title: mGluR1/5 receptor densities in the brains of alcoholic subjects: a whole-hemisphere autoradiography study.
abstract: Increased glutamatergic neurotransmission and hyper-excitability during alcoholic withdrawal and abstinence are associated with increased risk for relapse, in addition to compensatory changes in the glutamatergic system during chronic alcohol intake. Type 5 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGlur5) is abundant in brain regions known to be involved in drug reinforcement, yet very little has been published on mGluR1/5 expression in alcoholics. We evaluated the densities of mGluR1/5 binding in the hippocampus and striatum of post-mortem human brains by using [(3)H]Quisqualic acid as a radioligand in whole hemispheric autoradiography of Cloninger type 1 (n=9) and 2 (n=8) alcoholics and healthy controls (n=10). We observed a 30-40% higher mGluR1/5 binding density in the CA2 area of hippocampus in type 1 alcoholics when compared with either type 2 alcoholics or healthy subjects. Although preliminary, and from a relatively small number of subjects from these diagnostic groups, these results suggest that the mGluR1/5 receptors may be increased in type 1 alcoholics in certain brain areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Eastern Finland, Niuvanniemi Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kupila
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kärkkäinen
authors.forename: Virpi
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laukkanen
authors.forename: Erkki
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tupala
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tiihonen
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Storvik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D064529:Receptor, Metabotropic Glutamate 5; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; C104077:metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1