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Amphetamine infusions into the prefrontal cortex attenuate the sensitization to amphetamine
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA.
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
|September 2, 1998
Summary
d-amphetamine in the prefrontal cortex did not cause immediate hyperactivity but did reduce long-term increases in locomotion. This suggests dopamine in the prefrontal cortex is key to developing amphetamine sensitization.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychopharmacology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Amphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization is a well-documented phenomenon.
- The role of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in this process remains incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific role of the mPFC in the development of d-amphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization.
- To determine if direct administration of d-amphetamine into the mPFC affects acute locomotor responses or the development of sensitization.
Main Methods:
- Adult male rats underwent chronic cannulation of the mPFC.
- Rats received daily intra-mPFC and subcutaneous injections of d-amphetamine or saline over five consecutive days.
- Locomotor activity was measured for 60 minutes immediately following drug administration.
Main Results:
- Intra-mPFC d-amphetamine did not alter the acute locomotor response to subcutaneous d-amphetamine.
- Intra-mPFC d-amphetamine did not induce locomotor activity on its own.
- Repeated intra-mPFC d-amphetamine administration attenuated the development of behavioral sensitization to subcutaneous d-amphetamine.
Conclusions:
- The medial prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in the development of amphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization.
- Dopamine signaling within the mPFC appears to be involved in the neuroadaptive processes underlying sensitization.
- Targeting the mPFC may offer a strategy for modulating amphetamine dependence or related disorders.