The roles of the circadian hormone melatonin in drug addiction

Shuhui Jia; Xuantong Guo; Zuxin Chen; Shupeng Li; Xin-An Liu

doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106371

The roles of the circadian hormone melatonin in drug addiction

Pharmacol Res. 2022 Sep:183:106371. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106371. Epub 2022 Jul 28.

Authors

Shuhui Jia¹, Xuantong Guo¹, Zuxin Chen², Shupeng Li³, Xin-An Liu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
² Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: zx.chen3@siat.ac.cn.
³ State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China.
⁴ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: xa.liu@siat.ac.cn.

PMID: 35907435
DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106371

Abstract

Given the devastating social and health consequences of drug addiction and the limitations of current treatments, a new strategy is needed. Circadian system disruptions are frequently associated with drug addiction. Correcting abnormal circadian rhythms and improving sleep quality may thus be beneficial in the treatment of patients with drug addiction. Melatonin, an essential circadian hormone that modulates the biological clock, has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-depressive, and neuroprotective effects via gut microbiota regulation and epigenetic modifications. It has attracted scientists' attention as a potential solution to drug abuse. This review summarized scientific evidence on the roles of melatonin in substance use disorders at the cellular, circuitry, and system levels, and discussed its potential applications as an intervention strategy for drug addiction.

Keywords: Circadian Rhythms; Drug Addiction; Melatonin.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biological Clocks
Circadian Rhythm
Humans
Melatonin* / pharmacology
Substance-Related Disorders* / drug therapy

Substances

Melatonin