Intra-prelimbic cortical inhibition of striatal-enriched tyrosine phosphatase suppresses cocaine seeking in rats.

ABSTRACT: Cocaine self-administration in rats results in dysfunctional neuroadaptations in the prelimbic (PrL) cortex during early abstinence. Central to these adaptations is decreased phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), which plays a key role in cocaine seeking. Normalizing ERK phosphorylation in the PrL cortex immediately after cocaine self-administration decreases subsequent cocaine seeking. The disturbance in ERK phosphorylation is accompanied by decreased phosphorylation of striatal-enriched protein tyrosine phosphatase (STEP), indicating increased STEP activity. STEP is a well-recognized ERK phosphatase but whether STEP activation during early abstinence mediates the decrease in p-ERK and is involved in relapse is unknown. Here, we show that a single intra-PrL cortical micro

SUBMITTER: Siemsen BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5617773 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature