Cocaine Rearranges the Neuronal Epigenome

Chronic exposure to drugs of abuse alters gene expression in the brain and produces long-term changes in neural networks that promote compulsive drug-taking and -seeking behaviors. It is clear that epigenetic mechanisms, including histone modifications, DNA methylation, and small noncoding RNAs, contribute to persistent and dynamic changes in gene networks that underlie addiction-like phenotypes in laboratory animals (1,2). While recent studies have demonstrated causal roles for individual epigenetic marks in addiction-like behaviors, it is not clear how different types of epigenetic mechanisms act in concert to regulate chromatin states, gene expression, and ultimately addiction-like behaviors.
Source: Biological Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research