THE EFFECT OF CHRONIC NICOTINE ON THE EXPRESSION OF CART mRNA IN THE MESOCORTICOLIMBIC SYSTEM OF THE RAT BRAIN
Project no. 1068 · Status: Kapanmış · 2015
Summary
Mesocorticolimbic system is involved in nicotine addiction. Anatomic and physiologic relation is found between mesocorticolimbic system and cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART). Studies suggest that CART peptides play a role in drug abuse. The aim of this study is examine the effects of nicotine on CART in the mesocorticolimbic system. Rats recieved 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 mg/kg nicotine subcutane for five days. On the sixth day after the last injection the rats were decapitated and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), nucleus accumbens (NAc), dorsal striatum (DST), amygdala (AMG), lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), and ventral tegmental area (VTA) were dissected on ice and used for RNA extraction immediately. In the AMG 0.4 and 0.6 mg/kg nicotine increased CART mRNA levels. Nicotine did not affect CART mRNA expression in the NAc, DST, LHA. Nicotine regulates CART expression in the AMG which is located in the mesocorticolimbic system