Song, Shelly Sooyun Kang, Byeong Jun Wen, Lei Lee, Hyo Jin Sim, Hye-ri Kim, Tae Hyong Yoon, Sehyoun Yoon, Bong-June Augustine, George J. Baik, Ja-Hyun 2024-01-20T08:33:55Z 2024-01-20T08:33:55Z 2022-01-10 2014-10-13 1662-5153 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/126238 Long-lasting, drug-induced adaptations within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been proposed to contribute to drug-mediated addictive behaviors. Here we have used an optogenetic approach to examine the role of NAc medium spiny neurons (MSNs) expressing dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs) in cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization. Adeno-associated viral vectors encoding channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) were delivered into the NAc of D2R-Cre transgenic mice. This allowed us to selectively photostimulate D2R-MSNs in NAc. D2R-MSNs form local inhibitory circuits, because photostimulation of D2R-MSN evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in neighboring MSNs. Photostimulation of NAc D2R-MSN in vivo affected neither the initiation nor the expression of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization. However, photostimulation during the drug withdrawal period attenuated expression of cocaine induced behavioral sensitization. These results show that D2R-MSNs of NAc play a key role in withdrawal-induced plasticity and may contribute to relapse after cessation of drug abuse. English FRONTIERS MEDIA SA NUCLEUS-ACCUMBENS SYNAPTIC-TRANSMISSION PROJECTION NEURONS DISTINCT ROLES PLASTICITY INHIBITION PATHWAYS RELAPSE REWARD Optogenetics reveals a role for accumbal medium spiny neurons expressing dopamine D2 receptors in cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization Article 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00336 1 FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE, v.8 FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 8 scie scopus 000345983000001 2-s2.0-84908011634 Behavioral Sciences Neurosciences Behavioral Sciences Neurosciences & Neurology Article NUCLEUS-ACCUMBENS SYNAPTIC-TRANSMISSION PROJECTION NEURONS DISTINCT ROLES PLASTICITY INHIBITION PATHWAYS RELAPSE REWARD optogenetics medium spiny neurons dopamine D2 receptors cocaine drug addiction