Sigma-1 Receptor-Related Neuroactive Steroids Modulate Cocaine-Induced Reward
May 2003
in “
Journal of Neuroscience
”
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Studysummary This study found that neuroactive steroids like DHEA and pregnenolone influence cocaine-induced appetence in mice through their interaction with the ς<sub>1</sub> receptor, suggesting a role in individual vulnerability to addiction. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study demonstrated that the ς<sub>1</sub> receptor was crucial in the rewarding effects of cocaine, as observed in C57BL/6 mice using the conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure. Neuroactive steroids like DHEA and pregnenolone acted as agonists at the ς<sub>1</sub> receptor, enhancing cocaine-induced CPP, while progesterone and finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, blocked it. The ς<sub>1</sub> antagonist also blocked cocaine-induced CPP and its enhancement by DHEA or pregnenolone. These findings indicated that neuroactive steroids influenced cocaine-induced reward through the ς<sub>1</sub> receptor, suggesting that neuroendocrine control of cocaine addiction involved more than just glucocorticoids and highlighting the potential role of neuroactive steroids in individual vulnerability to drug addiction.
