Psychopharmacology

Rouine, J; Kelly, M.; Jennings-Murphy, C.; Duffy, P.; Gorman, I.; Gormley, S.; Kerskens, C.; Harkin, Andrew

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3790-0pmid: 25366875

Cortical 5-HT depletion is associated with increases in perfusion although this mechanism alone does not account for MDMA-related changes. A role for NO, a key regulator of cerebrovascular perfusion, is implicated in MDMA-induced increases in cortical perfusion.

Tang, Jinsong; Morgan, Hannah; Liao, Yanhui; Corlett, Philip; Wang, Dong; Li, Hong; Tang, Yanqing; Chen, Jindong; Liu, Tieqiao; Hao, Wei; Fletcher, Paul; Chen, Xiaogang

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3782-0

Allouche, Stéphane; Marec, Thierry; Coquerel, Antoine; Noble, Florence; Marie, Nicolas

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3785-xpmid: 25358852

Our results demonstrated that methadone and buprenorphine were able to differentially regulate dopamine receptor density depending on the withdrawal period and the administration pattern.

Baker, Tyson; Florczynski, Matthew; Beninger, Richard

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3789-6pmid: 25381749

Results suggest that reinforcement impact during operant acquisition is dependent on dopamine D2 receptors while drugs affecting, among other areas, the prefrontal cortex produce a deficit in ability to suppress inactive lever press responses.

Viana, Thércia; Hott, Sara; Resstel, Leonardo; Aguiar, Daniele; Moreira, Fabrício

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3793-xpmid: 25388290

The endocannabinoid system in the dlPAG attenuates the behavioural, cellular and cardiovascular consequences of aversive stimuli. This process may be considered for the development of additional treatments against panic and other anxiety-related disorders.

Yap, Jasmine; Chartoff, Elena; Holly, Elizabeth; Potter, David; Carlezon, William; Miczek, Klaus

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3796-7pmid: 25373870

These results suggest that enhanced activation of ERK in the VTA due to brief defeats is critical in the induction of sensitization and escalated cocaine taking.

Roberts, C.; Montgomery, C.

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3795-8pmid: 25391436

The results suggest that ecstasy users show increased activation in the PFC as a compensatory mechanism, to achieve equivalent performance to non-users. These findings are in agreement with much of the literature in the area which suggests that ecstasy may be a selective serotonin neurotoxin in humans.

Kirshenbaum, Ari; Green, John; Fay, Michael; Parks, Angelique; Phillips, Jesse; Stone, Jason; Roy, Tessa

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3792-ypmid: 25401169

Reinforcer devaluation in rats emerges rapidly in a progressive, orderly fashion that coincides with accumulated exposure to nicotine. These results suggest that reinforcer devaluation may be a feature of nicotine that contributes to the abuse liability of tobacco products.

Pascuan, Cecilia; Simon, Elias; Genaro, Ana; Palumbo, María

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3791-zpmid: 25373868

The GA treatment improved learning and memory in female BALB/c mice under chronic stress through a mechanism that involves the regulation of NO production, which in turn modulates the ROS levels.

Veselinović, Tanja; Vernaleken, Ingo; Janouschek, Hildegard; Kellermann, Thilo; Paulzen, Michael; Cumming, Paul; Gründer, Gerhard

doi: 10.1007/s00213-014-3794-9pmid: 25373869

The anticholinergic intervention caused more pronounced psychopathological and cognitive deteriorating effects in patients suffering from schizophrenia than in healthy volunteers. This could be related to the disrupted cholinergic transmission in schizophrenia. Our findings speak on behalf of the need of a more restrictive use of anticholinergics in psychiatric patients. The age-related attenuation of PANSS score increases in patients could be related to the age-dependent changes in dopamine dynamics and also to the age-associated decline of the availability of muscarinic receptors. Our results emphasise the need for further investigation of cholinergic disturbances in schizophrenia.