Ventral pallidal perineuronal nets regulate opioid relapse.

ABSTRACT: Opioid use disorder remains a major health challenge worldwide. Neuronal activity in the ventral pallidum (VP) regulates opioid reward and relapse to opioid seeking but the underlying cellular mechanisms remain largely unknown. A sizable population of VP neurons previously linked to drug relapse expresses the calcium binding protein parvalbumin (VP_PV). Across the brain parvalbumin neurons are often ensheathed by perineuronal nets (PNNs), specialized extracellular structures that regulate intrinsic activity and constrain synaptic plasticity onto these neurons. The VP contains high levels of PNNs but the role of these structures in the neurophysiology of VP_PV neurons and in relapse to opioid seeking has not been studied. To investigate whether VP PNNs are altered by opi

SUBMITTER: Nogueira M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12871611 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature