A neural substrate of comorbid depressive symptoms in alcohol use

Abstract

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is commonly associated with depression, which may exacerbate the clinical outcome and increase treatment difficulty. The neural substrates underlying such comorbid symptoms are unclear. Here, we identify the regulatory role of amygdala Menin (multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1) signaling in orchestrating local GABAergic inhibition, which modulates the emotional state following alcohol use. Alcohol intake reduces Menin expression in the amygdala, decreasing GAT1 transcription. Restoring Menin signaling or overexpressing GAT1 in the amygdala could suppress alcohol preference and prevent depressive-like behaviors in these animals. Notably, knocking-in mice expressing a human MEN1 variant (Menin-G503D) that associates with MDD exhibit strong alcohol preference. These findings uncover a previously unknown mechanism for a common clinical element of alcohol addiction and point to a novel candidate therapeutic target against depression.