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Cocaine increases 5-HT1B mRNA in rat nucleus accumbens shell neurons
B J Hoplight1, E S Vincow, J F Neumaier
1Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Box 359911, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA.
Abstract:
Serotonin 5-HT(1B) receptors modulate behavioral responses to cocaine, but the effects of cocaine on endogenous 5-HT(1B) receptor expression are not known. Therefore, we examined the effect of binge cocaine administration on 5-HT1B mRNA expression in rat brain. We found that chronic, but not acute, binge cocaine exposure increased 5-HT(1B) mRNA by approximately 80% in nucleus accumbens shell and dorsal striatum. Surprisingly, 5-HT(1B) mRNA was increased in nucleus accumbens shell after chronic vehicle treatment as well, but this effect was driven by animals that were housed with cocaine-treated animals. Thus, 5-HT(1B) mRNA is upregulated by repeated exposure to cocaine and perhaps by social stress as well; both of these factors are relevant to the risk for relapse in cocaine addiction.
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