Orexin-A increases cell surface expression of AMPA receptors in the striatum

Accumulating evidence suggests that orexin signaling is involved in reward and motivation circuit functions. However, the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Here, we show that orexin-A potentiates AMPAR-mediated synaptic transmission in the striatum, possibly by regulating the surface expression of AMPARs. Primary culture of striatal neurons revealed increased surface expression of AMPARs following orexin-A treatment. The increase in surface-expressed AMPARs induced by orexin-A treatment was dependent on both ERK activation and the presence of extracellular Ca(2+). In the corticostriatal synapses of rat brain slices, orexin-A bath-application caused a delayed increase in the AMPAR/NMDAR EPSC ratio, suggesting that orexin-A sets in motion a series of events that lead to functional alterations in the striatal circuits. Our findings provide a potential link between the activation of orexin signaling in the striatum in response to addictive substances and neural adaptations in the reward circuitry that may mediate the long-lasting addiction-related behaviors.