Neurobiological and molecular mechanisms of generalized habitization in alcohol dependent rats (B02)

• Subject Area: Biological Psychiatry ; Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 402170461

Results of the 1st FP provide evidence that a history of alcohol dependence in rats causes a bias towards habitual responses that generalizes to natural rewards with a critical role of the dorsomedial striatum. We identified two distinct pathological mechanisms that could account for the widespread reprogramming of brain circuits after long-term excessive alcohol: (i) strongly reduced metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR2) in prefrontocortico-striatal circuits causing executive deficits and (ii) a progressive microglia activation and white matter damage resulting in cognitive inflexibility. In the 2nd FP, we will test the hypothesis whether and to what extent these two pathomechanisms contribute to generalized habitization.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 265: Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake: From Trajectories to Mechanisms to Interventions
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Dr. Anita Hansson; Dr. Marcus Meinhardt, since 7/2023; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Heinrich Sommer, until 6/2023