A Comparison of the Manipulations of Dopaminergic, Opioidergic or Serotonergic Systems within the Nucleus Acccumbens on the Cue-Evoked Relapse to Food-Seeking

Item Details

contributor

Glenn, Elizabeth Anderson (author)

date

2010-05-07T18:38:46Z (accessioned)

2010-06-18T18:59:09Z (accessioned)

2010-05-07T18:38:46Z (available)

2010-06-18T18:59:09Z (available)

2010-05-07T18:38:46Z (issued)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/14832 (uri)

description

Conditioned stimuli (CSs) associated with reward object availability are known to reinstate reward-seeking behaviors after periods of suppressed responding for a reward. Previous research indicates that the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is a critical brain region involved in the relapse to drug-seeking behaviors and may likewise be involved in dietary relapse. These three novel experiments utilized a relapse to food-seeking paradigm to test the effects of intra-accumbal pharmacological manipulations on the reinstatement of responding for a food reinforcer by a CS previously associated with the reward. Rats received intra-accumbal infusions of saline or a selective D1 receptor antagonist, mu-opioid receptor agonist, or the neurotransmitter serotonin prior to cue-evoked reinstatement sessions. Both NAcc D1 receptor antagonism by SCH 23390 and mu-opioid receptor agonism by [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) effectively blunted the reinstatement of reward-directed responding by the CS as compared to infusions of the saline vehicle solution. In contrast, the stimulation of serotonin (5-HT) receptors by 5-HT hydrogen maleate did not affect the relapse to food seeking by the reward-associated cues. Together, these data indicate selective roles for specific NAcc receptor activation in the ability for a reward-paired CS to reinstate natural reward-seeking behaviors. Furthermore, these data suggest that the NAcc is likely involved in the failure to abstain from palatable foods in individuals undergoing dietary restriction. (abstract)

language

en_US (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

subject

Food-Seeking

Nucleus Accumbens

title

A Comparison of the Manipulations of Dopaminergic, Opioidergic or Serotonergic Systems within the Nucleus Acccumbens on the Cue-Evoked Relapse to Food-Seeking

type

Thesis

Gordon, William C. (committeeChair)

Pratt, Wayne E. (committeeMember)

Jennings, Janine M. (committeeMember)

Beveridge, Thomas J. R. (committeeMember)

degree

Psychology (discipline)

rights

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide. (accessRights)