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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Microdialysis of Ethanol During Operant Ethanol Self-administration and Ethanol Determination by Gas Chromatography
Published on: September 5, 2012
VTA dopamine inputs activate accumbal D1 receptors to promote alcohol seeking
Junwei Xiong1,2, Mengyao Dou1, Xinxin Li1,2
1Department of Physiology & Neurobiology, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang 157011, China.
Abstract:
The mesolimbic dopamine system is central to cue-induced alcohol craving, but the role of D1 receptors (D1R) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) remains unclear. Here, we show that cue-induced, but not context-elicited, alcohol seeking selectively upregulates NAc D1R protein expression in mice, which positively correlates with craving intensity. Systemic D1R antagonist SCH23390 suppresses cue-induced seeking and reverses c-Fos activation in the NAc and ventral pallidum. Chemogenetic inhibition of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons attenuates craving, an effect fully rescued by intra-NAc D1R agonist SKF38393 without affecting locomotion. These findings establish that dopaminergic projections from the VTA to the NAc drive cue-specific alcohol seeking through D1 receptor-dependent manner.
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