Transcriptomics in the nucleus accumbens shell reveal sex- and reinforcer-specific signatures associated with morphine and sucrose craving.

ABSTRACT: Incubation of craving is a well-documented phenomenon referring to the intensification of drug craving over extended abstinence. The neural adaptations that occur during forced abstinence following chronic drug taking have been a topic of intense study. However, little is known about the transcriptomic changes occurring throughout this window of time. To define gene expression changes associated with morphine consumption and extended abstinence, male and female rats underwent 10 days of morphine self-administration. Separate drug-naive rats self-administered sucrose in order to compare opioid-induced changes from those associated with natural, non-drug rewards. After one or 30 days of forced abstinence, rats were tested for craving, or nucleus accumbens shell tissue was dissected for RNA s

SUBMITTER: Mayberry HL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9372067 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature