Search resultsInteractions between taurine and ethanol in the central nervous system
Title
Interactions between taurine and ethanol in the central nervous system
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2002
Authors
Journal
Amino Acids
Volume
23
Issue
4
Pagination
345 - 357
Date published
2002
ISBN
09394451 (ISSN)
Keywords
4 aminobutyric acid, 4 aminobutyric acid A receptor, 4 aminobutyric acid A receptor blocking agent, 4 aminobutyric acid A receptor stimulating agent, 6 aminomethyl 3 methyl 4h 1,2,4 benzothiadiazine 1,1 dioxide, Acamprosate, alcohol, alcohol abstinence, alcohol abuse, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Deterrents, alcohol intoxication, alcohol withdrawal, Alcoholism, allosterism, amino acid derivative, Animal, animal behavior, Animalia, Animals, aversion, behavior, Behavior, Animal, beta alanine, bicuculline, blood brain barrier, brain level, brain region, calcium channel, cation channel, central nervous system, Central nervous system (CNS), chemistry, chloride channel, dexamphetamine, dose response, drug absorption, drug bioavailability, drug derivative, drug effect, drug efficacy, drug elimination, drug mechanism, drug metabolism, drug potentiation, drugs used in the treatment of addiction, enzyme activity, enzyme regulation, Ethanol, GABAergic transmission, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, glycine receptor, glycine receptor antagonist, homotaurine, human, Humans, hypotaurine, isethionic acid, locomotion, Locomotor activity, metabolism, microdialysis, molecular interaction, motivation, Motor Activity, n methyl dextro aspartic acid, n methyl dextro aspartic acid receptor, neurochemistry, neuromodulation, neuropharmacology, neuroprotection, neurotoxicity, neurotransmission, nonhuman, opiate addiction, osmoregulation, place preference, priority journal, protein function, protein inhibitor, protein localization, protein secretion, reinforcement, relapse, review, righting reflex, sedation, Self-administration, strychnine, Strychnos toxifera, Taurine, Treatment Outcome
Abstract
This purpose of this review will be to summarize the interactions between the endogenous amino acid taurine and ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in the central nervous system (CNS). Taurine is one of the most abundant amino acids in the CNS and plays an integral role in physiological processes such as osmoregulation, neuroprotection and neuromodulation. Both taurine and ethanol exert positive allosteric modulatory effects on neuronal ligand-gated chloride channels (i.e., GABAA and glycine receptors) as well as inhibitory effects on other ligand- and voltage-gated cation channels (i.e., NMDA and Ca2+ channels). Behavioral evidence suggests that taurine can alter the locomotor stimulatory, sedating, and motivational effects of ethanol in a strongly dose-dependent manner. Microdialysis studies have revealed that ethanol elevates extracellular levels of taurine in numerous brain regions, although the functional consequences of this phenomenon are currently unknown. Finally, taurine and several related molecules including the homotaurine derivative acamprosate (calcium acetylhomotaurinate) can reduce ethanol self-administration and relapse to drinking in both animals and humans. Taken together, these data suggest that the endogenous taurine system may be an important modulator of effects of ethanol on the nervous system, and may represent a novel therapeutic avenue for the development of medications to treat alcohol abuse and alcoholism.