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Cited by 935Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Dopamine and drug addiction: the nucleus accumbens shell connection

Di Chiara, Gaetano, Bassareo, Valentina, Fenu, Sandro, De Luca, Maria Antonietta, Spina, Liliana, Cadoni, Cristina, Acquas, Elio, Carboni, Ezio +2 more·2004·Neuropharmacology
DOI 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2004.06.032
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Abstract

Microdialysis studies in animals have shown that addictive drugs preferentially increase extracellular dopamine (DA) in the n. accumbens (NAc). Brain imaging studies, while extending these finding to humans, have shown a correlation between psychostimulant-induced increase of extracellular DA in the striatum and self-reported measures of liking and 'high' (euphoria). Although a correlate of drug reward independent from associative learning and performance is difficult to obtain in animals, conditioned taste avoidance (CTA) might meet these requirements. Addictive drugs induce CTA to saccharin most likely as a result of anticipatory contrast of saccharin over drug reward. Consistently with a role of DA in drug reward, D2 or combined D1/D2 receptor blockade abolishes cocaine, amphetamine and nicotine CTA. Intracranial self-administration studies with mixtures of D1 and D2 receptor agonists point to the NAc shell as the critical site of DA reward. NAc shell DA acting on D1 receptors is also involved in Pavlovian learning through pre-trial and post-trial consolidation mechanisms and in the utilization of spatial short-term memory for goal-directed behavior. Stimulation of NAc shell DA transmission by addictive drugs is shared by a natural reward like food but lacks its adaptive properties (habituation and inhibition by predictive stimuli). These peculiarities of drug-induced stimulation of DA transmission in the NAc shell result in striking differences in the impact of drug-conditioned stimuli on DA transmission. It is speculated that drug addiction results from the impact exerted on behavior by the abnormal DA stimulant properties acquired by drug-conditioned stimuli as a result of their association with addictive drugs.

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  • Drugs of abuse stimulate the dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway including the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens, leading to addiction.

    “Drugs of abuse are known to stimulate the dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway that includes the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens, leading to addiction [25].”

    From Social Media Algorithms and Teen Addiction: Neurophysiological Impact and Ethical Considerations (2025) · cites this paper as [25]

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Authors
Di Chiara, G., Bassareo, V., Fenu, S., De Luca, M. A., Spina, L., Cadoni, C., Acquas, E., Carboni, E., Valentini, V., & Lecca, D.
Affiliations
University of Cagliari (IT)
ORCID
Venue
Neuropharmacology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2004-01
Volume
47
Pages
227-241
ISSN
0028-3908 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.neuropharm.2004.06.032
OpenAlex
W2109518858
Cited by
935
References
104
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 74 · 2019: 35 · 2018: 32 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 52 · 2015: 48 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 63
FWCI
4.37
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Neuropharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UNICA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (University of Cagliari) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche
  • Regione Autonoma della Sardegna
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
Keywords
dopamine, drug addiction, nucleus accumbens shell, drug reward, conditioned taste aversion, dopamine D1 receptor, dopamine D2 receptor, cocaine, amphetamine, nicotine, classical conditioning, spatial short-term memory, goal-directed behavior, extracellular dopamine
MeSH terms
Animals, Arousal, Conditioning, Classical, Conditioning, Operant, Dopamine, Extracellular Space, Humans, Motivation, Synaptic Transmission, Nucleus Accumbens, Phosphorylation, Substance-Related Disorders

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