Microdialysis of Dopamine in the Nucleus Accumbens of Alcohol-Preferring (P) Rats During Anticipation and Operant Self-Administration of Ethanol

Abstract

The findings suggest that acquisition of signal-induced anticipation of self-administered ethanol is associated with increases in locomotor activity and extracellular levels of dopamine in the NAc of P rats. Such associations may be important to the development and maintenance of ethanol-seeking behaviors. The findings also indicate that operant self-administration of ethanol is associated with increases in extracellular levels of dopamine in the NAc of P rats.

Co-administration of ethanol and nicotine: the enduring alterations in the rewarding properties of nicotine and glutamate activity within the mesocorticolimbic system of female alcohol-preferring (P) rats

“…Prior research indicated that Sacc does not induce neurochemical alterations in the Acb during operant conditioning (Melendez et al 2002, 2004). Therefore, use of a Sacc alone control group was limited to the GLU no-net-flux experiment to minimize overall animal numbers and cost.…”

A Genetic Animal Model of Alcoholism for Screening Medications to Treat Addiction

“…During ethanol withdrawal, P, but not NP, rats display greater acoustic startle reactivity compared with basal conditions (Chester, Blose, & Froehlich, 2004). P rats display greater low dose ethanol-induced locomotor activity, compared with NP rats (Rodd, Bell, McKinzie, et al, 2004; Waller, Murphy, McBride, Lumeng, & Li, 1986), and display locomotor activation during ethanol drinking or self-administration (Bell, Rodd, Toalston, et al, 2008; Bell et al, 2002; Melendez et al, 2002). The latter provides additional support to the view that P rats find ethanol rewarding.…”

“…Ethanol drinking and self-administration induce autonomic (heart rate) and/or behavioral (motor) activation (Bell, Rodd, Toalston, et al, 2008; Bell et al, 2002; Melendez et al, 2002)…”

“…DA neurotransmission is terminated via clearance by uptake through the high affinity DA transporter (DAT) (Cooper et al, 2002). The DAergic system plays a central role in the processing of natural-, alcohol- and drug of abuse-associated reward and reinforcement (e.g., Di Chiara & Imperato, 1988; McBride & Li, 1998; Melendez et al, 2002; Nogueira, Kalivas, & Lavin, 2006; Palmer, Low, Grandy, & Phillips, 2003; Volkow & Morales, 2015), with imaging studies indicating D2/3 receptor dysfunction in subjects addicted to several different drugs of abuse (Cosgrove, 2010). When an individual or animal ingests alcohol and/or other drugs of abuse, DA efflux is increased in several key mesocorticolimbic brain reward centers (e.g., Brodie et al, 1990; Franklin et al, 2009; Gessa, Muntoni, Collu, Vargiu, & Mereu, 1985; Imperato & Di Chiara, 1986; Smith & Weiss, 1999; Yoshimoto & McBride, 1992).…”

Tolcapone Suppresses Ethanol Intake in Alcohol‐Preferring Rats Performing a Novel Cued Access Protocol

“…When individuals diagnosed with, or at risk for, an alcohol use disorder (AUD) are presented with drug-related stimuli, an enhanced hemodynamic response is observed across the MCL system, especially in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) (Grusser et al, 2004; Myrick et al, 2004; Kareken et al, 2004; 2010). Moreover, enhanced DA efflux to alcohol-paired cues is observed in preclinical rodent models (Melendez et al, 2002) as well as addicted and heavy drinking individuals (Volkow et al, 2006; Oberlin et al, 2013) thus suggesting a role for DA in encoding drug-related stimuli.…”