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Cited by 137Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorEpigenetics and DNA MethylationNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Epigenetics and addiction

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Hamilton, Peter J, Nestler, Eric J·2019·Current Opinion in Neurobiology
DOI 10.1016/j.conb.2019.05.005PMC PMC6889055
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Abstract

As an individual becomes addicted to a drug of abuse, nerve cells within the brain's reward circuitry adapt at the epigenetic level during the course of repeated drug exposure. These drug-induced epigenetic adaptations mediate enduring changes in brain function which contribute to life-long, drug-related behavioral abnormalities that define addiction. Targeting these epigenetic alterations will enhance our understanding of the biological basis of addiction and might even yield more effective anti-addiction therapies. However, the complexity of the neuroepigenetic landscape makes it difficult to determine which drug-induced epigenetic changes causally contribute to the pathogenic mechanisms of drug addiction. In this review, we highlight the evidence that epigenetic modifications, specifically histone modifications, within key brain reward regions are correlated with addiction. We then discuss the emerging field of locus-specific neuroepigenetic editing, which is a promising method for determining the causal epigenetic molecular mechanisms that drive an addicted state. Such approaches will substantially increase the field's ability to establish the precise epigenetic mechanisms underlying drug addiction, and could lead to novel treatments for addictive disorders.

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Hamilton, P. J., & Nestler, E. J.
Affiliations
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
Corresponding author
Nestler, Eric J
ORCID
Venue
Current Opinion in Neurobiology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-12
Volume
59
Pages
128-136
ISSN
0959-4388 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.conb.2019.05.005
PMC
PMC6889055
OpenAlex
W2955926962
Cited by
137
References
18
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 1
FWCI
2.03
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Current Opinion in Neurobiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01 DA07359, K99 DA045795)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords
epigenetics, drug addiction, histone modifications, brain reward system, addiction
MeSH terms
Humans, Reward, Behavior, Addictive, Substance-Related Disorders, Epigenesis, Genetic, Epigenomics

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