Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.07.13.200519v1?rss=1 Authors: Meinhardt, M. W., Pfarr, S., Rohleder, C., Vengeliene, V., Barroso-Flores, J., Hoffmann, R., Meinhardt, M. L., Paul, E., Hansson, A. C., Köhr, G., Meier, N., von Bohlen und Halbach, O., Bell, R. L., Endepols, H., Neumaier, B., Schönig, K., Bartsch, D., Spanagel, R., Sommer, W. H. Abstract: Alcohol-dependent patients commonly show impairments in executive functions that facilitate craving and can lead to relapse. The medial prefrontal cortex, a key brain region for executive control, is prone to alcohol-induced neuroadaptations. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to executive dysfunction in alcoholism are poorly understood. Here using a bi-directional neuromodulation approach we demonstrate a causal link for reduced prefrontal mGluR2 function and both impaired executive control and alcohol craving. By neuron-specific prefrontal knockdown of mGluR2 in rats, we generated a phenotype of reduced cognitive flexibility and excessive alcohol-seeking. Conversely, restoring prefrontal mGluR2 levels in alcohol-dependent rats rescued these pathological behaviors. Also targeting mGluR2 pharmacologically reduced relapse behavior. Finally, we developed a FDG-PET biomarker to identify those individuals that respond to mGluR2-based interventions. In conclusion, we identified a common molecular pathological mechanism for both executive dysfunction and alcohol craving, and provide a personalized mGluR2-mechanism-based intervention strategy for medication development of alcoholism. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info