University of Massachusetts Medical School Faculty Publications

Title

VTA CRF neurons mediate the aversive effects of nicotine withdrawal and promote intake escalation

UMMS Affiliation

Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry; Tapper Lab

Publication Date

2014-12

Document Type

Article

Disciplines

Neuroscience and Neurobiology

Abstract

Dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are well known for mediating the positive reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. Here we identify in rodents and humans a population of VTA dopaminergic neurons expressing corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). We provide further evidence in rodents that chronic nicotine exposure upregulates Crh mRNA (encoding CRF) in dopaminergic neurons of the posterior VTA, activates local CRF1 receptors and blocks nicotine-induced activation of transient GABAergic input to dopaminergic neurons. Local downregulation of Crh mRNA and specific pharmacological blockade of CRF1 receptors in the VTA reversed the effect of nicotine on GABAergic input to dopaminergic neurons, prevented the aversive effects of nicotine withdrawal and limited the escalation of nicotine intake. These results link the brain reward and stress systems in the same brain region to signaling of the negative motivational effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Keywords

Addiction, Reward

DOI of Published Version

10.1038/nn.3872

Source

Nat Neurosci. 2014 Dec;17(12):1751-8. doi: 10.1038/nn.3872. Epub 2014 Nov 17. Link to article on publisher's site

Comments

Full author list omitted for brevity. For the full list of authors, see article.

Related Resources

Link to Article in PubMed

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Nature neuroscience

PubMed ID

25402857

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS