4.4 Article

Role of 5-HT2A receptors in the effects of ayahuasca on ethanol self-administration using a two-bottle choice paradigm in male mice

Journal

PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
Volume 239, Issue 6, Pages 1679-1687

Publisher

SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06104-w

Keywords

Ayahuasca; Ethanol; Serotonin; 5-HT2A; Self-administration; Mice

Funding

  1. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz (UESC) [073.6769.2020.0017856-35]
  2. Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)
  3. Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB)
  4. Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)
  5. NIH Intramural Research Programs of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
  6. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

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The study found that ayahuasca treatment can block the expression of alcohol self-administration in mice, and the activation of 5-HT2A receptors is critical for these effects. This suggests the potential of ayahuasca and other 5-HT2A receptor agonists as adjunctive pharmacotherapies for the treatment of AUD.
Rationale Ayahuasca has been proposed as a potential treatment of alcohol (ethanol) use disorder (AUD). The serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is the main psychoactive component of ayahuasca, suggesting that its therapeutic effects may be mediated by 5-HT2A receptors. Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of ayahuasca on the expression of ethanol self-administration using a two-bottle choice procedure and the role of 5-HT2A receptors in those effects. Methods Male mice had intermittent access to ethanol (10% v/v) in a two-bottle choice procedure for 30 days. Animals were then submitted to 3 treatment phases, each followed by ethanol re-exposure tests. During the treatment phase, every 3 days, animals received i.p. injections of either vehicle or the 5-HT2A receptor antagonist M100907 (M100, 1 mg/kg) followed by an i.g. (gavage) administration of vehicle or ayahuasca (100 mg/kg) and were exposed to the self-administration apparatus with no ethanol availability. During re-exposure tests, animals were submitted to the same conditions as during acquisition, with no treatments prior to those sessions. Results Treatment with ayahuasca blocked the expression of ethanol self-administration, decreasing ethanol intake and preference during re-exposure tests. Pretreatment with M100 blocked the effects of ayahuasca on ethanol drinking without significantly attenuating ethanol self-administration. Conclusions Treatment with ayahuasca during alcohol abstinence blocked the expression of alcohol self-administration in mice, and 5-HT2A receptor activation is critical for those effects to emerge. Our findings support a potential for ayahuasca and other 5-HT2A receptor agonists as adjunctive pharmacotherapies for the treatment of AUD.

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