Energy drink constituents (caffeine and taurine) selectively potentiate ethanol-induced locomotion in mice

Ulenius, Lisa; Adermark, Louise; Söderpalm, Bo; Ericson, Mia

doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2019.172795

Cited by 9 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…These results were recently corroborated by Ulenius et al In their study, authors administered taurine at 30, 60, 300 or 600 mg/kg (i.p.) and observed no effect on locomotion in comparison to animals treated with vehicle (Ulenius et al 2019).…”

Section: Taurine Effects On Etoh-induced Behavioursmentioning

confidence: 73%

Alcohol mixed with energy drinks: what about taurine?

et al. 2020

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Rationale Since energy drinks (EDs) were marketed to the general public as recreational and soft drinks, mixing these with alcohol has become a popular practice, especially in the younger population. Alcohol mixed with EDs (AmEDs) is a particularly alarming combination, given the evidence that consistently associate these drinks with increased risk behaviours and greater alcohol consumption. Caffeine and taurine are commonly found in EDs. In contrast to caffeine, the studies on taurine psychoactive properties and how this amino acid influences ethanol intake alone or in combination with caffeine are not so numerous. Objectives We summarised relevant and available data on the studies focusing on taurine as a psychoactive agent and its influence on ethanol (EtOH)-induced behaviours. Given the increased risk that represents mixing alcohol with energy drinks, we put emphasis on the research exploring the impact of these combinations on motivated behaviour towards EtOH consumption. ResultsThe research on taurine properties on motivated behaviour towards EtOH consumption is limited, and mostly all done in combination with caffeine or other molecules. This makes it difficult to elucidate the effect of this amino acid when combined with alcohol. Conclusions Incomplete understanding of the properties and effects of AmEDs is unavoidable until more studies are performed on the influence of taurine on motivation to consume alcohol. Taurine should be further explored, particularly in regard to its potential beneficial applications, motivational properties and synergies with other psychoactive ingredients (i.e. caffeine).

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Section: Taurine Effects On Etoh-induced Behavioursmentioning

confidence: 73%

Alcohol mixed with energy drinks: what about taurine?

et al. 2020

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“…Cross‐sensitization also has been described, which is said to occur when a new drug shows potentiated stimulating effects in subjects that show sensitization to another drug, for example, among EtOH and cocaine in rats (O'Neil et al, 2015; Xu and Kang, 2017). Caffeine induces locomotor sensitization (Ulenius et al, 2019) as well as cross‐sensitization with other substances such as amphetamine and nicotine (Celik et al, 2006). Recently, it has been reported that repeated intragastric coadministration of EtOH and caffeine induced significantly greater locomotor sensitization than the drugs alone (May et al, 2015), and repeated consumption of both substances produces a robust potentiation of locomotor stimulation in adolescent mice (Fritz et al, 2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Caffeine on Ethanol‐Induced Stimulation and Sensitization: Changes in ERK and DARPP‐32 Phosphorylation in Nucleus Accumbens

Porru

López-Cruz

Carratalá-Ros

et al. 2021

Alcoholism Clin & Exp Res

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Background Caffeine is frequently consumed with ethanol to reduce the impairing effects induced by ethanol, including psychomotor slowing or incoordination. Both drugs modulate dopamine (DA)‐related markers in accumbens (Acb), and Acb DA is involved in voluntary locomotion and locomotor sensitization. The present study determined whether caffeine can affect locomotion induced by acute and repeated ethanol administration in adult male CD‐1 mice. Methods Acute administration of caffeine (7.5 to 30.0 mg/kg) was evaluated for its effects on acute ethanol‐induced (1.5 to 3.5 g/kg) changes in open‐field horizontal locomotion, supported rearing, and rearing not supported by the wall. DA receptor‐dependent phosphorylation markers were assessed: extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (pERK), and dopamine‐and cAMP‐regulated phosphoprotein Mr32kDa phosphorylated at threonine 75 site (pDARPP‐32‐Thr75) in Acb core and shell. Acutely administered caffeine was also evaluated in ethanol‐sensitized (1.5 g/kg) mice. Results Acute ethanol decreased both types of rearing. Caffeine increased supported rearing but did not block ethanol ‐induced decreases in rearing. Both substances increased horizontal locomotion in a biphasic manner, and caffeine potentiated ethanol‐induced locomotion. Although ethanol administered repeatedly induced sensitization of locomotion and unsupported rearing, acute administration of caffeine to ethanol‐sensitized mice in an ethanol‐free state resulted in blunted stimulant effects compared with those seen in ethanol‐naïve mice. Ethanol increased pERK immunoreactivity in both subregions of the Acb, but coadministration with caffeine blunted this increase. There were no effects on pDARPP‐32(Thr75) immunoreactivity. Conclusions The present results demonstrated that, after the first administration, caffeine potentiated the stimulating actions of ethanol, but did not counteract its suppressant or ataxic effects. Moreover, our results show that caffeine has less activating effects in ethanol‐sensitized animals.

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“…This dose of ethanol has repeatedly been shown to induce increased locomotor activity in mice, e.g. (Carlsson et al 1974 ; Ulenius et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The locomotor activity studies were performed as previously described (Ulenius et al 2019 ). In brief, the mice were monitored for a total time period of 2 hours including 1 hour of habituation to the monitoring box prior to acute i.p injections with Leu-Gly or Gly-Leu, vehicle and/or ethanol.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The glycine-containing dipeptide leucine-glycine raises accumbal dopamine levels in a subpopulation of rats presenting a lower endogenous dopamine tone

et al. 2022

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Interventions that elevate glycine levels and target the glycine receptor (GlyR) in the nucleus Accumbens (nAc) reduce ethanol intake in rats, supposedly by acting on the brain reward system via increased basal and attenuated ethanol-induced nAc dopamine release. Glycine transport across the blood brain barrier (BBB) appears inefficient, but glycine-containing dipeptides elevate whole brain tissue dopamine levels in mice. This study explores whether treatment with the glycine-containing dipeptides leucine-glycine (Leu-Gly) and glycine-leucine (Gly-Leu) by means of a hypothesized, facilitated BBB passage, alter nAc glycine and dopamine levels and locomotor activity in two rodent models. The acute effects of Leu-Gly and Gly-Leu (1–1000 mg/kg, i.p.) alone or Leu-Gly in combination with ethanol on locomotion in male NMRI mice were examined in locomotor activity boxes. Striatal and brainstem slices were obtained for ex vivo HPLC analyses of tissue levels of glycine and dopamine. Furthermore, the effects of Leu-Gly i.p. (1–1000 mg/kg) on glycine and dopamine output in the nAc were examined using in vivo microdialysis coupled to HPLC in freely moving male Wistar rats. Leu-Gly and Gly-Leu did not significantly alter locomotion, ethanol-induced hyperlocomotor activity or tissue levels of glycine or dopamine, apart from Gly-Leu 10 mg/kg that slightly raised nAc dopamine. Microdialysis revealed no significant alterations in nAc glycine or dopamine levels when regarding all rats as a homogenous group. In a subgroup of rats defined as dopamine responders, a significant elevation of nAc dopamine (20%) was seen following Leu-Gly 10–1000 mg/kg i.p, and this group of animals presented lower baseline dopamine levels compared to dopamine non-responders. To conclude, peripheral injection of glycine-containing dipeptides appears inefficient in elevating central glycine levels but raises accumbal dopamine levels in a subgroup of rats with a lower endogenous dopamine tone. The tentative relationship between dopamine baseline and ensuing response to glycinergic treatment and presumptive direct interactions between glycine-containing dipeptides and the GlyR bear insights for refinement of the glycinergic treatment concept for alcohol use disorder (AUD).

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Energy drink constituents (caffeine and taurine) selectively potentiate ethanol-induced locomotion in mice

Cited by 9 publications

References 56 publications

Alcohol mixed with energy drinks: what about taurine?

Alcohol mixed with energy drinks: what about taurine?

Impact of Caffeine on Ethanol‐Induced Stimulation and Sensitization: Changes in ERK and DARPP‐32 Phosphorylation in Nucleus Accumbens

The glycine-containing dipeptide leucine-glycine raises accumbal dopamine levels in a subpopulation of rats presenting a lower endogenous dopamine tone

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