Psychopharmacology
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Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between extracellular glutamate concentration in the mesolimbic reward pathway and alcohol craving. Extracellular glutamate concentration is regulated by several glutamate transporters. Glial glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1) is one of them that regulates the majority of extracellular glutamate concentration. In addition, cystine/glutamate antiporter (xCT) is another transporter that regulates extracellular glutamate. ⋯ These findings demonstrate that ceftriaxone treatment induced upregulation of GLT1, GLT1 isoforms, and xCT in association with activation of the Akt-NFκB signaling pathway.
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Pharmacological and genetic modulation of cholinergic nicotinic neurotransmission influence visuospatial attention in humans. Prior studies show that nicotine as well as a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the gene coding for the alpha 4 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (CHRNA4) modulate visuospatial attention and distractor interference. The CHRNA4 gene synergistically interacts with a polymorphism in the dopaminergic receptor type d2 (DRD2) gene and impacts brain structure and cognition. ⋯ The effects of nicotine on distractor interference are modulated synergistically by cholinergic and dopaminergic genetic variations. Hence, both genes may contribute to the often reported individual variability in cognitive and neural effects of nicotine.
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Vortioxetine is a novel multimodal antidepressant that is a 5-HT1B receptor partial agonist, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, an inhibitor of the serotonin (5-HT) transporter, and a 5-HT1D, 5-HT3, and 5-HT7 receptor antagonist in vitro. In vivo studies have shown that vortioxetine enhances levels of 5-HT and desensitizes 5-HT1A autoreceptors. ⋯ Desensitization of 5-HT1B autoreceptor and an increase of tonic activation of 5-HT1A receptors in the hippocampus may contribute to the antidepressant effect of vortioxetine.