title: Activation and role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in extinction of ethanol-induced associative learning in mice.
abstract: Although the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been shown to be integrally involved in extinction of a number of associative behaviors, its role in extinction of alcohol (ethanol)-induced associative learning has received little attention. Previous reports have provided evidence supporting a role for the mPFC in acquisition and extinction of amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats, however, it remains unknown if this region is necessary for extinction of ethanol (EtOH)-induced associative learning in mice. Using immunohistochemical analysis of phosphorylated and unphosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), the current set of experiments first showed that the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions of the mPFC exhibited dynamic responses in phosphorylation of CREB to a Pavlovian-conditioned, EtOH-paired cue. Interestingly, CREB phosphorylation within these regions was sensitive to manipulations of the EtOH-cue contingency-that is, the cue-induced increase of pCREB in both the PL and IL was absent following extinction. In order to confirm a functional role of the mPFC in regulating the extinction process, we then showed that electrolytic lesions of the mPFC following acquisition blocked subsequent extinction of EtOH-CPP. Together, these experiments indicate a role for the PL and IL subregions of the mPFC in processing changes of the EtOH-cue contingency, as well as in regulating extinction of EtOH-induced associative learning in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. groblews@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Groblewski
authors.forename: Andrey E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ryabinin
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cunningham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol