Druse M J, Tajuddin N F, Ricken J D
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois 60153, USA.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1997 Oct;21(7):1157-64.
The serotonergic system in brain is adversely affected by both aging and chronic ethanol consumption. The present study examined the combined effects of aging and chronic ethanol consumption on two components of the serotonergic system. Serotonin (5-HT) reuptake sites and 5-HT2A receptors were quantitated in brain areas of 5-, 14-, and 24-month-old male Fischer 344 rats that were pair-fed a control or 6.6% (v/v) ethanol-containing liquid diet on a chronic basis. The regions examined include those containing the cell bodies and projections of serotonergic neurons. These experiments demonstrated the sensitivity of the serotonergic system of male Fischer 344 rats to both aging and chronic ethanol consumption. In control rats, aging was associated with a decline in the concentration of 5-HT2A receptors in the nucleus accumbens and four cortical regions: frontal, parietal, piriform, and cingulate cortex. 5-HT2A receptors were also reduced in the frontal, parietal, and cingulate cortex of aged ethanol-fed rats. In contrast, 5-HT reuptake sites were increased in older rats in the frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and CA3 region of the hippocampus. If comparable changes in 5-HT2A receptors and 5-HT reuptake sites occur in elderly humans, they may contribute to ethanol consumption, and lead to cognitive and other age-related problems. These changes may also alter the effectiveness of serotonergic drugs used in the treatment of alcoholism and mental disorders. The effects of chronic ethanol consumption were more limited. The only significant ethanol effect was an increase of 5-HT2A receptors in the nucleus accumbens of 5-month-old ethanol-fed rats.
大脑中的血清素能系统会受到衰老和长期饮酒的不利影响。本研究考察了衰老和长期饮酒对血清素能系统两个组成部分的联合作用。对5个月、14个月和24个月大的雄性Fischer 344大鼠脑区中的血清素（5-羟色胺，5-HT）再摄取位点和5-HT2A受体进行了定量分析，这些大鼠长期成对喂食对照或含6.6%（v/v）乙醇的液体饮食。所检测的区域包括含有血清素能神经元细胞体和投射的区域。这些实验证明了雄性Fischer 344大鼠血清素能系统对衰老和长期饮酒的敏感性。在对照大鼠中，衰老与伏隔核以及四个皮质区域（额叶、顶叶、梨状叶和扣带回皮质）中5-HT2A受体浓度的下降有关。在老年饮酒大鼠的额叶、顶叶和扣带回皮质中，5-HT2A受体也减少。相比之下，老年大鼠额叶皮质、伏隔核、杏仁核和海马体CA3区的5-HT再摄取位点增加。如果老年人类中5-HT2A受体和5-HT再摄取位点发生类似变化，它们可能会导致饮酒，并引发认知及其他与年龄相关的问题。这些变化也可能改变用于治疗酒精中毒和精神障碍的血清素能药物的疗效。长期饮酒的影响更为有限。唯一显著的乙醇效应是5个月大的饮酒大鼠伏隔核中5-HT2A受体增加。
