Abstract
The brain's reward systems reinforce behaviors required for species survival, including sex, food consumption, and social interaction. Drugs of abuse co-opt these neural pathways, which can lead to addiction. Here, we used Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the relationship between natural and drug rewards. In males, mating increased, whereas sexual deprivation reduced, neuropeptide F (NPF) levels. Activation or inhibition of the NPF system in turn reduced or enhanced ethanol preference. These results thus link sexual experience, NPF system activity, and ethanol consumption. Artificial activation of NPF neurons was in itself rewarding and precluded the ability of ethanol to act as a reward. We propose that activity of the NPF-NPF receptor axis represents the state of the fly reward system and modifies behavior accordingly.
Publication types
-
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
-
Acetates / pharmacology
-
Alcohol Drinking
-
Animals
-
Behavior, Addictive
-
Behavior, Animal*
-
Cohort Studies
-
Conditioning, Psychological
-
Cues
-
Drosophila Proteins / genetics
-
Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
-
Drosophila melanogaster / physiology*
-
Ethanol / administration & dosage*
-
Female
-
Ion Channels
-
Male
-
Neurons / metabolism
-
Neuropeptides / metabolism*
-
Oleic Acids / pharmacology
-
Pheromones / pharmacology
-
Receptors, Neuropeptide / genetics
-
Receptors, Neuropeptide / metabolism*
-
Reward
-
Sexual Behavior, Animal*
-
TRPA1 Cation Channel
-
TRPC Cation Channels / metabolism
Substances
-
Acetates
-
Drosophila Proteins
-
Ion Channels
-
NPFR protein, Drosophila
-
Neuropeptides
-
Oleic Acids
-
Pheromones
-
Receptors, Neuropeptide
-
TRPA1 Cation Channel
-
TRPC Cation Channels
-
TrpA1 protein, Drosophila
-
cis-vaccenyl acetate
-
neuropeptide F, Drosophila
-
Ethanol