查看文章

Aims: Preclinical and clinical data suggest an involvement of atrial natriuretic peptides (ANP) in alcohol-associated psychopathology. We now present first data on alcohol drinking behaviour in mice lacking a functional natriuretic peptide-A (NPR-A) receptor. Methods: NPR-A^−/− and wild-type mice were given a free choice between water and increasing concentrations of alcohol (2–16%). A forced swim stress was performed thereafter on three consecutive days to investigate stress-induced alcohol drinking. Additionally, neurobehavioural alcohol withdrawal response was investigated following 14 days of forced-alcohol intake. Results: Whereas basal alcohol intake did not differ between NPR-A mutants and wild-type littermates, NPR-A mutants showed an increased stress-induced alcohol intake and aggravated neurobehavioural symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Conclusions: Mice lacking a functional …