title: Effects of lidocaine-induced inactivation of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the central or the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala on the opponent-process actions of self-administered cocaine in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In addition to its rewarding actions, cocaine has profound negative effects that are unmasked as the rewarding impact of the drug fades. While much is known about the neurobiology of cocaine reward, the mechanisms underlying the negative actions of the drug remain unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study investigates the role of three brain regions each implicated in the modulation of negative affective states-the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), the central (CeA), and the basolateral (BLA) nucleus of the amygdala.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dual actions of cocaine were assessed using a runway self-administration procedure in which rats exhibit both approach to and avoidance of a goal box associated with cocaine administration (retreat behaviors). Here, rats ran a straight alley once/day for i.v. cocaine (1.0 mg/kg/injection) over 14 days during which the BNST, CeA, or BLA was inactivated via bilateral intracranial infusions of lidocaine (0 or 20 μg/0.5 μl/side) administered 15 min prior to testing. The impact of lidocaine on spontaneous locomotor activity was also assessed to rule out nonspecific actions of the treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Control animals running for cocaine developed the expected pattern of approach-avoidance retreat behavior. Inactivation of the BNST attenuated such behavior, BLA inactivation had no appreciable effects, and CeA inactivation produced intermediate and more variable results. Locomotor activity was unaffected by any of the treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that the BNST and to a lesser extent the CeA, but not the BLA, play a role in mediating the opponent-process actions of self-administered cocaine.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9660, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wenzel
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Waldroup
authors.forename: Zachary M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Haber
authors.forename: Zu-In
authors.initials: ZI
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Osnat
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ben-Shahar
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ettenberg
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D058999:Drug-Seeking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012201:Reward; D012646:Self Administration; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D008012:Lidocaine; D003042:Cocaine