Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript in the Nucleus Accumbens Shell Attenuates Context-Induced Reinstatement of Alcohol Seeking

We investigated the impact of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) in the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) on context-induced reinstatement of alcoholic beer-seeking. Rats were trained to respond for 4% (vol/vol) alcoholic beer in one context (A) followed by extinction in a second context (B). Rats were subsequently tested for renewal of extinguished responding in the training context (A). Return to the training context elicited responding (reinstatement), whereas intra-AcbSh injections of CART (55-102) attenuated reinstatement without affecting general behavioral activity (Experiment 1). CART (55-102) attenuated reinstatement dose-dependently across the 0.025 - 2.5 mu g range (Experiment 2), and no effect was observed with the inactive CART (1-27) fragment (Experiment 3). Together, these findings suggest that intra-AcbSh CART (55-102) modulates the impact of drug-associated environments on reward seeking behavior.