The influence of single cocaine exposure on intrinsic excitability of dopaminergic neurons in ventral tegmental area
LU Dun-guo, LIU Yi-hui*, REN Wei
(College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi′an 710062, Shaanxi, China)
Abstract:
Activation of dopaminergic neurons in ventral tegmental area plays an important role in drug addiction. This experiment used whole-cell patch-clamping in midbrain slices, bathing with antagonist PTX, AP—5, CNQX, giving dopaminergic neurons a series of step current, to explore the intrinsic plasticity in VTA dopaminergic neurons after cocaine exposure. The results showed that rheobase decreased and action potentials frequency increased in neurons from cocaine-treated animals. The results indicated that single cocaine exposure increases the intrinsic excitability in ventral tegmental area dopaminergic neurons.
KeyWords:
mesolimibic dopamine system; cocaine; intrinsic excitability
