title: Accumbens activity during a multiple schedule for water and sucrose reinforcement in rats.
abstract: Electrophysiological recording procedures were used to examine nucleus accumbens (Acb) cell firing during operant responding for water reinforcement vs. a highly palatable sweet solution (0.6 M sucrose). Rats (n = 8) were trained on a multiple schedule to press one lever for water (fixed ratio 1, FR1; 15 min) followed by a 20-sec timeout period (chamber dark, levers retracted), and extension of a second spatially distinct lever that the animals pressed for sucrose reinforcement (FR1; 15 min). Of 84 cells, 55 neurons (65%) displayed one of three types of patterned discharges (increases or decreases in firing rate) immediately before or following the sucrose- or water-reinforced response. The major finding of this report was that the majority of these neurons (36/55 cells; 65%) showed similar types of neuronal firing patterns across the two reinforcer conditions. The remaining cells (19/55; 35%) exhibited patterned activity specific to responding for one reinforcer only (water or sucrose). These findings are discussed with respect to how Acb neurons encode goal-directed behaviors for "natural" reinforcers including food, water, and a palatable sweet solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3270, USA.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Roop
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.forename: Regina M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Carelli
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001069:Appetite Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000494:pharmacology; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012646:Self Administration / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose