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Prefrontal Cortical Regulation of Drug Seeking in Animal Models of Drug Relapse

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Behavioral Neuroscience of Drug Addiction

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences ((CTBN,volume 3))

Abstract

Prefrontal cortical dysfunction is thought to underlie maladaptive behaviors displayed by chronic drug users, most notably the high propensity for relapse that severely impedes successful treatment of drug addiction. In animal models of drug relapse, exposure to drug-associated stimuli, small amounts of drug, and acute stressors powerfully reinstate drug seeking by critically engaging the prefrontal cortex, with the anterior cingulate, prelimbic, infralimbic, and orbitofrontal subregions making distinct contributions to drug seeking. Hence, from an addiction treatment perspective, it is necessary to fully explicate the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in drug relapse.

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Abbreviations

ACC:

Anterior cingulate cortex

AMPA:

Alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid

BDNF:

Brain derived neurotrophic factor

BLA:

Basolateral amygdala

BM:

Baclofen and muscimol

BNST:

Bed nucleus of the stria terminalis

CeA:

Central amygdaloid nucleus

CS:

Conditioned stimulus

DH:

Dorsal hippocampus

dlCPu:

Dorsolateral caudate-putamen

GABA:

Gamma-aminobutyric acid

IL:

Infralimbic cortex

LTN:

Lateral tegmental nucleus

NA:

Nucleus accumbens

NAcore:

Core region of the nucleus accumbens

NAshell:

Shell region of the nucleus accumbens

NBm:

Nucleus basalis of Mynert

OFC:

Orbitofrontal cortex

p-ERK:

Phospho-extracellular-related kinase

PL:

Prelimbic cortex

RGS4:

Regulator of G-protein signaling 4

TTX:

Tetrodotoxin

VH:

Ventral hippocampus

VP:

Ventral pallidum

VTA:

Ventral tegmental area

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-3270, USA

    Heather C. Lasseter, Xiaohu Xie, Donna R. Ramirez & Rita A. Fuchs

Authors
  1. Heather C. Lasseter
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  2. Xiaohu Xie
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  3. Donna R. Ramirez
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  4. Rita A. Fuchs
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Correspondence to Rita A. Fuchs .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Southwestern Medical Center, University of Texas, Harry Hines Blvd. 5323, Dallas, 75390-9070, U.S.A.

    David W. Self

  2. School of Medicine, Yale University, Campell Ave. 950, West Haven, 06516, U.S.A.

    Julie K. Staley Gottschalk

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Lasseter, H.C., Xie, X., Ramirez, D.R., Fuchs, R.A. (2010). Prefrontal Cortical Regulation of Drug Seeking in Animal Models of Drug Relapse. In: Self, D., Staley Gottschalk, J. (eds) Behavioral Neuroscience of Drug Addiction. Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, vol 3. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2009_19

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