Stress and PTSD Mechanisms as Targets for Pharmacotherapy of Alcohol Abuse, Addiction, and Relapse
Abstract
We have demonstrated that alcohol-na"ive rats exhibiting high acoustic startle response (which is associated with increased anxiety-like behavior) develop increased subsequent alcohol intake and alcohol preference in an intermittent alcohol access (IAA) paradigm. The development of increased alcohol intake and increased alcohol preference was highly correlated with acoustic startle amplitude previously determined before the initial access to alcohol. This study, which is key to this entire project, has been completed and is now in press. We have recruited, processed and trained a new staff person needed for the proposed studies and have also implemented new methods that were not in the original proposal but that make the studies more efficient and effective. One study that addresses administration of the a1-adrenergic receptor antagonist, prazosin, at the time of traumatic stress to prevent subsequent development of a rat PTSD-like syndrome has already been initiated in year 1 instead of the originally proposed start in year 3, due to the urgent need for new therapies to prevent PTSD in response to trauma. The remaining proposed studies using rat models to address stress and PTSD mechanisms as targets for pharmacotherapy of PTSD and alcohol abuse are proceeding on schedule.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA619445
Entities
People
- Dennis Rasmussen
Organizations
- Seattle Institute for Biomedical and Clinical Research