Alcohol-induced alterations in dopamine modulation of prefrontal activity

• Published in: Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) Vol. 49; no. 8; pp. 773 - 779
• Main Authors: Trantham-Davidson, Heather, Chandler, L. Judson
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2015; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Alcohol; Alcoholic Intoxication - metabolism; Alcoholic Intoxication - physiopathology; Alcoholic Intoxication - psychology; Alcoholism; Alcoholism - metabolism; Alcoholism - physiopathology; Alcoholism - psychology; Animals; Behavior; Central Nervous System Depressants - pharmacology; Child development; Cognition; Cognition Disorders - metabolism; Cognition Disorders - physiopathology; Cognition Disorders - psychology; Cognitive ability; Dopamine; Dopamine - metabolism; Ethanol - pharmacology; Humans; Neostriatum - drug effects; Neostriatum - metabolism; Neostriatum - physiopathology; Neural Pathways; Neurons; Prefrontal cortex; Prefrontal Cortex - drug effects; Prefrontal Cortex - metabolism; Prefrontal Cortex - physiopathology; Psychiatry; Quality of life; Receptors, Dopamine - metabolism; Rodents; Synaptic Transmission; VTA; medial prefrontal cortex; D1 dopamine receptor; Alcohol; Cognition; PFC; Str; FSIN; NAccSh; striatum; prelimbic prefrontal cortex; D2 dopamine receptor; infralimbic prefrontal cortex; Dopamine; Prefrontal cortex; PrL; nucleus accumbens; fast-spiking interneuron; D1; IfL; D2; mPFC; ventral tegmental area; NAcc; nucleus accumbens core; NAccC; DA; nucleus accumbens shell
• ISSN: 0741-8329; 1873-6823
• DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2015.09.001

Abstract Long-term alcohol use leads to persistent cognitive deficits that may be associated with maladaptive changes in the neurocircuitry that mediates executive functions. Impairments caused by these changes can persist well into abstinence and have a negative impact on quality of life and job performance, and can increase the probability of relapse. Many of the changes that affect cognitive function appear to involve dysregulation of the mesocortical dopamine system. This includes changes in dopamine release and alterations in dopamine receptor expression and function in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC). This review summarizes the cellular effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on dopamine release and dopamine receptor function in the PFC with the goal of providing greater understanding of the effects of alcohol-use disorders on the dopamine system and how this relates to deficits in the executive function of the PFC.