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Effects of the synthetic psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) on ethanol consumption and place conditioning in male mice

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Abstract

Rationale

Approximately 20 million adults in the USA have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). There are clinical and preclinical data suggesting that psychedelics may have benefits for AUD.

Objective

To investigate the effects of the synthetic psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) on the behavioral effects of ethanol.

Methods

The effects of DOI were examined using ethanol-induced place conditioning (1.8 g/kg ethanol) and 2-bottle choice ethanol drinking (20% v/v), using a dose of DOI (3 mg/kg) that produced the maximal response in the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor-dependent head-twitch assay. Interactions between DOI and ethanol (3 g/kg) were examined using the ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex procedure and blood-ethanol analysis. To examine additional mechanisms by which psychedelics may interact with ethanol, we determined whether DOI reverses ethanol-induced nitric oxide release in macrophages, a marker of inflammation.

Results

DOI significantly attenuated ethanol-induced place conditioning and ethanol drinking. DOI-induced suppression of alcohol drinking depended upon 5-HT2A receptors, was selective for alcohol over water, and was selective for high alcohol-preferring subjects. DOI had no apparent pharmacokinetic interactions with ethanol, and DOI reduced ethanol-induced nitric oxide release.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that DOI blocks ethanol place conditioning and selectively reduces voluntary ethanol consumption. This may be related to modulation of the effects of ethanol in the reward circuitry of the brain, ethanol-induced neuroinflammation, or a combination of both. Additional studies to elucidate the mechanisms through which psychedelics attenuate the effects of ethanol would inform the pathophysiology of AUD and potentially provide new treatment options.

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Funding

These studies were supported by the National Institutes of Health [DA040907 and NS100512)] and by funding from the Mercer University College of Pharmacy to KSM. The work of the Drug Design and Synthesis Section was supported by the NIH Intramural Research Programs of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). These studies represent partial fulfillment of AOs PhD dissertation research project at Mercer University.

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  1. Kristen E. Curry

    Present address: University of Texas College of Pharmacy, Austin, TX, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mercer University College of Pharmacy, Mercer University Health Sciences Center, 3001 Mercer University Dr., Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA

    Aboagyewaah Oppong-Damoah, Kristen E. Curry & Kevin S. Murnane

  2. Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

    Bruce E. Blough

  3. Section on Drug Design and Synthesis, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Kenner C. Rice

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  1. Aboagyewaah Oppong-Damoah
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  2. Kristen E. Curry
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  3. Bruce E. Blough
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  5. Kevin S. Murnane
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Correspondence to Kevin S. Murnane.

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Oppong-Damoah, A., Curry, K.E., Blough, B.E. et al. Effects of the synthetic psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) on ethanol consumption and place conditioning in male mice. Psychopharmacology 236, 3567–3578 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-019-05328-7

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