title: Elevated anxiety-like behavior following ethanol exposure in mutant mice lacking neuropeptide Y (NPY).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a neuromodulator with anxiolytic properties. Recent evidence suggests that NPY modulates neurobiological responses to ethanol. Because withdrawal from ethanol is associated with elevated anxiety-like behavior, and because central NPY modulates anxiety, we assessed anxiety-like behavior in mutant mice lacking normal production of NPY (NPY-/-) and in normal wild-type mice (NPY+/+) 6h after removal of a liquid diet containing 4.5% ethanol.
  
  
  METHODS
  NPY-/- and NPY+/+ mice on a pure 129/SvEv genetic background were given 6 days of access to a liquid ethanol diet (ED) or control diet (CD). Six hours before elevated plus maze (EPM) testing, ED was replaced with CD in the ethanol-withdrawn group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ethanol-withdrawn NPY-/- mice showed significantly less open arm time and total proportion of time spent in the open arm of the EPM relative to ethanol-withdrawn NPY+/+ mice and when compared to NPY-/- and NPY+/+ mice that had access to the CD. On the other hand, ethanol-withdrawn NPY+/+ mice did not show altered EPM behavior relative to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Central NPY is protective against anxiety-like behavior stemming from exposure to and/or withdrawal from ethanol. Targets aimed at NPY receptors may be useful compounds for treating anxiety associated with ethanol dependence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Sparta
authors.forename: Jon R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fee
authors.forename: Darin J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.forename: George R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Breese
authors.forename: Todd E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Thiele
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D000431:Ethanol