2023
Ventral tegmental area M5 muscarinic receptors mediate effort-choice responding and nucleus accumbens dopamine in a sex-specific manner
Nunes E, Kebede N, Haight J, Foster D, Lindsley C, Conn P, Addy N. Ventral tegmental area M5 muscarinic receptors mediate effort-choice responding and nucleus accumbens dopamine in a sex-specific manner. Journal Of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics 2023, 385: jpet-ar-2022-001438. PMID: 36828630, PMCID: PMC10108441, DOI: 10.1124/jpet.122.001438.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNucleus accumbens coreVentral tegmental areaM5 receptorsDA releaseMale ratsVTA infusionsDepressive disorderNucleus accumbensMuscarinic M5 receptorsSelective negative allosteric modulatorM5 muscarinic receptorsNegative allosteric modulatorsEffort-related choicePhasic DA releasePotential sex differencesSex-specific mannerACh toneVTA administrationCholinergic effectsMuscarinic receptorsFemale ratsTegmental areaPreclinical modelsDopamine releaseTherapeutic target
2022
L-type calcium channel regulation of dopamine activity in the ventral tegmental area to nucleus accumbens pathway: Implications for substance use, mood disorders and co-morbidities
Nunes E, Addy N. L-type calcium channel regulation of dopamine activity in the ventral tegmental area to nucleus accumbens pathway: Implications for substance use, mood disorders and co-morbidities. Neuropharmacology 2022, 224: 109336. PMID: 36414149, PMCID: PMC11215796, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109336.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsL-type calcium channelsVentral tegmental areaPre-clinical modelsTegmental areaSubstance useLTCC blockersMood disordersCalcium channelsCo-morbid psychiatric diagnosesDA neuronal activityVoltage-gated calcium channelsMood-related behaviorsSubstance use disordersCalcium channel regulationStress-induced plasticityAccumbens pathwayCardiac medicationsDopamine neuronsLTCC subtypesNeuronal activityNeuronal firingUse disordersPsychiatric diagnosisCalcium entryDopamine activityCholinergic and dopaminergic‐mediated motivated behavior in healthy states and in substance use and mood disorders
Nunes EJ, Kebede N, Bagdas D, Addy NA. Cholinergic and dopaminergic‐mediated motivated behavior in healthy states and in substance use and mood disorders. Journal Of The Experimental Analysis Of Behavior 2022, 117: 404-419. PMID: 35286712, PMCID: PMC9743782, DOI: 10.1002/jeab.747.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMood disordersSubstance useActivational componentsMotivated behaviorComorbid substance useMesolimbic dopamine systemDA releaseCholinergic activityCholinergic transmissionImportant neuromodulatorCholinergic dysregulationDA regulationDopamine systemDA signalingActivational aspectsDisease statesDisordersAversive stimuliPossible roleHealthy stateCholinergicAcetylcholineStimuliEtiologyIllness
2013
Effort-Related Motivational Effects of the VMAT-2 Inhibitor Tetrabenazine: Implications for Animal Models of the Motivational Symptoms of Depression
Nunes E, Randall P, Hart E, Freeland C, Yohn S, Baqi Y, Müller C, López-Cruz L, Correa M, Salamone J. Effort-Related Motivational Effects of the VMAT-2 Inhibitor Tetrabenazine: Implications for Animal Models of the Motivational Symptoms of Depression. Journal Of Neuroscience 2013, 33: 19120-19130. PMID: 24305809, PMCID: PMC3850037, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2730-13.2013.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdenosine A2 Receptor AntagonistsAdrenergic Uptake InhibitorsAnimalsAntidepressive Agents, Second-GenerationBehavior, AnimalBupropionConditioning, OperantDepressionDisease Models, AnimalDopamineDopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32EnkephalinsFeeding BehaviorImmunohistochemistryMaleMicrodialysisMotivationNucleus AccumbensProto-Oncogene Proteins c-fosRatsRats, Sprague-DawleySubstance PTetrabenazineVesicular Monoamine Transport ProteinsXanthinesConceptsMotivational symptomsAnimal modelsEffort-related choice behaviorAdenosine A2A antagonist MSX-3Vesicular monoamine transport (VMAT-2) inhibitor tetrabenazineEffort-related motivational effectsEffort-related motivational symptomsAccumbens medium spiny neuronsVMAT-2 inhibitor tetrabenazineD2 DA receptorsDepression-like effectsDose-related decreaseMedium spiny neuronsEffects of tetrabenazineInhibitor tetrabenazineEffort-related choiceEffort-related effectsDA receptorsAntidepressant bupropionChow intakeMSX-3Spiny neuronsMajor depressionExtracellular dopamineFood intakeNucleus accumbens neurotransmission and effort-related choice behavior in food motivation: Effects of drugs acting on dopamine, adenosine, and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors
Nunes E, Randall P, Podurgiel S, Correa M, Salamone J. Nucleus accumbens neurotransmission and effort-related choice behavior in food motivation: Effects of drugs acting on dopamine, adenosine, and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 2013, 37: 2015-2025. PMID: 23583616, DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.04.002.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEffort-related choice behaviorMuscarinic acetylcholine receptorsDA antagonismEffort-related processesNAc coreAcetylcholine receptorsFood motivationAspects of appetiteControl site dorsalPrimary food motivationA2A receptor stimulationMuscarinic antagonist scopolamineDA D2 antagonistsAction of pilocarpineAdenosine A2A receptorsAdenosine A2A antagonistsEffects of drugsEffort-related choiceFood-seeking behaviorSites dorsalChow intakeDA depletionDA transmissionMuscarinic receptorsD2 antagonist
2012
Dopaminergic Modulation of Effort-Related Choice Behavior as Assessed by a Progressive Ratio Chow Feeding Choice Task: Pharmacological Studies and the Role of Individual Differences
Randall P, Pardo M, Nunes E, Cruz L, Vemuri V, Makriyannis A, Baqi Y, Müller C, Correa M, Salamone J. Dopaminergic Modulation of Effort-Related Choice Behavior as Assessed by a Progressive Ratio Chow Feeding Choice Task: Pharmacological Studies and the Role of Individual Differences. PLOS ONE 2012, 7: e47934. PMID: 23110135, PMCID: PMC3478264, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047934.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords3,3'-DiaminobenzidineAdenosine A2 Receptor AntagonistsAnalysis of VarianceAnimal FeedAnimal Nutritional Physiological PhenomenaAnimalsChoice BehaviorDopamineDopamine and cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 32Dopamine AntagonistsFeeding BehaviorHaloperidolImmunohistochemistryIndividualityMalePiperidinesPyrazolesRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyXanthinesConceptsProgressive ratioLever pressesPrimary food motivationNucleus accumbens coreCB1 inverse agonistsFood-seeking behaviorChow intakeMSX-3DA transmissionDA antagonismDopaminergic modulationDrug treatmentHigh respondersLaboratory chowLow respondersChow consumptionEffort-related processesSignal transduction activityAccumbens coreMesolimbic dopaminePharmacological studiesFood-reinforced tasksInverse agonistBehavioral activationFood motivationTHE BEHAVIORAL PHARMACOLOGY OF EFFORT‐RELATED CHOICE BEHAVIOR: DOPAMINE, ADENOSINE AND BEYOND
Salamone J, Correa M, Nunes E, Randall P, Pardo M. THE BEHAVIORAL PHARMACOLOGY OF EFFORT‐RELATED CHOICE BEHAVIOR: DOPAMINE, ADENOSINE AND BEYOND. Journal Of The Experimental Analysis Of Behavior 2012, 97: 125-146. PMID: 22287808, PMCID: PMC3266736, DOI: 10.1901/jeab.2012.97-125.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEffort-related choice behaviorDA depletionAccumbens DA depletionsNucleus accumbens DAAccumbens DAFood-reinforced behaviorDA transmissionMesolimbic DAPsychomotor slowingEffort-related functionsNeurological disordersFood-reinforced tasksBrain structuresDrug abuseAccumbens DA transmissionBehavioral pharmacologyHigh response requirementsRatsBrain systemsPresent reviewPrimary reinforcerAntagonism
2010
Nucleus accumbens and effort-related functions: behavioral and neural markers of the interactions between adenosine A2A and dopamine D2 receptors
Farrar A, Segovia K, Randall P, Nunes E, Collins L, Stopper C, Port R, Hockemeyer J, Müller C, Correa M, Salamone J. Nucleus accumbens and effort-related functions: behavioral and neural markers of the interactions between adenosine A2A and dopamine D2 receptors. Neuroscience 2010, 166: 1056-1067. PMID: 20096336, DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.12.056.Peer-Reviewed Original Research