Available online 21 May 2022, 108215

Drug addiction is a chronic and relapsing brain disorder characterized by compulsive drug seeking and continued drug use despite adverse consequences. The high prevalence and social burden of addiction is indisputable; however, the available intervention is insufficient. Abnormal gene expression is observed in reward-related brain regions in animal models of addiction. The modulation of gene expression and aberrant adaptation of neural networks attribute to the changes in brain function under repeated exposure to addictive drugs. The emerging recognition of the role of microRNA (miRNA) provides new insights into many biological and pathological processes in the central nervous system. Considerable studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are strong modulators of posttranscriptional gene expression in drug addiction. Here, we provide an overview of miRNAs, followed by evidence for aberrant miRNA expression and regulatory roles of miRNAs in drug addiction as well as neuroadaptation. We concluded by providing our perspectives that miRNAs have the potential as novel therapeutic targets for drug addiction.

microRNAs (miRNAs)

Drug addiction

Neuroadaptation

Biomarker

argonaute RISC catalytic component 2

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor

brain-derived neurotrophic factor

large-conductance Ca2+ and voltage-activated K+ channel

central nervous system

cAMP response element-binding

DNA methyltransferases

excitatory amino acid transporter

γ-aminobutyric acid receptor A

histone deacetylase 5

methyl CpG binding protein 2

N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor

neurogenic differentiation 1

repressor element silencing transcription factor

RNA-induced silencing complex

reverse transcription-polymerase–chain reaction

tropomyosin-related kinase B

ventral tegmental area.

© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc.