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Updated: Mar 9, 2026
07:51
A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
Published on: June 18, 2018
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Lateral Habenula Involvement in Impulsive Cocaine Seeking
Agustin Zapata1, Eun-Kyung Hwang1, Carl R Lupica1
1Electrophysiology Research Section, Cellular Neurobiology Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Summary
The lateral habenula (LHb) normally suppresses drug seeking. Inhibiting the LHb increases cocaine seeking, suggesting its dysfunction contributes to addiction-related impulse control deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Addiction Research
- Behavioral Pharmacology
Background:
- The lateral habenula (LHb) is a key brain region involved in reward, aversion, and stress.
- Dysfunction in the LHb is hypothesized to contribute to the compulsive drug seeking characteristic of addiction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the lateral habenula (LHb) in controlling drug seeking behavior.
- To determine if LHb inactivation affects cocaine self-administration and impulse control in rats.
Main Methods:
- Rats underwent cocaine self-administration under various reinforcement schedules.
- The effects of LHb inactivation using GABAergic agonists were examined.
- Responses were compared between cocaine and sucrose reinforcement, and muscarinic cholinergic involvement was assessed.
Main Results:
- LHb inhibition did not affect cocaine self-administration under standard or punishment conditions.
- LHb inhibition increased cue-induced cocaine seeking when the drug was unavailable.
- This effect was specific to cocaine and mimicked by muscarinic cholinergic antagonism.
Conclusions:
- The lateral habenula (LHb) is crucial for suppressing impulsive drug seeking, particularly in response to cues.
- A cholinergic circuit within the LHb appears to mediate this impulse control.
- LHb dysfunction may underlie impaired control over drug seeking in addiction.
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