TY - JOUR T1 - Involvement of activated brain stress responsive systems in excessive and "relapse" alcohol drinking in rodent models: implications for therapeutics JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther DO - 10.1124/jpet.117.245621 SP - jpet.117.245621 AU - Yan Zhou AU - Mary Jeanne Kreek Y1 - 2018/01/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/early/2018/04/18/jpet.117.245621.abstract N2 - Addictive diseases, including addiction to alcohol pose massive public health costs. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease, caused by both the direct effects induced by drugs and persistent neuroadaptations at several (molecular, cellular and behavioral) levels. These drug-type specific neuro-adaptations are brought on largely by the reinforcing effects of drugs on the central nervous system and environment, including stress. Results from animal experiments have demonstrated important interactions between alcohol and the stress responsive systems. Addiction to specific drugs (such as alcohol, psychostimulants and opioids) shares some common direct or downstream effects on the brain stress-responsive systems, including arginine vasopressin and its V1b receptors, dynorphin and the kappa opioid receptors, pro-opiomelanocortin/β-endorphin and the mu opioid receptors, and the endocannabinoids. Further study of these systems, through laboratory-based and translational research, could lead to the discovery of novel treatment targets and the early optimization of interventions (for example, combination) for the pharmacological therapy of alcoholism. ER -