Molecular mechanisms of synaptic remodeling in alcoholism

NEUROSCIENCE LETTERS

卷:601

Review

Kyzar, Evan J.¹  Pandey, Subhash C.^1,2 

[1] Univ Illinois, Dept Psychiat, Jesse Brown Vet Affairs Med Ctr, Chicago, IL 60612 USA

[2] Univ Illinois, Dept Anat & Cell Biol, Chicago, IL 60612 USA

关键词: Alcoholism;    Epigenetics;    Synaptic plasticity;    Dendritic spines;    Histone deacetylases;    Histone acetylation;    Amygdala;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.neulet.2015.01.051

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Alcohol use and alcohol addiction represent dysfunctional brain circuits resulting from neuroadaptive changes during protracted alcohol exposure and its withdrawal. Alcohol exerts a potent effect on synaptic plasticity and dendritic spine formation in specific brain regions, providing a neuroanatomical substrate for the pathophysiology of alcoholism. Epigenetics has recently emerged as a critical regulator of gene expression and synaptic plasticity-related events in the brain. Alcohol exposure and withdrawal induce changes in crucial epigenetic processes in the emotional brain circuitry (amygdala) that may be relevant to the negative affective state defined as the dark side of addiction. Here, we review the literature concerning synaptic plasticity and epigenetics, with a particular focus on molecular events related to dendritic remodeling during alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Targeting epigenetic processes that modulate synaptic plasticity may yield novel treatments for alcoholism. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

【 授权许可】

Free