Potassium Channels and Their Potential Roles in Substance Use Disorders
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are ubiquitous throughout the world. However, much remains to be done to develop pharmacotherapies that are very efficacious because the focus has been mostly on using dopaminergic agents or opioid agonists. Herein we discuss the potential of using potassium channel ac...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/3/1249 |
| _version_ | 1797406867126747136 |
|---|---|
| author | Michael T. McCoy Subramaniam Jayanthi Jean Lud Cadet |
| author_facet | Michael T. McCoy Subramaniam Jayanthi Jean Lud Cadet |
| author_sort | Michael T. McCoy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Substance use disorders (SUDs) are ubiquitous throughout the world. However, much remains to be done to develop pharmacotherapies that are very efficacious because the focus has been mostly on using dopaminergic agents or opioid agonists. Herein we discuss the potential of using potassium channel activators in SUD treatment because evidence has accumulated to support a role of these channels in the effects of rewarding drugs. Potassium channels regulate neuronal action potential via effects on threshold, burst firing, and firing frequency. They are located in brain regions identified as important for the behavioral responses to rewarding drugs. In addition, their expression profiles are influenced by administration of rewarding substances. Genetic studies have also implicated variants in genes that encode potassium channels. Importantly, administration of potassium agonists have been shown to reduce alcohol intake and to augment the behavioral effects of opioid drugs. Potassium channel expression is also increased in animals with reduced intake of methamphetamine. Together, these results support the idea of further investing in studies that focus on elucidating the role of potassium channels as targets for therapeutic interventions against SUDs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:32:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ccd2906aa06b4ba8add9e3bef849384a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:32:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-ccd2906aa06b4ba8add9e3bef849384a2023-12-03T14:54:04ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-01-01223124910.3390/ijms22031249Potassium Channels and Their Potential Roles in Substance Use DisordersMichael T. McCoy0Subramaniam Jayanthi1Jean Lud Cadet2Molecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch, NIDA Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD 21224, USAMolecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch, NIDA Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD 21224, USAMolecular Neuropsychiatry Research Branch, NIDA Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD 21224, USASubstance use disorders (SUDs) are ubiquitous throughout the world. However, much remains to be done to develop pharmacotherapies that are very efficacious because the focus has been mostly on using dopaminergic agents or opioid agonists. Herein we discuss the potential of using potassium channel activators in SUD treatment because evidence has accumulated to support a role of these channels in the effects of rewarding drugs. Potassium channels regulate neuronal action potential via effects on threshold, burst firing, and firing frequency. They are located in brain regions identified as important for the behavioral responses to rewarding drugs. In addition, their expression profiles are influenced by administration of rewarding substances. Genetic studies have also implicated variants in genes that encode potassium channels. Importantly, administration of potassium agonists have been shown to reduce alcohol intake and to augment the behavioral effects of opioid drugs. Potassium channel expression is also increased in animals with reduced intake of methamphetamine. Together, these results support the idea of further investing in studies that focus on elucidating the role of potassium channels as targets for therapeutic interventions against SUDs.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/3/1249alcoholcocainemethamphetamineopioidspharmacotherapy |
| spellingShingle | Michael T. McCoy Subramaniam Jayanthi Jean Lud Cadet Potassium Channels and Their Potential Roles in Substance Use Disorders International Journal of Molecular Sciences alcohol cocaine methamphetamine opioids pharmacotherapy |
| title | Potassium Channels and Their Potential Roles in Substance Use Disorders |
| title_full | Potassium Channels and Their Potential Roles in Substance Use Disorders |
| title_fullStr | Potassium Channels and Their Potential Roles in Substance Use Disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potassium Channels and Their Potential Roles in Substance Use Disorders |
| title_short | Potassium Channels and Their Potential Roles in Substance Use Disorders |
| title_sort | potassium channels and their potential roles in substance use disorders |
| topic | alcohol cocaine methamphetamine opioids pharmacotherapy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/3/1249 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michaeltmccoy potassiumchannelsandtheirpotentialrolesinsubstanceusedisorders AT subramaniamjayanthi potassiumchannelsandtheirpotentialrolesinsubstanceusedisorders AT jeanludcadet potassiumchannelsandtheirpotentialrolesinsubstanceusedisorders |