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AMPA receptor plasticity in the nucleus accumbens after repeated exposure to cocaine

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Wolf, Marina E., Ferrario, Carrie R.·2010·Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

Abstract

This review focuses on cocaine-induced postsynaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) involving changes in AMPA receptor (AMPAR) transmission. First, fundamental properties of AMPAR in the NAc are reviewed. Then, we provide a detailed and critical analysis of literature demonstrating alterations in AMPAR transmission in association with behavioral sensitization to cocaine and cocaine self-administration. We conclude that cocaine exposure leads to changes in AMPAR transmission that depend on many factors including whether exposure is contingent or non-contingent, the duration of withdrawal, and whether extinction training has occurred. The relationship between changes in AMPAR transmission and responding to cocaine or cocaine-paired cues can also be affected by these variables. However, after prolonged withdrawal in the absence of extinction training, our findings and others lead us to propose that AMPAR transmission is enhanced, resulting in stronger responding to drug-paired cues. Finally, many results indicate that the state of synaptic transmission in the NAc after cocaine exposure is associated with impairment of AMPAR-dependent plasticity. This may contribute to a broad range of addiction-related behavioral changes.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.01.013

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  • Key synaptic changes involve glutamate-modulated NMDA and AMPA receptors in glutamatergic projections from the prefrontal cortex and amygdala to the VTA and nucleus accumbens.

    “Key synaptic changes involve glutamate-modulated N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in glutamatergic projections from the prefrontal cortex and amygdala to the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens (table 2, circuit 4).”

    From Neurobiology of addiction: a neurocircuitry analysis (2016) · cites this paper as [46]

    Section 1.1 describes glutamate inputs from cortical and limbic regions to the nucleus accumbens and cocaine-related AMPA receptor plasticity there. Section 5.3 also reports NMDA receptor-dependent plasticity in VTA dopamine neurons. The paper does not establish the claimed receptor changes specifically in projections from both the prefrontal cortex and amygdala to both the VTA and nucleus accumbens. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Early drug-evoked changes in the properties of excitatory synapses on dopamine cells can be very long-lasting and are followed by many additional synaptic modifications in related structures.

    “These early drug-evoked changes in the properties of excitatory synapses on dopamine cells can be very long-lasting and are followed by many additional synaptic modifications in related structures.”

    From NMDA receptor-dependent long-term potentiation and long-term depression (LTP/LTD). (2012) · cites this paper as Wolf and Ferrario 2010

    Section 5.3 (page unavailable) reports that early plasticity in VTA dopamine neurons is required for subsequent changes in nucleus accumbens AMPAR transmission, and discusses later adaptations in other VTA targets. It does not establish that the early synaptic changes themselves are very long-lasting; the changes it says persist after long withdrawal are in the nucleus accumbens. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • In the nucleus accumbens, chronic (5-d) administration of cocaine triggers an internalization of AMPARs in medium spiny neurons, a change that occludes the subsequent synaptic induction of NMDAR-dependent LTD.

    “For example, in the nucleus accumbens chronic (5-d) administration of cocaine triggers an internalization of AMPARs in medium spiny neurons, a change that occludes the subsequent synaptic induction of NMDARdependent LTD (Thomas and Malenka 2003;Kauer and Malenka 2007;Wolf and Ferrario 2010).”

    From NMDA receptor-dependent long-term potentiation and long-term depression (LTP/LTD). (2012) · cites this paper as Wolf and Ferrario 2010

    Section 7.1 (page unavailable) reports reduced subsequent LTD in the nucleus accumbens shell of cocaine-sensitized mice, but describes a reduction in LTD magnitude rather than complete occlusion. Section 6.1 (page unavailable) specifies that the decrease in AMPA/NMDA ratio was measured after a cocaine challenge on withdrawal day 10–14, not simply after five days of cocaine; it attributes the decrease to reduced AMPAR number or function without establishing internalization. The cited passages do not identify the LTD as NMDAR-dependent. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Robinson TE Stolerman Ian P. Sensitization to Drugs Encyclopedia of Psychopharmacology: Sensitization To Drugs 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg DOI 10.1007/978-3-540-68706-1,# 2010 · DOI
  2. Wolf ME Progressive dysregulation of glutamate synapses in addiction Neurotox Res 2010 in press

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Authors
Wolf, M. E., & Ferrario, C. R.
Affiliations
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (US)
Corresponding author
Wolf, Marina E.
Venue
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2010-11
Volume
35
Issue
2
Pages
185-211
ISSN
0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2056862933
Cited by
271
References
243
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 34
FWCI
12.91
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA009621, K02DA000453, DA024502, DA015835, DA000453, K05DA029099, F32DA024502, R01DA015835, R37DA015835, R01DA009621)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
Keywords
AMPA receptors, nucleus accumbens, cocaine, postsynaptic plasticity, behavioral sensitization, cocaine self-administration, cocaine withdrawal, extinction training, addiction, synaptic transmission
MeSH terms
Animals, Behavior, Animal, Cocaine, Neuronal Plasticity, Nucleus Accumbens, Self Administration, Receptors, AMPA

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