Astrocytes determine conditioned response to morphine via glucocorticoid receptor-dependent regulation of lactate release.

ABSTRACT: To date, neurons have been the primary focus of research on the role of glucocorticoids in the regulation of brain function and pathological behaviors, such as addiction. Astrocytes, which are also glucocorticoid-responsive, have been recently implicated in the development of drug abuse, albeit through as yet undefined mechanisms. Here, using a spectrum of tools (whole-transcriptome profiling, viral-mediated RNA interference in vitro and in vivo, behavioral pharmacology and electrophysiology), we demonstrate that astrocytes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) are an important locus of glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-dependent transcriptional changes that regulate rewarding effects of morphine. Specifically, we show that targeted knockdown of the GR in the NAc astrocytes enhanced conditioned respon

SUBMITTER: Skupio U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6901448 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature