Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Neuroscience Center, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Adv Neurobiol. 2024;39:165-191. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-64839-7_7.
Engagement of astrocytes within the brain's reward circuitry has been apparent for approximately 30 years, when noncontingent drug administration was observed to lead to cytological markers of reactive astrocytes. Since that time, advanced approaches in rodent behavior and astrocyte monitoring have revealed complex interactions between astrocytes with drug type, animal sex, brain region, and dose and duration of drug administration. A number of studies now collectively reveal that rodent drug self-administration followed by prolonged abstinence results in decreased features of structure and synaptic colocalization of astrocytes. In addition, stimulation of astrocytes in the nucleus accumbens with DREADD receptors or pharmacological compounds opposes drug-seeking behavior. These findings provide a clear path for ongoing investigation into astrocytes as mediators of drug action in the brain and underscore the potential therapeutic utility of astrocytes in the regulation of drug craving and relapse vulnerability.
脑内奖赏回路中的星形胶质细胞的参与已经有大约 30 年的历史了，当时观察到非偶联药物给药会导致反应性星形胶质细胞的细胞学标志物。从那时起，啮齿动物行为和星形胶质细胞监测方面的先进方法揭示了星形胶质细胞与药物类型、动物性别、脑区以及药物给药的剂量和持续时间之间的复杂相互作用。现在有许多研究共同揭示，啮齿动物药物自我给药后长期戒断会导致星形胶质细胞的结构和突触共定位特征减少。此外，用 DREADD 受体或药理学化合物刺激伏隔核中的星形胶质细胞会抑制觅药行为。这些发现为正在进行的星形胶质细胞作为大脑中药物作用的介质的研究提供了明确的途径，并强调了星形胶质细胞在调节药物渴望和复发脆弱性方面的潜在治疗用途。
