Attenuation of cocaine seeking in rats via enhancement of infralimbic cortical activity using stable step-function opsins.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

The infralimbic cortex (IL) and its downstream projection target the nucleus accumbens shell (NAshell) mediate the active suppression of cocaine-seeking behavior. Although an optogenetic approach would be beneficial for stimulating the IL and its efferents to study their role during reinstatement of cocaine seeking, the use of channelrhodopsin introduces significant difficulties, as optimal stimulation parameters are not known.

Objectives

The present experiments utilized a stable step-function opsin (SSFO) to potentiate endogenous activity in the IL and in IL terminals in the NAshell during cocaine-seeking tests to determine how these manipulations affect cocaine-seeking behaviors.

Methods

Rats first underwent 6-h access cocaine self-administration followed

SUBMITTER: Muller Ewald VA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6330160 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature