Role of Noradrenergic Signaling by the Nucleus Tractus Solitarius in Mediating Opiate Reward

Norepinephrine (NE) is widely implicated in opiate withdrawal, but much less is known about its role in opiate-induced locomotion and reward. In mice lacking dopamine {szligbeta}-hydroxylase (DBH), an enzyme critical for NE synthesis, we found that NE was necessary for morphine-induced conditioned p...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2006-02, Vol.311 (5763), p.1017-1020
Main Authors: Olson, Valerie G, Heusner, Carrie L, Bland, Ross J, During, Matthew J, Weinshenker, David, Palmiter, Richard D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenergic receptors
Anatomical correlates of behavior
Animals
Antibodies
Behavior, Animal - drug effects
Behavioral neuroscience
Behavioral psychophysiology
Biological and medical sciences
Conditioning (Psychology)
Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase - genetics
Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase - metabolism
Dosage
Droxidopa - pharmacology
Drug addiction
Enzymes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Locomotion
Locomotion - drug effects
Locus Coeruleus - physiology
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Morphine
Morphine - pharmacology
Motor Activity - drug effects
Narcotics
Neurons
Neurotransmitters
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine - physiology
Opiates
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Reward
Signal Transduction
Solitary Nucleus - physiology
Synaptic Transmission
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Norepinephrine (NE) is widely implicated in opiate withdrawal, but much less is known about its role in opiate-induced locomotion and reward. In mice lacking dopamine {szligbeta}-hydroxylase (DBH), an enzyme critical for NE synthesis, we found that NE was necessary for morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP; a measure of reward) and locomotion. These deficits were rescued by systemic NE restoration. Viral restoration of DBH expression in the nucleus tractus solitarius, but not in the locus coeruleus, restored CPP for morphine. Morphine-induced locomotion was partially restored by DBH expression in either brain region. These data suggest that NE signaling by the nucleus tractus solitarius is necessary for morphine reward.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1119311