238 research outputs found
Kappa Opioid Regulation of Depressive-Like Behavior During Acute Withdrawal and Protracted Abstinence from Ethanol
The dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor (DYN/KOR) system appears to be a key mediator of the behavioral effects of chronic exposure to alcohol. Although KOR opioid receptor antagonists have been shown to decrease stress-related behaviors in animal models during acute ethanol withdrawal, the role of the DYN/KOR system in regulating long-term behavioral changes following protracted abstinence from ethanol is not well understood. The objective of the current study was to further explore the role of the DYN/KOR system in regulating stress-related behavioral changes associated with acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence from ethanol. More specifically, the present experiments sought to examine the ability of the KOR antagonist norbinaltorphimine (nor-BNI) to reverse depressive-like behavior in the forced swim test in rats exposed to chronic ethanol. In the first experiment, rats were fed an ethanol or control liquid diet for 28–30 days, and then 24 hours after removal of the diet, were exposed to inescapable swim stress. Immediately following this procedure, rats were injected with nor-BNI (20 mg/kg) or saline and then tested 24 hours later in the forced swim test. A second experiment used a similar procedure to examine the effects of nor-BNI on behavioral changes during protracted abstinence in rats tested in the forced swim test 3 weeks after exposure to the ethanol liquid diet procedure. Ethanol-dependent rats showed increased immobility, which is thought to indicate a depressive-like state, when examined during acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence compared to controls, an effect attenuated by nor-BNI. These results suggest that the DYN/KOR system plays role in mediating both short- and long-term behavioral changes associated with depression following chronic alcohol exposure
Human urocortin II, a selective agonist for the type 2 corticotropinreleasing factor receptor, decreases feeding and drinking in the rat
ABSTRACT Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) has been hypothesized to modulate consummatory behavior through the Type 2 CRF (CRF 2 ) receptor. However, behavioral functions subserved by the CRF 2 receptor remain poorly understood. Recently, human urocortin II (hUcn II), a selective CRF 2 receptor agonist, was identified. To study the effects of this neuropeptide on ingestive behavior, we examined the effects of centrally infused hUcn II (i.c.v. 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0 g) on the microstructure of nosepoke responding for food and water in nondeprived, male rats. Malaise-inducing properties of the peptide were monitored using conditioned taste aversion (CTA) testing. To identify potential sites of action, central induction of Fos protein expression was examined. hUcn II dose dependently reduced the quantity and duration of responding for food and water at doses lower (0.01-1.0 g) than that forming a CTA (10 g). Effects were most evident during hours 4 to 6 of the dark cycle. Meal pattern analysis showed that hUcn II potently (0.1 g) increased the satiating value of food. Rats ate and drank smaller and shorter meals without changing meal frequency. Rats also ate more slowly. hUcn II induced Fos in regions involved in visceral sensory processing and autonomic/neuroendocrine regulation and resembling those activated by appetite suppressants. hUcn II is a promising neuropeptide for investigating the role of the CRF 2 receptor in ingestive behavior. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is hypothesized to mediate behavioral, autonomic, endocrine, and immunological responses to stres
Stress Enhancement of Craving During Sobriety: A Risk for Relapse
This report of the proceedings of a symposium presented at the 2004 Research Society on Alcoholism Meeting provides evidence linking stress during sobriety to craving that increases the risk for relapse. The initial presentation by Rajita Sinha summarized clinical evidence for the hypothesis that there is an increased sensitivity to stress-induced craving in alcoholics. During early abstinence, alcoholics who were confronted with stressful circumstances showed increased susceptibility for relapse. George Breese presented data demonstrating that stress could substitute for repeated withdrawals from chronic ethanol to induce anxiety-like behavior. This persistent adaptive change induced by multiple withdrawals allowed stress to induce an anxiety-like response that was absent in animals that were not previously exposed to chronic ethanol. Subsequently, Amanda Roberts reviewed evidence that increased drinking induced by stress was dependent on corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). In addition, rats that were stressed during protracted abstinence exhibited anxiety-like behavior that was also dependent on CRF. Christopher Dayas indicated that stress increases the reinstatement of an alcohol-related cue. Moreover, this effect was enhanced by previous alcohol dependence. These interactive effects between stress and alcohol-related environmental stimuli depended on concurrent activation of endogenous opioid and CRF systems. A.D. Lê covered information that indicated that stress facilitated reinstatement to alcohol responding and summarized the influence of multiple deprivations on this interaction. David Overstreet provided evidence that restraint stress during repeated alcohol deprivations increases voluntary drinking in alcohol-preferring (P) rats that results in withdrawal-induced anxiety that is not observed in the absence of stress. Testing of drugs on the stress-induced voluntary drinking implicated serotonin and CRF involvement in the sensitized response. Collectively, the presentations provided convincing support for an involvement of stress in the cause of relapse and continuing alcohol abuse and suggested novel pharmacological approaches for treating relapse induced by stress
Search for Production via Trilepton Final States in collisions at TeV
We have searched for associated production of the lightest chargino,
, and next-to-lightest neutralino, , of the
Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model in collisions at
\mbox{ = 1.8 TeV} using the \D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron
collider. Data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 12.5 \ipb
were examined for events containing three isolated leptons. No evidence for
pair production was found. Limits on
BrBr are
presented.Comment: 17 pages (13 + 1 page table + 3 pages figures). 3 PostScript figures
will follow in a UUEncoded, gzip'd, tar file. Text in LaTex format. Submitted
to Physical Review Letters. Replace comments - Had to resumbmit version with
EPSF directive
Measurement of the Boson Mass
A measurement of the mass of the boson is presented based on a sample of
5982 decays observed in collisions at
= 1.8~TeV with the D\O\ detector during the 1992--1993 run. From a
fit to the transverse mass spectrum, combined with measurements of the
boson mass, the boson mass is measured to be .Comment: 12 pages, LaTex, style Revtex, including 3 postscript figures
(submitted to PRL
Direct Measurement of the Top Quark Mass at D0
We determine the top quark mass m_t using t-tbar pairs produced in the D0
detector by \sqrt{s} = 1.8 TeV p-pbar collisions in a 125 pb^-1 exposure at the
Fermilab Tevatron. We make a two constraint fit to m_t in t-tbar -> b W^+bbar
W^- final states with one W boson decaying to q-qbar and the other to e-nu or
mu-nu. Likelihood fits to the data yield m_t(l+jets) = 173.3 +- 5.6 (stat) +-
5.5 (syst) GeV/c^2. When this result is combined with an analysis of events in
which both W bosons decay into leptons, we obtain m_t = 172.1 +- 5.2 (stat) +-
4.9 (syst) GeV/c^2. An alternate analysis, using three constraint fits to fixed
top quark masses, gives m_t(l+jets) = 176.0 +- 7.9 (stat) +- 4.8 (syst)
GeV/C^2, consistent with the above result. Studies of kinematic distributions
of the top quark candidates are also presented.Comment: 43 pages, 53 figures, 33 tables. RevTeX. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Measurement of the Top Quark Mass Using Dilepton Events
The D0 collaboration has performed a measurement of the top quark mass based
on six candidate events for the process t tbar -> b W+ bbar W-, where the W
bosons decay to e nu or mu nu. This sample was collected during an exposure of
the D0 detector to an integrated luminosity of 125 pb^-1 of sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV
p-pbar collisions. We obtain mt = 168.4 +- 12.3 (stat) +- 3.7 (sys) GeV/c^2,
consistent with the measurement obtained using single-lepton events.
Combination of the single-lepton and dilepton results yields mt = 172.0 +- 7.5
GeV/c^2.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure
Second Generation Leptoquark Search in p\bar{p} Collisions at = 1.8 TeV
We report on a search for second generation leptoquarks with the D\O\
detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider at = 1.8 TeV.
This search is based on 12.7 pb of data. Second generation leptoquarks
are assumed to be produced in pairs and to decay into a muon and quark with
branching ratio or to neutrino and quark with branching ratio
. We obtain cross section times branching ratio limits as a function
of leptoquark mass and set a lower limit on the leptoquark mass of 111
GeV/c for and 89 GeV/c for at the 95%\
confidence level.Comment: 18 pages, FERMILAB-PUB-95/185-
Search for First Generation Scalar Leptoquark Pairs in ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV
We have searched for first generation scalar leptoquark (LQ) pairs in the
enu+jets channel using ppbar collider data (integrated luminosity= 115 pb^-1)
collected by the DZero experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron during 1992-96. The
analysis yields no candidate events. We combine the results with those from the
ee+jets and nunu+jets channels to obtain 95% confidence level (CL) upper limits
on the LQ pair production cross section as a function of mass and of beta, the
branching fraction to a charged lepton. Comparing with the next-to-leading
order theory, we set 95% CL lower limits on the LQ mass of 225, 204, and 79
GeV/c^2 for beta=1, 1/2, and 0, respectively.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters Replaced to
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