Goeders N E, Smith J E
Science. 1983 Aug 19;221(4612):773-5. doi: 10.1126/science.6879176.
Neuronal systems involved in the initiation of cocaine reinforcement were investigated by identifying brain sites where direct application of the drug was reinforcing. This was accomplished by allowing rats to self-administer picomolar concentrations of cocaine into discrete brain regions. The medial prefrontal cortex supported self-administration, while the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area did not. Self-administration could be attenuated by including equimolar concentrations of the dopaminergic D2-receptor antagonist sulpiride in the microinjection system. These results imply that cocaine reinforcement is mediated in part through a direct action on mesocortical dopaminergic receptors.
通过确定直接应用可卡因具有强化作用的脑区，对参与可卡因强化起始的神经元系统进行了研究。这是通过让大鼠将皮摩尔浓度的可卡因自行注射到离散的脑区来实现的。内侧前额叶皮质支持自行给药，而伏隔核和腹侧被盖区则不支持。在微量注射系统中加入等摩尔浓度的多巴胺能D2受体拮抗剂舒必利可减弱自行给药。这些结果表明，可卡因强化作用部分是通过对中皮质多巴胺能受体的直接作用来介导的。
