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Published on: June 23, 2023
The S1-insula Circuit Differentially Modulates Alcohol Drinking and Aversive Behavior in Mice.
Tatiyana L Adkins1, Amanda L Salazar1, Jincy R Little1
1Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101.
Summary
This study reveals a somatosensory circuit in the brain that is altered in alcohol use disorder (AUD). This circuit plays a role in ethanol drinking and negative behaviors, offering potential new targets for AUD treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Addiction Research
- Sensory Processing
Background:
- Alcohol use disorder (AUD) involves dysregulated sensory processing, impacting drinking behaviors and abstinence.
- The neurocircuitry underlying sensory information processing in addiction is not well understood.
- The primary somatosensory cortex (S1) projects to the insula, a region involved in interoception and emotion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map S1-insula projections and investigate their role in AUD-related behaviors.
- To determine if the S1-insula circuit is involved in ethanol consumption and aversive responses.
- To examine how chronic ethanol exposure affects the function of this circuit.
Main Methods:
- Utilized chemogenetics and fiber photometry in mouse models of AUD.
- Investigated both binge-like and chronic ethanol drinking with forced abstinence.
- Mapped S1 collateralizations to downstream motor and sensory regions.
Main Results:
- The S1-insula circuit is selectively activated during ethanol drinking and aversive behaviors in female mice.
- Chronic ethanol exposure disrupts the normal engagement of this circuit.
- S1-insula neurons exhibit distinct temporal activity patterns in response to ethanol intake.
Conclusions:
- The S1-insula circuit is a novel somatosensory pathway implicated in AUD.
- This circuit integrates external cues and internal states, influencing ethanol consumption and affective behavior.
- The identified circuit represents a potential target for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for AUD.
