The D2 antagonist sulpiride modulates the neural processing of both rewarding and aversive stimuli in healthy volunteers.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Animal studies indicate that dopamine pathways in the ventral striatum code for the motivational salience of both rewarding and aversive stimuli, but evidence for this mechanism in humans is less established. We have developed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) model which permits examination of the neural processing of both rewarding and aversive stimuli.

Objectives

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the dopamine receptor antagonist, sulpiride, on the neural processing of rewarding and aversive stimuli in healthy volunteers.

Methods

We studied 30 healthy participants who were randomly allocated to receive a single dose of sulpiride (400 mg) or placebo, in a double-blind, parallel-group design. We used fMRI to measure the neural

SUBMITTER: McCabe C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3160552 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature