Effects of environmental enrichment on ethanol induced behaviors in Swiss mice: role of stress circuitry

• Grant number: 12/09854-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Rosana Camarini
• Grantee: Mariana Beu Rae
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Environmental enrichment (EE) has positive effects on ethanol dependence, as shown by studies performed in our laboratory. However, the neurobiological mechanisms involved in modulation of craving by this environmental modification is unclear. One possible mechanism that has not been investigated in any detail however, is stress. Alcohol has repeatedly been shown to cause a severe activation the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and to increase stress hormones such as corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), vasopressin (V), oxytocin (OT) and cortisol. As EE is considered a mild stressor, it is thus possible that EE could reduce addictive properties of alcohol by modulating stress resilience, helping the animal to cope better with stressful situations in the future. It would also decrease the ethanol-induced modulation in the stress circuitry. Also, EE has beneficial effects on learning, memory and social interaction, which can also be mediated by systems related to stress. To test this hypothesis, we will use animal models and the conditional place preference paradigm to study the neurobiology of reward of ethanol. We will also perform novel object recognition and plus maze to evaluate memory and anxiety levels, respectively. We will also evaluate the distribution and quantaty of CRF 1, V1a, V1b and OT receptors. (AU)

Scientific publications

(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)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

RAE, Mariana Beu. Effects of environmental manipulations on ethanol-related behaviors: involvement of the stress circuitry.. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.