The Effect of Apremilast on Circadian Rhythm in the Ventral Tegmental Area

Chronic binge drinking negatively impacts society and is a leading cause of preventable deaths. The purpose of the experiment is to determine if regulation of circadian rhythms in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) will contribute to less ethanol consumption. The VTA plays a major role in addiction. A simple genetic animal model examines iHDID-1 mice and their binge-like drinking intake. The mice undergo Drinking in the Dark (DID) for 6 weeks prior to administration of apremilast or saline treatment at weeks 7 and 8. The mice are exposed to DID and sacrificed at two separate time points (ZT 3 and ZT 15) to account for the peaks and troughs of circadian rhythms. Apremilast treatment has shown evidence to support amelioration of circadian rhythms leads to a decrease in ethanol intake. If circadian rhythms are increased in the VTA, then the amount of ethanol consumed will decrease