Cocaine self-administration selectively abolishes LTD in the core of the nucleus accumbens.
The core and shell of the nucleus accumbens have critical, differential roles in drug-dependent behaviors. Here we show that operant cocaine self-administration inhibits long-term depression (LTD) in both structures after 1 d of abstinence. However, after 21 d of abstinence, LTD was abolished exclusively in the nucleus accumbens core of cocaine self-administering rats, suggesting that voluntary cocaine self-administration induced long-lasting neuroadaptations in the core that could underlie drug-seeking behavior and relapse.
Martin
Miquel
M
Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, 5858 Horton Street, Suite 200, Emeryville, California 94608, USA.
Chen
Billy T
BT
Hopf
F Woodward
FW
Bowers
M Scott
MS
Bonci
Antonello
A
D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D036881:Long-Term Synaptic Depression / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012646:Self Administration; D013997:Time Factors
D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D003042:Cocaine