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Epigenetics and psychostimulant addiction.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Schmidt, HD; McGinty, JF; West, AE; Sadri-Vakili, G
Published in: Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med
March 1, 2013

Chronic drug exposure alters gene expression in the brain and produces long-term changes in neural networks that underlie compulsive drug taking and seeking. Exactly how drug-induced changes in synaptic plasticity and subsequent gene expression are translated into persistent neuroadaptations remains unclear. Emerging evidence suggests that complex drug-induced neuroadaptations in the brain are mediated by highly synchronized and dynamic patterns of gene regulation. Recently, it has become clear that epigenetic mechanisms contribute to drug-induced structural, synaptic, and behavioral plasticity by regulating expression of gene networks. Here we review how alterations in histone modifications, DNA methylation, and microRNAs regulate gene expression and contribute to psychostimulant addiction with a focus on the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression following chronic cocaine exposure. Identifying epigenetic signatures that define psychostimulant addiction may lead to novel, efficacious treatments for drug craving and relapse.

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Published In

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med

DOI

EISSN

2157-1422

Publication Date

March 1, 2013

Volume

3

Issue

3

Start / End Page

a012047

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • MicroRNAs
  • Methylation
  • Humans
  • Histones
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Epigenomics
  • DNA Methylation
  • Cocaine-Related Disorders
 

Citation

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Schmidt, H. D., McGinty, J. F., West, A. E., & Sadri-Vakili, G. (2013). Epigenetics and psychostimulant addiction. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med, 3(3), a012047. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a012047
Schmidt, Heath D., Jacqueline F. McGinty, Anne E. West, and Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili. “Epigenetics and psychostimulant addiction.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 3, no. 3 (March 1, 2013): a012047. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a012047.
Schmidt HD, McGinty JF, West AE, Sadri-Vakili G. Epigenetics and psychostimulant addiction. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2013 Mar 1;3(3):a012047.
Schmidt, Heath D., et al. “Epigenetics and psychostimulant addiction.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med, vol. 3, no. 3, Mar. 2013, p. a012047. Pubmed, doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a012047.
Schmidt HD, McGinty JF, West AE, Sadri-Vakili G. Epigenetics and psychostimulant addiction. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2013 Mar 1;3(3):a012047.

Published In

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med

DOI

EISSN

2157-1422

Publication Date

March 1, 2013

Volume

3

Issue

3

Start / End Page

a012047

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • MicroRNAs
  • Methylation
  • Humans
  • Histones
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • Epigenomics
  • DNA Methylation
  • Cocaine-Related Disorders