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Electroacupuncture Attenuates Hyperalgesia in Rats Withdrawn from Chronic Alcohol Drinking via Habenular Mu Opioid Receptors
Author(s) -
Li Jing,
Fu Caihong,
Liu Hongwei,
Fu Rao,
Zuo Wanhong,
Kang Seungwoo,
Chen Pei,
Gregor Danielle,
Paulose Rose,
Bekker Alex,
Ye JiangHong
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13332
Subject(s) - hyperalgesia , electroacupuncture , hypoalgesia , opioid , anesthesia , medicine , zusanli , chronic pain , naltrexone , acupuncture , μ opioid receptor , alcohol , pharmacology , receptor , nociception , chemistry , biochemistry , alternative medicine , pathology , psychiatry
Background Hyperalgesia or increased sensitivity to pain is often found in alcoholics during alcohol withdrawal and may contribute to relapse drinking. Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and electroacupuncture ( EA ), through mechanisms involving opioid receptors, may reduce pain and substance dependence and withdrawal syndromes. The lateral habenula ( LH b), an epithalamic structure rich in mu opioid receptors ( MOR s), is a critical target for both drugs of abuse and pain. We previously observed hyperalgesia in rats withdrawn from chronic ethanol (EtOH) drinking and found that EA at the acupoint Zusanli ( ST 36) reduced EtOH intake. This raised question of whether EA can alleviate hyperalgesia during alcohol withdrawal and, if so, whether the mechanism involves MOR s in the LH b. Methods We trained male rats to drink EtOH using the intermittent access 20% EtOH 2‐bottle free‐choice drinking paradigm for 8 weeks, after which the alcohol supply was discontinued. We measured pain sensitivity using radiant heat (a light beam directed at the hind paw of rats) and compared the paw withdrawal latencies ( PWL s) with and without EA at ST 36. Results The PWL s were significantly shorter in rats at 24, 48, and 72 hours and 7 days after the discontinuation of EtOH when compared to EtOH‐naïve rats. After a single administration of 2‐Hz EA for 20 minutes at ST 36, the PWL s at 24 hours after the withdrawal of EtOH were significantly greater than those of the sham group (2‐Hz EA at the tail). Furthermore, the effect of EA on PWL s was significantly attenuated by bilateral intrahabenula infusion of the MOR antagonist naltrexone. Conclusions These results suggest that EA can alleviate hyperalgesia during EtOH withdrawal through a mechanism involving MOR s in the habenula. Based on this, EA could be of potential value as a therapy for hyperalgesia in alcohol dependence.