Increased extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens of the rat elicited by a conditional stimulus for food: an electrochemical study

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 387-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Phillips ◽  
L. J. Atkinson ◽  
J. R. Blackburn ◽  
C. D. Blaha
Keyword(s):  
Ascorbic Acid ◽  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Caudate Nucleus ◽  
Conditional Stimulus ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Mesolimbic Dopamine ◽  
Conditional Response ◽  
Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid ◽  
Behavioural Experiment ◽  
Reverse Dialysis

Stearate-modified graphite paste electrodes were implanted chronically into dopamine terminal regions in the nucleus accumbens or caudate nucleus of the rat. Reverse dialysis was used to demonstrate a selective response of these electrodes to dopamine, but not 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid or ascorbic acid. In a separate behavioural experiment, a significant increase in the chronoamperometric response was observed during presentation of a conditional stimulus predictive of food, and the electrochemical response remained elevated during and following consumption of the meal. Similar trends were observed from electrodes in the caudate nucleus. These data confirm the activation of mesolimbic dopamine neurons by incentive stimuli predictive of food and possibly by consumption of food. Together with other recent data on sex- and thirst-related increases in dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens, these findings are consistent with a role for the nucleus accumbens as an interface between motivation and activation of the motor system.Key words: dopamine, nucleus accumbens, electrochemistry, feeding, conditional response.

scholarly journals Glutamatergic Signaling by Mesolimbic Dopamine Neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens

2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (20) ◽  
pp. 7105-7110 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Tecuapetla ◽  
J. C. Patel ◽  
H. Xenias ◽  
D. English ◽  
I. Tadros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Mesolimbic Dopamine ◽  
Glutamatergic Signaling

Functional interaction of dopamine and glutamate in the nucleus accumbens in the regulation of locomotion

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 407-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Wu ◽  
Stefan M. Brudzynski ◽  
Gordon J. Mogenson
Keyword(s):  
Locomotor Activity ◽  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Nmda Receptor ◽  
Aspartic Acid ◽  
Receptor Agonist ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Mesolimbic Dopamine ◽  
Axon Terminals ◽  
6 Hydroxydopamine ◽  
Dose Dependent

The interaction of dopamine and glutamate in the nucleus accumbens in the regulation of locomotion was investigated. Microinjection of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA, a glutamatergic NMDA receptor agonist) or α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA, a quisqualic receptor agonist which is a glutamatergic non-NMDA receptor agonist) into the nucleus accumbens caused a substantial increase in locomotor activity. This increase in locomotor activity was significantly reduced by prior administration of the dopamine D2 agonist quinpirole, but not the D1 agonist, SKF 38393, into the same brain sites. The reduction in locomotion produced by quinpirole was dose dependent. Eight days after the ventral tegmental area was lesioned with 6-hydroxydopamine to destroy the dopamine projection and the axon terminals of the mesolimbic dopamine neurons in nucleus accumbens, the hyperkinetic effects produced by injections of NMDA and AMPA into the nucleus accumbens were substantially reduced. These results suggested that the glutamate agonist induced locomotion is mediated by dopamine. Thus, it appears that NMDA- or AMPA-induced locomotion is due to the activation of glutamate receptors on the mesolimbic dopamine terminals in the nucleus accumbens which release dopamine and subsequently increase locomotion.Key words: nucleus accumbens, dopamine, glutamate, quinpirole, locomotion, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid.

scholarly journals Dissociable mesolimbic dopamine circuits control responding triggered by alcohol-predictive discrete cues and contexts

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan D. Valyear ◽  
Iulia Glovaci ◽  
Audrey Zaari ◽  
Soraya Lahlou ◽  
Ivan Trujillo-Pisanty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Conditioned Stimulus ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Mesolimbic Dopamine ◽  
Dopamine Circuits ◽  
Alcohol Seeking

Abstract Context can influence reactions to environmental cues and this elemental process has implications for substance use disorder. Using an animal model, we show that an alcohol-associated context elevates entry into a fluid port triggered by a conditioned stimulus (CS) that predicted alcohol (CS-triggered alcohol-seeking). This effect persists across multiple sessions and, after it diminishes in extinction, the alcohol context retains the capacity to augment reinstatement. Systemically administered eticlopride and chemogenetic inhibition of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons reduce CS-triggered alcohol-seeking. Chemogenetically silencing VTA dopamine terminals in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core reduces CS-triggered alcohol-seeking, irrespective of context, whereas silencing VTA dopamine terminals in the NAc shell selectively reduces the elevation of CS-triggered alcohol-seeking in an alcohol context. This dissociation reveals new roles for divergent mesolimbic dopamine circuits in the control of responding to a discrete cue for alcohol and in the amplification of this behaviour in an alcohol context.

scholarly journals Divergent mesolimbic dopamine circuits support alcohol-seeking triggered by discrete cues and contexts

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.D. Valyear ◽  
I. Glovaci ◽  
A. Zaari ◽  
S. Lahlou ◽  
I. Trujillo-Pisanty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Contextual Cues ◽  
Mesolimbic Dopamine ◽  
Neutral Context ◽  
Dopamine Circuits ◽  
Alcohol Seeking

ABSTRACTDiscrete and contextual cues that predict alcohol trigger alcohol-seeking. However, the extent to which context influences alcohol-seeking triggered by discrete cues, and the neural mechanisms underlying these responses, are not well known. We show that, relative to a neutral context, a context associated with alcohol persistently elevated alcohol-seeking triggered by a discrete cue, and supported higher levels of priming-induced reinstatement. Alcohol-seeking triggered by a discrete cue in a neutral context was reduced by designer receptor-mediated inhibition of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons in TH::Cre rats. Inhibiting terminals of VTA dopamine neurons in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core reduced alcohol-seeking triggered by a discrete cue, irrespective of context, whereas inhibiting VTA dopamine terminals in the NAc shell selectively reduced the elevation of alcohol-seeking triggered by a discrete cue in an alcohol context. This dissociation highlights unique roles for divergent mesolimbic dopamine circuits in alcohol-seeking driven by discrete and contextual environmental cues.

scholarly journals Supramammillary neurons projecting to the septum regulate dopamine and motivation for environmental interaction in mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Kesner ◽  
Rick Shin ◽  
Coleman B. Calva ◽  
Reuben F. Don ◽  
Sue Junn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ventral Tegmental Area ◽  
Dopamine Neurons ◽  
Theta Oscillations ◽  
Mesolimbic Dopamine ◽  
Sucrose Consumption ◽  
Behavioral Interaction ◽  
Hypothalamic Structure ◽  
Hippocampal Theta ◽  
Substances Of Abuse ◽  
Stimulation Of

AbstractThe supramammillary region (SuM) is a posterior hypothalamic structure, known to regulate hippocampal theta oscillations and arousal. However, recent studies reported that the stimulation of SuM neurons with neuroactive chemicals, including substances of abuse, is reinforcing. We conducted experiments to elucidate how SuM neurons mediate such effects. Using optogenetics, we found that the excitation of SuM glutamatergic (GLU) neurons was reinforcing in mice; this effect was relayed by their projections to septal GLU neurons. SuM neurons were active during exploration and approach behavior and diminished activity during sucrose consumption. Consistently, inhibition of SuM neurons disrupted approach responses, but not sucrose consumption. Such functions are similar to those of mesolimbic dopamine neurons. Indeed, the stimulation of SuM-to-septum GLU neurons and septum-to-ventral tegmental area (VTA) GLU neurons activated mesolimbic dopamine neurons. We propose that the supramammillo-septo-VTA pathway regulates arousal that reinforces and energizes behavioral interaction with the environment.

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