nmda receptors on non-dopaminergic neurons in the vta support cocaine sensitizationnmda受体non-dopaminergic vta神经元可卡因敏化的支持.pdfVIP

NMDA Receptors on Non-Dopaminergic Neurons in the VTA Support Cocaine Sensitization 1. 1. 1 1 1 1 Yu Luo , Cameron H. Good , Oscar Diaz-Ruiz , YaJun Zhang , Alexander F. Hoffman , Lufei Shan , 1 1 2 1¤ 1 Serena Y. Kuang , Nasir Malik , Vladimir I. Chefer , Andreas C. Tomac , Carl R. Lupica , Cristina M. ¨ 1* Backman 1 Cellular Neurobiology Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America, 2 Behavioral Neuroscience Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America Abstract Background: The initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine and other psychomotor stimulants is thought to reflect N- methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-mediated synaptic plasticity in the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) circuitry. The importance of drug induced NMDAR mediated adaptations in ventral tegmental area (VTA) DA neurons, and its association with drug seeking behaviors, has recently been evaluated in Cre-loxp mice lacking functional NMDARs in DA neurons expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the endogenous dopamine transporter gene (NR1DATCre mice). Methodology and Principal Findings: Using an additional NR1DATCre mouse transgenic model, we demonstrate that while the selective inactivation of NMDARs in DA neurons eliminates the induction of molecular changes leading to synaptic strengthening, behavioral measures such as cocaine i