Expression of Fos-related antigens in the nucleus accumbens and associated regions following exposure to a cocaine-paired environment

This study examined whether conditioned hyperactivity measured in a cocaine‐paired environment was associated with increased expression of Fos‐related antigens (FRA) within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and associated forebrain regions of rats. Three groups of rats were given repeated injections of ei...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The European journal of neuroscience 2000-06, Vol.12 (6), p.2097-2106
Main Authors: Franklin, Teresa R., Druhan, Jonathan P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amygdala - chemistry
Amygdala - drug effects
Amygdala - metabolism
Animals
c-fos
cingulate cortex
Cocaine - pharmacology
conditioned responses
Conditioning (Psychology) - drug effects
Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology
drug abuse
Gyrus Cinguli - chemistry
Gyrus Cinguli - drug effects
Gyrus Cinguli - metabolism
Hippocampus - chemistry
Hippocampus - drug effects
Hippocampus - metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
Male
nucleus accumbens
Nucleus Accumbens - chemistry
Nucleus Accumbens - drug effects
Nucleus Accumbens - metabolism
Prefrontal Cortex - chemistry
Prefrontal Cortex - drug effects
Prefrontal Cortex - metabolism
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - analysis
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - biosynthesis
Rats
Rats, Wistar
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Summary:This study examined whether conditioned hyperactivity measured in a cocaine‐paired environment was associated with increased expression of Fos‐related antigens (FRA) within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and associated forebrain regions of rats. Three groups of rats were given repeated injections of either cocaine in the test environment and saline in the colony room (group Paired), saline in the test environment and cocaine in the colony room (group Unpaired), or saline in both environments (group Control). All rats were subsequently given a drug‐free test for conditioned hyperactivity in the test environment, and their brains were removed so that FRA immunohistochemistry could be conducted. Rats in the Paired group showed conditioned hyperactivity during the conditioning test, and this behavioural response was associated with increased FRA expression within the caudal NAc, the medial prefrontal cortex and the lateral septum relative to the Unpaired and Control groups. Paired rats also showed increased FRA expression within the orbital prefrontal cortex, the claustrum, the caudal amygdala (basolateral and central regions), the paraventricular thalamic nucleus, the subiculum of the hippocampus, and the lateral habenula relative to the Control group. However, the FRA levels in these latter sites were not significantly increased relative to those of Unpaired rats, indicating that genomic responses in these regions were not entirely context dependent. The correspondence between conditioned hyperactivity and enhanced FRA expression within the caudal NAc, the medial prefrontal cortex and lateral septum suggests that these regions may participate in the expression of conditioned responses to cocaine‐related stimuli.
ISSN:0953-816X
1460-9568
DOI:10.1046/j.1460-9568.2000.00071.x