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Sortman BW, Rakela S, Paprotna S, Cerci B, Warren BL. Nucleus accumbens neuronal ensembles vary with cocaine reinforcement in male and female rats. Addict Biol 2024; 29:e13397. [PMID: 38711205 PMCID: PMC11074382 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Neuronal ensembles in the medial prefrontal cortex mediate cocaine self-administration via projections to the nucleus accumbens. We have recently shown that neuronal ensembles in the prelimbic cortex form rapidly to mediate cocaine self-administration. However, the role of neuronal ensembles within the nucleus accumbens in initial cocaine-seeking behaviour remains unknown. Here, we sought to expand the current literature by testing the necessity of the cocaine self-administration ensemble in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcCore) 1 day after male and female rats acquire cocaine self-administration by using the Daun02 inactivation procedure. We found that disrupting the NAcCore ensembles after a no-cocaine reward-seeking test increased subsequent cocaine seeking, while disrupting NAcCore ensembles following a cocaine self-administration session decreased subsequent cocaine seeking. We then characterized neuronal cell type in the NAcCore using RNAscope in situ hybridization. In the no-cocaine session, we saw reduced dopamine D1 type neuronal activation, while in the cocaine self-administration session, we found preferential dopamine D1 type neuronal activity in the NAcCore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo W. Sortman
- Department of PharmacodynamicsUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Samantha Rakela
- Department of PharmacodynamicsUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Sarah Paprotna
- Department of PharmacodynamicsUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Berk Cerci
- Department of PharmacodynamicsUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Brandon L. Warren
- Department of PharmacodynamicsUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
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Davidson CJ, Mascarin AT, Yahya MA, Rubio FJ, Gheidi A. Approaches and considerations of studying neuronal ensembles: a brief review. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1310724. [PMID: 38155864 PMCID: PMC10752959 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1310724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
First theorized by Hebb, neuronal ensembles have provided a framework for understanding how the mammalian brain operates, especially regarding learning and memory. Neuronal ensembles are discrete, sparsely distributed groups of neurons that become activated in response to a specific stimulus and are thought to provide an internal representation of the world. Beyond the study of region-wide or projection-wide activation, the study of ensembles offers increased specificity and resolution to identify and target specific memories or associations. Neuroscientists interested in the neurobiology of learning, memory, and motivated behavior have used electrophysiological-, calcium-, and protein-based proxies of neuronal activity in preclinical models to better understand the neurobiology of learned and motivated behaviors. Although these three approaches may be used to pursue the same general goal of studying neuronal ensembles, technical differences lead to inconsistencies in the output and interpretation of data. This mini-review highlights some of the methodologies used in electrophysiological-, calcium-, and protein-based studies of neuronal ensembles and discusses their strengths and weaknesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron J. Davidson
- William Beaumont School of Medicine, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, United States
| | - Alixandria T. Mascarin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Majd A. Yahya
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - F. Javier Rubio
- Neuronal Ensembles in Addiction Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program/National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Ali Gheidi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Mercer University, Macon, GA, United States
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Abstract
This paper is the forty-fifth consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2022 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonists and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (1), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (2) and humans (3), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (4), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (5), stress and social status (6), learning and memory (7), eating and drinking (8), drug abuse and alcohol (9), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (10), mental illness and mood (11), seizures and neurologic disorders (12), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (13), general activity and locomotion (14), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (15), cardiovascular responses (16), respiration and thermoregulation (17), and immunological responses (18).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, USA.
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Olaniran A, Altshuler RD, Burke MAM, Lin H, Firlie J, Linshitz I, Li X. Role of oestrous cycle and orbitofrontal cortex in oxycodone seeking after 15-day abstinence in female rats. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13325. [PMID: 37753563 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Relapse to oxycodone seeking progressively increases after abstinence in rats, a phenomenon termed incubation of oxycodone craving. We have previously shown that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) plays a critical role in incubation of oxycodone craving in male rats. Here, we examined the effect of oestrous cycle on incubated oxycodone seeking in female rats, and whether the critical role of OFC in incubated oxycodone seeking generalizes to female rats. We first assessed oxycodone self-administration and incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15 across the oestrous cycle. Next, we determined the effect of chemogenetic inactivation of OFC by JHU37160 (J60), a novel agonist for Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs), on incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15. Finally, we determined the effect of J60 alone on incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15. We found no difference in oxycodone intake across oestrus, pro-oestrus, and metoestrus stages during oxycodone self-administration training. Incubated oxycodone seeking was also similar between nonoestrus and oestrus female rats. Moreover, chemogenetic inactivation of OFC by J60 decreased incubated oxycodone seeking on abstinence day 15, while J60 alone had no effect on incubated oxycodone seeking in no-DREADD control rats. Taken together, results here show that the oestrous cycle has no effect on oxycodone intake and incubated oxycodone seeking in female rats under our experimental conditions. Furthermore, consistent with our previous findings in male rats, results here show that OFC also plays a critical role in incubated oxycodone seeking in female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adedayo Olaniran
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Rachel D Altshuler
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan A M Burke
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Hongyu Lin
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Julia Firlie
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Ilan Linshitz
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, Maryland, USA
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Brice-Tutt AC, Montgomery DS, Kramer CM, Novotny PM, Malphurs WL, Sharma A, Caudle RM, Bruijnzeel AW, Setlow B, Neubert JK, Murphy NP. An ethogram analysis of cutaneous thermal pain sensitivity and oxycodone reward-related behaviors in rats. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10482. [PMID: 37380739 PMCID: PMC10307779 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36729-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Inter-relationships between pain sensitivity, drug reward, and drug misuse are of considerable interest given that many analgesics exhibit misuse potential. Here we studied rats as they underwent a series of pain- and reward-related tests: cutaneous thermal reflex pain, induction and extinction of conditioned place preference to oxycodone (0.56 mg/kg), and finally the impact of neuropathic pain on reflex pain and reinstatement of conditioned place preference. Oxycodone induced a significant conditioned place preference that extinguished throughout repeated testing. Correlations identified of particular interest included an association between reflex pain and oxycodone-induced behavioral sensitization, and between rates of behavioral sensitization and extinction of conditioned place preference. Multidimensional scaling analysis followed by k-clustering identified three clusters: (1) reflex pain, rate of behavioral sensitization and rate of extinction of conditioned place preference (2) basal locomotion, locomotor habituation, acute oxycodone-stimulated locomotion and rate of change in reflex pain during repeated testing, and (3) magnitude of conditioned place preference. Nerve constriction injury markedly enhanced reflex pain but did not reinstate conditioned place preference. These results suggest that high rates of behavioral sensitization predicts faster rates of extinction of oxycodone seeking/reward, and suggest that cutaneous thermal reflex pain may be predictive of both.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cassidy M Kramer
- Departments of Orthodontics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Peter M Novotny
- Departments of Orthodontics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Wendi L Malphurs
- Departments of Orthodontics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Abhisheak Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Robert M Caudle
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adriaan W Bruijnzeel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Barry Setlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - John K Neubert
- Departments of Orthodontics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Niall P Murphy
- Departments of Orthodontics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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Wong B, Zimbelman AR, Milovanovic M, Wolf ME, Stefanik MT. GluA2-lacking AMPA receptors in the nucleus accumbens core and shell contribute to the incubation of oxycodone craving in male rats. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13237. [PMID: 36301206 PMCID: PMC10655598 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
One of the most challenging issues in the treatment of substance use disorder, including misuse of opioids such as oxycodone, is persistent vulnerability to relapse, often triggered by cues or contexts previously associated with drug use. In rats, cue-induced craving progressively intensifies ('incubates') during withdrawal from extended-access self-administration of several classes of misused drugs, including the psychostimulants cocaine and methamphetamine. For these psychostimulants, incubation is associated with strengthening of excitatory synapses in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) through incorporation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptors that lack the GluA2 subunit and are therefore Ca2+ -permeable (CP-AMPARs). Once CP-AMPAR upregulation occurs, their stimulation is required for expression of incubation. It is not known if a similar mechanism contributes to incubation of oxycodone craving. Using male rats, we established that incubation occurs by withdrawal day (WD) 15 and persists through WD30. Then, using cell-surface biotinylation, we found that surface levels of the AMPAR subunit GluA1 but not GluA2 are elevated in NAc core and shell of oxycodone rats on WD15, although this wanes by WD30. Next, using intra-NAc injection of the selective CP-AMPAR antagonist Naspm before a seeking test, we demonstrate that CP-AMPAR blockade in either subregion decreases oxycodone seeking on WD15 or WD30 (after incubation), but not WD1, and has no effect in saline self-administering animals. The Naspm results suggest CP-AMPARs persist in synapses through WD30 even if total cell surface levels wane. These results suggest that a common neurobiological mechanism contributes to expression of incubation of craving for oxycodone and psychostimulants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Wong
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexa R. Zimbelman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois, USA
| | - Mike Milovanovic
- Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Marina E. Wolf
- Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Michael T. Stefanik
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Sortman BW, Gobin C, Rakela S, Cerci B, Warren BL. Prelimbic Ensembles Mediate Cocaine Seeking After Behavioral Acquisition and Once Rats Are Well-Trained. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:920667. [PMID: 36225390 PMCID: PMC9549214 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.920667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic relapsing condition characterized by continued use of drugs despite negative consequences. SUD is thought to involve disordered learning and memory wherein drug-paired cues gain increased salience, and ultimately drive craving and relapse. These types of associations are thought to be encoded within sparsely distributed sets of neurons, called neuronal ensembles, that drive encoded behaviors through synchronous activity of the participant neurons. We have previously found that Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles within the prefrontal cortex are required for well-trained cocaine seeking. However, less is known about how quickly cortical neuronal ensembles form during the initiation of cocaine seeking behavior. Here, we seek to further elucidate the role of Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles within the prelimbic cortex (PL) after the initial acquisition of cocaine self-administration (SA), or, after 10 days of additional SA training (well-trained). We trained Fos-LacZ transgenic rats to lever press for cocaine under an FR1 schedule of reinforcement. Once rats met acquisition criteria for cocaine self-administration, we ablated Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles in the PL using the Daun02 inactivation method, either 1 or 10 days after the rats met the acquisition criteria. Targeted ablation of Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles in the PL attenuated active lever pressing both 1 day and 10 days after rats acquired cocaine self-administration. Together, this suggests that Fos-expressing neuronal ensembles rapidly form in the PL and continue to mediate maintained cocaine seeking behavior.
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