title: Inactivation of the paraventricular thalamus abolishes the expression of cocaine conditioned place preference in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The paraventricular thalamus (PVT) is rapidly becoming recognized as part of the addiction circuitry. In addition to its strong anatomical connection to most of the brain regions underlying addiction, such as the nucleus accumbens, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus, the PVT has recently been shown to contribute to cocaine sensitization and reinstatement. In the present study, we examined the role of the PVT in the expression of cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP).
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested the impact of PVT inactivation by baclofen/muscimol (bac-mus) microinjection on the expression of cocaine-induced CPP in rats. Rats were implanted with guide cannulae into the PVT. Bac-mus (GABAB-GABAA agonists) or saline was injected into the PVT prior to CPP testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Inactivation of the PVT by bac-mus prevented the expression of CPP, while placements outside the PVT did not affect CPP. Intra-PVT injections of bac-mus did not affect locomotor activity during the session.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, we contribute to the growing body of research supporting a role for the PVT in addiction by demonstrating that the PVT is necessary for the expression of cocaine CPP.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, Department of Pharmacology, 655 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Washington State University, Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, 205 VBR Building, Pullman, WA 99164-7620, USA. Electronic address: jenny.browning@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jenny R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Browning
authors.affiliation: Washington State University, Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, 205 VBR Building, Pullman, WA 99164-7620, USA.
authors.forename: Heiko T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Washington State University Vancouver, Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue VCLS 208F, Vancouver, WA 98686-9600, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Sorg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections / Q000379:methods; D020644:Midline Thalamic Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D018755:GABA Agonists; D003042:Cocaine
keywords: Addiction; CPP; Cocaine; Inactivation; PVT