title: A possible role of a cerebral energy gene in alcoholism.
abstract: We examined a possible relationship between genes  responsible for energy metabolism of the brain and addictive behavior in an  animal model. We used non-inbred, Swiss mice exposed to a three-bottle  free-choice model [water, 5% (v/v) ethanol, and 10% (v/v) ethanol] over a  16-week period, consisting of four phases: acquisition, withdrawal, reexposure,  and quinine-adulteration. The mice were then behaviorally classified into three  groups: loss-of-control-drinker (preference for ethanol and high levels of  consumption during all phases, N = 6), heavy-drinker (preference for ethanol  and high levels of consumption during acquisition and reduction during  quinine-adulteration, N = 7), and light-drinker (preference for water during  all phases, N = 10). Another group only received tap water (ethanol-naive  control mice, N = 9). Further analysis using quantitative real-time PCR showed  that in mice behaviorally classified as loss-of-control-drinkers, there was a  significant inverse correlation between transcript levels of the Hadh gene  and those of other energy metabolism genes in the nucleus of the amygdala,  suggesting that this pathway may contribute to ethanol consumption in these  mice. We conclude that cerebral energy metabolism is involved with ethanol  addiction, meriting further study.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boerngen-Lacerda
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Brunialti-Godard
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000235:genetics; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000679:Amygdala / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000235:genetics; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018080:Receptors, GABA-B / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018080:Receptors, GABA-B; D000431:Ethanol