Lesion of the ventral tegmental area amplifies stimulation-induced Fos expression in the rat brain
Lesion of the ventral tegmental area amplifies stimulation-induced Fos expression in the rat brain
Unilateral lesions of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the key structure of the mesolimbic system, facilitate behavioral responses induced by electrical stimulation of the VTA in the contralateral hemisphere. In search of the neuronal mechanism behind this phenomenon, Fos expression was used to measure neuronal activation of the target mesolimbic structures in rats subjected to unilateral electrocoagulation and simultaneously to contralateral electrical stimulation of the VTA (L/S group). These were compared to the level of mesolimbic activation after unilateral electrocoagulation of the VTA (L group), unilateral electrical stimulation of the VTA (S group) and bilateral electrode implantation into the VTA in the sham (Sh) group. We found that unilateral stimulation of the VTA alone increased the density of Fos containing neurons in the ipsilateral mesolimbic target structures: nucleus accumbens, lateral septum and amygdala in comparison with the sham group. However, unilateral lesion of the VTA was devoid of effect in non-stimulated (L) rats and it significantly amplified the stimulation-induced Fos-immunoreactivity (L/S vs S group). Stimulation of the VTA performed after contralateral lesion (L/S) evoked strong bilateral induction of Fos expression in the mesolimbic structures involved in motivation and reward (nucleus accumbens and lateral septum) and the processing of the reinforcing properties of olfactory stimuli (anterior cortical amygdaloid nucleus) in parallel with facilitation of behavioral function measured as shortened latency of eating or exploration. Our data suggest that VTA lesion sensitizes mesolimbic system to stimuli by suppressing an inhibitory influence of brain areas afferenting the VTA.
ventral tegmental area vta, fos, leision, contralateral stimulation, rat
95-105
Majkutewicz, Irena
71dde6b6-c65e-41ea-b30e-3ef004cefa95
Cecot, Tomasz
eb39253c-283b-4000-af47-5f898749079d
Jerzemowska, Grazyna
c7a9d18c-0a9c-49a6-96f9-0528bbb888d9
Myślińska, Dorota
d39ed323-725d-41f9-a75e-dfa07079395d
Plucińska, Karolina
2914f251-ff7b-48f7-ae03-42fbd5c80936
Trojniar, Weronika
02fe6d4b-0157-437f-9e51-ea34f8658457
Wrona, Danuta
e89efa49-a597-43e0-83ca-4bc621dcd03a
12 March 2010
Majkutewicz, Irena
71dde6b6-c65e-41ea-b30e-3ef004cefa95
Cecot, Tomasz
eb39253c-283b-4000-af47-5f898749079d
Jerzemowska, Grazyna
c7a9d18c-0a9c-49a6-96f9-0528bbb888d9
Myślińska, Dorota
d39ed323-725d-41f9-a75e-dfa07079395d
Plucińska, Karolina
2914f251-ff7b-48f7-ae03-42fbd5c80936
Trojniar, Weronika
02fe6d4b-0157-437f-9e51-ea34f8658457
Wrona, Danuta
e89efa49-a597-43e0-83ca-4bc621dcd03a
Majkutewicz, Irena, Cecot, Tomasz, Jerzemowska, Grazyna, Myślińska, Dorota, Plucińska, Karolina, Trojniar, Weronika and Wrona, Danuta
(2010)
Lesion of the ventral tegmental area amplifies stimulation-induced Fos expression in the rat brain.
Brain Research, 1320, .
(doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2010.01.009).
(PMID:20079346)
Abstract
Unilateral lesions of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the key structure of the mesolimbic system, facilitate behavioral responses induced by electrical stimulation of the VTA in the contralateral hemisphere. In search of the neuronal mechanism behind this phenomenon, Fos expression was used to measure neuronal activation of the target mesolimbic structures in rats subjected to unilateral electrocoagulation and simultaneously to contralateral electrical stimulation of the VTA (L/S group). These were compared to the level of mesolimbic activation after unilateral electrocoagulation of the VTA (L group), unilateral electrical stimulation of the VTA (S group) and bilateral electrode implantation into the VTA in the sham (Sh) group. We found that unilateral stimulation of the VTA alone increased the density of Fos containing neurons in the ipsilateral mesolimbic target structures: nucleus accumbens, lateral septum and amygdala in comparison with the sham group. However, unilateral lesion of the VTA was devoid of effect in non-stimulated (L) rats and it significantly amplified the stimulation-induced Fos-immunoreactivity (L/S vs S group). Stimulation of the VTA performed after contralateral lesion (L/S) evoked strong bilateral induction of Fos expression in the mesolimbic structures involved in motivation and reward (nucleus accumbens and lateral septum) and the processing of the reinforcing properties of olfactory stimuli (anterior cortical amygdaloid nucleus) in parallel with facilitation of behavioral function measured as shortened latency of eating or exploration. Our data suggest that VTA lesion sensitizes mesolimbic system to stimuli by suppressing an inhibitory influence of brain areas afferenting the VTA.
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e-pub ahead of print date: 14 January 2010
Published date: 12 March 2010
Keywords:
ventral tegmental area vta, fos, leision, contralateral stimulation, rat
Organisations:
Faculty of Medicine
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Local EPrints ID: 368555
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/368555
ISSN: 0006-8993
PURE UUID: fa403a26-4a2d-47bc-9d88-ceb569f2d92f
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Date deposited: 22 Sep 2014 12:00
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 17:49
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Author:
Irena Majkutewicz
Author:
Tomasz Cecot
Author:
Grazyna Jerzemowska
Author:
Dorota Myślińska
Author:
Karolina Plucińska
Author:
Weronika Trojniar
Author:
Danuta Wrona
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