Efficacy of intravenous TCAP-1 administration in reducing stress on the expression of cocaine-related behaviours

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a chemical found naturally in the brain that plays a key role in the mammalian stress response. CRF is also known to be involved in anxiety and mood disorders, as well as in various aspects of drug dependence, including long-term relapse to drug use. The teneurin C-terminal associated peptides (TCAP) comprise a chemical system in the brain that may serve to naturally regulate CRF activity. More specifically, TCAP has been found to have inhibitory effects on CRF-induced anxiety and cocaine-related behaviours in animals models and may, thereby, have important therapeutic potential in the treatment of mood and substance abuse disorders. The primary objective of the proposed project is to study the effects of systemic (intravenous) administrations of TCAP-1 on cocaine relapse behavior and other cocaine-related behaviours induced by CRF (i.e. behavioural anxiety and sensitization), using well-validated rodent models. Based on the outcome of past work from our lab (supported in part by a previous Mitacs Accelerate Internship), we expect intravenous TCAP-1 injections to inhibit CRF-induced relapse to cocaine seeking, and other cocaine-related behavioural measures.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Suzanne Erb

Student:

Zenya Brown

Partner:

Protagenic Therapeutics Canada Inc.

Discipline:

Medicine

Sector:

Pharmaceuticals

University:

University of Toronto