Effects of VTA GABA Lesions on Intracranial Self-Stimulation

Authors

David Hedges, Brigham Young University
Dr. Scott Steffensen, Brigham Young University

Keywords

VTA GABA lesions, intracranial self-stimulation, addiction

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of my ORCA research was to better understand the neural circuitry behind addiction. It is well known that the mesocorticolimbic pathway in the brain is involved with addictions. This pathway consists of dopaminergic neurons originating in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) projecting to the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) through the median forebrain bundle (MFB) and the internal capsule (IC). The firing of these dopamine neurons is in part regulated by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in the VTA. It was on this specific GABA population that my research was focused. It was my hypothesis that animals treated with Dermorphin saporin (DS) would not have any active VTA GABA neurons and would not self-administer ethanol when compared to animals injected with unconjugated saporin (blank-saporin: BS).

Recommended Citation

Hedges, David and Steffensen, Dr. Scott (2013) "Effects of VTA GABA Lesions on Intracranial Self-Stimulation," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 551.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/551