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The use of chemogenetics in behavioural neuroscience: receptor variants, targeting approaches and caveats
Author(s) -
Campbell Erin J,
Marchant Nathan J
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/bph.14146
Subject(s) - neuroscience , receptor , drug discovery , biology , function (biology) , medicine , bioinformatics , biochemistry , evolutionary biology
The last decade has seen major advances in neuroscience tools allowing us to selectively modulate cellular pathways in freely moving animals. Chemogenetic approaches such as designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) permit the remote control of neuronal function by systemic drug administration. These approaches have dramatically advanced our understanding of the neural control of behaviour. Here, we review the different techniques and genetic approaches available for the restriction of chemogenetic receptors to defined neuronal populations. We highlight the use of a dual virus approach to target specific circuitries and the effectiveness of different routes of administration of designer drugs. Finally, we discuss the potential caveats associated with DREADDs including off‐target effects of designer drugs, the effects of chronic chemogenetic receptor activation and the issue of collateral projections associated with DREADD activation and inhibition.