Neuromodulation of Dopamine D2 Receptors Alters Orbitofrontal Neuronal Activity and Reduces Risk-Prone Behavior in Male Rats with Inflammatory Pain.

ABSTRACT: Dopamine (DA) is believed to play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the rodent orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) networks during risk-based decision-making processes. Chronic pain conditions can lead to impaired DAergic signaling, which, in turn, may affect the motivational control of risk-based responses. Nevertheless, the neural mechanisms underlying this instability are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether this impairment is dependent on the activity of the DA D2 receptor (D2r). To address this hypothesis, we implanted bilateral matrices of multielectrodes into the OFC of male rats and recorded the neural activity while they performed a food-reinforced rodent gambling task (rGT). We evaluated behavioral performance and neural activity patterns before a

SUBMITTER: Dourado M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12209031 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature