Role of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the nucleus accumbens core in stress-induced rein-statement of cocaine seeking and context-specific increase of extracellular glutamate

ANDREA GUZMAN; MARIA PAULA AVALOS; LAURA DE GIOVANNI; PIA EULIARTE; MARIANELA SANCHEZ; BETHANIA MONGI-BRAGATO; DAIANA RIGONI; FLAVIA BOLLATI; MIRIAM VIRGOLINI; LILIANA CANCELA

Scientific Reports

Nature

Año: 2021

2045-2322

reclinical models of stress-induced relapse to drug use have shown that the dysregulation of glutamatergic transmission within the nucleus accumbens (NA) contributes notably to the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior in rodents. In this sense, there has been increasing interest in the cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R), due to its crucial role in modulating glutamatergic neurotransmission within brain areas involved in drug-related behaviors. This study explored the involvement of CB1R within the NA subregions in the restraint stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-conditioned place preference (CPP), as well as in the regulation of glutamatergic transmission, by using a pharmacological approach and the in vivo microdialysis sampling technique in freely moving rats. CB1R blockade by the antagonist/inverse agonist AM251 (5 nmol/0.5 μl/side) or CB1R activation by the agonist ACEA (0.01 fmol/0.5 μl/side), prevented or potentiated restraint stress-induced reinstatement of