A novel NOP receptor antagonist decreases alcohol behavior in Marchigian Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats

Ethanol is one of the most abused substance worldwide. The reinforcing and rewarding property of ethanol are mediated by several neurochemical systems and many different sites in the brain. The N/OFQ and its receptor (NOP) are found throughout the brain, spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia, supporting a role of the N/OFQ-NOP system in the modulation of central functions, including learning and memory, reward, mood, feeding, stress and sensory nociceptive processing. Since its deorphanization, there has been a clear dichotomy in the literature regarding whether an agonist or antagonist would provide therapeutic benefit.
Source: Alcohol - Category: Addiction Authors: Source Type: research