Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey.
Florey Institute of Neurosciences and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2018 Jan 1;21(1):89-94. doi: 10.1093/ijnp/pyx107.
Drug cues recruit prelimbic cortex neurons that project to ipsilateral nucleus accumbens core. However, it is not known if the same is true for prelimbic cortex projections that decussate to innervate contralateral nucleus accumbens core. Further, a role for prelimbic cortex dopamine signaling in cued reinstatement of cocaine seeking has not been shown.
We assessed Fos expression in prelimbic cortex neurons that project to contralateral nucleus accumbens core following cued reinstatement of cocaine or sucrose seeking. We also tested the effect of intra-prelimbic cortex infusions of the D1/D2 antagonist fluphenazine on cued cocaine and sucrose seeking.
Prelimbic cortex-contralateral nucleus accumbens core projections were activated by cocaine cues but not sucrose cues, and this activation correlated with reinstatement behavior. Blockade of prelimbic cortex dopamine signaling prevented cued reinstatement of cocaine- but not sucrose-seeking behavior.
Cued cocaine seeking is associated with activation of the prelimbic cortex-contralateral nucleus accumbens core pathway. Prelimbic cortex dopamine signaling is necessary for cues to reinstate drug-seeking behavior.
药物线索会招募投射到同侧伏隔核核心的前额皮质神经元。然而，对于交叉投射到对侧伏隔核核心的前额皮质投射神经元是否也是如此，目前尚不清楚。此外，前额皮质多巴胺信号在药物线索引发可卡因寻求中的作用尚未得到证实。
我们评估了在可卡因或蔗糖寻求的药物线索重新引发后，投射到对侧伏隔核核心的前额皮质神经元中的 Fos 表达。我们还测试了前额皮质内注射 D1/D2 拮抗剂氟奋乃静对药物线索引发的可卡因和蔗糖寻求的影响。
可卡因线索激活了前额皮质-对侧伏隔核核心投射，但蔗糖线索没有，这种激活与重新引发行为相关。阻断前额皮质多巴胺信号可防止可卡因寻求的药物线索重新引发，但不能防止蔗糖寻求的药物线索重新引发。
药物线索引发的可卡因寻求与前额皮质-对侧伏隔核核心通路的激活有关。前额皮质多巴胺信号对于线索重新引发药物寻求行为是必要的。
