Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the role of endogenous dopamine and glutamate systems within the nucleus accumbens in modulating responses for oral ethanol reinforcements (10% w/v) in a free-choice operant task. Pretreatment with both systemic (100 micrograms/kg) and intra-nucleus accumbens microinjection of fluphenazine (2 and 4 micrograms), a dopamine receptor antagonist, significantly decreased responding for ethanol, without significantly affecting responses for water. Ethanol self-administration was also attenuated by microinjection into the nucleus accumbens of 2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid (AP-5, 3 and 6 micrograms), a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist. These results suggest that dopamine and glutamate neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens may regulate ethanol self-administration and its reinforcing effects.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / administration & dosage
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2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / pharmacology
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Alcohol Drinking / psychology*
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Animals
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Behavior, Animal / drug effects
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Dopamine Antagonists / administration & dosage
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Dopamine Antagonists / pharmacology*
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / administration & dosage
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology*
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Fluphenazine / administration & dosage
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Fluphenazine / pharmacology
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Injections
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Male
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Nucleus Accumbens / anatomy & histology
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Nucleus Accumbens / drug effects*
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Rats
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Rats, Wistar
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / antagonists & inhibitors
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Self Administration
Substances
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Dopamine Antagonists
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
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2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate
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Fluphenazine