Common neuroplasticity mechanisms underlying drugs and food reward

Guegan, Thomas

Common neuroplasticity mechanisms underlying drugs and food reward

Document Type

Doctoral thesis
Published Version

Author

Guegan, Thomas

Director

Maldonado, Rafael

Publication Date

2013-11-05

Pages

406 p.

Citation

Guegan, T. Common neuroplasticity mechanisms underlying drugs and food reward. Universitat Pompeu Fabra; 2013. handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10803/125444

This citation was generated automatically.

Doctoral program

Programa de doctorat en Biomedicina

Abstract

Drug addiction and some eating disorders present striking similarities in their behavioural symptoms. It has been postulated that excessive consumption of drugs of abuse and palatable food could lead to the development of similar neuronal alterations in the brainreward circuit that may account for the resemblance of these pathologies. In the present thesis, we demonstrate that repeated operant training with palatable food promotes behavioural alterations and structural plasticity changes in the esocorticolimbic circuit that are reminiscent to those observed with drugs of abuse. Furthermore, we identify the cannabinoid receptor 1 as a common neurobiological substrate underlying these alterations. Finally, we uncover several synaptic proteins commonly implicated in the retrieval of drug and palatable food rewarding memories that may represent part of the common neurobiological basis underlying drug and palatable food craving.
La adicción a las drogas de abuso y determinados trastornos alimentarios comparten varios síntomas comportamentales. Algunos estudios han sugerido que el consumo excesivo de drogas y de comida palatable podrían producir alteraciones neuronales similares en el circuito cerebral de recompensa. En esta tesis, hemos demostrado que un aprendizaje operante prolongado con comida palatable provoca la aparición de alteraciones comportamentales y cambios de plasticidad estructurales en el circuito mesocorticolimbico que son reminiscentes de los observados con las drogas de abuso. Así mismo, hemos identificamos al receptor cannabinoide 1 como un sustrato neurobiológico común a estas alteraciones. Finalmente, hemos caracterizado varias proteínas sinápticas implicadas en la reactivación de la memoria asociada a los efectos placenteros de las drogas y la comida palatable. Nuestras observaciones contribuyen a definir las bases neuronales subyacentes a la necesidad de consumir drogas y comida palatable.

Keywords

Drug addiction, Eating disorders, Structural plasticity, Cannabinoid receptor 1, Morphine locomotor sensitization, Palatable food, Conditioned place preference, Drug and palatable food craving, Adicción, Trastornos alimentarios, Plasticidad estructural, Receptor cannabinoide 1, Sensibilización locomotora a la morfina, Comida palatable, Preferencia de plaza condicionada, Ansia de consumir drogas y comida palatable