Dopamine (DA) neuron excitability is regulated by inhibitory GABAergic synaptic transmission and modulated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of α6 subunit-containing nAChRs (α6*-nAChRs) in acute ethanol effects on ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABA and DA neurons. α6*-nAChRs were visualized on GABA terminals on VTA GABA neurons, and α6*-nAChR transcripts were expressed in most DA neurons, but only a minority of VTA GABA neurons from GAD67 GFP mice. Low concentrations of ethanol (1-10 mM) enhanced GABA receptor (GABA R)-mediated spontaneous and evoked inhibition with blockade by selective α6*-nAChR antagonist α-conotoxins (α-Ctxs) and lowered sensitivity in α6 knock-out (KO) mice. Ethanol suppression of VTA GABA neuron firing rate in wild-type mice in vivo was significantly reduced in α6 KO mice. Ethanol (5-100 mM) had no effect on optically evoked GABA R-mediated inhibition of DA neurons, and ethanol enhancement of VTA DA neuron firing rate at high concentrations was not affected by α-Ctxs. Ethanol conditioned place preference was reduced in α6 KO mice compared with wild-type controls. Taken together, these studies indicate that relatively low concentrations of ethanol act through α6*-nAChRs on GABA terminals to enhance GABA release onto VTA GABA neurons, in turn to reduce GABA neuron firing, which may lead to VTA DA neuron disinhibition, suggesting a possible mechanism of action of alcohol and nicotine co-abuse.

The neural mechanisms underlying alcohol dependence are not well-understood. GABAergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are a relevant target for ethanol. They are inhibited by ethanol at physiologically-relevant levels in vivo and display marked hyperexcitability during withdrawal. In the present study, we examined the effects of the GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol on VTA neurons ex vivo following withdrawal from acute and chronic ethanol exposure. We used standard cell-attached mode electrophysiology in the slice preparation to evaluate the effects of muscimol on VTA GABA neuron firing rate following exposure to acute and chronic ethanol in male CD-1 GAD-67 GFP mice. In the acute condition, the effect of muscimol on VTA neurons was evaluated 24 h and 7 days after a single in vivo dose of saline or ethanol. In the chronic condition, the effect of muscimol on VTA neurons was evaluated 24 h and 7 days after either 2 weeks of twice-daily IP ethanol or saline or following exposure to chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor or air for 3 weeks. VTA GABA neuron firing rate was more sensitive to muscimol than DA neuron firing rate. VTA GABA neurons, but not DA neurons, were resistant to the inhibitory effects of muscimol recorded 24 h after a single ethanol injection or chronic ethanol exposure. Administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 before ethanol injection restored the sensitivity of VTA GABA neurons to muscimol inhibition. Seven days after ethanol exposure, VTA GABA neuron firing rate was again susceptible to muscimol's inhibitory effects in the acute condition, but the resistance persisted in the chronic condition. These findings suggest that VTA GABA neurons exclusively undergo a shift in GABA(A) receptor function following acute and chronic exposure. There appears to be transient GABA(A) receptor-mediated plasticity after a single exposure to ethanol that is mediated by NMDA glutamate receptors. In addition, the resistance to muscimol inhibition in VTA GABA neurons persists in the dependent condition, which may contribute to the the hyperexcitability of VTA GABA neurons and inhibition of VTA DA neurons during withdrawal as well as the motivation to seek alcohol.

Rational Past research has demonstrated that when an animal changes from a previously drug-naive to an opiate-dependent and withdrawn state, morphine’s motivational effects are switched from a tegmental pedunculopontine nucleus (TPP)-dependent to a dopamine-dependent pathway. Interestingly, a corresponding change is observed in ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABAA receptors, which change from mediating hyperpolarization of VTA GABA neurons to mediating depolarization. Objectives The present study investigated whether pharmacological manipulation of VTA GABAA receptor activity could directly influence the mechanisms underlying opiate motivation. Results Using an unbiased place conditioning procedure, we demonstrated that in Wistar rats, intra-VTA administration of furosemide, a Cl− cotransporter inhibitor, was able to promote a switch in the mechanisms underlying morphine’s motivational properties, one which is normally observed only after chronic opiate exposure. This behavioral switch was prevented by intra-VTA administration of acetazolamide, an inhibitor of the bicarbonate ion-producing carbonic anhydrase enzyme. Electrophysiological recordings of mouse VTA showed that furosemide reduced the sensitivity of VTA GABA neurons to inhibition by the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol, instead increasing the firing rate of a significant subset of these GABA neurons. Conclusion Our results suggest that the carbonic anhydrase enzyme may constitute part of a common VTA GABA neuron-based biological pathway responsible for controlling the mechanisms underlying opiate motivation, supporting the hypothesis that VTA GABAA receptor hyperpolarization or depolarization is responsible for selecting TPP- or dopamine-dependent motivational outputs, respectively.

Blockade of gap junctions (GJs) has been shown to reduce seizures in different epilepsy models. Gap junctionmediated, electrically-coupled neuronal networks have been implicated in neuronal synchronization, which is the hallmark of seizure activity. To further understand the role of GJs in seizures, in particular hippocampal seizures, we evaluated electrophysiological responses in the dentate gyrus subfield of the hippocampus, including GABA-mediated recurrent inhibition, seizuregenic stimulation, and seizure activity in response to perforant path kindling in Cx36 knockout (KO) mice compared to wild-type (WT) controls. In anesthetized mice, Cx36 KO mice were characterized by enhanced GABA-mediated recurrent inhibition. Stimulation of the perforant path at 10 Hz for 10 sec (i.e., 100 pulses) markedly enhanced population spike (PS) amplitudes and reduced paired-pulse GABA-mediated inhibition during the stimulation, induced an after discharge for approximately 10 sec at 7-10 sec into the stimulation, and suppressed PS amplitudes postictally for 5-10 min in both KO and WT mice. Repeated epochs of 10 Hz for 10 sec stimulation of the perforant path at 20 min intervals resulted in progressive and persistent disinhibition of paired-pulse responses in WT, but not KO mice. In freely-behaving seizure studies, stimulation of the perforant path (10 Hz for 10 sec) once/day resulted in progressive Stage I-IV seizures in both WT and KO mice. Once Stage IV was achieved, another Stage IV seizure could be elicited each day with the same behavioral response (i.e., Stage V). The threshold for kindled seizures was significantly greater in KO mice compared to WT controls for most stages of seizures. The Cx36 antagonist mefloquine (MFQ) and the typical anticonvulsant pentobarbital reduced Stage IV seizures in both WT and KO mice. Knock-out mice were more sensitive to the anti-epileptic effects of the typical anti-convulsant pentobarbital (20 mg/ kg). Taken together, these findings support the emerging view that reduction in GJ-mediated GABA electrical coupling reduces seizures, perhaps through enhancement of GABAergic feedback inhibition, which results from the uncoupling of the GABA recurrent interneurons from the resistive load that is inherent in their electrical connectivity.