Dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens can bidirectionally regulate ethanol seeking behavior

During the last several decades, a large body of evidence has demonstrated an important role for mesolimbic dopamine (DA) signaling in the etiology of alcohol use disorder. Surprisingly, despite much effort, it is still unclear how DA controls the initiation and suppression alcohol drinking. This knowledge is crucial for the development of effective pharmacotherapies aimed at treating alcohol addiction. Here, we used optogenetics to explore the causal link between phasic and tonic patterns of DA transmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and ethanol seeking behavior.
Source: Alcohol - Category: Addiction Authors: Source Type: research