title: Viral-mediated expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2 in the ventral tegmental area modulates behavioral responses to cocaine.
abstract: Chronic exposure to cocaine increases the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a neural substrate for drugs of abuse. However, the functional significance of changes in ERK1/2 activity in this brain region is unknown. Using herpes simplex virus-mediated gene transfer to regulate ERK2 activity within the VTA in male rats, we show that overexpressing ERK2 increases preference for environments previously paired with low doses of cocaine and enhances cocaine-induced locomotion, whereas blocking ERK2 activity blocks cocaine-induced place conditioning and locomotor activity. These results demonstrate that ERK2-signaling within the VTA is a key modulator of functional responses to cocaine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, The Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA.
authors.forename: Sergio D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Iñiguez
authors.forename: Brandon L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Rachael L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Neve
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Nestler
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bolaños-Guzmán
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D008297:Male; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D055647:Rats, Transgenic; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics*; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D003042:Cocaine