Journal
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
Volume 152, Issue 1, Pages 110-118Publisher
SPRINGER-VERLAG
DOI: 10.1007/s002130000518
Keywords
NMDA; BayK 8644; psychostimulant; drug abuse
Categories
Funding
- NIDA NIH HHS [R01 DA12171, R03 DA11168] Funding Source: Medline
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE [R03DA011168, R01DA012171] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
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Rationale: A substantial body of evidence indicates that ion flux through L-type calcium channels and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors contributes to behavioral sensitization to cocaine. Objectives: The following experiments were designed to evaluate the role of calcium influx through L-type calcium channels or NMDA receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine. Methods: The L-type calcium channel agonist BayK 8644, the glutamate agonist NMDA, or vehicle was microinjected into the VTA on 3 consecutive days. Following a 2-week withdrawal period, all rats received a challenge injection of cocaine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) in order to assess potential cross-sensitization with the NMDA or BayK 8634 pretreatments. Results: Repeated intra-VTA microinjections of BayK 8644, but not NMDA, resulted in an augmentation of the behavioral response to cocaine. Conclusions. These results indicate that calcium influx through L-type calcium channels produces neurophysiological adaptations that mimic those resulting from intermittent exposure to cocaine.
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