Transcriptome profiling of the ventral pallidum reveals a role for pallido-thalamic neurons in cocaine reward.

ABSTRACT: Psychostimulant exposure alters the activity of ventral pallidum (VP) projection neurons. However, the molecular underpinnings of these circuit dysfunctions are unclear. We used RNA-sequencing to reveal alterations in the transcriptional landscape of the VP that are induced by cocaine self-administration in mice. We then probed gene expression in select VP neuronal subpopulations to isolate a circuit associated with cocaine intake. Finally, we used both overexpression and CRISPR-mediated knockdown to test the role of a gene target on cocaine-mediated behaviors as well as dendritic spine density. Our results showed that a large proportion (55%) of genes associated with structural plasticity were changed 24 h following cocaine intake. Among them, the transcription factor Nr4a1 (Nuclear recep

SUBMITTER: Engeln M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9722585 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature