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Comprehensive Profiling of Dopamine Regulation in Substantia Nigra and Ventral Tegmental Area
Published on: August 10, 2012
Prefrontal cortex serotonin, stress, and morphine-induced nucleus accumbens dopamine
Sondra T Bland1, Megan J Schmid, Linda R Watkins
1Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, Campus Box 345, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, USA. sondra.bland@colorado.edu
Abstract:
Uncontrollable, but not controllable, stress produces a persistent potentiation of morphine-induced nucleus accumbens dopamine (DA) efflux and morphine-induced medial prefrontal cortex serotonin (5-HT) efflux. Here we investigate medial prefrontal cortex 5-HT mediation of this potentiation. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received bilateral medial prefrontal cortex microinjections of the neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytriptamine (5,7-DHT, 8 microg/microl/side), which selectively depleted medial prefrontal cortex 5-HT, or vehicle (Sham), and cannula implantation in the nucleus accumbens shell. After 2 weeks, rats received either uncontrollable stress or no stress. Microdialysis and morphine (3 mg/kg) treatment were performed the following day. Morphine produced an enhanced increase in DA in the Stress-Sham group that was completely blocked by 5,7-DHT lesions, suggesting that 5-HT in the medial prefrontal cortex mediates this potentiation.
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