title: [Involvement and plasticity of brainstem cholinergic neurons in cocaine-induced addiction].
abstract: Although the involvement and plasticity of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) system in cocaine-induced addiction have been studied extensively, the role of the brainstem cholinergic system in cocaine addiction remains largely unexplored. The laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) contains cholinergic neurons that innervate the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and is crucial for regulating the activity of VTA DA neurons, implying that LDT may also be associated with cocaine addiction. In this review, we summarize our recent findings showing that cholinergic transmission from the LDT to the VTA is involved in acquisition and expression of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference and that, after repeated cocaine exposures, these neurons exhibit synaptic plasticity, which is dependent on NMDA receptor activation, nitric oxide production, and the activity of medial prefrontal cortex. The findings strongly suggest that LDT cholinergic neurons may critically contribute to developing cocaine-induced addiction.
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneda
authors.forename: Fumiya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurosawa
authors.forename: Naofumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taoka
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ide
authors.forename: Masabumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D059329:Cholinergic Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine