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Journal article - Includes Student Work
Differences in Ethanol Drinking and Nucleus Accumbens Opioid Expression in Male and Female Obesity-Prone and Obesity-Resistant Rats
Alcohol, v 136, Forthcoming
08 Sep 2026
PMID: 42710747
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Abstract
Literature suggests that there may be overlap between proneness to overeating-induced obesity and excessive alcohol drinking, and that this may occur in part via the endogenous opioid system in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). To investigate this, we used rats selectively bred for their susceptibility or resistance to diet-induced obesity (obesity-prone, OP, and obesity-resistant, OR), and examined their (1) ethanol drinking under the intermittent access two-bottle-choice procedure, (2) sucrose drinking under the intermittent access two-bottle-choice procedure, and (3) enkephalin, dynorphin, and opioid receptor mRNA in the NAc core and NAc shell. While we found no major differences in measures of sucrose drinking, male OP compared to OR rats had higher levels of 24-hour ethanol drinking and preference, while female OP compared to OR rats had higher levels of binge-like (30-minute) ethanol drinking and corresponding blood ethanol concentrations. In parallel, both male and female OP compared to OR rats had higher expression of enkephalin but not dynorphin mRNA in the NAc core, and males had higher expression of mRNAs encoding mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors in the NAc core. Together, these results show that proneness to obesity is associated with excessive ethanol drinking prior to the onset of obesity. Further, they suggest that this could be driven in part through differences in the NAc endogenous opioid system, particularly for males and via the NAc core. This supports the idea that proneness to excessive alcohol drinking may share neurobehavioral mechanisms with susceptibility to diet-induced obesity.
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Details
- Title
- Differences in Ethanol Drinking and Nucleus Accumbens Opioid Expression in Male and Female Obesity-Prone and Obesity-Resistant Rats
- Creators
- Malcolm C Jennings - Drexel University, Neurobiology and AnatomyJoy S Colquitt - University of MichiganBrody A Carpenter - Drexel UniversityAnna Hawks - Drexel University, College of MedicineEmma Ducceschi - Drexel UniversityMichelle Lin - Drexel UniversityLogan S Hays - Drexel UniversityCarrie R Ferrario - University of MichiganJessica R Barson (Corresponding Author) - Drexel University, Neurobiology and Anatomy
- Publication Details
- Alcohol, v 136, Forthcoming
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: R01AA028228, R01AA031732, R01DK130246, T32DA060142
This research was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism under Award Numbers R01AA028228 and R01AA031732 (J.R.B.) and by R01DK130246 and T32DA060142 (C.R. F.) . The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Neurobiology and Anatomy; College of Medicine; School of Biomedical Engineering and Science
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001876661800001
- Other Identifier
- 991022205259204721