Using positron emission tomography (PET), a profound alteration of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) was found in human smoking addiction and abstinence.
This behavioral outcome was inhibited by metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) antagonism while transcriptional profiling highlighted regulations potentially related to the context of psychostimulant addiction.
We sought to assess the involvement of the metabotropic glutamate 5 receptor (mGlu5) in behaviours relevant to METH addiction because this receptor has been implicated in the actions of other drugs of abuse, including alcohol, cocaine and opiates. mGlu5 knockout (KO) mice were tested in intravenous self-administration, conditioned place preference and locomotor sensitization.
Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGlu5) is an example of a "promiscuous" receptor target that has been implicated in addiction, but also many other processes.