Decreased activity of rat A10 dopamine neurons following withdrawal from repeated cocaine.
Electrophysiological techniques were used to determine the basal activity of A10 dopamine (DA) neurons in the rat ventral tegmental area after a 10-14 day withdrawal from repeated cocaine treatment (10.0 mg/kg i.p. twice daily for 14 days). The number of spontaneously active A10 DA cells was significantly decreased (42%) in the cocaine-treated rats. This decreased activity may underlie the diminished basal levels of synaptic DA within the nucleus accumbens previously reported in cocaine-withdrawn rats and may account for anhedonia, anergia and cocaine craving reported by withdrawn cocaine addicts.
Ackerman
J M
JM
Department of Psychiatry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Lafayette Clinic, Detroit, MI 48207.
White
F J
FJ
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*
D003042:Cocaine; D004298:Dopamine