Thus, deletion of Il1rn should reduce some effects of endocannabioids and enhance BDNF signaling. Importantly, treatments that reduce CB1 receptor signaling or enhance BDNF activity reduce alcohol consumption (Wang et al., 2003; Jeanblanc et al., 2009), suggesting mechanisms by which deletion of Il1rn may reduce drinking. Thus, the six genes and gene products manipulated in our study are critically involved in signaling among microglia, glia and neurons (Fig. 6) and most of them have been implicated in synaptic plasticity.
