title: Sigma Receptors and Alcohol Use Disorders.
abstract: Although extensive research has focused on understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying alcohol addiction, pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorders are very limited and not always effective. This constraint has encouraged the search for novel pharmacological targets for alcoholism therapy. Sigma receptors were shown to mediate some of the properties of cocaine and amphetamine, which was attributed to the direct binding of psychostimulants to these receptors. More recently, the role of sigma receptors in the rewarding and reinforcing effects of alcohol was also proposed, and it was suggested that their hyperactivity may result in excessive alcohol drinking. This chapter reviews current knowledge on the topic, and suggests that the sigma receptor system may represent a new therapeutic target for the treatment of alcohol use disorders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. vsabino@bu.edu.|Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, R-612, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. vsabino@bu.edu.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sabino
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.|Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E Concord St, R-612, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cottone
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D058999:Drug-Seeking Behavior; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D017480:Receptors, sigma / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012201:Reward; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D017480:Receptors, sigma; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Addiction; Alcohol; Alcohol dependence; Alcoholism; Consumption; Drinking; Ethanol; Preferring; Withdrawal