TY - JOUR
T1 - Mice deficient in corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 exhibit normal ethanol-associated behaviors
AU - Sharpe, Amanda L.
AU - Coste, Sarah C.
AU - Burkhart-Kasch, Sue
AU - Li, Na
AU - Stenzel-Poore, Mary P.
AU - Phillips, Tamara J.
PY - 2005/9
Y1 - 2005/9
N2 - Background: Stress is believed to influence alcohol use and relapse in alcoholics. Animal studies suggest an interaction between corticotropin- releasing factor (CRF) and its receptors and the behavioral effects and consumption of alcohol. The objective of these studies was to examine the effect of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRF2) on ethanol consumption, conditioned taste aversion, sedation, and hypothermia. Methods: CRF2-null mutant or knock-out (KO), and wild-type (WT) mice were used to assess consumption of increasing concentrations of ethanol in a two-bottle, 24-hr test and during daily limited-access sessions. Ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA), loss of righting reflex (LORR), hypothermia, and ethanol metabolism kinetics were also examined in the CRF2 KO and WT mice. Results: CRF2 KO mice did not differ from WT mice in sensitivity to ethanol-induced CTA, LORR, hypothermia, or ethanol metabolism kinetics. There was no genotypic difference in ethanol intake or preference in the 24-hr, two-bottle choice procedure, and only modestly reduced consumption of the 7.5 and 10% ethanol solutions in KO versus WT mice in the limited-access procedure. Conclusions: CRF2 deficiency had little effect on several ethanol-associated behaviors in CRF2-null mutant compared with WT mice, suggesting that this receptor does not have a primary role in modulating these behaviors. Evidence of a role for this receptor in neural circuits subserving stress-coping behaviors suggest that future studies should focus on the role of endogenous CRF2 in ethanol-associated behaviors in mice that are stressed or withdrawing from dependence on ethanol.
AB - Background: Stress is believed to influence alcohol use and relapse in alcoholics. Animal studies suggest an interaction between corticotropin- releasing factor (CRF) and its receptors and the behavioral effects and consumption of alcohol. The objective of these studies was to examine the effect of corticotropin-releasing factor receptor type 2 (CRF2) on ethanol consumption, conditioned taste aversion, sedation, and hypothermia. Methods: CRF2-null mutant or knock-out (KO), and wild-type (WT) mice were used to assess consumption of increasing concentrations of ethanol in a two-bottle, 24-hr test and during daily limited-access sessions. Ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA), loss of righting reflex (LORR), hypothermia, and ethanol metabolism kinetics were also examined in the CRF2 KO and WT mice. Results: CRF2 KO mice did not differ from WT mice in sensitivity to ethanol-induced CTA, LORR, hypothermia, or ethanol metabolism kinetics. There was no genotypic difference in ethanol intake or preference in the 24-hr, two-bottle choice procedure, and only modestly reduced consumption of the 7.5 and 10% ethanol solutions in KO versus WT mice in the limited-access procedure. Conclusions: CRF2 deficiency had little effect on several ethanol-associated behaviors in CRF2-null mutant compared with WT mice, suggesting that this receptor does not have a primary role in modulating these behaviors. Evidence of a role for this receptor in neural circuits subserving stress-coping behaviors suggest that future studies should focus on the role of endogenous CRF2 in ethanol-associated behaviors in mice that are stressed or withdrawing from dependence on ethanol.
KW - Conditioned Taste Aversion
KW - Drinking
KW - Hypothermia
KW - Loss of Righting Reflex
KW - Preference
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U2 - 10.1097/01.alc.0000179371.46716.5e
DO - 10.1097/01.alc.0000179371.46716.5e
M3 - Article
C2 - 16205360
AN - SCOPUS:25844474381
SN - 0145-6008
VL - 29
SP - 1601
EP - 1609
JO - Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
JF - Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
IS - 9
ER -