Inhibiting subthalamic nucleus decreases cocaine demand and relapse: therapeutic potential.

ABSTRACT: Preclinical evidence indicates that inactivation of subthalamic nucleus (STN) may be effective for treating cocaine addiction, and therapies that target STN, e.g. deep brain stimulation, are available indicating that this may have clinical promise. Here, we assessed the therapeutic potential of STN inactivation using a translationally relevant economic approach that quantitatively describes drug-taking behavior, and tested these results with drug-seeking tasks. Economic demand for cocaine was assessed in rats (n = 11) using a within-session threshold procedure in which cocaine price (responses/mg cocaine) was sequentially increased throughout the session. Cocaine demand was assessed in this manner immediately after bilateral microinfusions into STN of either vehicle (artificial cerebrospin

SUBMITTER: Bentzley BS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5010790 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature