Differential roles of the prefrontal cortical subregions and basolateral amygdala in compulsive cocaine seeking and relapse after voluntary abstinence in rats.

ABSTRACT: Compulsive drug use and a persistent vulnerability to relapse are key features of addiction. Imaging studies have suggested that these features may result from deficits in prefrontal cortical structure and function, and thereby impaired top-down inhibitory control over limbic-striatal mechanisms of drug-seeking behaviour. We tested the hypothesis that selective damage to distinct subregions of the prefrontal cortex, or to the amygdala, after a short history of cocaine taking would: (i) result in compulsive cocaine seeking at a time when it would not usually be displayed; or (ii) facilitate relapse to drug seeking after abstinence. Rats with selective, bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the basolateral amygdala or anterior cingulate, prelimbic, infralimbic, orbitofrontal or anterior insular c

SUBMITTER: Pelloux Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3910160 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature