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Cellular responses of nucleus accumbens neurons to opiate-seeking behavior: I. Sustained responding during heroin self-administration

Academic Article
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Overview

authors

  • Lee, R. S.
  • Criado, J. R.
  • Koob, George
  • Henriksen, S. J.

publication date

  • July 1999

journal

  • Synapse  Journal

abstract

  • The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) has been hypothesized to be a critical component of the circuit mediating opiate-seeking behaviors. To further explore the electrophysiological correlates of opiate-seeking behavior, we recorded neurons in the NAcc and in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats trained to self-administer heroin for at least 2 weeks. Rats were trained to lever press (FR-1 schedule) for an intravenous (i.v.) infusion of heroin (0.06 mg/kg/injection) in an operant chamber. Spontaneous single unit activity in the NAcc and the mPFC was then recorded while animals were allowed to self-administer heroin. Our data suggest that about 20% (8/42) of the NAcc neurons studied exhibited an inhibitory response immediately after heroin self-administration. However, most of the NAcc neurons studied (76%; 32/42) were not affected during heroin self-administration. In contrast, noncontingent injection of a similar dose of heroin (0.06 mg/kg/injection) had no effect on NAcc spontaneous activity (0/6). On the other hand, passive administration of higher doses of heroin (0.2-0.6/mg/kg/injection) markedly suppressed the firing rate in 46% (6/13) of the neurons studied. These effects of heroin on NAcc activity were antagonized by systemic administration ofnaloxone (4-6 mg/kg, i.v.). Studies characterizing the responses of mPFC neurons during heroin self-administration showed that 40% (2/5) of the neurons tested exhibited an inhibitory effect immediately after heroin self-administration. These data suggest that in animals well-trained to self-administer heroin, only a small number (20%) of the NAcc neurons studied responded to heroin self-administration. Further research is necessary to determine whether these responses are a function of the opiate-seeking state of the animal and the mechanism(s) responsible for these effects of heroin.

subject areas

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Electrophysiology
  • Heroin
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Male
  • Narcotics
  • Neurons
  • Nucleus Accumbens
  • Prefrontal Cortex
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Self Administration
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Research

keywords

  • chronic recording
  • electrophysiology
  • heroin
  • medial prefrontal cortex
  • mesolimbic system
  • naloxone
  • nucleus accumbens
  • opiate
  • self-administration
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Identity

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0887-4476

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1002/(sici)1098-2396(199907)33:1<49::aid-syn5>3.0.co;2-o

PubMed ID

  • 10380850
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Additional Document Info

start page

  • 49

end page

  • 58

volume

  • 33

issue

  • 1

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