Taurine and its involvement in addiction

This project focuses on mechanisms underlying addiction to alcohol and other drugs of abuse, with emphasis on the endogenous amino acid taurine.

We will study the origin of ethanol-induced increased levels of taurine in the nucleus accumbens (nAc), a prominent part of the brain reward system.

In previous studies we found that in order for alcohol to produce an elevation of nAc dopamine, a concomitant increase of taurine is required. Taurine may thus be crucial for the reinforcing effects of alcohol.

We will also determine the mechanism underlying ethanol-intake reducing effects of the clinically used substance acamprosate, a calcium-acetylhomotaurine drug with structural similarities to taurine.

As acetylhomotaurine was suggested to be inert and that it is rather calcium that decrease alcohol consumption, it is important to establish the underlying mechanism of action.

Since there are few pharmacotherapies available to treat alcohol use disorder we need to understand the mechanism of action of these drugs in order to improve their effects.

Furthermore, our hypothesis is also that not only is taurine heavily involved in ethanol’s ability to increase dopamine, but also for cue-induced drug seeking behavior in general.

Here we will target the lateral septum and explore its role in the neuronal circuitry mediating cue-induced drug seeking behavior and an increase of nAc after ethanol. With this line of studies we aim to fill the research gap of taurine’s role in addiction.