Chemogenetic inhibition of locus coeruleus to rostromedial tegmental nucleus noradrenergic pathway increases light cycle ethanol drinking in male and female mice and blunts ethanol-induced CTA.

ABSTRACT: We recently showed that chemogenetic activation of the locus coeruleus (LC) to the rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg) noradrenergic (NE) pathway significantly blunted binge-like ethanol drinking and induced aversive-like behaviors in mice. The aim of the present study is to determine if silencing this TH + LC → RMTg noradrenergic pathway promotes increased levels of binge-like ethanol intake and reduced ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion (CTA). To this end, both male and female TH-ires-cre mice on a C57BL/6 J background were cannulated in the RMTg and injected in the LC with rAVV viruses that encode cre-dependent Gi-expressing designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs), or its control, to directly control the activity of NE neurons. Inhibition of the LC

SUBMITTER: Dornellas APS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10829485 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature