title: GDNF and addiction.
abstract: Biochemical adaptations to drugs of abuse and alcohol are especially profound in midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Long-lasting molecular and structural changes in mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons that result from chronic exposure to drugs of abuse and alcohol are thought to underlie adverse behaviors such as compulsive drug seeking and relapse. Recent studies suggest that a subset of these changes is prevented/reversed by activation of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) signaling pathway. Behavioral effects of drugs of abuse such as cocaine and alcohol are also negatively regulated by GDNF: inhibition of the endogenous GDNF pathway enhances the activity of drugs of abuse, while administration of GDNF reduces the severity of the effects. In this review, we summarize the data implicating GDNF as a negative regulator of drug and alcohol addiction. We also provide evidence to suggest that therapies that activate GDNF signaling may be useful for the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction.
authors.affiliation: Ernest Gallo Research Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, Emeryville, USA. dorit@itsa.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Dorit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ron
authors.forename: Patricia H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Janak
mesh_terms: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007050:Ibogaine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D007050:Ibogaine