Alcohol and Cocaine Combined Substance Use on Adult Hypothalamic Neural Stem Cells and Neurogenesis

Abstract

Many advancements have been made over the years looking at the individual and combined effects of drugs of abuse on the brain, with one key area of research focusing on the effects on neurogenesis. An integral part of fetal brain development and, later, maintenance in the adult brain, neurogenesis occurs in three main regions: subventricularzone of the lateral ventricles (SVZ), subgranularzone of the dentate gyrus (SGZ), and the tanycyte layer in the hypothalamus (TL). We will review current literature on combined drugs of abuse and their effect on adult neurogenesis. More specifically, this review will focus on the effect of combining cocaine and alcohol. Additionally, the tanycyte layer will be explored in more depth and probed to look at the neurogenic properties of tanycytes and their role in neurogenesis.

Keywords: Neurogenesis; cocaethylene; cocaine; ethanol; metabolism; tanycytes.

Fig. 1

Neural Stem Progenitor Cell Response to Combined Drug Use in Neurogenic Regions. NSPCs are labeled by green fluorescent protein (GFP), nuclei stained with DAPI showing the representative neurogenic regions. SVZ-subventricular zone, SGZ-subgranular zone, TL–tanycyte layer.