A conditioned stimulus decreases extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens after the development of a learned taste aversion.
The conditioned taste aversion (CTA) paradigm and microdialysis were used to determine if extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens is related to the reward value of a stimulus. Intraorally applied saccharin caused a 37% increase in DA in naive rats and a 40% decrease in subjects with a CTA to this taste. These results suggest that accumbens DA is not just a function of arousal but is related to stimulus reward.
Mark
G P
GP
Department of Psychology, Princeton University, NJ 08544-1010.
Blander
D S
DS
Hoebel
B G
BG
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012439:Saccharin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*
D012439:Saccharin; D004298:Dopamine