Alcohol preference: association with reduced striatal nicotinic receptors

Alcohol Alcohol. 2001 Jul-Aug;36(4):318-22. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/36.4.318.

Abstract

This study was designed to determine whether inherent alcohol preference is associated with differential expression of central nicotinic receptors. [(3)H]Cytisine and [(125)I]alpha-bungarotoxin binding-site, ligands selective for alpha4beta2 and alpha7 nicotinic receptor subtypes, respectively, were determined in various brain regions of alcohol-preferring (P) and non-preferring (NP) rats. Only the striatum of P rats had a reduction in the number of binding sites for both ligands, compared to NP rats. The data suggest a link between striatal nicotinic receptors and alcohol preference.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / metabolism
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Azocines
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Bungarotoxins / metabolism
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism*
  • Ethanol / pharmacology*
  • Iodine Radioisotopes / metabolism
  • Male
  • Quinolizines
  • Radioligand Assay
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Receptors, Nicotinic / metabolism*
  • Tritium / metabolism

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Azocines
  • Bungarotoxins
  • Iodine Radioisotopes
  • Quinolizines
  • Receptors, Nicotinic
  • Tritium
  • Ethanol
  • cytisine