The role of the basolateral amygdala in stimulus-reward memory and extinction memory consolidation and in subsequent conditioned cued reinstatement of cocaine seeking.

Full Abstract

The consolidation of cue-cocaine associations and extinction learning (i.e. cue-no cocaine associations) into long-term memory probably regulates the long-lasting control of conditioned stimuli (CS) over cocaine-seeking behaviour, and the basolateral amygdala (BLA) may play a role in this phenomenon. To test this hypothesis, rats previously trained to self-administer cocaine underwent a single classical conditioning (CC) session, during which they received passive pairings of cocaine infusions and a novel light + tone stimulus complex. After additional self-administration sessions in the absence of CS presentation and subsequent extinction training sessions, the ability of the CS to reinstate cocaine-seeking on five test days was assessed. Rats received intra-BLA microinfusions of vehicle or the Na+-channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX) immediately after CC (consolidation of CS-cocaine associations) or immediately after reinstatement testing (consolidation of extinction learning). TTX administered immediately after CC attenuated subsequent CS-induced reinstatement. In contrast, TTX administered after the first reinstatement test impaired the extinction of cocaine-seeking behaviour during a second reinstatement test by disrupting extinction memory. Overall, these findings suggest that Na+ channel-mediated mechanisms within the BLA mediate the consolidation of both cocaine-stimulus association and extinction learning, two processes that have opposite effects on subsequent cue-induced cocaine-seeking behaviour.

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Author information

Author/s: Fuchs, Rita A (RA); Feltenstein, Matthew W (MW); See, Ronald E (RE);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599, USA.

Grants: DA017673 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS) ; DA10462 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS) ; P50 DA015369 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: The European journal of neuroscience (Eur J Neurosci), published in France. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-May; vol 23 (issue 10) : pp 2809-13

Dates: Created 2006/07/04; Completed 2006/08/04; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16817884, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Amygdala - physiology
Animals
Cocaine - pharmacology
Conditioning, Classical - drug effects; physiology
Cues
Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology
Extinction, Psychological - drug effects; physiology
Injections, Intraventricular
Male

Male
Memory - drug effects; physiology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Reinforcement (Psychology)
Reward
Self Administration
Sodium Channels - drug effects; metabolism
Tetrodotoxin - administration & dosage

Associated Chemicals: Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors (0) ; Sodium Channels (0) ; Tetrodotoxin (4368-28-9) ; Cocaine (50-36-2)

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