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Differential control over cocaine-seeking behavior by nucleus accumbens core and shell
Rutsuko Ito1, Trevor W Robbins, Barry J Everitt
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB1 1BB, UK.
Nature Neuroscience
|March 23, 2004
Summary
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) core is crucial for cocaine seeking, while the NAc shell mediates cocaine
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is linked to drug reinforcement.
- The specific roles of NAc subregions in drug self-administration remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the distinct functions of the NAc core and shell in cocaine self-administration.
- To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Used selective excitotoxic lesions in rats to target NAc core and shell.
- Assessed cocaine self-administration under continuous and second-order reinforcement schedules.
- Evaluated psychostimulant effects of cocaine.
Main Results:
- NAc core lesions impaired the acquisition of cocaine-seeking behavior maintained by conditioned reinforcers.
- NAc shell lesions did not affect cocaine self-administration but reduced cocaine's psychostimulant effects.
- Demonstrated a neural double-dissociation between NAc core and shell functions in cocaine use.
Conclusions:
- The NAc core is critical for motivated drug-seeking behavior.
- The NAc shell plays a role in mediating the acute effects of psychostimulants like cocaine.
- These findings differentiate the roles of NAc subregions in addiction-related behaviors.