Role of dopamine D1 receptors in the activation of nucleus accumbens extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) by cocaine-paired contextual cues.

ABSTRACT: Exposure to drug-paired cues can trigger addicts to relapse into drug seeking. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying cue-elicited cocaine seeking are incompletely understood, the protein kinase extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) is known to have an important role. Psychostimulants and their associated cues can activate ERK in medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens core (AcbC). These medium spiny neurons can be classified according to their projections (to ventral pallidum and/or substantia nigra) and by their mRNA expression. The present experiments were designed to determine which distinct set of AcbC projection neurons expresses phosphorylated ERK (pERK) in response to cocaine-paired contextual cues. Combined use of the retrograde label Flurogold with immunohistoch

SUBMITTER: Fricks-Gleason AN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3006074 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature