Selective Enhancement of Dopamine Release in the Ventral Pallidum of Methamphetamine-Sensitized Mice.

ABSTRACT: Drugs of abuse induce sensitization, which is defined as enhanced response to additional drug following a period of withdrawal. Sensitization occurs in both humans and animal models of drug reinforcement and contributes substantially to the addictive nature of drugs of abuse, because it is thought to represent enhanced motivational wanting for drug. The ventral pallidum, a key member of the reward pathway, contributes to behaviors associated with reward, such as sensitization. Dopamine inputs to the ventral pallidum have not been directly characterized. Here we provide anatomical, neurochemical, and behavioral evidence demonstrating that dopamine terminals in the ventral pallidum contribute to reward in mice. We report subregional differences in dopamine release, measured by ex vivo fast-s

SUBMITTER: Stout KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5073372 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature