Title |
Addiction, Adolescence, and Innate Immune Gene Induction
|
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Published in |
Frontiers in Psychiatry, January 2011
|
DOI | 10.3389/fpsyt.2011.00019 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Fulton T. Crews, Ryan Peter Vetreno |
Abstract |
Repeated drug use/abuse amplifies psychopathology, progressively reducing frontal lobe behavioral control, and cognitive flexibility while simultaneously increasing limbic temporal lobe negative emotionality. The period of adolescence is a neurodevelopmental stage characterized by poor behavioral control as well as strong limbic reward and thrill seeking. Repeated drug abuse and/or stress during this stage increase the risk of addiction and elevate activator innate immune signaling in the brain. Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) is a key glial transcription factor that regulates proinflammatory chemokines, cytokines, oxidases, proteases, and other innate immune genes. Induction of innate brain immune gene expression (e.g., NF-κB) facilitates negative affect, depression-like behaviors, and inhibits hippocampal neurogenesis. In addition, innate immune gene induction alters cortical neurotransmission consistent with loss of behavioral control. Studies with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-depressant drugs as well as opiate antagonists link persistent innate immune gene expression to key behavioral components of addiction, e.g., negative affect-anxiety and loss of frontal-cortical behavioral control. This review suggests that persistent and progressive changes in innate immune gene expression contribute to the development of addiction. Innate immune genes may represent a novel new target for addiction therapy. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 3 | 3% |
Argentina | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 111 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 28 | 24% |
Student > Bachelor | 19 | 17% |
Researcher | 15 | 13% |
Student > Master | 13 | 11% |
Student > Postgraduate | 8 | 7% |
Other | 16 | 14% |
Unknown | 16 | 14% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Neuroscience | 27 | 23% |
Psychology | 26 | 23% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 15 | 13% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 12 | 10% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 8 | 7% |
Other | 8 | 7% |
Unknown | 19 | 17% |