Alcohol Consumption and the Body???s Biological Clock

Abstract

This review summarizes new findings on the bidirectional interactions between alcohol and the clock genes, underlying the generation of circadian rhythmicity. At the behavioral level, both adult and perinatal ethanol treatments after the free-running period and light response of the circadian clock in rodents; genetic ethanol preference in alcohol-preferring rat lines is also associated with alterations in circadian pacemaker function. At the neuronal level, it has been shown that ethanol consumption alters the circadian expression patterns of period (per) genes in various brain regions, including the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Notably, circadian functions of beta-endorphin-containing neurons that participate in the control of alcohol reinforcement become disturbed after chronic alcohol intake. In turn, per2 gene activity regulates alcohol intake through its effects on the glutamatergic system through glutamate reuptake mechanisms and thereby may affect a variety of physiological processes that are governed by our internal clock. In summary, a new pathologic chain has been identified that contributes to the negative health consequences of chronic alcohol intake. Thus, chronic alcohol intake alters the expression of per genes, and as a consequence, a variety of neurochemical and neuroendocrine functions become disturbed. Further steps in this pathologic chain are alterations in physiological and immune functions that are under circadian control, and, as a final consequence, addictive behavior might be triggered or sustained by this cascade.

αCaMKII Autophosphorylation Controls the Establishment of Alcohol Drinking Behavior

“…Sucrose (0.45 and 5%) and quinine (10 and 20 mg/dl) preference was measured in a two-bottle free-choice test vs water. Each dose was offered for 3 days with the position of the bottles being changed and weighed daily (Spanagel et al, 2005).…”

PRECLINICAL STUDY: Circadian regulation of central ethanol sensitivity by the mPer2 gene

“…Per2 Brdm1 mutant animals display a 'hyperglutamatergic' state in their CNS, i.e. augmented extracellular glutamate levels (Spanagel et al 2005b). Interestingly, it has been shown that an intracerebroventricular infusion of L-glutamate may prolong the ethanol-induced LORR duration in mice (Ferko 1994).…”

“…Recently, we were able to demonstrate that mutations in Per1 and Per2 genes can modulate the effects of drugs of abuse in a different manner (Abarca, Albrecht & Spanagel 2002;Spanagel et al 2005aSpanagel et al , 2005bZghoul et al 2007;Perreau-Lenz & Spanagel 2008;Spanagel 2009). In particular, we established that although mice mutant in the Per2 gene (Per2 Brdm1 ) display enhanced alcohol consumption and preference (Spanagel et al 2005a), Per1 Brdm1 mutant mice did not show such an enhancement in alcohol drinking behavior (Zghoul et al 2007).…”

Sleep Disorders in Mentally Retarded Children

“…Как показывают результа-ты экспериментальных исследований, одной из причин нарушений сна при АСП является срыв регуляции цир-кадных ритмов вследствие повреждающего воздействия алкоголя на супрахиазматическое ядро гипоталамуса, ответственного в т. ч. и за чередование периодов сна и бодрствования [26]. Наряду с этим на формирование патологии сна дополнительное влияние могут оказывать поведенческие нарушения и психические расстройства, свойственные данному синдрому [27].…”