A decrease in gamma-synuclein expression within the nucleus accumbens increases cocaine intravenous self-administration in the rat.

Abstract

Except as a marker of cancer progression, gamma-synuclein (GSyn) had received little attention. Recent data showed however that GSyn modulates cocaine-induced locomotor effects, suggesting that it could also play a role in cocaine reinforcing effects. In the rat, siRNAs targeting GSyn expression were injected in the nucleus accumbens and cocaine reinforcing effects were evaluated by means of intravenous self-administration. A dose-response curve was followed by procedures of progressive ratio, extinction, cocaine- and cue-induced reinstatements. Decrease of GSyn expression increased self-administration over a large range of doses. This effect was associated with an increase in cocaine-induced reinstatement. The present data reveal that GSyn exert a specific negative control on cocaine-induced reinforcing and incentive effects.

• Authors: Frédéric Boyer, Eric Balado, Pier V Piazza, Jean-Luc Dreyer, Véronique Deroche-Gamonet
• Journal: Addiction biology (Addict Biol) Vol. 16 Issue 1 Pg. 120-3 (Jan 2011) ISSN: 1369-1600 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20579003 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2010 The Authors. Addiction Biology © 2010 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Chemical References

• RNA, Small Interfering
• gamma-Synuclein
• Cocaine

Topics

• Animals
• Association Learning (physiology)
• Cocaine (administration & dosage)
• Cocaine-Related Disorders (genetics, physiopathology)
• Conditioning, Operant (physiology)
• Cues
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Extinction, Psychological (physiology)
• Gene Expression (genetics)
• Motivation (physiology)
• Motor Activity (drug effects, physiology)
• Nucleus Accumbens (pathology, physiopathology)
• RNA, Small Interfering (genetics)
• Rats
• Reinforcement Schedule
• Self Administration
• Substance Abuse, Intravenous (genetics, pathology)
• gamma-Synuclein (genetics)