Retinoic acid-mediated homeostatic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens core contributes to incubation of cocaine craving.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Incubation of cocaine craving refers to the progressive intensification of cue-induced craving during abstinence from cocaine self-administration. We showed previously that homomeric GluA1 Ca²⁺-permeable AMPARs (CP-AMPAR) accumulate in excitatory synapses of nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) medium spiny neurons (MSN) after ∼1 month of abstinence and thereafter their activation is required for expression of incubation. Therefore, it is important to understand mechanisms underlying CP-AMPAR plasticity.

Objectives

We hypothesize that CP-AMPAR upregulation represents a retinoic acid (RA)-dependent form of homeostatic plasticity, previously described in other brain regions, in which a reduction in neuronal activity disinhibits RA synthesis, leading to GluA1 tran

SUBMITTER: Wunsch AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12087916 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature