Dopamine and norepinephrine role in alcohol-addictive behavior: from correlations to mechanisms

Abstract

Using animal models that translate key features of alcohol dependence, the field has faced remarkable achievements in identifying neurochemical substrates of this disease with dopamine and norepinephrine playing significant role. Moreover, recent utilization of optogenetics in alcohol research provides with an opportunity in specifying patterns of neurotransmission within dopaminergic and noradrenergic neural circuits that govern ethanol-addictive behavior. This review summarizes experimental findings to demonstrate the effectiveness of the latest technologies in revealing the mechanisms bridging catecholamines’ specific changes with alcohol seeking, consummatory and relapsing behaviors.

Keywords

• ethanol
• alcohol dependence
• behavior
• dopamine
• norepinephrine
• voltammetry
• optogenetics