Article
Neurosciences
Laurie Hamel, Bilgehan Cavdaroglu, Dylan Yeates, David Nguyen, Sadia Riaz, Dylan Patterson, Nisma Khan, Nardin Kirolos, Katherine Roper, Quynh An Ha, Rutsuko Ito
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the role of the mPFC and NAc in cue-elicited adaptive responding, finding that the mPFC plays a crucial role in regulating nonreinforced cue responding.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rusty W. Nall, Jasper A. Heinsbroek, Todd B. Nentwig, Peter W. Kalivas, Ana-Clara Bobadilla
Summary: Studies on the neurobiological underpinnings of substance use disorder (SUD) have revealed specific brain regions necessary for behaviors driven by drugs versus natural rewards. While many brain regions are involved in behaviors motivated by all types of rewards, certain interconnected regions are selectively necessary for drug-seeking behaviors. Further research is needed to clarify the distinct roles of these brain regions in drug- versus natural reward-associated behaviors.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Shosuke Suzuki, Victoria M. Lawlor, Jessica A. Cooper, Amanda R. Arulpragasam, Michael T. Treadway
Summary: The study identified functionally segregated regions within the ventral striatum that separately encoded effort activation, movement initiation, and effort discounting of rewards using functional magnetic resonance imaging with a naturalistic maze-navigation paradigm. The results suggest that different regions of the ventral striatum are involved in encoding effort and value, raising important questions about interpreting reward signals in the context of effort demands.
NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Tom Macpherson, Claire I. Dixon, Jonathan Robertson, Marsha M. Sindarto, Patricia H. Janak, Delia Belelli, Jeremy J. Lambert, David N. Stephens, Sarah L. King
Summary: Extrasynaptic GABAA receptors in the nucleus accumbens play a crucial role in modulating behavioral responses to rewards and the effects of cocaine. Knockout or knockdown of a4 subunits of GABAARs leads to increased instrumental responding for reward-paired stimuli and attenuated potentiation of cocaine effects. These findings highlight the importance of GABAergic signaling in the nucleus accumbens in mediating the effects of cocaine.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel J. Christoffel, Jessica J. Walsh, Paul Hoerbelt, Boris D. Heifets, Pierre Llorach, Ricardo C. Lopez, Charu Ramakrishnan, Karl Deisseroth, Robert C. Malenka
Summary: The study reveals that dopamine and serotonin modulate excitatory synaptic transmission in the nucleus accumbens in input-specific ways, influencing motivated behaviors differently. Endogenous release of DA and 5-HT, as well as optogenetic inhibition, alter the behavioral effects of drugs in distinct manners.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Kyle Duffer, Zachary S. Gillis, Sara E. Morrison
Summary: When a Pavlovian cue is presented separately from its associated reward, some animals will acquire a sign tracking response while others will acquire a goal tracking response. Previous studies have shown that excitations in the nucleus accumbens encode the vigor of these behaviors. However, the signaling of inhibitory cue responses in the nucleus accumbens during Pavlovian conditioning and their relationship with reward devaluation and dopamine release remain unknown.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Julie E. Finnell, Carrie R. Ferrario
Summary: Insulin receptors are widely expressed in the adult brain and can affect food intake in the mesolimbic regions. Intra-NAc insulin reduces food consumption and motivation to obtain food in hungry rats.
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Man-yi Jing, Xiao-yan Ding, Xiao Han, Tai-yun Zhao, Min-min Luo, Ning Wu, Jin Li, Rui Song
Summary: This study found that cue-induced reinstatement of reward seeking is partially mediated by activation of the dopaminergic pathway from the VTA to the NAcore. In a mouse model, activation of this pathway triggered reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior, while inhibition of this pathway suppressed reinstatement behavior.
ACTA PHARMACOLOGICA SINICA
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Marcin Kazmierczak, Saleem M. Nicola
Summary: Dopamine promotes approach to reward and arousal, and its effects on cued approach behavior depend on the animal's state of arousal. A D1 antagonist reduces cued approach to reward, locomotion, and promotes sleep postures, while a D2 antagonist only reduces cued approach and locomotion without affecting sleep postures.
Article
Biology
Ioannis Zalachoras, Eva Ramos-Fernandez, Fiona Hollis, Laura Trovo, Joao Rodrigues, Alina Strasser, Olivia Zanoletti, Pascal Steiner, Nicolas Preitner, Lijing Xin, Simone Astori, Carmen Sandi
Summary: Emerging evidence suggests that mitochondrial function and metabolism in the nucleus accumbens are important for motivated performance. The level of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) in the nucleus accumbens is closely associated with an individual's capacity to exert reward-incentivized effort over time. Increasing accumbal GSH levels may be a feasible approach to enhance motivation.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Qingxiao Hong, Wenjin Xu, Zi Lin, Jing Liu, Weisheng Chen, Huaqiang Zhu, Miaojun Lai, Dingding Zhuang, Zemin Xu, Dan Fu, Wenhua Zhou, Huifen Liu
Summary: Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, play a crucial role in regulating gene expression and may influence neuroplasticity and drug-induced aberrant behaviors. The study in Sprague-Dawley rats showed that heroin self-administration led to hypomethylation of the GABRD gene and transcriptional upregulation in the NAc. Manipulations with DNMT inhibitor and MET affected heroin-seeking behavior, possibly through direct repression of DNMT1 and DNMT3A expression to alter the DNA methylation landscape of the GABRD gene.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Simon Nougaret, Christelle Baunez, Sabrina Ravel
Summary: This study revealed the force and reward-modulated properties of subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons through the recording of monkey behavior and STN neuron activity. Force-modulated neurons were active when a high effort was required, while reward-modulated neurons encoded the motivational value of the stimuli. These two populations of neurons played complementary roles in implementing action difficulty and enhancing or slowing execution based on subjective value.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Kiarash Eskandari, Mojdeh Fattahi, Esmail Riahi, Reza Khosrowabadi, Abbas Haghparast
Summary: Methamphetamine (METH) addiction is a major public health issue that is difficult to cure with standard therapies. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has shown promise in treating addiction by modulating neural activity. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of high- or low-frequency stimulation of the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) on the extinction and reinstatement of METH-conditioned place preference (CPP). The results demonstrated that both high- and low-frequency stimulation reduced the extinction period of METH-induced CPP and prevented reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior.
Article
Neurosciences
Franz R. Villaruel, Melissa Martins, Nadia Chaudhri
Summary: The neural circuit from the infralimbic cortex to the nucleus accumbens shell plays a crucial role in suppressing conditioned responding and renewal of CS responding. The IL-to-NAcS circuit is involved in both acquisition and expression of Pavlovian conditioning and is not exclusively dependent on extinction process.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martyna Bayassi-Jakowicka, Grazyna Lietzau, Ewelina Czuba, Aleksandra Steliga, Monika Waskow, Przemyslaw Kowianski
Summary: The nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays a crucial role in both reward processes and central nervous system diseases. Understanding its diverse functions requires a combination of morphological and functional studies, as well as research on its connections, neuroplasticity, and neurotransmitter systems.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)