Background Polymorphisms in the CACNA1C gene are associated with human mood disorders. The rodent social defeat model of stress/mood-disorder susceptibility results in maladaptive consequences mediated by altered function of mesolimbic circuits. Methods mRNA levels of Cacna1c in the nucleus accumbens of mice exposed to social defeat were assessed. Cacna1c was selectively deleted in the nucleu...

The role of glutamate receptors within the nucleus accumbens in morphine tolerance has been postulated. Previous studies have reported that glutamate receptors exert their effects in part through the release of nitric oxide (NO). In the present study, the effect of intra-accumbal injections of L-arginine, the NO precursor and L-NAME, the NOS inhibitor on the morphine tolerance in Wistar rats (2...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of aging and anoxia on the nucleus accumbens. METHODS The number of neurons in nucleus accumbens and caudate nucleus in 35 patients over 65 and 35 under 65 years, all without neurological or psychiatric disease were counted. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference between the number of neurons in the accumbens in the two groups, but the...

To better understand the organization and evolution of the basal ganglia of vertebrates, in the present study we have analyzed the chemoarchitecture and the cortical input to the nucleus accumbens in the lacertid lizard Psammodromus algirus. The nucleus accumbens contains many gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-positive neurons and calbindin-positive neurons, the majority of which may be spiny proj...

Oxytocin receptors in the nucleus accumbens have been implicated in the regulation of alloparental behavior and pair bond formation in the socially monogamous prairie vole. Oxytocin receptor density in the nucleus accumbens is positively correlated with alloparenting in juvenile and adult female prairie voles, and oxytocin receptor antagonist infused into the nucleus accumbens blocks this behav...

Learning Objectives By the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to 1) Describe the importance of the nucleus accumbens in behavior 2) Describe the connectivity of the nucleus accumbens 3) Discuss the use of probabilistic tractography to study the connectivity of the nucleus accumbens.

The actions of TRH and its analog, y butyrolactone y -carbonyl histidyl prolinamide citrate (DN-1417) on the unit activities of the cerebral cortex, caudate -putamen and nucleus accumbens were examined using a microelec trophoretic technique in anesthetized rats. Over 80% of the neurons examined in the nucleus accumbens responded to TRH and DN -1417. The effects were mainly inhibitory, but exci...

Extracellular concentrations of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were examined concurrently, using in vivo microdialysis, in the nucleus accumbens and dorsal striatum of sexually active male rats during tests of locomotor activity, exposure to a novel chamber, exposure to sex odors, the presentation of a sexually receptive female, ...