L12 - drug induced alterations in neural transmission

GluR2-lacking AMPA receptor

A less common AMPA receptor in the adult brain that lacks the GluR2 subunit, allowing both Na⁺ and Ca²⁺ to pass through.

What happens to AMPA receptor composition after long-term withdrawal from cocaine?

After long-term withdrawal (D45), GluR2-lacking AMPARs appear in the nucleus accumbens, and this change is associated with enhanced cocaine-seeking or “incubation of craving.”

How does a novel environment affect cocaine-induced neural plasticity?

Repeated cocaine in a novel context produces greater nucleus accumbens spine density and enhanced glutamate release, as well as stronger locomotor sensitisation.

Neuronal ensemble

A specific group of neurons that becomes activated in response to a particular stimulus, behaviour or environment and can encode information about that experience.

What did the Daun02 experiments show about cocaine-context neuronal ensembles?

Selectively silencing the nucleus accumbens neuronal ensemble associated with the cocaine context decreased sensitised locomotion. This provides evidence that specific cocaine-context ensembles causally mediate context-specific sensitisation.