15
II. microRNA 16
III. microRNA and Alcohol 20
IV. Future Directions 29
V. Conclusions 29
References 30
The Genetics of Behavioral Alcohol Responses in Drosophila 38
I. Introduction 39
II. Ethanol Exposure in Flies 41
III. Genes and Biochemical Pathways Involved in Alcohol Responses 48
IV. Neural Circuits Involved in Ethanol Responses 58
V. Conclusions 59
References 60
Neural Plasticity, Human Genetics, and Riskfor Alcohol Dependence 66
I. Introduction 67
II. Brain Plasticity 70
III. The Case for Intermediate Phenotypes or Endophenotypes 74
IV. Brain Morphology as an Endophenotype for Alcohol Dependence Risk 79
V. Brain Functional Differences—Familial Risk and Developmental Stage 83
VI. Brain Structural and Functional Effects and Genetic Variation 90
VII. Conclusions 96
References 97
Using Expression Genetics to Study the Neurobiology of Ethanol and Alcoholism 108
I. Introduction 109
II. Genetic and Genomic Approaches in Alcohol Research 110
III. Genetic Analysis of Gene Expression 120
IV. Recognizing Biological Function in Genetical Genomics Studies 129
V. Current Problems and Future Solutions 132
Acknowledgments 137
References 137
Genetic Variation and Brain Gene Expression in Rodent Models of Alcoholism: Implications for Medication Development 142
I. Alcohol Addiction, Genetic Susceptibility, and Neuroadaptation 143
II. Animal Models and the Trajectory of Alcohol Addiction 146
III. Acute Pharmacological Responses to Alcohol 148
IV. Models of Genetic Susceptibility: Selected Rat Lines and Inbred Mouse Strains 151
V. Modeling Addiction-Related Neuroadaptations by Long-Term Alcohol Access or Forced Intoxication 163
VI. Conclusions 173
References 174
Identifying Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) and Genes (QTGs) for Alcohol-Related Phenotypes in Mice 186
I. Introduction 187
II. Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping in Mice 189
III. High-Resolution QTL Mapping 192
IV. QTG Identification 195
V. In Vivo QTG Analyses 199
VI. Epistatic and Environmental Considerations in QTL Mapping 204
VII. Human Relevance of QTGs Identified in Mice 205
VIII. General Conclusions 206
Acknowledgments 207
References 207
Glutamate Plasticity in the Drunken Amygdala: The Makingof an Anxious Synapse 218
I. Introduction 219
II. Use-Dependent Synaptic Plasticity 221
III. Lateral/Basolateral Amygdala, Chronic Ethanol, and Glutamatergic Mechanisms Associated with Plasticity Initiation 224
IV. Chronic Alcohol, Withdrawal, and the Expression of Synaptic Plasticity 229
V. Ethanol-Dependent Plasticity of Additional Amygdala Neurotransmitter Systems 232
VI. Conclusions and Future Directions 234
Acknowledgments. 237
References 237
Ethanol Action on Dopaminergic Neurons inthe Ventral Tegmental Area: Interaction with Intrinsic Ion Channels and Neurotransmitter Inputs 248
I. Introduction 249
II. The Mesolimbic DA System and Alcohol Drinking 249
III. Intrinsic and Synaptic Mechanisms Controlling DA Neuron Activity 250
IV. Acute Ethanol Action on DA Neuron Activity 263
V. Plastic Changes in DA Neuron Activity after Previous Ethanol Exposure 274
VI. Concluding Remarks 279
Acknowledgments 280
References 280
Alcohol and the Prefrontal Cortex 302
I. Introduction 303
II. Anatomy of the Prefrontal Cortex 303
III. The Executive Function of the Prefrontal Cortex 306
IV. Electrophysiological Properties of the PFC 309
V. Neuromodulation of PFC Neuron Activity 312
VI. Effects of Alcohol on PFC Neuron Function—In Vitro Studies 316
VII. Effects of Alcohol on PFC Neuron Function—In Vivo Animal Studies 320
VIII. Effects of Alcohol on PFC Neuron Function—Human Studies 323
IX. Summary 326
References 327
BK Channel and Alcohol, A Complicated Affair 334
I. Introduction 334
II. BK Channel Properties and Its Regulation by Alcohol 335
III. BK Channels in the Striatum 342
IV. Perspectives 346
Reference 346
A Review of Synaptic Plasticity at Purkinje Neurons with a Focus on Ethanol-Induced Cerebellar Dysfunction 352
I. Introduction 353
II. Functional Cerebellar Neuroanatomy 353
III. Overview of Cerebellar Development 358
IV. Synaptic Plasticity at Purkinje Cells 361
V. Modulation of Cerebellar Synaptic Plasticity by Ethanol 368
VI. Conclusions and Future Directions 375
Acknowledgments 378
References 378
Index 386
Contents of Recent Volumes 406