Dataset Information

Cocaine-induced plasticity in the nucleus accumbens is cell specific and develops without prolonged withdrawal.

ABSTRACT: Cocaine induces plasticity at glutamatergic synapses in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Withdrawal was suggested to play an important role in the development of this plasticity by studies showing that some changes only appear several weeks after the final cocaine exposure. In this study, the requirement for prolonged withdrawal was evaluated by comparing the changes in glutamatergic transmission induced by two different noncontingent cocaine treatments: a short treatment followed by prolonged withdrawal, and a longer treatment without prolonged withdrawal. Recordings were performed from mouse medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the NAc at the same time after the first cocaine injection under both treatments. A similar increase in the frequency of glutamate-mediated miniature EPSCs was observed in D(1)-expressing MSNs after both cocaine treatments, demonstrating that prolonged withdrawal was not required. Furthermore, larger AMPA receptor-to-NMDA receptor ratios, higher spine density, and enlarged spine heads were observed in the absence of withdrawal after a long cocaine treatment. These synaptic adaptations expressed in D(1)-containing MSNs of the NAc core were not further enhanced by protracted withdrawal. In conclusion, a few repeated cocaine injections are enough to trigger adaptations at glutamatergic synapses in D(1)-expressing MSNs, which, although they take time to develop, do not require prolonged cocaine withdrawal.

SUBMITTER: Dobi A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3040105 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Cocaine-induced plasticity in the nucleus accumbens is cell specific and develops without prolonged withdrawal.

Dobi Alice A Seabold Gail K GK Christensen Christine H CH Bock Roland R Alvarez Veronica A VA

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 20110201 5

Cocaine induces plasticity at glutamatergic synapses in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Withdrawal was suggested to play an important role in the development of this plasticity by studies showing that some changes only appear several weeks after the final cocaine exposure. In this study, the requirement for prolonged withdrawal was evaluated by comparing the changes in glutamatergic transmission induced by two different noncontingent cocaine treatments: a short treatment followed by prolonged withd ...[more]

PMID: 21289199

Similar Datasets

Project description:Genetic association studies, pharmacological investigations and analysis of mice-lacking individual genes have made it clear that Cocaine administration and Withdrawal have a profound impact on multiple neurotransmitter systems. The GABAergic medium spiny neurons of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) exhibit changes in the expression of genes encoding receptors for glutamate and in the signaling pathways triggered by dopamine binding to G-protein-coupled dopamine receptors. Deep sequence analysis provides a sensitive, quantitative and global analysis of the effects of Cocaine on the NAc transcriptome. RNA prepared from the NAc of adult male mice receiving daily injections of Saline or Cocaine, or Cocaine followed by a period of Withdrawal, was used for high-throughput sequence analysis. Changes were validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. On the basis of pathway analysis, a preponderance of the genes affected by Cocaine and Withdrawal was involved in the cadherin, heterotrimeric G-protein and Wnt signaling pathways. Distinct subsets of cadherins and protocadherins exhibited a sustained increase or decrease in expression. Sustained down-regulation of several heterotrimeric G-protein β- and γ-subunits was observed. In addition to altered expression of receptors for small molecule neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and endocannabinoids, changes in the expression of plasma membrane transporters and vesicular neurotransmitter transporters were also observed. The effects of chronic Cocaine and Withdrawal on the expression of genes essential to cholinergic, glutamatergic, GABAergic, peptidergic and endocannabinoid signaling are as profound as their effects on dopaminergic transmission. Simultaneous targeting of multiple Withdrawal-specific changes in gene expression may facilitate development of new therapeutic approaches that are better able to prevent relapse. High-throughput sequence analysis of RNA prepared from the nucleus accumbens of adult male mice receiving daily injections of Saline or Cocaine, or Cocaine followed by a period of Withdrawal. Nucleus accumbens libraries were sequenced in nine lanes (three technical replicates per sample) on an Illumina GAIIx using a 37-cycle paired-end sequencing protocol. Replicates were analyzed for intra-sample disparity and read data from all three lanes were then merged into one composite data file per sample; intra-sample coefficient of determination, R2 ≥ 0.98. The composite file was used for subsequent analyses.

Dataset Information

Cocaine-induced plasticity in the nucleus accumbens is cell specific and develops without prolonged withdrawal.

Publications

Cocaine-induced plasticity in the nucleus accumbens is cell specific and develops without prolonged withdrawal.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets