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Repeated Binge Drinking Increases Perineuronal Nets in the Insular Cortex.

Hu Chen1, Donghong He1, Amy W Lasek1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.

Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research
|September 3, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Long-term binge alcohol consumption increases brain extracellular matrix structures called perineuronal nets (PNs) in the insula. This may contribute to compulsive alcohol use by altering neuronal plasticity.

Keywords:
Binge DrinkingChondroitin Sulfate ProteoglycansInsular CortexPerineuronal Nets

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neurobiology
  • Alcohol Research

Background:

  • Alcohol exposure alters brain extracellular matrix (ECM), impacting neuronal plasticity.
  • Perineuronal nets (PNs) are ECM structures protecting specific neurons.
  • Adolescent alcohol exposure increases PN components; effects of young adult binge drinking are unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of binge-like ethanol (EtOH) consumption on PNs and their components in adult mice.
  • To examine PNs in the insula and primary motor cortex after repeated binge alcohol exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Mice underwent the 4-day drinking in the dark (DID) procedure for 1 or 6 weeks.
  • PNs were visualized using Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) staining.
  • Western blots and qRT-PCR assessed expression of PN proteins (aggrecan, brevican, phosphacan) and aggrecan mRNA.

Main Results:

  • Six weeks of binge-like EtOH drinking significantly increased PNs in the insula, evidenced by WFA binding.
  • Elevated protein expression of aggrecan, brevican, and phosphacan, and increased aggrecan mRNA, were observed in the insula.
  • No changes in PN components were detected after 1 week of DID or in the primary motor cortex.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first evidence of increased insular PNs following long-term binge alcohol consumption.
  • Increased insular PNs may contribute to compulsive alcohol use by restricting neuronal plasticity.
  • The insula's role in compulsive alcohol use is highlighted, with PNs as a potential contributing factor.