Basolateral amygdala and ventral hippocampus in stress-induced amplification of nicotine self-administration during reacquisition in rat
Abstract
Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the USA, although only 3-5 % of quitters are successful for 6-12 months. Stress during abstinence increases the likelihood of relapse to smoking. We recently reported that repeated stress during abstinence from operant nicotine self-administration (SA) amplifies the reacquisition of nicotine SA and affects the diurnal intake of nicotine in rats. Herein, we sought to identify brain regions critical for the expression of stress-enhanced nicotine SA during reacquisition. Rats acquired nicotine SA (FR5) with virtually unlimited drug access (23 h/day). During abstinence (8 day), 30 min of restraint stress was applied on days 1, 3, 5, and 7. Beginning day 8, nicotine SA was reacquired over 5 days, and basolateral amygdala (BLA) was inactivated bilaterally or disconnected from nucleus accumbens core (NAcc). Similarly, ventral hippocampus (vHP) was inactivated or disconnected from BLA. Bilateral inactivation (muscimol + baclofen) of BLA or disconnection from NAcc abolished the stress-enhanced reacquisition of nicotine SA without affecting basal levels of nicotine SA. Similarly, bilateral inactivation of vHP or disconnection of vHP and BLA also abolish...Continue Reading
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Amplified reacquisition of nicotine self-administration in rats by repeated stress during abstinence
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