biostudies-literatureKane LNIDA NIH HHSBrain and Behavior Research FoundationNational Institutes of HealthNational Institute on Drug AbuseNIH HHSe12943https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7819756biostudies-literatureUnknown26(3)Neuronal ensembles in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) play a role in both cocaine and palatable food seeking. However, it is unknown whether similar or different vmPFC neuronal ensembles mediate food and cocaine seeking. Here, we used the Daun02 inactivation procedure to assess whether the neuronal ensembles mediating food and cocaine seeking can be functionally distinguished. We trained male and female Fos-LacZ rats to self-administer palatable food pellets and cocaine on alternating days for 18 days. We then exposed the rats to a brief nonreinforced food- or cocaine-seeking test to induce Fos and β-gal in neuronal ensembles associated with food or cocaine seeking, respectively and infused Daun02 into vmPFC to ablate the β-gal-expressing ensembles. Two days later, we tested the ratAddiction biologyFos-expressing neuronal ensemble in rat ventromedial prefrontal cortex encodes cocaine seeking but not food seeking in rats.PMC7819756DA042102Young Investigator GrantIntramural Research ProgramR00 DA0421024R00DA042102‐02Madangopal RRubio FJWarren BLQuintana-Feliciano RHope BTVenniro MShaham YCaprioli DKane LBossert JMfalseFos-expressing neuronal ensemble in rat ventromedial prefrontal cortex encodes cocaine seeking but not food seeking in rats.Neuronal ensembles in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) play a role in both cocaine and palatable food seeking. However, it is unknown whether similar or different vmPFC neuronal ensembles mediate food and cocaine seeking. Here, we used the Daun02 inactivation procedure to assess whether the neuronal ensembles mediating food and cocaine seeking can be functionally distinguished. We trained male and female Fos-LacZ rats to self-administer palatable food pellets and cocaine on alternating days for 18 days. We then exposed the rats to a brief nonreinforced food- or cocaine-seeking test to induce Fos and β-gal in neuronal ensembles associated with food or cocaine seeking, respectively and infused Daun02 into vmPFC to ablate the β-gal-expressing ensembles. Two days later, we tested the rat2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 May2025-04-04T02:25:13.433Z2025-04-04T02:25:13.433ZS-EPMC78197563268375610.1111/adb.12943