Elsevier

Brain Research

Volume 688, Issues 1–2, 7 August 1995, Pages 184-188
Brain Research

Extracellular acetylcholine is increased in the nucleus accumbens following the presentation of an aversively conditioned taste stimulus

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Abstract

To determine if acetylcholine (ACh) is released in the nucleus accumbens in response to a conditioned stimulus (CS) that reminds the animal of an aversive event, in vivo microdialysis was used to monitor extracellular ACh during conditioned taste aversion. Saccharin flavored water (2.5 mM saccharin) was paired twice with nausea induced by i.p. lithium chloride (100 mg/kg). This is normally sufficient to create an aversion to the taste of saccharin, but instead of a preference test, the saccharin solution was squirted directly into the rat's mouth via a cheek catheter during nucleus accumbens microdialysis. The result was a 40% increase in extracellular ACh. We reported earlier that dopamine changes in the opposite direction; it decreases. This suggests that high synaptic ACh and low DA are correlated with an aversive state and cessation of behavior.

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  • Cited by (0)

    1

    Present address: Department of Medical Psychology, Oregon Health Sciences University, School of Medicine, Portland, OR 97201, USA.

    2

    Present address: Laboratorio de Fisiologia, Universidad de los Andes, Merida, Venezuela.

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