Abstract
Understanding the neurobiology of motivation might help in reducing compulsive behaviors such as drug addiction or eating disorders. This study shows that excitatory synaptic transmission was enhanced in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of rats that performed an operant task to obtain cocaine or palatable food. There was no effect when cocaine or food was delivered passively, suggesting that synaptic plasticity in this area is involved in reward-seeking behaviors.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Behavior, Animal / drug effects
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Behavior, Animal / physiology
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Cocaine / administration & dosage*
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Conditioning, Operant / drug effects
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Conditioning, Operant / physiology
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Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / administration & dosage
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Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology
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Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / drug effects
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Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
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Food Preferences / physiology
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In Vitro Techniques
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Male
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N-Methylaspartate / pharmacology
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Neuronal Plasticity / drug effects
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Neuronal Plasticity / physiology*
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Neurons / drug effects*
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Neurons / physiology
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Patch-Clamp Techniques / methods
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Reinforcement Schedule
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Self Administration / methods
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Septal Nuclei / cytology*
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Septal Nuclei / drug effects
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Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
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Synaptic Transmission / physiology*
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alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / pharmacology
Substances
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Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors
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Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
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N-Methylaspartate
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alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid
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Cocaine