Effects and neurobiological mechanisms of environmental manipulations on ethanol and nicotine induced behavioural effects: involvement of the stress circuitry

• Grant number: 12/50207-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2012
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Agreement: University of Surrey
• Principal Investigator: Rosana Camarini
• Grantee: Rosana Camarini
• Principal researcher abroad: Alexis Bailey
• Institution abroad: University of Surrey, England
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Alcohol abuse is a chronic relapsing disorder with severe health and socioeconomic consequences. The biggest hurdle in treating recovering alcohol addicts and abstinent smokers is the maintenance of a long term drug free or abstinent state, as relapse is very common. Current pharmacotherapy is considered generally ineffective in prolonging abstinence and preventing relapse to alcohol and nicotine use, while environmental enrichement (EE) has been shown to cause positive impact on drug, craving. Camarini's group has demonstrated that environmental enrichment (EE) reversed and decreased ethanol-behavioral sensitization in mice and Bailey's group demonstrated that nicotine withdrawal symptoms are attenuated during, and following moderate intensity exercise in humans. The use of EE and exercise as a cessation method for alcohol and nicotine administration has a number of advantages over other cessation methods, e.g., not invasive, cost effective, involves no pharmacological interventions and has potential for use with groups who can not use more conventional cessation aids, e.g., pregnant women. The aim of this colaborative project is to identify possible mechanisms by which enviromental enrichement and exercise may influence nicotine and alcohol related behaviours, especially addictive related ones. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RAE, MARIANA; ZANOS, PANOS; GEORGIOU, POLYMNIA; CHIVERS, PRITI; BAILEY, ALEXIS; CAMARINI, ROSANA. Environmental enrichment enhances conditioned place preference to ethanol via an oxytocinergic-dependent mechanism in male mice. Neuropharmacology, v. 138, p. 267-274, AUG 2018. (12/09854-0, 12/50207-8, 15/02397-0)

KEYWORTH, HELEN; GEORGIOU, POLYMNIA; ZANOS, PANOS; RUEDA, ANDRE VELOSO; CHEN, YING; KITCHEN, IAN; CAMARINI, ROSANA; CROPLEY, MARK; BAILEY, ALEXIS. Wheel running during chronic nicotine exposure is protective against mecamylamine-precipitated withdrawal and up-regulates hippocampal alpha 7 nACh receptors in mice. British Journal of Pharmacology, v. 175, n. 11, SI, p. 1928-1943, JUN 2018. (12/50207-8)

SANTOS-ROCHA, JAQUELINE BORGES; RAE, MARIANA; ARISTIMUNHO TEIXEIRA, ANA MARIA; TEIXEIRA, SIMONE APARECIDA; MUNHOZ, CAROLINA DEMARCHI; MUSCARA, MARCELO NICOLAS; MARCOURAKIS, TANIA; SZUMLINSKI, KAREN K.; CAMARINI, ROSANA. Involvement of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in cross-sensitization between chronic unpredictable stress and ethanol in adolescent and adult mice. ALCOHOL, v. 68, p. 71-79, MAY 2018. (15/02397-0, 12/50207-8)

KEYWORTH, HELEN; GEORGIOU, POLYMNIA; ZANOS, PANOS; RUEDA, ANDRE VELOSO; CHEN, YING; KITCHEN, IAN; CAMARINI, ROSANA; CROPLEY, MARK; BAILEY, ALEXIS. Wheel running during chronic nicotine exposure is protective against mecamylamine-precipitated withdrawal and up-regulates hippocampal alpha 7 nACh receptors in mice. British Journal of Pharmacology, v. 175, n. 11, p. 16-pg., 2018-06-01. (12/50207-8)