title: Dynamics of rapid dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens during goal-directed behaviors for cocaine versus natural rewards.
abstract: Electrophysiological studies show that distinct subsets of nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons differentially encode information about goal-directed behaviors for intravenous cocaine versus natural (food/water) rewards. Further, NAc rapid dopamine signaling occurs on a timescale similar to phasic cell firing during cocaine and natural reward-seeking behaviors. However, it is not known whether dopamine signaling is reinforcer specific (i.e., is released during responding for only one type of reinforcer) within discrete NAc locations, similar to neural firing dynamics. Here, fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) was used to measure rapid dopamine release during multiple schedules involving sucrose reward and cocaine self-administration (n = 8 rats) and, in a separate group of rats (n = 6), during a sucrose/food multiple schedule. During the sucrose/cocaine multiple schedule, dopamine increased within seconds of operant responding for both reinforcers. Although dopamine release was not reinforcer specific, more subtle differences were observed in peak dopamine concentration [DA] across reinforcer conditions. Specifically, peak [DA] was higher during the first phase of the multiple schedule, regardless of reinforcer type. Further, the time to reach peak [DA] was delayed during cocaine-responding compared to sucrose. During the sucrose/food multiple schedule, increases in dopamine release were also observed relative to operant responding for both natural rewards. However, peak [DA] was higher relative to responding for sucrose than food, regardless of reinforcer order. Overall, the results reveal the dynamics of rapid dopamine signaling in discrete locations in the NAc across reward conditions, and provide novel insight into the functional role of this system in reward-seeking behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Courtney M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: R Mark
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Wightman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. Electronic address: rcarelli@email.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Regina M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Carelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000503:physiopathology; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D058999:Drug-Seeking Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005502:Food; D006040:Goals; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012201:Reward; D012646:Self Administration
chemical_list: D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D003042:Cocaine; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: Addiction; Behavior; Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry; Rat; Reward; Self-administration