title: Extracellular aspartate concentration increases in nucleus accumbens after cocaine sensitization.
abstract: Rats were sensitized to cocaine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) by 6 daily injections followed by a 48 h withdrawal prior to cocaine challenge. Involvement of excitatory amino acids in behavioral sensitization was assessed by comparing extracellular levels of aspartate and glutamate in the core of the nucleus accumbens in response to the first cocaine injection and the final cocaine challenge. Intracerebral microdialysis of the nucleus accumbens in freely moving awake rats allowed the comparison of behavioral state with extracellular aspartate and glutamate concentrations. Increased nucleus accumbens extracellular concentration of aspartate, but not glutamate, was observed in rats exhibiting behavioral sensitization to cocaine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298-0613, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kunko
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Maher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D003042:Cocaine