Accumbens Shell–Hypothalamus Interactions Mediate Extinction of Alcohol Seeking

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4933-09.2010
• Publication Date: 2010-03-31T17:00:19Z
• Authors: E. Zayra Millan; Teri M. Furlong; Gavan P. McNally
• Keywords: Lateral hypothalamus; Extinction (optical mineralogy); c-Fos

The nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) is required to inhibit drug seeking after extinction training. Conversely, the lateral hypothalamus (LH), which receives projections from AcbSh, mediates reinstatement of previously extinguished seeking. We hypothesized that reversible inactivation AcbSh using GABA agonists (baclofen/muscimol) would reinstate alcohol and increase neuronal activation in LH. Rats underwent self-administration training for 4% (v/v) alcoholic beer followed by extinction. reinstated when infusions were made after, but not before, then used immunohistochemical detection c-Fos as a marker activity, combined with orexin cocaine- amphetamine-related transcript (CART) peptides, study profile phenotype neural during produced inactivation. increased expression hypothalamus, well paraventricular thalamus amygdala. Within there was an number CART cells expressing c-Fos. Finally, we concurrent LH prevent alone. Our results confirmed this. Together, these findings suggest reward inhibiting hypothalamic neuropeptide neurons. Reversible removes this influence, thereby releasing inhibition enabling These ventral striatal-hypothalamic circuits overlap those mediate satiety, inhibits because it co-opts originally selected produce satiety.