Role of Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Drug Use Disorders.

Role of Melanin-Concentrating Hormone in Drug Use Disorders. Brain Res. 2020 Apr 30;:146872 Authors: Morganstern I, Gulati G, Leibowitz SF Abstract Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a neuropeptide primarily transcribed in the lateral hypothalamus (LH), with vast projections to many areas throughout the central nervous system that play an important role in motivated behaviors and drug use. Anatomical, pharmacological and genetic studies implicate MCH in mediating the intake and reinforcement of commonly abused substances, acting by modulating several systems including the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, glutamatergic as well as GABAergic signaling and being modulated by inflammatory neuroimmune pathways. Further support for the role of MCH in controlling behavior related to drug use will be discussed as it relates to cerebral ventricular volume transmission and intracellular molecules including cocaine- and amphetamine regulated transcript peptide, dopamine and the cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein 32kDa. The primary goal of this review is to introduce and summarize current literature surrounding the role of MCH in modulating the intake and reinforcement of commonly abused drugs, such as alcohol, cocaine, amphetamine, nicotine and opiates. PMID: 32360868 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Brain Research - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Brain Res Source Type: research