Morgane Thomsen
Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen and Department of Neuroscience, UCPH
“Unusual long-lasting modulation of cocaine effects by muscarinic cholinergic receptor stimulation”
Abstract: Addictions (to drugs, alcohol, or palatable foods) are one of the top 5 preventable causes of death and disability worldwide. For addiction to cocaine and other stimulants, there are no medications, and overdose deaths are rapidly increasing in recent years. We have accumulated evidence in rodents to support the potential usefulness of stimulating muscarinic cholinergic receptor M1 and M4 to suppress abuse-related cocaine effects. Some of these effects have an unusual pattern, being progressively-developing and long-lasting (days to weeks), suggesting altered neuroplasticity. In particular, the M1-selective partial agonist VU0364572 can suppress cocaine taking behavior for 4-6 weeks after a single administration in rats. While M1 agonists are now being tested clinically for Alzheimer's disease, our findings suggests they may also be useful to combat cocaine addiction.