Cocaine experience controls bidirectional synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens.
Plasticity of glutamatergic synapses is a fundamental mechanism through which experience changes neural function to impact future behavior. In animal models of addiction, glutamatergic signaling in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) exerts powerful control over drug-seeking behavior. However, little is known about whether, how or when experience with drugs may trigger synaptic plasticity in this key nucleus. Using whole-cell synaptic physiology in NAc brain slices, we demonstrate that a progression of bidirectional changes in glutamatergic synaptic strength occurs after repeated in vivo exposure to cocaine. During a protracted drug-free period, NAc neurons from cocaine-experienced mice develop a robust potentiation of AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission. However, a single re-exposure to cocaine during extended withdrawal becomes a potent stimulus for synaptic depression, abruptly reversing the initial potentiation. These enduring modifications in AMPAR-mediated responses and plasticity may provide a neural substrate for disrupted processing of drug-related stimuli in drug-experienced individuals.
Kourrich
Saïd
S
Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Rothwell
Patrick E
PE
Klug
Jason R
JR
Thomas
Mark J
MJ
D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D003042:Cocaine