Brain Circuits of Methamphetamine Place Reinforcement Learning: The Role of the Hippocampus-VTA Loop.

Brain and Behavior
Yonas B Keleta, Joe L Martinez

Abstract

The reinforcing effects of addictive drugs including methamphetamine (METH) involve the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA). VTA is primary source of dopamine (DA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the ventral hippocampus (VHC). These three brain regions are functionally connected through the hippocampal-VTA loop that includes two main neural pathways: the bottom-up pathway and the top-down pathway. In this paper, we take the view that addiction is a learning process. Therefore, we tested the involvement of the hippocampus in reinforcement learning by studying conditioned place preference (CPP) learning by sequentially conditioning each of the three nuclei in either the bottom-up order of conditioning; VTA, then VHC, finally NAc, or the top-down order; VHC, then VTA, finally NAc. Following habituation, the rats underwent experimental modules consisting of two conditioning trials each followed by immediate testing (test 1 and test 2) and two additional tests 24 h (test 3) and/or 1 week following conditioning (test 4). The module was repeated three times for each nucleus. The results showed that METH, but not Ringer's, produced positive CPP following conditioning each brain area in the bottom-up order. In the top-down order, M...Continue Reading

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Citations

Nov 13, 2013·Mammalian Genome : Official Journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society·John K BelknapTamara J Phillips
Dec 29, 2015·Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior·Soomaayeh HeysieattalabHabibeh Khoshbouei
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Aug 11, 2016·Molecules and Cells·Juhwan KimHeh-In Im
Dec 18, 2013·Journal of Neurophysiology·Amelia A MutsoA Vania Apkarian

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