Differences in IV alcohol-induced dopamine release in the ventral striatum of social drinkers and nontreatment-seeking alcoholics

Karmen K Yoder; Daniel S Albrecht; Mario Dzemidzic; Marc D Normandin; Lauren M Federici; Tammy Graves; Christine M Herring; Karen L Hile; James W Walters; Tiebing Liang; Martin H Plawecki; Sean O'Connor; David A Kareken

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.01.001

Differences in IV alcohol-induced dopamine release in the ventral striatum of social drinkers and nontreatment-seeking alcoholics

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2016 Mar 1:160:163-9. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.01.001. Epub 2016 Jan 13.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), R2-E124, 950 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, IUSM, GH Ste. 4100, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, IUSM, NB Ste. 414, 320 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, 402 N. Blackford St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. Electronic address: kkyoder@iupui.edu.
² Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), R2-E124, 950 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, IUSM, GH Ste. 4100, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, IUSM, NB Ste. 414, 320 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
³ Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), R2-E124, 950 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, IUSM, GH Ste. 4100, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Neurology, IUSM, GH Ste. 4700, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
⁴ Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), R2-E124, 950 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, USA.
⁵ Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), R2-E124, 950 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, IUSM, GH Ste. 4100, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
⁶ Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), R2-E124, 950 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Medicine, IUSM, 340 W. 10th St., Ste. 6200, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
⁷ Department of Medicine, IUSM, 340 W. 10th St., Ste. 6200, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry, IUSM, GH Ste. 4800, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
⁹ Department of Psychiatry, IUSM, GH Ste. 4800, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Roudebush Veteran's Administration Medical Center, 1481 W. 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), R2-E124, 950 W. Walnut St., Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Neuroimaging, IUSM, GH Ste. 4100, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Neurology, IUSM, GH Ste. 4700, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Psychiatry, IUSM, GH Ste. 4800, 355 W. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.

Abstract

Background: Striatal dopamine (DA) has been implicated in alcohol use disorders, but it is still unclear whether or not alcohol can induce dopamine release in social drinkers. Furthermore, no data exist on dopamine responses to alcohol in dependent drinkers. We sought to characterize the DA responses to alcohol intoxication in moderately large samples of social drinkers (SD) and nontreatment-seeking alcoholics (NTS).

Methods: Twenty-four SD and twenty-one NTS received two [(11)C]raclopride (RAC) PET scans; one at rest, and one during an intravenous alcohol infusion, with a prescribed ascent to a target breath alcohol concentration (BrAC), at which it was then "clamped." The alcohol clamp was started 5min after scan start, with a linear increase in BrAC over 15min to the target of 80mg%, the legal threshold for intoxication. Target BrAC was maintained for 30min. Voxel-wise binding potential (BPND) was estimated with MRTM2.

Results: IV EtOH induced significant increases in DA in the right ventral striatum in NTS, but not SD. No decreases in DA were observed in either group.

Conclusions: Alcohol intoxication results in distinct anatomic profiles of DA responses in SD and NTS, suggesting that in NTS, the striatal DA system may process effects of alcohol intoxication differently than in SD.

Keywords: Alcohol; Dopamine; Positron emission tomography; Raclopride; Ventral striatum.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Administration, Intravenous
Adult
Alcohol Drinking / metabolism*
Alcoholic Intoxication / metabolism
Alcoholism / metabolism*
Breath Tests
Central Nervous System Depressants / administration & dosage
Central Nervous System Depressants / metabolism*
Dopamine / metabolism*
Ethanol / administration & dosage
Ethanol / metabolism*
Female
Humans
Male
Positron-Emission Tomography / methods
Raclopride
Receptors, Dopamine D2 / metabolism
Ventral Striatum / metabolism*

Substances

Central Nervous System Depressants
Receptors, Dopamine D2
Ethanol
Raclopride
Dopamine

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding