Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40643534›Full record

ReviewCells2025

Understanding Microglia in Mesocorticolimbic Circuits: Implications for the Study of Chronic Stress and Substance Use Disorders.

David B Nowak, Juan Pablo Taborda-Bejarano, Fernando J Chaure, John R Mantsch, Constanza Garcia-Keller

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cells, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Sex-specific dysregulation of the CXProgress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

David B NowakDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9351-6094
Juan Pablo Taborda-BejaranoDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6448-2633
Fernando J ChaureDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8072-3879
John R MantschDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0099-1599
Constanza Garcia-KellerDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3141-9571

Funding

Medical Scientist Training ProgramT32GM080202 · NIGMS · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · PI BARBIERI, JOSEPH T, SALZMAN, NITA H · 2010 to 2024
$5.7M
Mechanisms underlying the influence of stress on drug-seeking behaviorR01DA059194 · NIDA · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · PI Cecilia J Hillard, John R Mantsch · 2023 to 2026
$2.3M
Estrogen regulation of the prefrontal cortex and drug seekingR01DA052169 · NIDA · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · PI HEARING, MATTHEW CARL, MANTSCH, JOHN R. · 2020 to 2024
$1.7M
Chronic stress-induced REDD1 expression in prefrontal cortex and cognitive inflexibilityR01MH136708 · NIMH · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · PI Matthew Carl Hearing, John R Mantsch · 2025 to 2026
$1.4M
Circuit Mechanisms for Conditioned Stress Regulation of AddictionR00DA047426 · NIDA · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · PI GARCIA KELLER, CONSTANZA · 2022 to 2024
$747k
Concurrent chronic stress and cocaine self-administration: Understanding effects on mPFC microglia and drug choice behaviorF30DA060020 · NIDA · MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN · PI David B Nowak · 2024 to 2026
$164k
NIDA NIH HHS F30 DA060020NIDA NIH HHS R00 DA047426NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA052169NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA059194NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM080202NIH HHS 1 F30DA060020-01A1NIH HHS 1 R01MH136708-01A1NIH HHS 5 R00DA047426-05NIH HHS 5 R01DA059194-02NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH136708
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Exposure to chronic stress creates vulnerability to drug misuse and presents a barrier to sustained recovery for many individuals experiencing substance use disorders (SUDs). Preclinical literature demonstrates that stress modulates psychostimulant intake and seeking, yet there are wide gaps in our understanding of the specific mechanisms by which stress promotes brain changes that may govern addiction-related behaviors. Recent data suggest that microglia, innate immune cells in the central nervous system, are highly responsive to chronic stressors, and several mechanistic links have been explored highlighting the critical role microglia play in stress-related brain adaptation. Importantly, psychostimulants may engage similar microglial machinery, which opens the door for investigation into how microglia may be involved in shaping motivation for psychostimulants, especially in the context of stress exposure. The aims of this review are threefold: 1. Offer a brief overview of microglial biology in the adult brain. 2. Review current methods of interrogating microglial function with a focus on morphometric analyses. 3. Highlight preclinical research describing how microglia contribute to brain changes following chronic stress and/or psychostimulant exposure. Ultimately, this review serves to prime investigators studying the intersection of stress and SUDs to consider the relevant impacts of microglial actions.

Indexed as

MicrogliaStress, PsychologicalSubstance-Related DisordersAnimalsBrainChronic DiseaseHumans3DMorphaddictionchronic stresscocainedrug misuseIMARISmicroglianeuronal plasticitypsychostimulants

Identifiers

PMID40643534
PMCPMC12249056

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.