Binge drinking upregulates accumbens mGluR5-Homer2-PI3K signaling: functional implications for alcoholism.

The glutamate receptor-associated protein Homer2 regulates alcohol-induced neuroplasticity within the nucleus accumbens (NAC), but the precise intracellular signaling cascades involved are not known. This study examined the role for NAC metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-Homer2-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling in regulating excessive alcohol consumption within the context of the scheduled high alcohol consumption (SHAC) model of binge alcohol drinking. Repeated bouts of binge drinking ( approximately 1.