LDT cholinergic inputs to the nucleus accumbens neurons facilitate cocaine reinforcing properties
Barbara Coimbra, Leandro Aguiar, Lea Royon, Ricardo Bastos-Gonçalves, Tawan Carvalho, Carina Soares-Cunha, Sebastien Fernandez, Nivaldo AP Vasconcelos, Jacques Barik, Nuno Sousa, Ana João Rodrigues · FENS Forum 2024
The laterodorsal tegmentum (LDT) is a brainstem nucleus that sends direct projections to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain region involved in reward and motivation. We have previously shown that LDT-NAc inputs are crucial for reward value, triggering preference and shifting value of natural rewards. However, if and how these specific projections mediate the rewarding properties of drugs of abuse remains elusive. Importantly, ex-vivo studies showed that cocaine exposure triggers neuroplasticity changes in the LDT and in the NAc, suggesting that LDT-NAc circuitry may be an important targe
ePoster · Neuroscience