? The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is an important neural structure involved in mediating the reinforcing actions of natural rewards as well as drugs of abuse, such as cocaine. Indeed, individual populations of NAc cells selectively encode for cocaine or natural rewards. However, experiences with powerful rewards impact behavioral reactions to lesser rewards and ultimately, natural rewards are devalued as they are compared to drugs of abuse. In fact, dysfunctional reward comparison behavior is a sufficient criterion for the diagnosis of Substance Abuse as defined by the DSM-IV, and one of the criteria for the diagnosis of Substance Dependence. Unfortunately, the neural foundation of the pathological interaction of drugs of abuse and natural rewards remains unclear. The PI will investigate these interactions in real time using electrophysiological and electrochemical recordings in the NAc that allow for measurements of cell firing and DA release for the natural reward that predicts access to the drug of abuse as well as for the drug reward itself. These studies will shed light on the neural substrate of reward comparison. ? ? ? ? ?

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32DA021055-02
Application #
7220630
Study Section
Human Development Research Subcommittee (NIDA)
Program Officer
Avila, Albert
Project Start
2006-03-24
Project End
2009-03-23
Budget Start
2007-03-24
Budget End
2008-03-23
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$50,428
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
608195277
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Wheeler, Robert A; Aragona, Brandon J; Fuhrmann, Katherine A et al. (2011) Cocaine cues drive opposing context-dependent shifts in reward processing and emotional state. Biol Psychiatry 69:1067-74
Wheeler, Robert A; Carelli, Regina M (2009) Dissecting motivational circuitry to understand substance abuse. Neuropharmacology 56 Suppl 1:149-59
Wheeler, Robert A; Twining, Robert C; Jones, Joshua L et al. (2008) Behavioral and electrophysiological indices of negative affect predict cocaine self-administration. Neuron 57:774-85