Acute Effect of Alcohol and Nicotine on 5-Hydroxytryptamine Synthesis and Tryptophan Hydroxylase Expression in Dorsal and Median Raphe of Rats.
- Author:
Mi Hyeon JANG
1
;
Min Chul SHIN
;
Hyun Kyung CHANG
;
Taeck Hyun LEE
;
Khae Hawn KIM
;
Youn Jung KIM
;
Chang Ju KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea. changju@khu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Alcohol;
Nicotine;
5-Hydroxytryptamine;
Tryptophan hydroxylase;
Dorsal raphe nuclei;
Median raphe nuclei;
Adolescence
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Alcoholism;
Animals;
Humans;
Immunohistochemistry;
Nicotine*;
Raphe Nuclei;
Rats*;
Serotonergic Neurons;
Serotonin*;
Smoking;
Tryptophan Hydroxylase*;
Tryptophan*
- From:The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
2003;7(1):5-8
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking have been on the rise worldwide and it has been reported that alcohol and nicotine influence serotonergic neuronal activity in the dorsal raphe. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of various neuropsychiatric disorders. In the present study, the effects of alcohol and nicotine on the synthesis of 5-HT and the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the rate limiting enzyme of 5-HT synthesis, in the dorsal and median raphe of young rats were investigated via immunohistochemistry. The numbers of the 5-HT-positive and TPH-positive cells in raphe nuclei were reduced by alcohol and nicotine treatment, and these numbers were reduced more potently by co-administration of alcohol and nicotine. Based on the results, it can be suggested that the pathogenesis of alcohol- and nicotine-induced neuropsychological disorders involves alcohol- and nicotine-induced suppression of 5-HT synthesis and TPH expression in raphe, and that this may be of particular relevance in the consumption of alcohol and nicotine during adolescence.
