Dopaminergic Function in Alcoholism

描述（由申请人提供）：多巴胺能在大脑中皮质边缘系统中的传递被认为是酒精滥用和依赖的重要因素。然而，大多数关于多巴胺对酒精及其条件提示的反应的研究都是在啮齿动物身上进行的。这些啮齿动物模型在多大程度上转化为人类酒精使用障碍尚不清楚。因此，我们提出的工作的长期目标是开发体内纹状体多巴胺能反应的人类生物标志物，可用于研究酒精中毒及其先前的风险。我们将使用正电子发射断层扫描（PET）和多巴胺D2配体[11C]raclopride来做到这一点。行为范式将被用来研究酒精管理，酒精的线索，以及对即将到来的酒精中毒的预期如何与酒精中毒受试者的多巴胺功能相关。公共卫生相关性：这项研究将使用一种叫做正电子发射断层扫描的技术来研究人脑中的神经化学物质多巴胺。这种神经化学系统的改变被认为对酗酒和其他成瘾非常重要。像这样的研究有可能准确地显示多巴胺神经传递在酗酒中是如何改变的，这些发现可能会导致更好的治疗和诊断。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Dopaminergic transmission in the brain's mesocorticolimbic system is thought to be a significant factor in alcohol abuse and dependence. Most research on the dopaminergic response to alcohol and its conditioned cues is nevertheless done in rodents. The extent to which these rodent models translate to human alcohol use disorders is unknown. Therefore the long term goal of our proposed work is the development of an in vivo human biomarker of striatal dopaminergic responses that can be applied to the study alcoholism and its antecedent risks. We will do this using positron emission tomography (PET) and the dopamine D2 ligand [11C]raclopride. Behavioral paradigms will be employed to study how alcohol administration, alcohol's cues, and expectations of impending alcohol-intoxication relate to dopamine function in subjects with alcoholism. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research will use a technology called positron emission tomography to study the neurochemical dopamine in the human brain. Alterations in this neurochemical system are thought to be highly important to alcoholism, as well as to other addictions. Research such as this has the potential to show exactly how dopamine neurotransmission is altered in alcoholism, findings that may lead to better treatments and diagnosis.