Addiction is a leading cause of disease burden worldwide and remains a challenge in current neuroscience research. Drug-induced lasting changes in gene expression are mediated by transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in the brain and are thought to underlie behavioral adaptations. Emerging evidence implicates astrocytes in regulating drug-seeking behaviors and demonstrates robust transcriptional response to several substances of abuse. This review focuses on the astrocytic transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms of drug action.
Keywords: alcohol; cannabinoids; cocaine; glia; nicotine; opioids.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.