The Role of AKAP 150 in the Nucleus Accumbens Shell in Cocaine Reinstatement

描述（由申请人提供）：可卡因是第三大最常被滥用的非法药物，仅次于大麻和处方止痛药。2011年，近500万12岁以上的美国人滥用可卡因。在可卡因戒毒后，人类吸毒者的复发率高得令人沮丧，即使在长期戒断之后也是如此。尽管多年来的临床前和临床研究致力于提高我们对可卡因成瘾的神经化学和神经生物学基础的理解，但目前还没有fda批准的药物治疗干预措施来治疗可卡因滥用和复发。因此，这些研究将检验一种新的蛋白AKAP150在可卡因寻求行为（一种可卡因复发的动物模型）恢复中的作用。已知AKAP150与许多参与可卡因恢复的信号、受体和离子通道蛋白相互作用；然而，它在可卡因寻找中的作用在很大程度上仍未被探索。这些研究将有助于阐明我们对可卡因复发的信号级联反应的理解。此外，这些研究可能有助于确定治疗可卡因渴望和复发的潜在新型药物治疗靶点。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Cocaine is the third most commonly abused illegal drug, after marijuana and prescription painkillers. In 2011, nearly 5 million Americans over the age of 12 abused cocaine. Following cocaine detoxification, the relapse rate among human addicts is discouragingly high, even after prolonged abstinence. Despite many years of pre- clinical and clinical research focused on improving our understanding of the neurochemical and neurobiological basis of cocaine addiction, there are no FDA-approved pharmacotherapeutic interventions for the treatment of cocaine abuse and relapse. Therefore, these studies will examine the role of a novel protein, AKAP150, in the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior, an animal model of cocaine relapse. AKAP150 is known to interact with many signaling, receptor, and ion channel proteins that are involved in cocaine reinstatement; however, its role in cocaine seeking remains largely unexplored. These studies will help elucidate our understanding of the signaling cascades underlying cocaine relapse. Furthermore, these studies may help identify potential novel pharmacotherapeutic targets for the treatment of cocaine craving and relapse.